GM Recalls 1.5 Million Vehicles

DETROIT - General Motors Co. is recalling 1.5 million MY 2007-2009 cars, trucks and crossovers to disable a heated washer fluid system module that could pose a fire risk. 

Because the feature will be disabled, GM said it will make a voluntary payment of $100 to the owner or lessee of each vehicle. 

There are no known injuries or crashes related to the condition, GM said. 

Dealership service personnel will remove the heated washer fluid module and reroute washer fluid hoses. Customers will begin receiving recall letters this month, but they can contact their dealer at any time to make an appointment to have the heated washer system removed. 

"This was a unique technology available from only one supplier, and that supplier has stopped manufacturing, which left no opportunity to collaborate on an improved design," Jeff Boyer, GM's executive director of safety, explained. "We want to be clear that the voluntary payment to customers is for the loss of the feature, not the recall." 

Models included in the recall are the MY 2006-2009 Buick Lucerne; Cadillac DTS; Hummer H2; MY 2008-2009 Buick Enclave; Cadillac CTS; MY 2007-2009 Cadillac Escalade, Escalade ESV, Escalade EXT; Chevrolet Avalanche, Silverado, Suburban, Tahoe; GMC Acadia, Sierra, Yukon, Yukon XL; Saturn Outlook; and MY 2009 Chevrolet Traverse. 

Most of the vehicles -- 1,365,070 -- are in the United States. There are 98,794 affected vehicles in Canada, 26,228 in Mexico, and 38,093 exports. 

The heated washer fluid system was recalled in August 2008 because a short circuit on the printed circuit board could overheat the control-circuit ground wire. Dealers at the time installed an in-line fuse in the heated washer module wiring. 

The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration closed its initial investigation after the 2008 recall. GM said it continued to monitor the performance of the heated washer fluid module in the field and continued communications with NHTSA. In June 2009, a new and second failure mode was identified by GM with the first confirmed report consisting of smoke only. Since then, GM has been made aware of five fires.