Detroit, MI – Oct. 21, 2016 – The software in the air bags of certain General Motors vehicles was the cause for the recall of about 4.3 million vehicles recently, according to the Detroit Free Press. The problem with the software is that, in certain circumstances, the electronic component tasked with deployment of the air bag will go into test-mode. If that was to occur, the result would be that the air bags would not deploy during a collision. For obvious reasons, that could translate to a major problem for the driver and passengers. Additionally, the seat belts may malfunction. So far, the defect has been linked to three injuries and even one death.

The Defect

Unlike many other recalls, the defect is a problem with the software as opposed to any hardware components. There is a sensing and diagnostic module that regulates both air bag deployment and seat belt pretensioners. Seat belt pretensioners are the part of your seat belt that is perhaps most responsible for saving lives. When you are in a collision, the sensors will trigger action by a concealed piston. The piston will fire into spool at the center of your seatbelt, which will, in turn, tighten around the wearer of the seat belt. Being pulled tightly against the car seat does a couple of things. For starters, it positions the passenger for the best use of the air bags. Also, it prevents the passenger from “submarining,” according to How Stuff Works. Submarining is the dangerous act of a passenger being pulled violently under the dashboard. The GM vehicles that are recalled include the 2014-2015 Buick LaCrosse, Chevrolet SS and Spark EV; the 2014-2017 Chevrolet Corvette, Trax, Caprice PPV, Silverado 1500, Buick Encore and GMC Sierra 1500; as well as the 2015-2017 Chevrolet Tahoe, Suburban, Silverado HD, GMC Yukon, Yukon XL, Sierra HD, Cadillac Escalade and Escalade ESV.

Timeline Of GM’s Response

In May of 2016, a 2014 Chevy Silverado crashed and the air bags inside did not deploy. General Motors reached out to auto parts manufacturing company, Delphi, right away. After months of vigorous testing and simulations, GM decided to recall the vehicles ahead of any more issues in early September. Luckily, the company is confident that the solution is not an overly complicated one.

The Solution

Owners of vehicles involved in the recall can stop by their local dealership to get the necessary software update, free of charge. General Motors will be contacting owners of affected vehicles to make sure they are informed. In a statement, GM maintained that the cost of this recall would not be a material one. The statement also said that GM would include information in their third-quarter earnings report which is expected to be released sometime around the end of October. That’s good news for General Motors, because in 2014 it had to pay nearly $2 billion in damages, compensation, fines and settlements for another recall involving the ignition switch.

Warren, Mich. — Oct. 14, 2016 — In the latest GM recall news, the manufacturer will address hundreds of thousands of its vehicles with windshield wiper system issues. According to official documents filed with the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, the recall includes two 2013 vehicle models: the GMC Terrain and the Chevrolet Equinox.

Production periods for each of these affected models began on the same date, April 17, 2012. The Terrain production time range ended Aug. 13, 2013, while the Equinox production range ended Aug. 15. of the same year.

Though the original Part 573 Safety Recall Report did not list the exact number of vehicles, a later updated version listed the number as 367,808 potentially involved autos. All 100 percent of the recalled population is thought to be affected and have the defect.

This source said that the ball joints on some wiper modules could wear down and possibly detach from their sockets and separate entirely. Doing so could disable at least one wiper, making it more difficult for drivers to see during inclement weather.

GM first received report of the possible problems Dec. 15, 2015 through one of its staff members in Canada. The official investigation began Mar. 9, 2016, and the decision to finally conduct the recall came later, in August. The root cause of the ball joint corrosion issues was unidentified as of Aug. 18. The report did list the component supplier, Mitsuba, and noted that it is based in Monroeville, Indiana.

An Aug. 2 dealer-facing notice said that the remedy is still forthcoming and will appear in a later bulletin. However, the source did state that an update to the Global Warranty Management system’s Investigate Vehicle History would help dealers prepare by identifying the affected vehicles.

Warren, Mich. — August 11, 2016 — According to National Highway Traffic Safety Administration documents, a new GM recall addresses ignition concerns in some vehicles. The Part 573 Safety Recall Report said that approximately 2 percent of 7,620 vehicles are estimated to have this defect.

Altogether, the impacted model years encompass a wide range, from 2010 to 2017. The earliest collective production date is September 28, 2009 and the latest is May 27, 2016. The latter of these applies to the latest recalled model, the 2017 Buick Verano. Buick, Chevrolet and GMC vehicles are all included in the recall.

In these vehicles, the ignition system could allow users to remove the keys. This not only represents a possible Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standard violation, but it also could put the car and any occupants in danger if the driver removes the key without first engaging the parking brake or putting the vehicle in park.

Unlike with many recalls, the Part 573 Report said that this outcome is also one of the ways to identify that the issue is present: If the key can be taken out while a different gear is in use, the recall may apply. This problem seems to stem from Electronic Park Lock damage in some steering column assemblies.

According to the report, dealers will inspect and replace the lock housing. A July 2016 bulletin updated the original response method, which includes nine steps. Three of these involve a repeated testing of the ignition key and transmission. This is supposed to help dealers see whether or not they can remove the key in gears aside from park. If the vehicle contains the defect, dealers are instructed to hold it and keep it from further sale.

Warren, Mich. — June 20, 2016 — An important alarm feature may not work properly in some Chevrolet vehicles, as a report from the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration recently stated. General Motors is taking measures to address a security fault that could allow drivers to leave their keys in the ignition slots for several vehicles with model years ranging from 2013 to 2016.

Three Chevrolet models, (the Sonic, Spark and Trax vehicles) are part of this action, which extends to 317,572 units. The relatively subtle flaw may go undetected by motorists but could still fail Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standard No. 114, the report stated, leaving the vehicle vulnerable to theft.

The source said that the warning chime that should play when a driver leaves the key in the ignition may not do so, depending on how and when he or she opens the door. This only applies to vehicles with the Bring Your Own Media feature: In affected vehicles, the radio isn’t able to receive the command to exit sleep mode and prompt the proper alert.

Taking proper action
Though there is no official recall schedule yet, the report stated that dealers can update the included radio software to function correctly and execute the right key chime. The software in Sonic and Trax vehicles built after this April 13 and April 17, respectively, are already fixed, and the radio has been discontinued in Spark models altogether.

In addition, Autoblog’s article on this recall advised owners to take extra care to bring car keys when exiting a vehicle and not rely on the chime, in case it doesn’t work. The report lists two specific circumstances in which the chime could fail: if the driver takes more than 10 minutes to open the door after turning the vehicle off and leaving the key in the ignition, or the driver takes more than 20 seconds to open the door a second time after closing it.

The latter case could prove especially tricky, since the owner might hear a noise, but only a shortened version of the one he or she should. This is still possible evidence of the defect.

Calibration specifics
Since the official recall submission, the NHTSA has posted a pair of safety bulletins describing the necessary measures for reprogramming the systems. This notice specifically warned dealers not to program the affected control module without instruction or an updated programming tool. Other necessary precautions include reducing battery voltage fluctuations and putting the ignition switch in the correct position, as described by the Service Programming System.

Using a USB device and the vehicle’s own “infotainment display”, staff will update the necessary software and wait the required time for the changes to take effect. This same bulletin requires dealers to address all vehicles that arrive in their facility, ensuring completion for any models that might appear in dealer inventory.

FMVSS 114: A closer look
The text of this standard involves language that makes this recall a serious concern. As of 2016, FMVSS 114, which addresses “Theft protection and rollaway prevention,” requires a starting system to respond if the key is removed.

The subsections of this document allow for different possible deterrents, but removing the key must prevent the engine or motor from being activated as well as the vehicle’s steering and/or forward mobility.

While there are some exceptions, vehicles must, under this standard, feature “an audible warning” to alert the driver whenever the nearest door opens while the key is still left in the ignition. The audio alert does not need to play in certain situations, such as if the key cannot turn from its position within the starting system, though this just applies to mechanical systems.

Warren, MI — May 31, 2016 — A group of eight vehicle models, including Cadillac, Chevrolet and GMC names, are subject to a new overarching recall concerning suspension front control arms. After the manufacturer’s report date of April 27, 4,789 potential units are part of this action and may leave drivers in danger of a sudden loss of control while steering.

This is a relatively recent recall, with the official vehicle chronology only dating back to April 5. According to the Part 573 Safety Recall Report, available through the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration’s website, the manufacturer noticed a “deformed” upper control arm in a GMC Yukon XL Denali, caused by incomplete welding within the vehicle. The control arm failure can occur no matter which speed the affected cars are driving, and may also be set off by “jarring road inputs.”

The issue traces back further to the component’s supplier, Multimatic Inmetmatic. The planned dealer notification date was listed as April 27, and after this, dealers were instructed to fix the vehicle alignment of these models and replace both the right and left front upper control arms. Since April 8, the supplier has improved its manufacturing process to reduce possible dangers and make these cars more compliant with General Motors regulations.

No specific owner notification date was listed in this report, though it did state that the manufacturer will reveal the official mail date when it becomes available. All of the affected vehicles carry either the 2016 or 2017 model years.

The models themselves include the Cadillac Escalade and Escalade ESV, the Chevrolet Silverado 1500, Suburban and Tahoe, and the GMC Sierra, Yukon and Yukon XL. The manufacturer urges owners to contact the individual companies involved in each of these GM recalls for more information.

Detroit, MI — May 11, 2016 — A new General Motors recall will include hundreds of thousands of domestic pickup trucks. A press release published by Autoblog detailed the seat belt structure issues that could exist in 895,232 trucks, including thousands of newer vehicles that need to be stopped on their lots. The international recall will account for slightly more than 1 million vehicles in countries across multiple continents, including Latin America and the Middle East.

The problem in these vehicles comes from weak cables in the bodies that could eventually sever over time. Drivers can cause wear to the cable as they move in and out of the front seat. Dealers will solve the problem by inspecting and fixing the tensioner. This will require them to either add a pusher bracket or replace the tensioner assembly altogether, as need be.

The recall affects two different models: the Chevrolet Silverado and the GMC Sierra 1500. For both, the model years of concern are 2014 and 2015, with these same years also holding true for the related stop-sale notice.

According to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, the GMC 1500 is the source of other recent owner complaints from across the country. On April 5, a consumer in Port Byron, Illinois, noted exterior lighting problems that made it difficult to see while driving at night. An earlier issue, observed in Hiram, Georgia, concerned the abnormal vibration in the vehicle’s cabin. This persisted even after the rear suspension and tire were replaced on advice of the dealer.

Both Silverado and Sierra trucks, from the same years as this recall, were involved in a different one launched last October. In that case, the company and the NHTSA noted that the ignition lock actuator could keep keys stuck forward and make it difficult to remove them.

Warren, MI — February 19, 2016 — According to Reuters, a new recall across North America will target vehicles with potentially loose brake pedal pivot systems. Currently, there are no reports of injuries stemming from this fault, which could be present in Chevrolet Silverado HD and Tahoe vehicles, as well as the GMC Sierra. Dealers will inspect and tighten the loose pivot nuts, using adhesive to keep them in place. This will reduce the chance of a brake pedal failure.

Though the bulk of the recalled units are in the United States, 46,837 of these vehicles are in Canada. As of this writing, there are no reports on these new GM recalls filed with the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA).

In the United States, recall numbers exceed 473,000 across all of the endangered brands. Multiple sources note that the targeted vehicles include those used for police action.

Last month, General Motors issued a statement expressing support for “proactive safety principles” as that organization works with major automakers.

“At GM, we are focused on the customer, and we put safety at the forefront of everything we do,” this release said. “We welcome the opportunity to continue to work with experts in government and industry on the vital issues of automotive safety and cybersecurity.” It also singled out Anthony Foxx of the Department of Transportation and Mark Rosekind of NHTSA for particular praise.

While owners wait for more information, the Associated Press reports that the brake pedal failure could trigger the brake lights to stay on unusually long periods of time, as Canadian regulators note.