General Motors has announced the recall of nearly three million vehicles worldwide, with most of the cars, 2.71 million, in the United States. GM says that five recalls affect 2.99 million vehicles.
The recalls cover:
- -2,440,524 previous generation passenger cars for taillamp malfunctions
- -103,158 previous generation Chevrolet Corvettes for loss of low-beam head lamps
- -140,067 Chevrolet Malibus from the 2014 model year for hydraulic brake booster malfunctions
- -19,225 Cadillac CTS 2013-2014 models for windshield wiper failures
- -477 full-size trucks from the 2014 and 2015 model years for a tie-rod defect that can lead to a crash
The largest recall involves 2004-2012 Chevrolet Malibu, 2004-2007 Chevrolet Malibu Maxx, 2005-2010 Pontiac G6 and 2007-2010 Saturn Auras model cars in U.S. to modify the brake lamp wiring harness.
Affected vehicles could have corrosion develop in the wiring harness for the body control module due to micro-vibration. The condition could result in brake lamps failing to illuminate when the brakes are applied or brake lamps illuminating when the brakes are not engaged. Additionally, cruise control, traction control, electronic stability control and panic braking assist operation could be disabled.
GM is aware of several hundred complaints, 13 crashes and two injuries but no fatalities as a result of the condition. The company issued a technical service bulletin in 2008 and conducted a safety campaign for a small population of 2005 model year vehicles in January 2009.
The second safety recall covers 111,889 Chevrolet Corvettes from the 2005-2007 model years for potential loss of low-beam headlamp operation Models from 2008-2013 will be covered under a Customer Satisfaction Program. All repairs will be at no cost to customers.
When the engine is warm, the underhood electrical center housing could expand, causing the headlamp low-beam relay control circuit wire to bend slightly. After the wire is repeatedly bent, it can fracture and separate. When this occurs, the low-beam headlamps will not illuminate. As the housing cools and contracts, the low-beam headlamp function may return. This condition does not affect the high-beam headlamps, marker lamps, turn signals, daytime running lamps or fog lamps. Loss of low beam headlamps when they are required could reduce the driver’s visibility, increasing the risk of a crash.
GM is aware of several hundred complaints as result of the condition but no crashes, injuries or fatalities.
The third recall covers 140,067 Chevrolet Malibus from the 2014 model year with 2.5L engines and stop/start technology. These vehicles are subject to the disabling of hydraulic brake boost that can require greater pedal efforts and extended stopping distances. Dealers will reprogram the electronic brake control module. The issue was discovered in testing of a future model with similar technology. GM is aware of four crashes but it is not clear that these are related to the condition. No injuries are known from those crashes.
The fourth recall covers 19,225 Cadillac CTS from the 2013-2014 model year for a condition in which the windshield wiper system may become inoperable after a vehicle jump start with wipers active and restricted, such as by ice and snow. Potential lack of visibility could increase the risk of a crash. Dealers will replace the front wiper module free of charge. GM is unaware of any crashes or injuries due to the condition.
The fifth recall involves certain 2014 Chevrolet Silverado and GMC Sierra light duty pickups and 2015 model year Chevrolet Tahoe SUVs. The tie rod threaded attachment to the steering gear rack in these vehicles may not be tightened to specification. With this condition, the tie rod can separate from the steering rack and a crash could occur without prior warning. Customers are being contacted and told to have their vehicles taken by flatbed to their dealer, where the inner tie rods will be inspected for correct torque, and, if necessary, the steering gear will be replaced. The repair procedure was being sent to dealers and owner letters sent by overnight mail to customers on May 14. The issue was discovered and corrected during assembly after the small number of vehicles was released.
GM expects to take a charge of up to approximately $200 million in the second quarter, primarily for the cost of recall-related repairs announced in the quarter.
The new recalls came as the largest US automaker faces numerous lawsuits and government and congressional investigations following a delayed recall of millions of cars for faulty ignition switches linked to 13 deaths.
The ignition problem was detected at the pre-production stage as early as 2001, but the company waited until February this year to begin recalling the affected vehicles.
GM’s chief executive Mary Barra, who took the company’s job in January, has pledged to aggressively address the automaker’s safety and quality problems.
The costs of the multiple recalls are piling up. In the first quarter, GM took a $1.3 billion charge that included a $700 million expense for the 2.6 million cars recalled worldwide for faulty ignition switches and ignition cylinders.
Other recalls, totaling 4.5 million vehicles, cost $600 million.
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