Fire risk sparks GM recall of 1.5 million cars

A beleaguered General Motors is taking another PR and financial hit as it recalls nearly 1.5 million cars because of a fire hazard.

The affected vehicles are equipped with non-turbocharged, 3.8L, V6 engines and include:

• 1997-2009 Buick Regal
• 2000-2003 Chevrolet Impala
• 1998-1999 Chevy Lumina
• 1998-2003 Chevy Monte Carlo
• 1998-1999 Oldsmobile Intrigue
• 1997-2003 Pontiac Grand Prix

The recall was spurred by concerns that drops of engine oil may leak onto the exhaust manifold during hard braking. If the manifold is hot enough and the oil runs beneath the heat shield, it could ignite. The small flame could spread to the nearby plastic spark plug wire channel or beyond that, increasingthe risk of a fire under the hood.

The fix is to replace the piece holding the spark plug wires in place with two separate wire retainers. The recall is expected to begin in May, and the dealer will swap the pieces free of charge.

Owners may contact Chevy at 800 630 2438, Oldsmobile at 800 630 6537 and Pontiac at 800 620 7668, or they may obtain information online.

This is GM recall No. 90047 and National Highway Traffic Safety Administration recall No. 09V116000.

Free recall notification service keeps you in the loop

Vehicle owners now can be instantly informed about safety recalls under a new automated alert system that the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) introduced in mid-November. You can receive recall alerts via e-mail or RSS feeds on personal computers, cell phones or PDA devices. The service is free, and you can choose to receive all vehicle recalls as they are made public or personalize the alerts to specific vehicles.

David Kelly, acting administrator of NHTSA, says that the new vehicle recall notification system is an expansion of the agency’s consumer safety communications program. Earlier this year, NHTSA also introduced automated recall alerts for child safety seats and tires.

NHTSA reports that there are about 600 vehicle recalls each year. About one in four motorists ignore these recalls when they are announced and fail to get their affected vehicles repaired, NHTSA says. Ignoring these recall notices can come at a high price: Some of these defects, if left unrepaired, could put you and your family at risk.

To start receiving NHTSA’s recall alerts, go to www.safercar.gov and select the “Email recall notifications” option.

Air bag issue leads BMW to recall 200,000 vehicles

The North American unit of BMW is voluntarily recalling 200,000 cars and SUVs because air bags on the passenger’s side of the vehicles might not deploy in an accident.

The recall, issued by the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA), includes 2004 and 2005 5-Series sedans, 2004 to 2006 X3 SUVs and some 2006 3-Series sedans. Find out if your vehicle is on the list by clicking here.

According to the recall notice, passenger-side air bags might be deactivated by a sensor in the vehicle because of wear caused by passengers entering and exiting the vehicles. To fix the problem, BMW dealers will repair a sensor system, and the company will extend the warranty for air bags on the recalled vehicles to 10 years with no mileage limit.

BMW dealerships should begin contacting owners to resolve the matter this month. They will inspect vehicles for cracks in the air bag detection mat, and replace the component at no charge.

Owners who don’t want to wait for their dealership to contact them can call (800) 525-7417 to make service arrangements.

As the world’s largest luxury auto maker, BMW sold 336,000 cars and trucks in the United States last year under the BMW and Mini brands.

Sources: NHTSA and U.S. News & World Report