NEWS:   GM, Isuzu recall pickups for child seat problem

YAHOO NEWS -- November 24,  2010 –  More than 192,000 General Motors and Isuzu midsize pickup trucks are being recalled because of a problem with the system that anchors child safety seats, the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration said Wednesday.

The recall affects Chevrolet Colorado and GMC Canyon models from the 2004 to 2011 model years. Also affected are Isuzu I-280 and I-350 pickups from 2006 and I-290 and I-370 models from 2007 and 2008. The Isuzus were built by GM at its factory in Shreveport, Louisiana.

NHTSA said on its website that the trucks all have bench front seats and no rear seats. Owners can't get to the top child seat anchor for the center of the front seat, and the owner's manual has no instructions on how to use the top anchor, NHTSA said. No accidents or injuries have been reported, GM spokesman said.

Both NHTSA and GM discourage people from using child seats in the front seats of vehicles.

"We don't want anybody to put it there anyway because it's not safe,"  GM spokesman said.

The repairs are being made because there could be circumstances that require putting a child in a safety seat in the front-center seating position, since the trucks have no rear seats, NHTSA said. The affected models could be regular cab or extended cab vehicles.

The lack of access to the top tether anchor and lack of instructions could result in the seat being improperly installed, increasing the risk of injury or death in a crash, NHTSA said.

The automakers do not yet have a schedule for notifying owners of the problem, NHTSA said. Dealers will cut a hole in the back panel to open access to the anchor, and the automakers will give owners information on how to properly secure the seats.

MORE RECALL INFO: 

• Chevrolet Colorado:  2004-2011
• GMC Canyon:  2004-2011
• Isuzu I-280:  2006
• Isuzu I-350:  2006
• Isuzu I-290:  2007, 2008
• Isuzu I-370:  2007, 2008

SEPTEMBER 2010 -- Isuzu is recalling certain model year 1998-2002 Isuzu Rodeo and model year 2002 Isuzu Axiom vehicles, and Honda is recalling certain 1998-2002 Honda Passport vehicles, that were originally sold, or are currently registered, in the states of Maine, New Hampshire, Vermont, Massachusetts, Rhode Island, Connecticut, New York, New Jersey, Pennsylvania, Delaware, Maryland, The District of Columbia, West Virginia, Ohio, Indiana, Michigan, Illinois, Wisconsin, Minnesota, Iowa, Missouri, and Kentucky. Vehicles that have experienced sustained exposure to highly corrosive materials used in some jurisdictions for road deicing purposes may experience excessive corrosion in the vicinity of the forward mounting point bracket for the left or right rear suspension lower link prior to the time that such corrosion would normally be expected. Excessive corrosion may result in the left or right rear suspension lower link bracket becoming detached from the frame, which can affect vehicle handling and potentially cause a crash. Dealers will inspect the rear suspension lower link bracket area. For vehicles in which little or no corrosion is found, the area will be treated with an anti-corrosive compound. For vehicles in which corrosion has damaged the rear suspension lower link bracket and affected its connection to the vehicle frame, a reinforcement bracket will be installed. In the rare event the corrosion is so severe that the reinforcement bracket remedy would not be appropriate, Isuzu and Honda will develop an appropriate remedy. All inspections and remedies will be provided free of charge for vehicles that are 10 years old or less. For vehicles older than 10 years, Isuzu will offer a free remedy, but only if the vehicle is presented to an Isuzu service facility, or Honda dealer (as applicable), dealer within 12 months of when owner notifications were issued. The manufacturer has not yet provided an owner notification schedule.    10V-436

JULY 2009 -- GM is recalling 185,903 model year 2004-2009 Colorado, GMC model year 2009-2004 Canyon, model year 2006 I-280, I-350, model year 2007-2008 I-290, and I-370, passenger vehicles originally sold in or currently registered in the states of Alabama, Arizona, Florida, Georgia, Hawaii, Louisiana, Mississippi, Nevada, New Mexico, Puerto Rico, South Carolina, Texas, U.S. Virgin Islands and Utah. Some of these vehicles have a brake lamp switch that may not work as designed due to contamination in the switch.  This condition could cause the simultaneous loss of all brake lamps or cause all of the brake lamps to stay on continuously. Both of these conditions could fail to warn others of the driver's intentions and could lead to a vehicle crash. Dealers will inspect and replace the necessary components as specified in the recall bulletin free ofcharge. Gm anticipates that parts will be available by February 2010. A special coverage for vehicles registered in all other states will be implemented in the same time frame. In the interim, owners who experience the failure can obtain a free repair, however they will be required to return when the new design part becomes available.  09V-310

FEBRUARY 2009 --  Izusu is recalling 2,836 MY 2008-2009 NPR/NQR and NRR, GMC W3500, 4500 and 5500, Chevrolet W3500, 4500 and 5500 Trucks. The propeller shaft was manufactured with insufficient high frequency heat treatment. As a result, the affected portion of the propeller shaft may not maintain its durability through the expected vehicle useful life. The propeller shaft could break off while the vehicle is being driving, which would result in the vehicle stalling and coasting to a stop, or, loss of vehicle control which could result in a crash. Dealers will replace the propeller shaft free of charge. The recall began on March 5, 2009.  09V-042

WASHINGTON (AP) -- (October 28, 2005) General Motors Corp. said Friday it was recalling about 100,000 sport utility vehicles in 20 northern states because corrosion can affect latches on the two backseat doors, potentially allowing the doors to open while the vehicle is being driven.

The recall involves the 2002-2003 models of the Chevrolet TrailBlazer EXT and GMC Envoy XL and the 2003 model of the Isuzu Ascender.

Automakers are recalling 450,000 vehicles, including the Chevrolet Corvette, for a range of defects reported by the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA).

The General Motors recall includes 123,592 pickup trucks, SUVs, vans and cars because of potential power steering problems that could lead to engine fires. NHTSA reports that under extreme steering conditions the power steering hose may break and leak fluid. Power steering fluid could then spray onto hot engine parts and an engine compartment fire could occur.