GM Recall - 1.5 million vehicles

[xBa380]

"WASHINGTON – General Motors Corp. is recalling 1.5 million vehicles because of potential engine fires.

GM says there have been no reports of any fires or injuries.

Some of the recalled vehicles are no longer in production. The recall includes the 1998-1999 Oldsmobile Intrigue, the 1997-2003 Pontiac Grand Prix, 1997-2003 Buick Regal, and the 1998-2003 Chevrolet Lumina, Monte Carlo and Impala."

http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/gm_recall

 

[c3po]

This is just great, my Mom has a 1998 Chevrolet Monte Carlo, I guess I should bring a fire extinguisher with me when I go too the dealer.

 

[daves87rs]

I wonder what the fix is?

 

[xBa380]

This:

" Under hard braking, engine oil could leak past a heat shield and drip on the exhaust manifold, the Automotive News reported on Monday...

GM dealers will remove the plastic spark plug retention guide and install two spark plug wire retainers free of charge, NHTSA said. A total of 1,497,516 vehicles are involved in the recall."

http://news.xinhuanet.com/english/2009-04/14/content_11183182.htm

 

[ThirdeYe]

I wonder why the Bonneville wasn't recalled? That had the 3.8 also...

 

[Spector]

What does the fix have to do with the leaking oil? Seems the oil leak should be the issue. They had a recall on valve cover gaskets a year or two ago for a similar issue.

Of course, like my dealer they use this recall as a loss leader so to speak, get the owners back in and try up upsell them all kinds of needless services

 

[Benzadmiral]

How model-specific is this? I mean, it mentions the '97-'03 Buick Regal. My Park Avenue has the same engine. Should I get in touch with my dealer?

 

[Schmoe]

This recall just doesn't make sense. Leaking oil under hard breaking?

 

[ViragoBry]

...and what does oil on a heat shield have to do with a plastic spark plug wire guide? This doesn't make sense.

Oil spashing on a heat shield, spreading to a plastic spark plug wire guide is causing a fire, so replacing the plastic spark plug wire guide with two wire guides solves the problem?

I'd like to know where the oil is escaping from under hard braking.

 

[D189379]

Originally Posted By: Schmoe
This recall just doesn't make sense. Leaking oil under hard breaking?


I'm guessing if the leak is already there, then hard braking might just create enough g-forces to get the oil to drip onto the manifold? Just a guess....

 

[bdcardinal]

Originally Posted By: Benzadmiral
How model-specific is this? I mean, it mentions the '97-'03 Buick Regal. My Park Avenue has the same engine. Should I get in touch with my dealer?


if your car is covered you will get a letter in the mail.

 

[demarpaint]

You'll only get the letter if you're the original owner of the car. If you bought it second hand don't wait for a letter it might never come.

 

[brianl703]

Dunno about GM, but Ford actually uses DMV registration records for determining who needs to get a recall notice.

 

[bdcardinal]

Originally Posted By: brianl703
Dunno about GM, but Ford actually uses DMV registration records for determining who needs to get a recall notice.


they should as well. all the letters say that if you no longer own the vehicle to transfer it to the current owner. also some states DMVs will not let you register the vehicle with open recalls.

 

[demarpaint]

It could very well be you'll be notified because of DMV records. Over the years I've had cars that were recalled, and the only cars I ever found out about having a recall were cars I was the original owner of. Others I found out by luck. Its been years since I've had a car recalled, so maybe things have changed. If I was the second owner of any of the cars in question, I would suggest contacting GM directly and not wait.

 

[Benzadmiral]

Hm. My '94 Olds Cutlass coupe had a recall, something to do with the windshield wipers. I got the card in the mail (the day after the wipers malfunctioned in the rain, as it happened) -- and I was the second owner.

Maybe I'll ring up the dealer I bought the car from and talk to the service advisor, assuming she's still there. When they were trying to track down an errant buzzing in the interior in late '07, she was very helpful.

 

[eljefino]

This ignition wire clip deal sounds like ford putting those little corks on the exposed self-tapping pinto bumper trim screws. Corks on the screws meant they wouldn't puncture the gas tank in a rear ender. Mask the symptom, not the problem. (And oddly enough it'll probably work.)

 

[mstrjon32]

Originally Posted By: eljefino
This ignition wire clip deal sounds like ford putting those little corks on the exposed self-tapping pinto bumper trim screws. Corks on the screws meant they wouldn't puncture the gas tank in a rear ender. Mask the symptom, not the problem. (And oddly enough it'll probably work.)


I'm pretty sure "masking the symptom" would be installing a fire extinguisher under the hood. I don't see anything about the solution here that doesn't "fix the problem"--that is, the problem being engine fires.

 

[jkhawaii]

you know its kind of funny. alot of cars have leaking valve cover gaskets that leak on to the exhaust manifold should they all be recalled? I'd bet a 1998 cammry leaks oil onto the exhaust if the owner does not spend any money to fix there oil leaks. so all cars with oil leaks should be recalled than? I'm a tech at a GM dealer
the supercharged 3.8's we replace the front (left) valve cover gasket,bolt grommits and remove the factory spark plug wire separator. most of the one's we do are not even leaking from the valve cover.

 

[PF52]

Originally Posted By: jkhawaii
So all cars with oil leaks should be recalled than?


You're missing the big picture. The story only makes headlines because its GM. If it was a recall on Camrys, it wouldn't rate two sentences in the media.