It had been almost a month without a GM recall announcement of some sort. So, as many knew was long overdue three weeks into the second half, GM just did what it truly excels in (aside from being bailed out by taxpayers at a massive loss): admit that it had skimped on the quality control and safety check of another 717,950 cars, all of which were new models bult 2010 and later including Camaro, Equinox, Caprice, Regal, Malibu and so on. In other words, all cars built after GM emerged from bankruptcy. This bring the total number of recalls year to date to a ludicrous 29.2 million around the globe, or well over three time the total number of cars sold in the past three years.
The reasons for the recall? Numerous, but some amusing ones stand out:
- A loss of power to a laser welding machine may have resulted in an incomplete weld in the seat hook bracket
- The bolt that secures the height adjuster actuator may become loose or fall out. If the bolt falls out, the seat will move up and down freely because it is no longer attached at the height adjuster
- Steering control can be maintained because the vehicle will revert to manual steering mode, but would require greater driver effort particularly at low vehicle speeds.
- Separation of the lower control arm from the steering knuckle while driving could resulting in loss of steering control
And so on. But aside from the stock miraculously not soaring on this latest batch of great news, we expect that deadbeat GM consumers, armed to the teeth with those subprime loans we reported on over the weekend, will have no problem with the prospect of driving a free and paid for (by the government) car which may just transform into an uncontrollable 2 ton paperweight at 65 mph. Call it the "excitement from instant death risk" option (included free in every car).
Total YTD recalls vs GM car sales in the past three years and historical recalls:
And the full list of GM recalls in 2014 alone, also known in a few years as "Evidence A":
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