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From Products Liability Law Daily, June 16, 2014
By Joe Bichl
General Motors is recalling some 511,528 model year 2010-2014 Chevrolet Camaros because the driver’s knee can bump the key FOB and cause the key to inadvertently move out of the “run” position, with a corresponding reduction or loss of power. The recall includes 464,712 Camaros in the Unites States.
GM reported that it discovered the issue during internal testing following the ignition switch recall earlier this year. In its press release, the automaker was quick to point out that the Camaro ignition system meets all GM engineering specifications and is “unrelated to the ignition system used in Chevrolet Cobalts and other small cars included in the ignition switch recall.” GM is aware of three crashes that resulted in four minor injuries that may be attributed to this condition.
Remedy. The company will change the Camaro key to a standard design from one in which the key is concealed in the FOB and is opened by pushing a button. The change will make the ignition key and FOB independent of each other, so that inadvertent contact with the FOB won’t move the key from the “run” position
Other recalls. Separately, GM also announced two safety recalls and one non-compliance recall involving a total of 65,121 cars in the United States, all three of which were reported to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration on June 11, 2014. Including Canada, Mexico and exports, the total recall is approximately 69,839.
In all cases, customers will receive letters from GM letting them know when they can bring their vehicles into a dealership, where the recall repairs will be performed free of charge and courtesy transportation would be provided as needed.
The recalls include:
28,789 model year 2004 – 2011 Saab 9-3 convertibles—an automatic tensioning system cable in the driver’s side front seat belt retractor can break. Dealers will replace the driver’s side retractor in the recalled vehicles.
21,567 model year 2012 Chevrolet Sonic compacts equipped with a six-speed automatic transmission and a 1.8-liter four-cylinder engine—the transmission turbine shaft may fracture as a result of a supplier quality issue. If this were to occur in first or second gear, the vehicle could not upshift into third through sixth gears. If driven in this condition for a long period of time, all forward gears may become inoperable. GM is unaware of any crashes, injuries or fatalities related to this condition.
14,765 model year 2014 Buick LaCrosse sedans—a wiring splice in the driver’s door may corrode and break. That may communicate incorrect information to circuits that control the door chime and allow passenger windows, rear windows, and the sunroof to function when the vehicle is turned off and the driver is not in the vehicle.
Contact information. For more information, consumers can contact the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration Vehicle Safety Hotline at 1-888-327-4236 (TTY 1-800-424-9153), or go to www.safercar.gov.
Companies: General Motors
MainStory: TopStory ProductRecallsNews NHTSANews MotorVehiclesNews
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