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GM tells owners not to use SUV wipers due to fire risk

General Motors is recalling 31,685 examples of the 2016 Buick Enclave, Chevrolet Traverse, and GMC Acadia because a short circuit in the windshield wiper motor can potentially lead to a fire. Due to the danger, the company is asking owners not to use the wipers until the problem is fixed, according to The Detroit Free Press citing the Associated Press. A manufacturing defect in the wiper motor cover means that the electrical terminals can come into contact and cause a short. The part could "melt, smoke, or catch fire," according to a statement from GM. The company will get them fixed immediately, and dealers will replace the cover. If there's bad weather at the time the owner specifies to get the recall work completed, the automaker will come pick up the crossovers. Depending on parts availability, the automaker will supply a rental car for customers, as well. The issue was discovered at the factory. According to the company's statement, only 6,405 actually made it to customers, and they were notified immediately by overnight letter. The rest were in dealer stock. The affected crossovers carry build dates between August 18, 2015 and September 24, 2015. Of those, there are 29,295 in the US and 1,073 in Canada. GM Statement: General Motors has told the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration that it will recall approximately 29,295 2016 model year Chevrolet Traverse, Buick Enclave and GMC Acadia SUVs in the U.S. because the front windshield wiper motor may overheat when in use because of a manufacturing defect. In some cases, the front windshield wiper motor cover may melt, smoke or catch fire. The approximately 6,405 customers who have taken delivery of these vehicles were notified by overnight letter and are urged to contact a GM dealer as soon as possible to arrange a service appointment. These customers should not use the front windshield wipers until they have been repaired. If weather conditions prevent driving the vehicle without using the windshield wipers, GM will arrange to pick up the vehicle for servicing. If repair parts are unavailable, GM will provide a rental car at no cost until parts become available. The total population, including Canada, Mexico and exports, is approximately 31,685. About 25,280 of these vehicles are in dealer stock and will not be sold until repairs are made.

Buick officially launches the redesigned 2021 Envision

The 2021 Buick Envision is officially official. Yes, that Envision — the one we showed you back in May 2020 — is now for sale, and we now have all of the finer details about the redesigned crossover, which is lower, wider and more technologically robust than its predecessor.  One could argue that we already knew the most important thing about Buick's updated CUV: It looks good. The same couldn't necessarily be said of its previous incarnation, which, like several of GM's outgoing small crossovers, could be charitably described as inoffensive, but often merely looked frumpy and incoherent.  2021 Buick Envision Avenir View 25 Photos Rather than the flow-for-flow's-sake design of the outgoing model, the 2021 boasts a more chiseled, angular look, especially in Avenir guise. It also boasts a redesigned cabin and a new suite of standard tech features, including standard forward collision warning, front pedestrian braking and rear park assist. Optional goodies include a HUD, wireless Android Auto and Apple CarPlay, and a hands-free power liftgate. Avenir models bake in several of the standard Envision's optional upgrades, including heated and ventilated front seats, a massaging driver's seat and heated outboard rear seats. It also offers an optional adaptive suspension.  “The all-new 2021 Envision is a tremendous opportunity for the brand,” said Duncan Aldred, global vice president for Buick and GMC. “With strong, differentiated designs, and a combination of advanced technologies and premium appointments, it will stand apart in one of the industryÂ’s most competitive segments.” Buick has also nailed down the specs on the Envision's updated powertrain. The 2.0-liter turbo engine will make 228 horsepower and 258 pound-feet of torque. Front-wheel drive is standard, with GM's twin-clutch all-wheel-drive system available as an upgrade. Both models get a nine-speed automatic gearbox.  As confirmed previously with the release of Buick's 2021 order guide, the Envision starts at $32,995 (including destination) and is available at dealers now. We expect to get our hands on one for a more thorough evaluation some time in the coming months. Stay tuned. 

Wagons make a bit of a comeback, with new models, sales on the rise

Consider this an official invitation to hop on the wagon bandwagon. There's still tons of room because, well, it's a wagon (and market share is still extremely small). But according to new data, the segment is growing. According to a report from Bloomberg, using data from Edmunds.com, roughly 211,600 Americans purchased wagons in 2018. That is technically down from the 237,600 sold in 2017, but wagon sales in the U.S. are up 29 percent from where they were five years ago. It's also the third year in a row that wagon sales broke the 200,000 mark. The sales trends have been somewhat representative of the availability of wagons. New models have debuted during the past 5 years and therefore offer more opportunity at more brands to buy wagons. In addition to more modest cars such as the Volkswagen Golf Sportwagen, several luxury and performance brands are offering wagons today, such as Mercedes-Benz, Audi, Porsche, Jaguar, Volvo and Buick. (Bloomberg's headlines make the point that "crossovers are for the Kardashians," and wagons are just, well, classier.) This uptick in brand-name availability, as well as extremely well-executed design on most of the wagons currently available, has helped increase the segment's desirability. That, and its ability to better accomplish the same tasks at hand while standing out from the crossover and SUV crowd. Still, the posted numbers represent a small fraction of the total vehicles sold. According to the data, wagons only held a 1.4 percent market share in 2017, the segment's best recent year. Wagons hold a steadfast place in America's past, and they're writing an interesting new story. With the downturn in traditional cars, they may continue to create an unexpected narrative. Related Video: News Source: Bloomberg, Edmunds Audi BMW Buick Volkswagen Volvo Wagon station wagon