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GM announces 3 new recalls affecting 1.7M vehicles in North America [w/video]

Still embroiled in the ongoing ignition switch recall, General Motors announced today three more discrete recalls, affecting a grand total of 1,546,900 vehicles in the US. The Detroit News reports that some 1.7 million vehicles are affected overall in North America. The first and largest of the trio of new recalls concerns some 1.18-million Buick Enclave and GMC Acadia crossovers from the 2008-2013 model years, Chevrolet Traverse from 2009-2013 (pictured above) and Saturn Outlook vehicles from 2008-2010. All of the crossover utilities may have an issue with the wiring harness for their seat-mounted side airbags. Apparently, the vehicles are equipped with a Service Air Bag warning light that, if ignored, "will eventually result in the non-deployment of the side impact restraints." Those restraints include the side airbags, a front-center airbag if the vehicle is so equipped and seatbelt pretensioners. Dealers of affected vehicles will be instructed to remove driver and passenger side airbag wiring harness connectors, and then "splice and solder the wires together." The second recall affects 303,000 Chevrolet Express (pictured right) and GMC Savana vans from model years 2009-2014, and with gross vehicle weights under 10,000 pounds. Said vehicles do not comply with a head impact requirement for unrestrained occupants, and will need a reworking of the instrument panel material to be sent back on the road. It doesn't sound as though there's a quick fix for this one, as the GM press release states: "Unsold vehicles have been placed on a stop delivery until development of the solution has been completed and parts are available." Finally, the third recall affects 63,900 Cadillac XTS luxury sedans from model years 2013 and 2014. A brake booster pump may be susceptible to corrosion by way of the relay, potentially causing and electrical short, overheating, melting of plastic components and even engine fires. GM says it is aware of two engine fires in unsold XTS models and two cases of melted parts. Repairs for the issues affecting the XTS have not not mentioned by GM in the release. The Detroit News is also reporting that along with news of the triple-recall, GM is taking a $300-million credit to help pay for the repair costs, and to deal with the ongoing costs associated with the ignition switch recall. In an attempt to explain just what GM has been doing in the face of these very serious issues, newly minted CEO Mary Barra has addressed the issues in a new video.

GM throttles back Chevy Malibu, Buick LaCrosse production over swollen inventories

As inventory of the Chevrolet Malibu and Buick LaCrosse continues to pile up, General Motors will be idling its Fairfax Assembly Plant for two weeks, according to Automotive News. This move comes about a month after the plant was shut down for three weeks in late December and early January for the same reason. As of January 31, the GM had a 94-day supply of Malibu stock while the LaCrosse was a little worse with a 117-day supply.
Just last week, GM announced that it would be investing $600 million in upgrading this plant, but it's unclear what future plans the company has in store for Fairfax considering slow sales of both the plant's models. We do expect a refreshed and more luxurious LaCrosse shortly and an early design update for the Malibu to be announced at some point this year, although we have had no official word as to when either will happen.

2016 Buick Cascada marks the return of casual convertibles

Buick is reentering the convertible game after a 25-year absence with this, the long-awaited 2016 Cascada. Fans of General Motors' European operations will recognize this svelte, four-place droptop as a rebadged version of the critically well-received Vauxhall/Opel Cascada, a model that has been on sale to audiences across The Pond since 2013. The Cascada will once again give American car buyers the chance to buy a relaxed, affordable two-row convertible without sporting pretensions, an option that arguably hasn't been available since the demise of the Chrysler 200 droptop. For US duty, the softtop Cascada will arrive with a 1.6-liter, direct-injected, turbocharged four-cylinder that churns out 200 horsepower. That figure is paired up with 206 pound-feet of torque, which can be bumped to 221 lb-ft via an overboost function. A six-speed automatic will dispatch that power to the front wheels, which are managed courtesy of a HiPer strut front-suspension system. While the Cascada might share its front suspension with the setup found on the Regal, its torsion-beam rear suspension has more in common with the Vauxhall/Opel Astra (and Buick Verano) on which it's based. 20-inch wheels and an electric power-assisted steering system round out the convertible's handling hardware. Of course, we doubt most Cascada customers will care about such oily and unseen things. Instead, they'll be more focused on the droptop's sheetmetal, which, considering it's basically a convertible version of the extremely handsome Astra, should win the car at least a few fans. While we only have so much detail to work with in the images that have been released so far – we'll be seeing the Cascada firsthand this evening (Sunday), so check back tonight for additional live images later today. Naturally, the Vauxhall/Opel grille will be replaced by Buick's trademark waterfall grille, although the company's other big styling calling card, portholes, are absent from our current pair of shots. A wide chrome strip stands out on the rear, tying the taillights together and increasing the Cascada's resemblance to the Regal sedan. A single oval exhaust tip juts out from the driver's side rear bumper. In terms of its actual dimensions, the Cascada's wheelbase is less than half an inch longer than the Verano, while the droptop is an inch longer than its four-door counterpart overall. At only an inch wider, meanwhile, the Cascada will enjoy the same easy to manage footprint as Buick's entry-level sedan.