Warren, Mich.—June 26, 2017—A new Chevrolet recall pertains to thousands of vehicles with a potential power steering issue. According to an acknowledgment statement filed with the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, drivers in certain Chevrolet SS models could suddenly lose electric power steering assistance while the vehicle is in motion. The specific models involved cover the years from 2014 to 2016 for the Chevrolet SS, though the recall itself comes from General Motors.

The Defect

The statement said that a power steering connector could suffer conductivity issues through fretting corrosion, possibly cutting off assistance altogether. This could in turn activate a warning light and noise to alert the driver, even though it might still technically be possible to drive the car. Estimates indicate approximately 95 percent of the 6,204 vehicles may have this issue. The affected components themselves are from Mando Corporation.

Timeline of Events

• May 14, 2013: This was the earliest production date listed in the same NHTSA statement, applying specifically to the 2013 Chevrolet SS vehicles in the recall.
• April 27, 2016: The production period for the 2016 vehicles involved in this recall ended on this day, making it the last of all of the included vehicles overall. The report did not list how many vehicles of each model year were included.
• July 26, 2016: The gold-plated terminals, which were listed as part of the solution to the issue, were introduced on this date. However, the manufacturer reportedly didn’t discover this until it had begun its investigation the following year.
• September 28, 2016: A related chronology document, also filed with the NHTSA, said that this date was when a report on steering warranty data brought the matter to GM’s attention.
• March 23, 2017: The manufacturer began its official investigation on this day, with the actual recall decision coming on June 9.

The Resolution

The original statement listed the dealer notification date as June 15, with no date listed for owner notification at that time. The replacements will involve the previously introduced gold-plated terminals to fix the assembly, if such a repair is needed.

Detroit — Mar. 02, 2017 — Some Chevrolet Cruze vehicles reportedly have issues with the recliners that could leave the vehicle noncompliant with the Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standards. Because of this, General Motors Co. targeted 17,197 possibly affected vehicles in the U.S. as part of a recently announced recall action.

The Defect

GM Authority recently reported on the decision. According to the source, the recall would center around improperly secured head restraints. Chevrolet Cruze vehicles from either the 2016 or 2017 model years are part of GM’s concerns. {if they’re just part which vehicles are the rest of GM’s concerns?}

During a crash, the headrests could potentially separate. This not only would put the drivers in possible danger, but would also go against FMVSS 202a the standard that deals with head restraints and comes with height and placement demands.

Timeline of Events

• July 19-20, 2016: According to an official chronology from GM, the company’s suppliers discovered a welding issue with the affected car brackets on the 19th, and then took measures to improve it the following day, though GM did not learn of this until later.
• Sept. 16-21, 2016: Three warranty claims for vehicles reportedly containing this defect come to GM’s attention.
• Nov. 2, 2016: The manufacturer discovered and reported the bracket issue affecting the seat backs.
• Nov. 21, 2016: GM learned about the supplier actions, among other things, after reaching out to them. 
• Jan. 9, 2017: The company reviewed the case through its Open Investigation Review board.
• Jan 19, 2017: After examining relevant computer simulations two days earlier, the company’s Safety and Field Action Decision Authority made the noncompliance recall official.

The Resolution

As a repair document released through the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration said, the fix procedure will take two separate operations: an initial inspection and a follow-up installation, if necessary, to replace the seat back frame.

Recall Masters – February 28, 2017

Chevrolet Suburban Recall To Fix Outside Mirror Issues

Because of problems with exterior mirrors, some Chevrolet Suburban vehicles are going to be part of a non-compliance recall action, according to documents filed with the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration.

A possible safety issue with these mirrors led to concern over noncompliance with the Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standards, specifically No. 111, which concerns “rear visibility.” This standard calls for outside mirrors to provide a “view of a level road surface” for the driver.

The Defect
The glass in these mirrors was the source of the issue: Instead of the flat mirror needed for these vehicles, the affected units reportedly came with right-side convex mirrors, possibly distorting drivers’ views while in motion. The recall order included 214 Chevrolet Suburban heavy-duty vehicles with the 2016 and 2017 model years fitted with mirrors from the Michigan-based supplier Magna Mirrors of Americaf…

Read the entire article on the Recall Masters website

Warren, Mich. — Feb. 28, 2017 — Because of problems with exterior mirrors, some Chevrolet Suburban vehicles are going to be part of a non-compliance recall action, according to documents filed with the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration.

A possible safety issue with these mirrors led to concern over noncompliance with the Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standards, specifically No. 111, which concerns “rear visibility.” This standard calls for outside mirrors to provide a “view of a level road surface” for the driver.

The Defect

The glass in these mirrors was the source of the issue: Instead of the flat mirror needed for these vehicles, the affected units reportedly came with right-side convex mirrors, possibly distorting drivers’ views while in motion. The recall order included 214 Chevrolet Suburban heavy-duty vehicles with the 2016 and 2017 model years fitted with mirrors from the Michigan-based supplier Magna Mirrors of America.

Timeline of Events

• June 15 to Nov. 10, 2016: The affected Suburban vehicles go through the production process.
• November 2016: After a line operator notices an incorrect mirror label, General Motors Co. issues an order to stop work on the affected models.
• December  2016: The manufacturer’s Open Investigation Review team considers the matter as investigations reveal the glass issue and possible FMVSS violation.
• January 2017: GM officially launches the noncompliance recall through its Safety and Field Action Decision Authority. The Manufacturer’s Report Date is listed as Jan. 12.  

The Resolution

The Part 573 Safety Recall Report said that dealers would replace the previous mirrors with compliant ones, based on FMVSS 111. The glass would be both flat and non-magnifying so as to match the weight-based vehicle requirements and provide an accurate view for drivers.

The safety bulletin related to the recall said that the repair would simply involve two units of the same mirror, and that it would come from GM Customer Care and Aftersales for this necessary replacement supply only, not shelf stock.

General Motors has announced a recall of Chevrolet Malibu vehicles from the 2016 model year. These cars are suffering a defect in their Takata-manufactured airbags – marking yet another problem for the embattled company.

The Defect

General Motors will recall 2016 Chevrolet Malibu models manufactured between Nov. 18, 2015 and June 7, 2016, according to documents compiled by the National Highway Traffic Safety Association. The cars have defective modules in their seat-mounted side-impact airbags that may cause the fabric of the airbag cushions to tear during deployment. This increases the risk that the airbags will not perform as designed, threatening the safety of the vehicles’ occupants.

Timeline

• June 13, 2016 – Airbag supplier Takata discovered the fabric tear during a routine Lot Acceptance Test. Takata informed General Motors and then quarantined the entire shipment of supplies to confirm that the module was the cause of the problem. Specifically, the inflator may have been loaded with more propellant than necessary.
• June 24, 2016 – General Motors opened an investigation into the issue after a report was filed on its Speak Up for Safety System.
• July 13, 2016 – General Motors assigned a product investigator to look closely into the module issue.
• Aug. 11, 2016 – General Motors learned that other inflators not included in the original quarantine may have similar problems, requiring further testing. The company’s Open Investigation Review then sought more data regarding the inflators.
• Aug. 26, 2016 – Takata told General Motors that it found 18 modules with inflators that were heavier than they were supposed to be – meaning they could contain too much propellant.
• Oct. 19, 2016 – General Motors decided to conduct the safety recall.

Resolution

Chevrolet dealers will inspect side airbags and replace them at no charge if faulty inflators are detected. Buyers are encouraged to contact their dealer as soon as possible.

Isuzu Technical Center has recently announced the recall of NPR and NPR HD vehicles, as well as the Chevrolet Low Cab Forward 3500 and 4500, due to faulty throttle pedals. These components have flaws that could prevent vehicles from decelerating as expected.

The Defect

Isuzu will recall vehicles from the 2014-2016 model years. The throttle pedals on these cars may get stuck under steel stopper bolts, causing the pedal to remain in the full-throttle position, according to documents compiled by the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration. This makes it difficult for drivers to safely stop their vehicles and maintain control while on the road.

Timeline

• July 2016 – Isuzu learned about a driver of a Model Year 2015 N-Series Gas vehicle who struggled to slow down when letting off the gas. The driver had to hit the brake in order to lose speed.
• August 2016 – Isuzu received a warranty claim for another vehicle of the same model. Further investigation uncovered that some accelerator pedals may be susceptible to additional lateral force. In addition, the company reopened several prior investigations to see if there was a larger trend that had been missed. One pedal assembly was missing a fastener, while another had an excessively deformed bracket.
• October 2016 – Isuzu issued the recall for all model years where similar issues have been reported.

Resolution

Isuzu will remove stopper bolts and replace them with flanged plates that will be bolted to the floor. This will prevent lateral movement and lessen straining on the components. This will be done free of charge, and any customer who has already paid for a replacement will be reimbursed.