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GM issues 4 new recalls for 90k vehicles, Chevy, Buick, GMC affected

One day after releasing an internal report that found a pattern of "incompetence and neglect" within the company, General Motors announced four more recalls that affect 89,126 vehicles. One of the recalls affects 31,520 vehicles that may contain a defect that could prevent airbags from deploying in a car accident. GM said it was aware of at least one crash in which a vehicle occupant sustained an injury because the airbags didn't deploy when they should have. The company said it was aware of other crashes that were similar in nature, but it is not yet known whether they're related to the condition, in which the shorting bar inside the driver's airbag may occasionally contact the airbag terminals. If the car and terminals are touching each other in a crash, the bags will not deploy. Vehicles from the 2012 model year are affected by the problem, and they include the Buick Verano, Chevrolet Camaro, Cruze and Sonic. GM has conducted two previous recalls for this condition involving 7,116 cars. GM is also recalling 57,512 models of the 2014 Chevrolet Silverado 1500, 2014 GMC Sierra 1500 and 2015 Silverado HD, Tahoe and Surburan, as well as the 2015 GMC Sierra HD, Yukon and Yukon XL models because their radio control modules may not work, and thus prevent certain audible safety warnings. Certain models of the 2013-2014 Chevrolet Spark and 2013 Buick Encore are being recalled for a different airbag problem, which could prevent airbags from deploying properly during a crash. And 33 2014 Chevrolet Corvettes are being recalled for yet another airbag problem, in which an internal short circuit could disable the airbags. So far in 2014, General Motors has issued 34 separate recalls that affect approximately 15.9 million vehicles – more than the company has sold in the past five years combined. GM Announces Four Recalls DETROIT – General Motors today announced three safety recalls and one non-compliance recall, all of which were reported to the NHTSA on Thursday, June 5, 2014. In all cases, customers will receive letters from GM letting them know when they can bring their vehicles into a dealership, where all repairs will be performed free of charge and courtesy transportation would be provided as needed.

GMC considers adding more vehicles to broaden product line

GMC is considering expanding its product portfolio in the next 10 years to allow it to reach more potential buyers and grow sales, a top executive said Monday. The small and midsize sport-utility-vehicle segments are two possibilities, said Duncan Aldred, GMC sales and marketing vice president. He also said GMC won't make a car, preferring to reinforce its reputation as a maker of trucks and SUVs. "There's plenty of opportunities even if we define ourselves as a we do as a truck and crossover brand," he said. He wouldn't comment on the possibility of adding a Jeep Wrangler-fighter, though rumors have swirled for months that GMC is considering a product to compete with the iconic off-roader. "I can't confirm that ... everything's on the table," he said. He also said that it's possible GMC could get a unique set of underpinnings – all of its vehicles share platforms that are also used by Chevrolet – but it's not needed to differentiate his brand. "I'm very happy sharing underpinnings and everything else," he said. "All of the good-performing automakers do that." Speaking to journalists at a roundtable at General Motors headquarters in Detroit, Aldred said GMC received an investment from GM that is double what the brand has historically spent to fund its growth plans. Advertising spending alone will increase 50 percent this year compared with 2014. The brand rolled out a new ad campaign on Monday, called "Precision," that will underscore attention-to-detail and the premium features of GMC vehicles. Two of the commercials have a sporting theme, and the third focuses on modern menswear. GMC called it a "contemporary interpretation" of the brand's traditional positioning, and it will also continue to use its long-running "Professional Grade" tagline. The premium positioning of the ads come as buyers are increasingly outfitting their trucks as near-luxury vehicles. The percentage of buyers opting for the top-end Denali trim has increased from 17 percent in the middle of 2014 to 21 percent now. The goal is to get Denali to make up 25 percent of GMC sales by the end of 2017, Aldred said. Spurred by the higher Denali take-rate, the brand's transaction prices leapt by $3,000 last year. "It's [Denali] really kind of this jewel in the crown," Aldred said. GMC sales increased 11.3 percent in 2014 to 501,853 units, making it GM's-second-best-selling brand behind Chevrolet.

Surprise! GM putting aluminum in next-gen pickups

Last month, General Motors launched a series of ads touting the benefits of steel over aluminum – specifically, with regard to the Chevy Silverado versus the Ford F-150. (Kind of. We're not sure what a grizzly bear has to do with anything.) We took issue with the ads, with editor in chief Mike Austin saying they "reek of insecurity, and distract from the Silverado's strengths that could be used for positive advertising." But what bothers us more, is that yet another report surfaced claiming anti-aluminum GM will indeed use the weight-saving material in its next-generation fullsize trucks. On Tuesday, GM announced a $877-million investment for its truck plant in Flint, MI. But Reuters says that huge overhaul is because the trucks will use "substantially different equipment than the tools GM uses today." The report specifically states, "People familiar with the company's plans say GM's next-generation pickups and SUVs will make use of various materials, including aluminum and lightweight steel, to shed weight and gain fuel efficiency to meet tougher federal standards." The Silverado already uses a few aluminum components in the engine and hood, and if more widespread use will help GM build its best fullsize trucks ever, then that's great. Honestly, we have no reason to doubt that aluminum will be used in the next Silverado and GMC Sierra. We just hope GM remembers that nothing is ever truly deleted from the bowels of the Internet when it launches the subsequent "look how great aluminum is!" campaign. Related Video: News Source: Reuters Green Plants/Manufacturing Chevrolet GM GMC Truck aluminum steel