2014 Chevy Malibu, Buick LaCrosse recalled over brake mix-up

Thu, 08 May 2014

The recall madness over at General Motors isn't letting up anytime soon, as evidenced by this latest call-back of 8,208 Chevrolet Malibu and Buick LaCrosse sedans. For those keeping track, this is the fifth recall that GM has announced in the past two weeks, not to mention the massive ignition-switch issue from earlier this year.

GM issued a statement saying these sedans are being recalled due to "possible reduced braking performance," according to Automotive News. The problem? Rear brake rotors may have accidentally been installed in the front brake assembly. And since both cars use more robust braking systems up front than out back, braking power could be reduced, increasing the risk of a crash.

Automotive News reports that, of the over 8,000 cars being recalled, about 1,700 are currently in the hands of customers, while the others are still in dealer inventory. GM is unaware of any crashes or injuries related to this problem. All of the affected vehicles are from the 2014 model year.

GM has issued a stop-sale, effective May 1, on the cars still at dealers. After the front braking assemblies have been inspected and repaired (if necessary), dealers will be allowed to sell these vehicles.

The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration has not yet issued a formal announcement about the recall. Head over to Automotive News for the full report.

By Steven J. Ewing