A beleaguered General Motors is now conducting three safety recalls and one non-compliance recall on about 100,000 vehicles in the US. And – Yes – the safety defects involve ignition switch and airbag deployment defects on some of its most popular vehicles.
GM is recalling:
- 57,512 model year 2014 Chevrolet Silverado LD, 2014 GMC Sierra LD and model year 2015 Silverado HD, Tahoe and Suburban and 2015 GMC Sierra HD and Yukon and Yukon XL models because the radio may not work, preventing audible warnings if the key is in the ignition when the driver’s door is opened. There also would not be there be an audible chime if a front seat belt is not buckled.
The trucks – GM’s most profitable are therefore out of compliance with motor vehicle safety standards covering theft protection, rollaway protection and occupant crash protection. Dealers will reprogram the radio control module free of charge as is required by US safety regulations. GM said it is unaware of any crashes or injuries related to this condition.
- 31,520 model year 2012 Buick Verano and Chevrolet Camaro, Cruze and Sonic compact cars for a defect where the “shorting bar inside the dual stage driver’s air bag may occasionally contact the air bag terminals.” If contact occurs, the air bag warning light will illuminate. If the car and terminals are contacting each other in a crash, the air bag will not deploy. Dealers will replace the steering wheel air bag coil, which will eliminate contact any between the shorting bar and the air bag terminals
GM claimed it is aware of one crash with an injury where the relevant diagnostic trouble code was found at the time the vehicle was repaired. The company is also “aware of other crashes where air bags did not deploy” but says it is not known if they were related to this condition. GM conducted two previous recalls for this safety defect involving 7,116 of these vehicles.
- 61 model year 2013-2014 Chevrolet Spark and 2013 model year Buick Encores manufactured in Changwon, because the vehicles may have a safety defect where the front-passenger airbag end cap could separate from the airbag inflator. In a crash, this may prevent the passenger airbag from deploying properly. GM said it is unaware of any crashes or injuries.
- 33 model year 2014 Chevrolet Corvettes in the U.S. because an internal short-circuit in the sensing and diagnostic module or SDM could disable frontal air bags, safety belt pretensioners and the Automatic Occupancy Sensing module. GM dealers will replace the SDM on the affected vehicles. GM said it is unaware of any crashes or injuries related to this safety defect.
