Photo: Cadillac / edited by autoevolution
GM gets a lot of flak for its historically woeful quality control, even though Ford and Chrysler aren’t exactly on top of their game either. But as far as the recall we’re covering today is concerned, General Motors did things right. The supplier of the right-front half-shaft assembly for certain GM SUVs didn’t do things right, though.
On November 9th last year, a quality engineer submitted an issue to General Motors through the Detroit-based automaker’s Speak Up for Safety program. The engineer was baffled by the missing retaining ring of a half-shaft assembly that was returned to General Motors after warranty service on a Chevrolet-branded utility vehicle.
Always slow to react in such instances, General Motors opened an investigation on December 9th last year. During a manufacturing period in July 2022, an error in the supplier’s quality control process led to certain left-hand half-shaft assemblies leaving the assembly line without retaining rings. The supplier in question is Nexteer Automotive from Saginaw, Michigan, according to GM.
The supplier corrected the quality control-related issue on July 15th, 2022 without containing any of the potentially affected assemblies. That’s exactly the reason automakers need to be utmost careful with the suppliers they choose, because an error like this one could lead to very expensive lawsuits and the vehicle assembly line going offline due to a lack of parts manufactured to the right specifications.
Adding insult to the proverbial injury, a review of field data concluded with two complaints related to the aforementioned condition. The complaints were filed with General Motors on September 15th and November 2nd last year, according to documents published by the NHTSA.
Dealers have already been instructed to inspect the left-hand half-shaft assembly and – if necessary – replace the assembly. Of course, the replacement assemblies were manufactured outside of the supplier’s suspect window.
The affected vehicle population isn’t large, numbering 20 utility vehicles of the unibody variety. Split between four nameplates from three brands, the suspect utility vehicles are all based on the General Motors C1XX platform.
The list kicks off with four examples of the 2023 model year Cadillac XT5, assembled between December 8th and December 9th last year. The remainder comprises six units of the GMC Acadia, eight units of the Chevrolet Blazer, and two examples of the three-row Chevrolet Traverse.
Owners of said crossovers will be notified by first-class mail no later than March 24th with instructions to bring their vehicles in for the remedy. If left as is, the suspect half-shafts could separate from the nine-speed automatic transmission under certain loads, leading to a loss of propulsion and even mechanical park. In other words, there’s an increased risk of a crash or vehicle rollaway.
Priced at $34,520 excluding destination charge, the most spacious crossover included in this recall is the most affordable crossover as well. The Blazer and Acadia are presently listed at $35,100 and $36,500. As for the Cadillac XT5, the base specification retails at $44,195.
Always slow to react in such instances, General Motors opened an investigation on December 9th last year. During a manufacturing period in July 2022, an error in the supplier’s quality control process led to certain left-hand half-shaft assemblies leaving the assembly line without retaining rings. The supplier in question is Nexteer Automotive from Saginaw, Michigan, according to GM.
The supplier corrected the quality control-related issue on July 15th, 2022 without containing any of the potentially affected assemblies. That’s exactly the reason automakers need to be utmost careful with the suppliers they choose, because an error like this one could lead to very expensive lawsuits and the vehicle assembly line going offline due to a lack of parts manufactured to the right specifications.
Adding insult to the proverbial injury, a review of field data concluded with two complaints related to the aforementioned condition. The complaints were filed with General Motors on September 15th and November 2nd last year, according to documents published by the NHTSA.
Dealers have already been instructed to inspect the left-hand half-shaft assembly and – if necessary – replace the assembly. Of course, the replacement assemblies were manufactured outside of the supplier’s suspect window.
The affected vehicle population isn’t large, numbering 20 utility vehicles of the unibody variety. Split between four nameplates from three brands, the suspect utility vehicles are all based on the General Motors C1XX platform.
The list kicks off with four examples of the 2023 model year Cadillac XT5, assembled between December 8th and December 9th last year. The remainder comprises six units of the GMC Acadia, eight units of the Chevrolet Blazer, and two examples of the three-row Chevrolet Traverse.
Owners of said crossovers will be notified by first-class mail no later than March 24th with instructions to bring their vehicles in for the remedy. If left as is, the suspect half-shafts could separate from the nine-speed automatic transmission under certain loads, leading to a loss of propulsion and even mechanical park. In other words, there’s an increased risk of a crash or vehicle rollaway.
Priced at $34,520 excluding destination charge, the most spacious crossover included in this recall is the most affordable crossover as well. The Blazer and Acadia are presently listed at $35,100 and $36,500. As for the Cadillac XT5, the base specification retails at $44,195.
Google News