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Fail: General Motors Recalls 1,497,516 Models!

Or how could things get worse in a sec... As if the economic downturn and the imminent bankruptcy weren’t enough for the so-called American car giant General Motors, the company is now recalling a total of 1,497,516 models in the United States due to a malfunction regarding the engine and the cooling process.

More specifically, General Motors recalls 1,497,516 MY 1997-2003 Buick Regal, MY 1998-2003 Chevrolet Lumina, Monte Carlo and Impala, MY 1998-1999 Oldsmobile Intrigue, MY 1997-2003 Pontiac Grand Prix vehicles equipped with a 3.8-liter V6 naturally-aspirated engine because “some of these cars have a condition in which drops of engine oil may be deposited on the exhaust manifold through hard braking,” as a notification posted on the official National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) website reads.

What’s the worst thing that can happen? you may ask. Well, NHTSA says that in case “the manifold is hot enough and the oil runs below the heat shield, it may ignite into a small flame and may spread to the plastic spark plug wire channel and beyond, increasing the risk of an engine compartment fire”.

Obviously, owners of the aforementioned models are advised to contact authorized dealerships to get their vehicles inspected as soon as possible. The American automaker says that “dealers will remove the spark plug wire retention channel at the front of engine and install two new spark plug wire retainers”. The entire operation will be done free of charge, with recalls expected to start in May, 2009.

Meanwhile, General Motors is also encountering difficulties on the financial side, with sources claiming the company is already filing papers for bankruptcy. Nevertheless, the company is now facing a 60-day deadline to convince the government whether to inject more money and help it remain afloat.
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About the author: Bogdan Popa
Bogdan Popa profile photo

Bogdan keeps an eye on how technology is taking over the car world. His long-term goals are buying an 18-wheeler because he needs more space for his kid’s toys, and convincing Google and Apple that Android Auto and CarPlay deserve at least as much attention as their phones.
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