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GM recalling 521,817 cars in two campaigns

General Motors is issuing two, separate recalls covering a total of 521,817 vehicles worldwide. The larger campaign covers 468,887 units of the 2011-2012 Chevrolet Malibu. Specifically, 437,045 of these are in the US, and the rest are outside the country. In these sedans, a steel cable that connects the seat belt to the vehicle can fatigue and separate. GM knows of 36 claims about the problem but only one minor injury. According to The Detroit News, this happened when a taxi driver hit his head. To fix things, dealers will replace the "outboard lap mounting bracket," which will move the tensioner rearward. They'll also inspect and if necessary replace the steel cable and lap pretensioner. In the second campaign, 52,930 examples the 2015 Chevy Colorado and 2015 GMC Canyon have seat frame attachment hooks that were installed incorrectly during assembly. GM hasn't received any reports of crashes, injuries, or fatalities about this problem. Dealers will inspect the affected trucks and repair as necessary. GM spokesperson Alan Adler told Autoblog that he didn't yet have a specific date when affected owners would receive official mailings about either of these recalls. GM Statement General Motors is recalling 48,309 2015 model year Chevrolet Colorado and GMC Canyon midsize pickup trucks in the U.S. because certain seat frame attachment hooks were not properly attached to the vehicle body during assembly. Dealers will inspect the potentially affected seats for proper installation and repair if necessary. GM knows of no crashes, injuries or fatalities related to this condition. The total vehicle population of the recall is 52,930 including 4,620 vehicles sold in Canada. General Motors is recalling 437,045, 2011-2012 model year Chevrolet Malibus in the U.S. because the flexible steel cable that connects the safety belt to the vehicle can fatigue and separate over time as a result of occupant movement in the seat. Dealers will replace the outboard lap mounting bracket to relocate the tensioner slightly rearward. Dealers will inspect the cable and, if necessary, replace the lap pretensioner. GM knows of 36 claims, no crashes or fatalities and one minor injury reportedly related to the condition. The total vehicle population of the recall is 468,887 including Canada, Mexico and exports.

GM also sheds parts from its pickups to boost payload ratings

The row between Ford and Ram over who boasts the best-in-class tow rating for heavy duty pickups has revealed a number of things. Chief among them is a report that Ford removes items like the spare tire, jack, radio and center console from its vehicles in a bid to lower its base curb weight and therefore keep the truck's gross vehicle weight rating down.
For those that need a refresher, GVWR is the vehicle's curb weight plus its maximum payload. A lower GVWR allows Ford to station its F-450 among the so-called Class III pickups, despite the fact that internally, it has the makings of a more brutish Class IV truck.
Ford explains away these deletions, saying a customer could order their vehicle in such a manner. It has also come to light that Ford is not the only automaker to engage in such practices.

2016 GMC Terrain refresh revealed

Posting its best-ever sales year in 2014, the GMC Terrain is hauling in sales, conquest buyers, and profits for the brand. GMC wants that to continue with its refresh for the 2016 model year, which sees the underlying formula left untouched under a raft of cosmetic and trim changes. There will be four trim levels: SL, SLE (SLE-1 and SLE-2), SLT, and Denali. They all get a front fascia with a lot more character, sculpted with chrome-outlined, C-shaped ornamentation, and all but the base SL version feature chrome accents on the grille. Flanking that, the headlights get new LED DRL signatures and the hood gets a power dome. The Denali gets new 19-inch alloys, models below it get new 18-inch wheel designs, and the sheetmetal color palette expands with the addition of White Frost Tricoat and Crimson Red Tintcoat. Beyond a revised center console, a mix of cabin offerings spice up the various trims. Premium cloth is the go-to for the SL and SLE, "Saddle Up" leather is an option on the SLT as well as an eight-way passenger seat, and a two-tone, dual-material Light Titanium and Jet Black interior is possible inside the Denali. Assistance features migrate down, with Side Blind Zone Alert and Rear Cross Traffic Alert available on the Terrain SLE and SLT for the first time. Engine choices remain the 182-horsepower Ecotec 2.4-liter inline-four, and the 272-hp 3.6-liter V6. The press release below has more details, and we'll have more on it live from the show floor. GMC Introduces 2016 Terrain New appearance, features build on success in growing compact SUV segment NEW YORK, March 31, 2015 – Distinguished by a new, more contemporary front-end appearance, the 2016 GMC Terrain and Terrain Denali were introduced today, ahead of their public debut at the New York International Auto Show. The 2016 Terrain lineup features new front and rear fascias, new grille designs, a power dome hood, light-emitting diode (LED) daytime running lamps and additional updates. Side Blind Zone Alert and Rear Cross Traffic Alert are offered on SLE and SLT models for the first time. "Terrain is a popular choice in the growing compact SUV segment, introducing drivers to GMC's professional grade design and features," said Duncan Aldred, vice president of GMC Sales and Marketing.