A potentially defective heated windshield washer system that has caused at least 5 fires is prompting GM to recall around 1.5 million cars and trucks.
Announced this week, the recall affects 15 different models including cars, pickups, SUVs and crossovers manufactured between 2006 and 2009. Many of these vehicles were recalled two years ago for the same problem. But since the company was still receiving many reports regarding the malfunction, they initiated this latest recall.
Affected models include:
• 2006-2009 Buick Lucerne, Cadillac DTS, Hummer H2
• 2008-2009 Buick Enclave, Cadillac CTS
• 2007-2009 Cadillac Escalade, Escalade ESV, Escalade EXT, Chevrolet Avalanche, Silverado, Suburban, Tahoe, GMC Acadia, Sierra, Yukon, Yukon XL and Saturn Outlook
• 2009 Chevrolet Traverse
This latest recall affects 1.3 million vehicles in the U.S. with the rest in Mexico, Canada and throughout the world. It’s also the second recall for GM this year…in March, the company issued a recall for 1.3 million Chevy Cobalts and Pontiac vehicles due to power steering problems.
The manufacturer of the heated windshield washer fluid system that’s causing the problem in this latest recall, Microheat, went bankrupt in 2008 after the first recall. The problem was supposed to be fixed at that time but since GM cannot fix the system now, they will disable the feature and pay customers $100 for the loss of the heated windshield washer fluid system.
“This was a unique technology available from only one supplier, and that supplier has stopped manufacturing, which left no opportunity to collaborate on an improved design,” said Jeff Boyer, executive director for Safety at GM. “We want to be clear that the voluntary payment to customers is for the loss of the feature, not the recall.”
Affected owners will begin receiving recall notices in the next few weeks. In the mean time, owners of these vehicles can visit their local dealership and request a bypass of the malfunctioning system.