GM issues more recalls for safety issues

General Motors issued six more recalls on Friday totaling more than 312,000 vehicles. The recalls put GM’s total for the year to 66 recalls of just over 29 million cars and trucks.

Friday’s recalls included more than 215,000 Saturn Vue SUVs, 2002 through 2004 model years for an ignition key cylinder problem, saying the keys can be removed when the ignitions are not in the off position and the engine is still running. The problem has been linked to crashes. GM has discontinued this vehicle and the Saturn brand.

Other GM U.S. recalls that were announced Friday include:

• 2013 Cadillac ATS four-door sedans and 2013 Buick Encores in the U.S. for an issue with front seat belt pretensioner cables.
• 2014-2015 Chevrolet Impala sedans for a problem with the front console storage compartment latch opening in a rear crash.
• 2009-2010 Chevrolet Aveo and 2008 Pontiac G3 cars because brake fluid may not protect key components against corrosion, weakening brake response.
• 2014 Chevrolet Sparks for a problem with the lower control arm bolts.

GM also recalled a third group of SUVs last week to fix a fire hazard problem. If door switches are exposed to liquid, the circuit boards inside can short circuit overheat and even catch fire. This fire hazard was disclosed in documents released by the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA). According to the International Business Times, the NHTSA and GM received at least 242 complaints, including 28 fires. Affected vehicles include 2006 and 2007 Buick Rainer, 2006 and 2007 Chevrolet Trailblazer, 2007 Chevrolet Trailblazer EXT, 2006 and 2007 GMC Envoy, 2006 GMC Envoy XL, 2006 and 2007 Isuzu Motors Ltd.

GM tried to fix the circuit problem on two separate occasions by putting a protective coating on the boards that control the power locks and window switches, which cost less than replacing the switches. After the coating was installed, GM was still receiving complaints that the fix wasn’t working. GM is telling owners of these vehicles to keep their vehicles parked outside rather than in garages until they can be fixed.

All of these recalls come on the heels of the massive GM recall of vehicles for ignition switch defects. The Wall Street Journal reported that in the first eight days of GMs compensation program related to the ignition switch problem, the company received about 120 claims, more than half of which involved deaths allegedly linked to GM cars that were recalled early this year to fix an ignition switch defect.

If you have been injured in a car accident that was the result of a problem with a Chevy Cobalt or another GM vehicle, contact Marion Munley and the Pennsylvania personal injury lawyers at Munley Law Personal Injury Attorneys at 855-866-5529