DETROIT (AP) — General Motors is recalling more than 1.5
million vehicles, including SUVs, vans and Cadillacs, for defective air
bags and other problems.
The new recalls come as GM faces multiple
investigations over its handling of a recall of more than 1.6 million
small cars for defective ignition switches. The new recalls aren’t
related to that issue, but the company did say they’re part of a broad
product safety review prompted by the ignition switch problem, which is
linked to 12 deaths.
GM expects to spend approximately $300
million in the first quarter to repair the vehicles in the new recalls
as well as the vehicles in the small car recall. GM announced last month
that ignition switches in older models of the Chevrolet Cobalt, Pontiac
G5s, Saturn Ion, Chevrolet HHR, Pontiac Solstice and Saturn Sky need to
be repaired.
The recalls announced Monday include:
— 1.18
million SUVs because their side air bags, front center air bags and seat
belt pretensioners might not deploy if drivers ignore an air bag
warning light on their dashboard. The recall includes the Buick Enclave
and GMC Acadia from the 2008-2013 model years; the Chevrolet Traverse
from the 2009-2013 model years; and the Saturn Outlook from the
2008-2010 model years. GM says no injuries are related to the defect.
—
303,000 Chevrolet Express and GMC Savana vans from the 2009-2014 model
years because the material on the instrument panel might not adequately
protect unbelted passengers’ heads in a crash. No injuries have been
reported, but GM says the material needs to be reworked because it
doesn’t meet federal standards.
— 63,900 Cadillac XTS sedans from
the 2013 and 2014 model years because a plug in the brake assembly can
get dislodged and short, increasing the risk of an engine compartment
fire. GM says it knows of two engine compartment fires in unsold
Cadillacs at dealerships and two cases in which components melted. But
it has had no reports of injuries.
GM says CEO Mary Barra ordered
an internal safety review after the ignition switch recall, and asked
that pending issues that might lead to a recall be resolved quickly. The
government is investigating why GM didn’t act sooner to recall cars
with the faulty switch after first getting reports of problems in 2004.
Jack Nerad, editorial director for Kelley Blue Book, said it’s better for GM to act on the new recalls
now.
"It’s
not going to get much worse. If you’ve got bad news now and put it out
in a month’s time, it looks like a trend and it will just prolong
things," he said.
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