The
automaker is recalling more than 822,000 cars worldwide for a variety
of issues, including problems with seats, air bags and turn signals,
parts that may not have been welded together properly, and a loss of
power steering. For much of this year, G.M. has been engulfed by a
safety crisis set off by defective ignition switches in millions of
older small cars that the automaker has linked to at least 13 deaths.
Some
of the cars in the latest recall have already been recalled multiple
times for other problems. The 2014 Chevrolet Impala, for instance, was
identified in February as having a defective transmission shift cable
adjuster, which could cause the car to roll away after the vehicle was
parked. In June, it was recalled again because the ignition could shut
off while the car was in motion, cutting power to the engine and causing
the air bags to fail. G.M. recalled more than 65,000 Impalas on
Wednesday for a loss of power steering, and it tied the defect to one
crash but no injuries.
The
company also recalled more than 475,000 cars — including models of the
Chevrolet Camaro and Equinox; GMC Terrain; Buick Regal and LaCrosse; and
the Cadillac SRX — because of a defect that allows the front and
passenger seats to move up and down freely because of a loose bolt. G.M.
said it was aware of one crash and three injuries related to this
condition. It added that the car was safe to drive, but that customers
should not use the power height adjuster until the car had been fixed.
G.M.
said that it had double-counted some recalled cars in the past, which
is why its total recalled cars remained at about 29 million worldwide
after the six new recalls.
More
than half of the company’s recalled cars this year have had problems
related to their ignitions, similar to the defect that led to the recall
of 2.6 million Chevrolet Cobalts, Saturn Ions and other small cars that
the company did not disclose to regulators and the public for more than
a decade.
Jeff
Boyer, who was appointed vice president for global vehicle safety after
the Cobalt scandal, said that Wednesday’s recalls signified how the
company had enhanced its approach to safety.
“We
are bringing greater rigor and discipline to our analysis and decision
making,” Mr. Boyer said. “If we identify an issue — large or small —
that might affect the safety of our customers, we will act decisively.”
But
as the recalls begin to affect newer models, and not just older cars,
there could be cost to the company, beyond the charges it has incurred
in making the fixes.
“These
recalls will have a significant impact to General Motors’ bottom line,”
said Eric Ibara, director of residual values for Kelley Blue Book, “and
ultimately the market will judgesource:- http://www.nytimes.com
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