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GM keeps recalls coming, adds 6 to growing list

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Josée Paquet
General Motors today announced six new safety recalls covering 717,949 recent model vehicles in the U.S. — pushing the total number of recalls this year to 60 and the number of affected units worldwide to 28,767,143.

The first recall involves 2011-2012 Chevrolet Camaro, 2010-2012 Chevrolet Equinox and GMC Terrain, 2011-2012 Buick Regal and LaCrosse, and 2010-2012 Cadillac SRX models equipped with power height-adjustable driver or front passenger seat structures. The bolt that secures the height adjuster actuator may become loose or fall out. If the bolt falls out, the seat will move up and down freely because it is no longer attached at the height adjuster.

GM assures the vehicles are safe to drive, but customers should not use the power height adjustable feature until dealers can replace the height adjuster bolt. GM is aware of one crash and three injuries but no fatalities related to this condition.

The second recall affects 2014 Chevrolet Caprice, 2014 Chevrolet SS, 2014-2015 Chevrolet Silverado LD and HD, 2013-2014 Cadillac ATS, 2014 Cadillac CTS, 2014 Cadillac ELR, 2013-2014 Buick Encore, and 2014-2015 GMC Sierra LD and HD vehicles. Some of them may have an incomplete weld on the seat hook bracket assembly due to a loss of power to a laser welding machine, according to data collected from the machine between July 2013 and January 2014.

Dealers will inspect the weld. If it is sufficient, no further action is necessary. If it is insufficient, dealers will replace the lower seat track at no charge. Less than 1 percent of welds are expected to require seat track replacement. GM is unaware of any crashes or injuries as a result of this issue.

The third recall targets 2011-2013 Buick Regals and 2013 Chevrolet Malibus equipped with front turn signals that use two bulbs in each front turn signal. While the driver would get a rapidly flashing turn signal arrow in the instrument cluster if both bulbs in one turn signal were burned out; if only one bulb on either side burns out, there would be no signal to the driver.

Dealers will reprogram the body control module to fix the condition. Again, no crashes, injuries, or complaints related to this issue have been reported to GM.

The fourth recall deals with the belt-drive electric power steering on some 2014 Chevrolet Impalas. Customers may experience reduced or no power steering assist at start-up or while driving due to a poor electrical ground connection to the Power Steering Control Module. If power steering is lost, a warning message is displayed on the Driver Information Center and a chime sounds. Steering control can be maintained because the vehicle will revert to manual steering mode, but would require greater driver effort particularly at low vehicle speeds.

Dealers will inspect and clean paint from behind the ground nut, re-torque the nut, and update the power steering control module software at no charge. GM is aware of one crash but no injuries or fatalities related to this condition.

The fifth recall affects 2014-2015 Chevrolet Sparks imported from Korea that were assembled with a lower control arm bolt not fastened to specification. This could result in noise from the front suspension and separation of the lower control arm from the steering knuckle while driving, resulting in a loss of steering control. Dealers will inspect the left and right hand lower control arm attaching bolts to assure they are tightened to specification. No incident has been reported.

Finally, the sixth recall by GM addresses a problem with the roof racks on a small number of 2015 Chevrolet Tahoe/Suburban and GMC Yukon/Yukon Denali vehicles. These racks may have been attached with the wrong retaining nuts, resulting in holes or tears in the side curtain airbags if they deploy.

Source: General Motors

Josée Paquet
Josée Paquet
Automotive expert