Month: June 2014

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GM recalling 8.4M cars, 8.2M related to ignition problems

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GM's Barra Says Not Planning Further Ignition Switch Dismissals

GM Recall ChartGeneral Motors today announced a truly massive recall covering some 8.4 million vehicles in North America. Most significantly, 8.2 million examples of the affected vehicles are being called back due to "unintended ignition key rotation," though GM spokesperson Alan Adler tells Autoblog that this issue is not like the infamous Chevy Cobalt ignition switch fiasco.

For the sake of perspective, translated to US population, this total recall figure would equal a car for each resident of New Hampshire, Rhode Island, Montana, Delaware, South Dakota, Alaska, North Dakota, the District of Columbia, Vermont and Wyoming. Combined. Here’s how it all breaks down:

7,610,862 vehicles in North America being recalled for unintended ignition key rotation. 6,805,679 are in the United States.

A second group of vehicles* are being recalled for a slightly different ignition key rotation issue (more details below). 616,179 of these vehicles are in North America, with 554,328 found in the United States.

Additionally 20,134 North American vehicles are being recalled because "insulation on the engine block heater power cord (if equipped) may become damaged during very cold conditions." 2,990 of these vehicles are in the United States.

117 vehicles in North America "may not have had a ‘Superhold’ joint fastener torqued to specification at the assembly plant." 106 of these vehicles are in the US.

12,002 vehicles in North America are being recalled because "an overload in the feed may cause the underhood fusible link to melt due to electrical overload, resulting in potential smoke or flames that could damage the electrical center cover and/or the nearby wiring harness conduit." 9,371 of the affected vehicles are in the US.

Finally, 188,705 SUVs in North America are being recalled due to "a possible electrical short in the driver’s door module that could disable the power door lock and window switches and, in rare cases, overheat the module." Here, 181,984 of these vehicles are in the US.

The Cadillac models in the second grouping* have been found to be subject to unintended key rotation because of accidental bumping of one’s key fobs (a condition similar to the June 13 Camaro recall), whereas the other, larger group of older vehicles is not subject to bumping. In either case, this is not like the infamous Chevy Cobalt ignition switch issue – the switch in these vehicles meet GM specifications, the company says the problem is with the key design itself.

The solution won’t be a new ignition switch at all, it will be sending additional detachable key rings to owners (allowing drivers to disconnect their car key from the rest of their key chain to reduce strain on the system) and/or inserts designed to fit within the ignition key head itself to alter the keyring attachment loop from a slot to a hole (because the slot can cause the weight of the keychain to hang asymmetrically, thereby increasing the amount of torque on the key and as a result, the switch.

Company spokesperson Alan Adler, tells Autoblog that GM "changed the [key] design in late December of 2010," so vehicles built after that time are not affected by the issue.

GM is aware of seven crashes, eight injuries and three fatalities related to these issues. "The fatal crashes occurred in older model fullsize sedans being recalled for inadvertent ignition key rotation. There is no conclusive evidence that the defect condition caused those crashes," GM said in a press release. Scroll down to read the automaker’s full statement.

Continue reading GM recalling 8.4M cars, 8.2M related to ignition problems

GM recalling 8.4M cars, 8.2M related to ignition problems originally appeared on Autoblog on Mon, 30 Jun 2014 15:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Privacy-focused Blackphone starts shipping for $630

If you missed our coverage during Mobile World Congress, then here’s what you need to know about Blackphone: it’s a mid-spec Android smartphone that comes pre-subscribed to (and pre-installed with) a bunch of privacy and anti-surveillance services,…

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Hero gets his truck back better than new thanks to community support [w/video]

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Bryson Rowley with his 2008 Dodge Ram 2500

You ever hear a story and start cringing before you hear the end because you know how it’s going to turn out? That could very well have been the case with the story from a few weeks ago in West Valley City, Utah, where a 14-year-old kid stole his grandfather’s Hyundai Veloster and took it for a joyride – through a park full of children. But instead it turned into a heart-warming tale of heroism and a community banding together to do what’s right… and then some.

Bryson Rowley was that hero who identified the danger and, rather than sit idly by and watch the joyrider potentially run over a child, got into his truck and drove it into the menacing runaway hatchback. The collision caused some $7,500 to his 2008 Dodge Ram 2500, but instead of getting stuck with the bill – one which his insurance may very well have refused to pay since the crash was, technically speaking, intentional – his community pitched in a helping hand.

Bryan Ellison, who owns West Valley Carstar with his brother, saw the news on television and wanted to help. So he brought Rowley a rental car, picked up his truck and brought it back to his auto repair shop. People from around the community donated parts, and when all was said and done, some $15,000 of work and upgrades were performed on the Ram that was returned to an overwhelmed Bryson Rowley better than new. Watch the video below for the full story.

Continue reading Hero gets his truck back better than new thanks to community support [w/video]

Hero gets his truck back better than new thanks to community support [w/video] originally appeared on Autoblog on Sun, 29 Jun 2014 19:21:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Stress: How does your city rank?

Using data on everything from unemployment rates to commute times, CNNMoney ranked 55 major metro areas on the stressors residents face in their daily lives.

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