2007 Buick Lucerne Cx on 2040-cars

Auto blog

GM finds steering flaw, decides it doesn't warrant a recall

Guess what? General Motors is back in the spotlight for not recalling something. This time, though, not only does the company have an argument against a recall campaign, but its position is supported by the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration. According to The New York Times, over 50 owners of GM vehicles have reported instances of stuck or seized steering after driving long distances without moving the wheel. One owner complained to NHTSA that the "locked" steering of their 2013 Buick Verano caused a collision with a concrete barrier in a construction zone. Along with the 2013 to 2014 model year Verano sedans, Chevrolet Cruze and Malibu sedans are also affected. Considering the popularity of those models, GM needs to have a reason for not issuing a recall, right? "Based on a very low rate of occurrence – ranging from less than one half to less than two incidents per thousand vehicles – and the fact that the condition is remedied when the wheel is turned, GM determined this was not a safety issue," spokesman Alan Adler told The Times. The company has, however, issued a technical service bulletin for owners that complain of the problem. The fix is nothing more than a software update that is covered for 10 years or 150,000 miles from new. NHTSA cited GM's actions, along with descriptions of the problems from customers, in its decision not to issue a recall, with spokeswoman Catherine Howden saying, "the symptoms described would be a brief, perceptible change in steering feel that has little to no effect on the driver's ability to safely steer the vehicle." "When terms like 'notchy,' 'stick,' 'slip' or 'feel' are used, it does not indicate a meaningful increase in steering effort," Howden told The Times via email. What do you think? Is GM in the wrong here? Should there be a recall, or is the issue so limited as to not warrant one? Have your say in Comments. Featured Gallery 2013 Buick Verano Turbo: Review View 20 Photos Related Gallery 2014 Chevrolet Malibu: First Drive View 36 Photos Related Gallery 2014 Chevrolet Cruze Turbo Diesel: Quick Spin View 14 Photos News Source: The New York TimesImage Credit: Copyright 2015 Steven J. Ewing, Seyth Miersma / AOL Government/Legal Recalls Buick Chevrolet GM Safety Sedan buick verano

Buick Envision aces IIHS crash tests

If you had any qualms about the safety of a Chinese-built car, set them aside. At least when it comes to the Buick Envision. The Insurance Institute for Highway Safety (IIHS) has tested the new GM crossover and it passed with flying colors. The Envision is the first Chinese-built Buick sold in the States, and it's also the first Chinese-built car the organization has ever tested. In what is an impressive feat for any new automobile, it earned the IIHS TOP SAFETY PICK+ rating. This means the crossover comes equipped with a forward collision warning system and earned "Good" marks in all types of collisions, including the difficult small overlap crash test. In addition to the forward collision warning system, an automatic emergency braking system is available on the Envision. Eleven other vehicles earned the TOP SAFETY PICK+ rating, including models from Volvo, Lincoln, Acura, Audi, Mercedes-Benz, Lexus and Infiniti. That's good company, and combined with a pleasant, if not world-beating, driving experience, should make the Envision a car worth consideration. Related Video:

2021 Ram TRX, BMW 5 Series and the end of the Alfa Romeo 4C | Autoblog Podcast #657

In this week's Autoblog Podcast, Editor-in-Chief Greg Migliore is joined by Consumer Editor Jeremy Korzeniewski. They kick things off discussing the brand-new 2021 Ram 1500 TRX, discussing how it compares with its main rival, the Ford F-150 Raptor. They move on to the latest BMW 5 Series before a quick overview of the Buick Enclave. The podcast wraps up by saying goodbye to the Alfa Romeo 4C, which leaves the world after the 2020 model year. Autoblog Podcast #657 Get The Podcast iTunes – Subscribe to the Autoblog Podcast in iTunes RSS – Add the Autoblog Podcast feed to your RSS aggregator MP3 – Download the MP3 directly Rundown What we're driving2021 Ram 1500 TRX 2021 BMW 540i 2020 Buick Enclave Other news Goodbye, Alfa Romeo 4C Feedback Email – Podcast@Autoblog.com Review the show on iTunes Related Video: