GM will replace faulty part for free
Chevrolet Lumina
General Motors is recalling 1,497,516 cars because of an oil leak that could start an engine fire. The company says the root of the problem is the plastic spark plug retention channel.
GM dealers will replace the defective part with two new spark plug wire retainers for free.
Affected cars
The GM recall affects the following vehicles, all of which have a 3.8-liter engine, are being recalled:
- 1997-2003 Buick Regal
- 1998-2003 Chevrolet Lumina
- 1998-2003 Chevrolet Monte Carlo
- 1998-2003 Chevrolet Impala
- 1998-99 Oldsmobile Intrigue
- 1997-2003 Pontiac Grand Prix
Details on defect
GM explains that some of the vehicles drip oil on the exhaust manifold if the driver slams on the breaks.
That could start a small fire that could spread to a plastic spark plug wire channel and beyond, increasing the risk of an engine compartment fire, The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration says.
Already in hot water
It’s no secret that automakers in general are in trouble. GM has already taken $13.4 billion in short-term loans and bailout money from the government. It seems this little glitch couldn’t come at a worse time for the company. To quote ConsumerAffairs.com:
To put it mildly, automakers don’t like to conduct recalls. They are very expensive and don’t exactly do wonders for marketing efforts.
Changing bailout terms?
To complicate matters more for GM, the government is considering changing the terms of the company’s bailout. Bloomberg.com reports:
The U.S. government is considering swapping some of the $13.4 billion it lent General Motors Corp for an equity stake in a stripped-down version of the carmaker.
Read full article : Obama Auto Team Considers Swapping GM Loan for Equity.
I have (had) a 1999 pontiac grand prix. 3 days ago my car caught fire, completly burned the motor compartment. Most of the heat was on the drivers side and front. Competly melted the valve covers, radiator and most everything on the drivers side. I know now of the recalls. TO LATE. (PLPD only)What can I do now? Can I get help contacting someone?
i took my 03 ss in for the recall on the engine fire. they put on new plug wire clips. when i looked at what they did i seen that my valve cover was warped from heat.that is where the oil will come from to start a fire. GM does not say in recall what the cause is but i know.so i got new clips when i need new covers to stop the cause of the fire.BULL S—. NOW I KNOW WY GM WENT BELLY UP. CALLED GM THEY SAID THEY WILL CALL BACK.they need to fix this
I bought a new Chevorlet Monte Carlo LS 2004. Is this model affected by this recall?
Also, in my Monte Carlo LS, 2004, After around 80,000 mi, I noticed a clunking when I would turn. I took the car in to get looked at. I was given a document issued by GM about a faulty steering shaft design. Instead of the steering shaft beeing straight, there is a bend with teo sections. The problem occurs where the two sections connect. Anyway, I had the repairs done, which GM recommended in the document that they issued. 30,000 mi. later the cluncking has started again. What can be done if the problem re-occurs after, GM’s recommended repairs have been done?
remove knee boster to get to the top of the steering shaft,remove the black cover pull it down to get to the slip joint, spray white lube on and in the slip couping,shaft, and u-joint. it worked for me. rick
Oh, boy – is this absolutely the worst time for a recall or what? GM is trying to get more government funding, and then the small sedan line from the late 90s is prone to fires? Ouch. This is kind of reminiscent of the Pinto escapade from the 70s. You know, all of a sudden I’m reminded of the film Fight Club, when they talk about car company recalls. The Formula: A x B x C = X. It works that if X is less than the cost of a recall, they don’t do one. (The number of vehicles in the field, A, times the likely rate of failure, B, times the average out of court settlement, C.) I don’t know what it is, but for some reason I see bits of that novel come out in real life again and again. Kind of scary.
At least they are not ignoring the problem. Of course, this is just another thing that will help intensify the impact of the voice of critics.