NEWS:   GM to recall some Impala and LaCrosse models

YAHOO NEWS -- August 12,  2011 – ..DETROIT (AP) — General Motors is recalling some 2012 Chevrolet Impala and Buick LaCrosse models to fix safety problems.

GM says 11,915 Impalas are being recalled in the U.S. and Canada because a power steering fluid hose gets too close to the catalytic converter. The hose can melt, and fluid can leak and start a fire.

GM said Friday that it knows of no complaints or injuries. The large sedans were built from April 19 through July 29.

GM also is recalling 4,293 LaCrosse sedans in the U.S. and Canada to fix software that runs a computer that controls the brakes. The software may not detect a malfunctioning sensor. If the sensor fails it could change the way the car handles and cause a crash.

GM says no crashes have been reported.

MORE RECALL INFO: 

• Buick Lacrosse
• Chevrolet Impala

AUGUST 2011 -- GM is recalling certain model year 2012 Buick LaCrosse passenger vehicles manufactured from June 9, 2011, through July 2, 2011, for failing to conform to the requirements of Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standard No. 126, "Electronic Stability Control Systems (ESC)." The stabilitrak system has an incorrect calibration that may cause the system to not properly detect if a sensor were to malfunction, and the warning light indicating that the system is not operating would not illuminate, as required in the safety standard. The improper diagnosing may cause the esc to falsely activate, resulting in sudden changes in vehicle handling and deceleration, particularly at higher speeds, which may cause the driver difficulty in maintaining the vehicle's desired path of travel and desired vehicle speed, and could result in a crash without warning. GM dealers will reprogram the electronic brake control module free of charge. The safety recall began on September 12, 2011.  11V-404

NEWS:   U.S. probes gas gauges in 865,000 GM vehicles

DETROIT FREE PRESS -- April 29,  2011 – The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration has opened an investigation into whether nearly 1 million General Motors vehicles may have faulty gas gauges.

“Consumers have reported incidents of inaccurate and random fuel level reading while driving, resulting in the vehicle running out of fuel and causing vehicle stall with no restart,” NHTSA investigators said in their formal document opening the probe.

GM spokesman ...said the Detroit automaker planned to “work with NHTSA and was cooperating in the investigation.”

The agency estimates 865,000 vehicles could be affected, and NHTSA said it has received “668 complaints alleging inaccurate fuel gauge reading while driving in model year 2005-07 Chevrolet Trailblazer, GMC Envoy, Buick Rainier, and Saab 9-7x vehicles.”

Of those complaints, 58 involved stalls, and 43 were stalls where a driver specifically reported that it was “because the fuel level reading indicated more fuel availability than what is actually in the fuel tank.”

NHTSA said at least one crash allegedly took place when a vehicle ran out of gas, when it “stalled while exiting the interstate, became disabled, and was struck from behind.”

The safety agency said the complaints they were receiving showed “an apparent increasing trend” of the problem, with “most complaints received within the past year.”

What NHTSA terms a preliminary evaluation has been opened this week “to assess the scope, frequency and potential safety consequences associated with the alleged defect.”

NHTSA spokeswoman...told the Free Press there is “no set timetable” for how long the initial phase of the investigation could take. She said government officials would seek information from GM and ultimately decide whether to elevate the investigation into what’s known as an engineering analysis.

NHTSA spokeswoman declined to provide more specific details on the cases involved.

GM spokesman ...said the Detroit automaker had received NHTSA’s formal notification document about the preliminary probe, but had not yet received detailed questions from the agency about the potential gas gauge problem. He said those would likely be sent to GM by the government within the next couple of weeks.

MORE RECALL INFO:   

• 2005-07 - Chevrolet Trailblazer
• 2005-07 - GMC Envoy
• 2005-07 - Buick Rainier
• 2005-07 - Saab 9-7x

NEWS:   GM recalling Buick LaCrosse, Cadillac SRX to fix problems with windshield defrosters

YAHOO NEWS -- March 9,  2011 – General Motors Co is recalling recent Buick Lacrosse and Cadillac SRX vehicles due to a software defect that could disable the driver's ability to adjust the heating, ventilation and air conditioning.

GM said 10,179 vehicles for the model year 2011 were affected by the recall, which may prevent the defrost system from clearing the windshield.

The vehicles fail to comply with federal standards for windshield defrosting and defogging, the automaker said in a notice to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration on Wednesday.

MORE RECALL INFO:   

• Buick Lacrosse
• Cadillac SRX

NEWS:  GM recalls cars due to power steering fluid leak

YAHOO NEWS -- November 11,  2010 –  General Motors Co will recall 13,780 Cadillac DTS and Buick Lucerne luxury sedans because of possible power steering fluid leaks that could cause a loss of steering or an engine fire.

GM said in a notice to U.S. safety regulators that it investigated reports in late August of two fires in vehicles. GM determined that a power steering fluid line could leak because of wear.

The problem, which affects cars for model years 2010 and 2011, is that the starter or alternator cable could rub against the power steering return line and wear it thin, according to a notice on the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration website dated November 10.

A weakened power steering return line could lead to a loss of power steering. Additionally, the leak onto hot engine parts could prompt a fire in the engine compartment.

On August 24, the Hamtramck plant in Michigan, where the cars are made, halted shipments on completed vehicles and examined the remaining cars to ensure that the cables did not rub together.

MORE RECALL INFO: 

• Cadillac DTS
• Buick Lucerne

NOVEMBER 2010 -- General Motors is recalling certain model year 2010-2011 DTS and Buick Lucerne vehicles equipped with V8 engines. The starter or alternator cable is in contact with the power steering return line. If either the starter or alternator cable is contacting the power steering return line, the cable could wear through the line, causing a power steering fluid leak. A power steering leak could result in a loss of power steering, increasing the risk of a crash, and/or the leak onto hot engine parts could cause an engine compartment fire. Dealers will secure and if necessary reroute the lines to prevent contact. This service will be performed free of charge. The safety recall began on November 19, 2010.   10V-553

AUGUST 2010 -- General Motors is recalling certain model year 2009-2010 Chevrolet Traverse, Buick Enclave, GMC Acadia, and Saturn OUTLOOK vehicles. The second row seat side trim shield restricts the upward rotation of the safety belt buckle when the seat back is returned to a seating position after being folded flat. If the buckle contacts the seat frame, additional effort is required to return the seat to a seatingposition. If sufficient force is applied, the buckle cover could be pushed down the strap, exposing and partially depressing the red release button. The safety belt may not restrain the occupant as intended during a crash, increasing the risk of injury to the seat occupant. Dealers will modify the second row seat side trim shields. If a safety belt buckle is damaged, dealers will replace it free of charge. The safety recall began on August 18, 2010.   GM's recall No. N100243. 10V-375

NEWS:   GM recalls 250K vehicles; seat belts may not latch

YAHOO NEWS -- August 17, 2010 – General Motors is recalling nearly 250,000 crossover vehicles worldwide to inspect second-row seat belts that could be damaged and not latch.

GM says the recall affects 2009-2010 models of the Chevrolet Traverse, Buick Enclave, GMC Acadia and Saturn Outlook.

Most of the recalled vehicles are in the United States but some are also in Canada, Mexico and elsewhere.

GM says the seat belt buckle could be damaged when the seat back is returned to an upright position. That could make the buckle appear to latch when it isn't.

The automaker says it does not know of any cases where the second-row seat belts failed to perform properly in a crash.

MORE RECALL INFO

• Chevrolet Traverse
• Buick Enclave
• GMC Acadia
• Saturn Outlook

NEWS:   GM recalling 1.5M vehicles over fire concerns

YAHOO NEWS – June 8, 2010 – General Motors Co. said Tuesday it was recalling about 1.5 million vehicles worldwide to address a problem with a heated windshield wiper fluid system that could lead to a fire, its second recall over the issue in two years.

The recall affects several pickup trucks, sport utility vehicles, crossovers and passenger car models from the 2006 to 2009 model years. GM conducted a similar recall in 2008 but came across new reports of fires in vehicles that had been fixed.

GM said it would disable the heated washer fluid system module that could lead to fires. The Detroit automaker will pay owners and those leasing vehicles $100 each since the feature is being disabled.

GM said it was aware of five fires but there had been no injuries or crashes reported. Nearly 1.4 million vehicles are in the U.S. and more than 100,000 vehicles are in Canada, Mexico and other international markets.

"While our analysis shows the number of incidents is very small compared with the number of vehicles on the road, we want our customers to have complete peace of mind," said Jeff Boyer, GM's executive director of safety.

The recall covers the 2006-2009 model year Buick Lucerne, Cadillac DTS, and Hummer H2; 2008-2009 Buick Enclave and Cadillac CTS; 2007-2009 Cadillac Escalade, Escalade ESV and Escalade EXT; 2007-2009 Chevrolet Avalanche, Silverado, Suburban and Tahoe; 2007-2009 GMC Acadia, Sierra, Yukon and Yukon XL; 2007-2009 Saturn Outlook; and 2009 Chevrolet Traverse.

The auto company said customers will begin to receive recall letters later this month but can contact their dealer to make an appointment to have the heated washer system removed. Dealers will remove the heated washer fluid module and reroute washer fluid hoses.

GM said the technology was available from only one supplier, Microheat Inc., of Farmington Hills, Mich., which went out of business, preventing GM from working with another supplier on an improved design.

GM recalled more than 900,000 vehicles because of the heated washer fluid system in August 2008 because a short circuit on the circuit board could overheat the ground wire. The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration had opened an investigation in February 2008 into 2007 Yukon and Tahoe vehicles over potential engine compartment fires.

The government closed its investigation after the 2008 recall but GM later came across fires in vehicles that had been fixed under the previous recall, prompting the latest safety action.

MORE RECALL INFO

• Buick Enclave
• Buick Lucerne
• Cadillac CTS
• Cadillac DTS
• Cadillac Escalade, ESV and EXT
• Chevrolet Avalanche
• Chevrolet Silverado
• Chevrolet Suburban
• Chevrolet Tahoe
• Chevrolet Traverse
• GMC Acadia
• GMC Sierra
• GMC Yukon and Yukon XL
• Hummer H2
• Saturn Outlook

NEWS:    GM recalling vehicles to fix shift lever problem

WASHINGTON (AP) — General Motors Corp. is recalling about 277,000 vehicles because of a potential defect in the shift lever that could cause a vehicle to roll away.

GM says the recall involves 2009 model year versions of the Buick Enclave; Chevrolet Cobalt, HHR, Malibu and Traverse; GMC Acadia; Pontiac G5 and G6; and the Saturn Aura and Outlook.

A GM spokeswoman says about 75,000 vehicles have been purchased. The rest are at dealerships. No crashes or injuries have been reported.

In some cases, the shift lever and the transmission gear's position may not match, meaning a driver could move the shifter to the park position but the transmission gear may not be in park.

A vehicle could roll away and crash or have problems restarting

MORE RECALL INFORMATION

• Buick Enclave
• Chevrolet Cobalt

• Chevrolet HHR

• Chevrolet Malibu

• Chevrolet Traverse
• GMC Acadia

• Pontiac G5

• Pontiac G6

• Saturn Aura

• Saturn Outlook

AUGUST 2008 -- GM is recalling 857,735 MY 2006-2008 Buick Lucerne; Cadillac DTS; Hummer H2; MY 2007-2008 Cadillac Escalade, Escalade ESV, Escalade EXT; Chevrolet Avalanche, Silverado, Suburban, Tahoe; GMC Acadia, Sierra, Yukon, Yukon XL, Saturn Outlook; and MY 2008 Buick Enclave vehicles equipped with a heated wiper washer fluid system. A short circuit on the printed circuit board for the washer fluid heater may overheat the control-circuit ground wire. This may cause other electrical features to malfunction, create an odor, or cause smoke increasing the risk of a fire. Dealers will install a wire harness with an in-line fuse free of charge. The manufacturer has not yet provided an owner notification schedule.  08V441

AUGUST 2008 -- GM is recalling 88,809 MY 2008 Buick Enclave, and MY 2007-2008 GMC Acadia and Saturn Outlook vehicles currently or previously registered in the following states: Alaska, Colorado, Connecticut, Delaware, Idaho, Illinois, Indiana, Iowa, Maine, Maryland, Massachusetts, Michigan, Minnesota, Montana, Nebraska, New Hampshire, New Jersey, New York, North Dakota, Ohio, Pennsylvania, Rhode Island, South Dakota, Utah, Vermont, West Virginia, Wisconsin, Wyoming, and the District of Columbia. If a buildup of snow or ice on the windshield or on the wipers restricts the movement of the wiper arm, the windshield wiper linkage may become detached from the motor shaft and the wipers may become inoperative. If this were to occur, driver visibility could be reduced, which could result in a vehicle crash. Dealers will install a new wiper crank arm, driver's side link, and a crank arm nut. The recall is expected to begin during October 2008.  08V-410

NEWS:    GM recalls 944,000 vehicles for fire hazard

Recall involves vehicles that are equipped with windshield washer fluid heaters.

NEW YORK (CNNMoney.com) -- August 28, 2008 -- General Motors is recalling 944,000 vehicles, 850,000 of them in the United States, because of the potential for a fire in the vehicles' heated windshield washer fluid system.

A short circuit in the circuit board that controls the system could cause a grounding wire to overheat. That could lead to smoke and the malfunctioning of other electrical components, GM (GM, Fortune 500) said in a letter to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA). In rare cases, it could cause a fire, GM said.

GM is aware of three fires caused by this problem, two of which were in the company's own test fleet vehicles, GM spokesman Tom Wilkinson said. The company is not aware of any injuries caused by the problem.

The vehicles must be turned on for the short circuit to occur, Wilkinson said, but he could not say whether the washer fluid heating system needed to be in use.

The models listed below, if they're equipped with a heated windshield washer fluid system, are subject to the recall:

The fluid heating system is a popular option on many of GM's large cars and SUVs, said Wilkinson.

On cold days, the system heats windshield washer fluid before spraying it onto the windshield, where it can melt ice and frost on the windshield.

To fix the problem, dealers will install a fuse that will shut off the system in the event of a short circuit. GM has not yet provided NHTSA with a schedule detailing when owners of affected vehicles will be notified.

MORE RECALL INFORMATION:

• Buick Lucerne

• Buick Enclave

• Cadillac DTS

• Cadillac Escalade

• Chevrolet Avalanche

• Chevrolet Silverado

• Chevrolet Suburban

• Chevrolet Tahoe

• GMC Acadia

• GMC Sierra

• GMC Yukon

• Saturn Outlook

NEWS:    GM Recalls Buicks, GMCs, Saturns to Fix Wipers

ConsumerAffairs.com -- August 28, 2008 -- General Motors is recalling 88,809 of the 2008 Buick Enclaves, 2007 to 2008 GMC Acadias and Saturn Outlooks to repair the windshield wipers.

The recall involves GM vehicles currently or previously registered in Alaska, Colorado, Connecticut, Delaware, Idaho, Illinois, Indiana, Iowa Maine, Maryland, Massachusetts, Michigan, Minnesota, Montana, Nebraska, New Hampshire, New Jersey, New York, North Dakota, Ohio, Pennsylvania, Rhode Island, South Dakota, Utah, Vermont, West Virginia, Wisconsin, Wyoming, and the District of Columbia.

The buildup of snow or ice on the windshield or wipers could restrict the movement of the wiper arm, according to the National Highway Traffic Administration (NHTSA) Web site.

"The wiper link may become detached from the motor shaft and the wipers many become inoperative," the safety agency warned, causing poor visibility and perhaps resulting in a crash.

GM dealers will install new parts required to remedy the windshield wiper defect when the recall gets underway in October.

Consumers can contact Buick at 1-866-608-8080, GMC at 1-866-996-9463, and Saturn at 1-800- 972-8876.

More Recall Information: 

• Buick Enclave 

• GMC Acadia

• Saturn Outlook

NEWS:    GM announces recall on car fire risk

DETROIT (AP) -- March 14, 2008 -- General Motors Corp. is recalling 207,542 Buick Regal and Pontiac Grand Prix sedans over a risk they could catch fire, and warned their owners not to park the cars in garages until they are fixed.

The automaker said Friday it is recalling the 1997-2003 Buick Regal GS and Grand Prix GTP models with 3.8-liter supercharged V-6 engines.

During hard braking, oil can leak from the engine onto the exhaust manifold, and fires can start if the oil gets hot enough, the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration said on its Web site.  GM spokeswoman ..... said the problem has caused 267 vehicle fires and six injuries, five of them minor and one moderate. It also has caused 17 fires in structures, GM said.

The NHTSA said that if the exhaust manifold is hot enough and the oil gets below a heat shield, "it may ignite into a small flame and in some cases fire may spread to the plastic spark plug wire channel."

GM sports cars under investigation

GM spokeswoman said GM sent letters to the owners on Thursday telling them the vehicles are safe to drive, but they should not be parked in garages or carports until the problem is repaired.

The automaker is working with suppliers to get the parts to fix the problem, and owners will be notified as soon as the parts are available, GM spokeswoman said. She did not know how long it would take to get the parts but said it would be soon.

If owners smell burning, they should take their car to a dealership for inspection, she said.  "Consumers can always can go to their dealership if they do smell something and are concerned," she said.  They also should run premium 91 octane fuel, which is recommended for the cars, she said.  "Lower octane fuel increases under-hood temperatures during operation," GM spokeswoman said.  GM spokeswoman said there are "very, very low incidences of vehicles actually catching fire while driving

More Recall Information:   Buick Regal  -   Pontiac Grand Prix