2003 Gmc Envoy on 2040-cars

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GM trademarks 'GearOn,' possibly for pickups

On May 27, a week before General Motors applied for a trademark for the word "Zora," GM filed a trademark application at the US Patent and Trademark Office for "GearOn," characterized as a "truck bed cargo system comprised of tiered storage cross rails, utility rack stanchions, cargo dividers and cargo tie down rings."
We have no idea what it will be or if we'll see it used on anything, but GM Authority reckons it could be GM's name for a pickup truck feature to rival the BoxLink system Ford introduced on the 2015 F-150. BoxLink has been described as having "dozens of configurations of stowable cargo ramps and lockable die-cast aluminum tie-down cleats," giving owners the ability to arrange the bed in they way they need and load unwieldy items like motorcycles without needing extra equipment.
Getting purely speculative, a month ago GM pickup truck engineers said there would be more and more regular updates for the Chevrolet Silverado and GMC Sierra starting next year. Beyond the suspected capability and fuel economy changes GearOn could be one of the "neat things coming in a whole host of areas."

NHTSA closes 4-year GM investigation, issues common sense advisory [w/video]

Since January 2011, the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration has been investigating a possible problem with corroding brake lines in General Motors' GMT800-platform models, like the Chevrolet Silverado and Suburban and GMC Sierra, in states with salt on their roads in the winter. However, as opposed to launching a full recall of millions of vehicles, the government is issuing a common-sense safety advisory to all drivers in snowy states to keep their vehicle's undercarriage clean. It even has a video explaining things. "Older-model vehicles, often driven in harsh conditions, are subject to corrosion over long periods of time, and we need owners to be vigilant about ensuring they, their passengers, and others on the roads are safe," said NHTSA Administrator Mark Rosekind in the announcement of the end of the investigation. The agency was clear in its report that "brake line corrosion seen in the GM vehicles was not unique," and the government "has not identified a defect that would initiate a recall order." Instead NHTSA is advising drivers, especially those of vehicles from before 2007, to wash their vehicle's undercarriage in the winter and spring to remove salt or other de-icing chemicals. It also recommends regular checks by a mechanic to make sure everything is in proper order. According to the investigation documents, for just the GMT800 platform models, NHTSA found 3,645 complaints of brake line corrosion, which included allegations of 107 crashes and 40 injuries. The issue was found to be more common in vehicles over 10 years old. GM has released a statement (embedded below) that the company "supports the consumer advisory from NHTSA urging regular maintenance and care of brake lines on older vehicles." NHTSA Closes Investigation into Brake-Line Failures NHTSA 13-15 Thursday, April 9, 2015 Agency issues safety advisory on preventing undercarriage corrosion WASHINGTON – The Department of Transportation's National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) today issued a Safety Advisory and consumer video encouraging owners of model year 2007 and older trucks, SUVs and passenger cars to inspect brake lines and thoroughly wash the underside of their vehicles to remove corrosive salt after the long winter in order to prevent brake-line failures that increase the risk of a crash.

2017 GMC Acadia comes into focus

The future slate of crossovers from General Motors reportedly ride on the company's new, scalable Chi platform. With short- or long-wheelbase configurations possible, the chassis conceivably allows the automaker to be more adaptable in the configuration of its CUVs. Cadillac already appears to be testing Chi for the luxury brand's future SRX/XT5, and here it is again under heavy camouflage underpinning the next GMC Acadia. Unfortunately, the Acadia is so well concealed here that it's extremely difficult to pick out any of the styling changes, though the squared-off fenders and faint GMC logo peaking through the tape on the front wheels reveal what this vehicle is. Up front, the grille appears to sit somewhat lower than the current model, and the vertical LED running lights are easy to pick out. The orientation of the taillights through the camo suggests wraparound units not too dissimilar from the current Acadia (or is that Saturn Outlook?). The next-gen Acadia is expected to debut in 2016 as a 2017 model year vehicle. The powertrain options may include the current 3.6-liter V6, a four-cylinder and possibly even a turbo V6, and GM's new nine-speed automatic might also be for offer. With a year before the reveal, take a look at these photos for a first look. Featured Gallery GMC Acadia Spy Shots View 12 Photos Image Credit: KGP Photography Design/Style Spy Photos GMC Crossover gmc acadia