First came the Toyota recall, then the Honda recall – now the world automobile industry has seen another big player have to take some vehicles out of circulation, thanks to the GM recall. “What is it this time?” you might be wondering, and should you use your auto loans and car loans on GM cars? Apparently the power steering motors can fail. That isn’t quite as dangerous as the failing brakes or stuck accelerators with which Toyota is struggling – or the exploding Honda airbags – but the failing power steering does make it difficult to steer when you’re driving under 15 miles per hour.
GM recall will affect 1.3 million Chevy and Pontiac compacts
So if you want to be accurate, this GM recall is technically a Chevy recall and Pontiac recall. According to the Huffington Post, the vehicles are sold in the U.S., Canada and Mexico. General Motors is simply the parent company. GM spokesman Alan Adler told the media that it will take time to get new motors from supplier JTEKT Corp, and General Motors will let owners know when the new parts are available.
The Chevy and Pontiac recall vehicles are polite enough to warn you
If the power steering fails in your GM car, a warning light appears on the dash and a pleasant chime sounds. This is more than Toyota and Honda have offered. If only people could be warned before brakes fail or accelerators lock, they could perhaps dive out the window and continue to live a life of fulfillment. In the case of the defective Honda airbags, the car could remind you to don face shield and body armor before driving.
What cars are affected by the GM recall?
Rather than keep you waiting any longer, here’s the current list:
- 2005 through 2010 Chevy Cobalt
- 2007 through 2010 Pontiac G5
- 2005 and 2006 Pontiac Pursuit (Canada)
- 2005 and 2006 Pontiac G4 (Mexico)
These vehicles are considered safe to drive until the new power steering motors are available to be installed by dealerships. According to Adler, it typically takes 20,000 to 30,000 miles before the power steering issues appear. Furthermore, power steering “usually comes back” when the car is restarted.
Investigation of the GM recall problem began January 27
That’s when the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration started their investigation. There were 1,100 complaints about the power steering assist issue, and among the complaints were notices of 14 crashes and one injury. As GM VP of Quality Jamie Hresko said in a statement, the GM recall is more for customers’ “peace of mind,” rather than an immediate safety issue.
Need an assist?
The GM recall isn’t serious, but your auto financing issue could be. If you’re worried that your credit could be a deal breaker, try Car Deal Expert. They can connect you with lenders that can provide the best possible auto loan rates for your credit!
Related Video:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_H2AeZhHaV4
My 2005 Cobalt with only 7800KM (true mileage) had this problem of no power steering and could not drive it the short distance to the garage so had it towed on three occasions and this is after they put in a new power steering motor so I realized there had to be a bigger problem and they said its the steering column assembly so replaced that but meanwhile I was on the phone to GM and voiced my complaints with them not the dealership so long story short..my vehicle had to have a new computer put in the vehicle and everything was covered by GM including the steering column which was not the problem …I did not have a vehicle for a month plus but in the end I am completely satisfied…
Steven,
I really resent the fact you would report in anarticle the half truths that GM is telling.
I own one of these cars (Cobalt 2006)Unfortunatly I was not able to get the power sterring repaired, with qoutes ranging from 1500 to 2500 to have it fixed.
At this point the power steering goes out when I reach about 10 miles mph then it stays off the entire trip. Once the car is turned off then on the power steering works until the speed of the car reaches 10 mph. Every time it is driven. I have been dealing with this for 1 1/2 years.
My wrists and arms have suffered because of this. Oh yeah and there have been times of near accidents.
"There were 1,100 complaints about the power steering assist issue, and among the complaints were notices of 14 crashes and one injury. As GM VP of Quality Jamie Hresko said in a statement, the GM recall is more for customers’ “peace of mind,” rather than an immediate safety issue.
Clearly Jamie Hresko is not concerned about anyones saftey. Peace of Mind, please that's a sad attempt the try to spin GM's way out of the type of limelight that Toyota has received.