NHTSA Probes GM's Screening Test After Fire
The NHTSA is looking into whether GM is doing the right thing with cars it has recalled. According to Reuters, “the U.S. National Highway Traffic Safety Administration said it has opened what it calls a recall query to look at whether a stress test GM is using on a portion of the recalled cars is good enough, because a fire occurred after the procedure that was meant to catch the problem.”
In May, GM recalled 42,904 2012 and 2013 model Buick LaCrosse and Regal cars, and 2013 model Chevrolet Malibu Eco cars equipped with its “eAssist” mild hybrid system, after circuit boards did overheat and would “lead to a loss of battery charge or, in extreme cases, a fire in the trunk,” as the report says.
Of the recalled cars, about 22,000 are getting their battery packs replaced. The rest undergoes a screening test to see if the control module needs to be replaced.
Says Reuters: “NHTSA questioned the effectiveness of the screening test because the fire in March occurred in a car that had already gone through the testing as part of a service procedure before the recall.” The NHTSA said that the fire drew “into question whether or not the procedure can effectively identify a defective control module.”
Bertel Schmitt comes back to journalism after taking a 35 year break in advertising and marketing. He ran and owned advertising agencies in Duesseldorf, Germany, and New York City. Volkswagen A.G. was Bertel's most important corporate account. Schmitt's advertising and marketing career touched many corners of the industry with a special focus on automotive products and services. Since 2004, he lives in Japan and China with his wife <a href="http://www.tomokoandbertel.com"> Tomoko </a>. Bertel Schmitt is a founding board member of the <a href="http://www.offshoresuperseries.com"> Offshore Super Series </a>, an American offshore powerboat racing organization. He is co-owner of the racing team Typhoon.
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From Reuters: "If the warnings are ignored, the engine may stall. There may also be a burning or melting odor." "...GM remains unaware of any injuries or crashes related to the issue." NHTSA would be extremely likely to publicize any injury they know of. The YouTube video above was "Uploaded on Apr 19, 2010" and certainly does not relate in any way to this post. Typical nonsense about GM.
I get the whole GM Death Watch thing built this site (and I can provide a link to doubters where I wrote, in electrons, that I felt GM was on the ropes and on the path to bankruptcy in early 2006 - so there). But I also seem to remember that the official TTaC position after the Toyota debacle was not to report on investigations or recalls. Any such person guilty of violating this "policy" would thus be forced to list every recall and investigation opened up for that month (admittedly only being the 9th and the 4th was a holiday a short task). I also get editorial discretion, have at it. But the last I checked: 1) GM went bankrupt (hooray we were both right!) 2) GM got bailed out (feel about as you want) 3) There is a growing stack of evidence that GM is actually building good cars, and no I don't mean the JD Powers initial quality survey 4) The Treasury is liquidating the government position in GM, at a loss admittedly 5) GM stock is up for the year and trending better than Ford and Toyota (no it can't be!!!) making those losses a bit less painful 6) GM is a dominate force in China, and TTaC was wrong after their month after month after month prediction of a Chinese collapse It is just getting old. Why not run a story on the 4 vehicle Chevy Volt recall yesterday? The headline could be... Tax Payer Bleeding Volt Recalled for Brake Systems of Certain Death You could show a picture from a completely unrelated incident for the story. Say the red Chevy Volt that got destroyed in Washington state a couple of weeks ago when a motorcycle rider decided to ride head on into it at highway speed. I read great pieces and then I see stuff like this and just go, ugh. So can we get a list of all other recalls and open investigations for the month of July? Or did GM get special treatment.
I see all these GM cars (abominations) on the road and I have to wonder why all these total idiots are still buying them. Same bunch of idiots that were there before the bankruptcy.
Buy this guy a Manta already! Seriously, I have been in the business close to 30 years now (no, not advertising, automotive), and my peers and I never cease to be entertained by this website. Unfortunately, sometimes we are laughing at it, not with it.........