GM recalls 60,000 cars on defroster, wiring issues

Tennessee drivers of Chevy Malibu midsize cars may be contacted by General Motors as the automaker announced a recall of almost 40,000 of the vehicles due to window defroster and power seat wiring issues. The defective products recall covered more than 44,000 2014 Malibus because of the malfunctioning defroster, including 42,696 in the U.S., 1,034 in Canada and another 676 in Mexico. Also, 15,000 2013 model Malibus were covered by another recall.

The defrosting problem that prompted the first recall is a balky computer in charge of the ventilation system that may spontaneously revert to a previous setting. If that were to happen while the system was on defrost, the defrosting process would stop and visibility could be lost. The problem reportedly happened when the vehicles were started. GM said that their dealers would reprogram the computers at no cost to consumers. They also said that no crashes or injuries related to the problem had been reported to the company.

The wiring problem that brought about the second recall arose because of wires rubbing against the frame of the Malibu’s eight-way power seats. This could wear away wires’ insulation, causing a short circuit which may cause fire. The issue could also make the seats move independently as well as produce smoke and melted wires. The automaker said that the problem would be fixed at no cost to GM customers.

Defective products and dangerous products can cause illness, injury or even consumer death. Although a product recall may be enacted by a previously negligent manufacturer, sometimes it doesn’t happen in time to prevent consumer injury. In these cases, an attorney may be helpful in seeking recompense for these damages.

Source: MSN, “GM to recall nearly 60,000 Chevy Malibus”, November 15, 2013

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