There is certainly something wrong with General Motors. One of the oldest and reputed names in the automotive industry, GM has had a legacy of producing some amazing cars over the years. However in recent times, GM is known more for its troubles than its vehicles. The company has now discreetly announced three new recalls affecting 1.7 million vehicles in total across North America. The move comes after faulty ignition switches on its cars led to at least 12 deaths in the US, which made GM to introspect its vehicles for safety issues that could be fatal.
The first recall is the largest of the three, and is issued for 1.18 million Buick Enclave, GMC Acadia crossovers models from 2008–2013; as well as Chevrolet Traverse models from 2009-2010 and Saturn Outlook manufactured between 2008-2010. The crossovers are fitted with ‘Service airbag’ warning light, which if ignored will lead to non-deployment of the front driver and passenger seat-mounted side airbags, front centre airbag and seat belt pretensioners.
The second recall affects 3.3 lakh Chevrolet Express and GMC Savana vans from 2009-2014. The full-size vans with a weight of 10,000 pounds or less, do not comply with a head impact requirement for unrestrained occupants. The vans will require an extensive rework on the instrument panel material and it certainly won’t be a quick fix. Unsold vehicles have also been stopped for delivery, until replacement parts are available.
The third recall is issued for the Cadillac XTS luxury sedan affecting 63,900 units for model years 2013 and 2014. The brake booster pump is prone to corrosion by way of relay and could lead to a short circuit, overheating, melting of plastic components or even engine fires. Two unsold models of the XTS have had engine fires, while two cases of melted parts were also acknowledged by GM.
After such serious and extensive quality and safety issues, we have one question to ask. What is wrong with you General Motors? The company has surely some major reservations about how quality control works. GM is one of the largest sellers of vehicles in the world and has a range of brands under its umbrella. However with serious safety issues, it does raise concerns if the company is cutting corners for higher profits. The Chevrolet Tavera incident in India showcased the shortcomings in the quality department of the company and it seems it is no different in other parts of the world as well. It is largely because of GM that recalls are now somehow cool in India.
Nonetheless, GM is now on damage control mode and has issued $300 million to help pay for the repair costs for the three new recalls as well as the previous ignition switch recall. The customers will be contacted by GM dealers and the parts will be replaced free of charge. GM’s new CEO Mary Barra has personally taken up the issue to resolve the safety issue on all the vehicles and is also conducting an intense review of the internal processes. It is high time that GM works upon resolving any malpractices internally, as a lot of lawsuits are coming its way.
