GM recalls 2.4 million more vehicles
General Motors (GM), which just last week recalled 2.7 million cars, announced further recalls Tuesday. The automaker issued four separate recalls covering more than 2.4 million vehicles, including Chevrolet Malibus, Cadillac Escalades and other models.
Including Tuesday's action, GM has recalled more than 13 million vehicles since January.
The latest recalls cover a range of vehicles and model years, as follows:
- 2009-10 Buick Enclave, Chevrolet Traverse, GMC Acadia full-size crossovers and Saturn Outlooks. According to GM, "front safety lap belt cables can fatigue and separate over time. In a crash, a separated cable could increase the risk of injury to front seat passengers."
- 2004-08 Chevrolet Malibu and 2005-08 Pontiac G6. GM says that "a shift cable that could wear out over time, resulting in mismatches of the gear position indicated by the shift lever."
- 2015 Cadillac Escalade and Escalade ESVs. GM said that an "insufficiently heated plastic weld that attaches the passenger side air bag to the instrument panel assembly could result in a partial deployment of the air bag in the event of a crash."
- GM is also recalling several dozen Chevrolet Silverado HD and GMC Sierra HDs because of concerns that clips that attach the generator fuse block to the vehicles' body can come loose and cause a fire.
The company says no fatalities have been linked to the recalls. GM also expects to take a charge of approximately $400 million in the second quarter related to the recalls.
GM on Friday agreed to pay a $35 million federal fine for safety issues stemming from its delayed recalls of 2.6 million cars due to faulty ignition switches. It is the largest civil penalty ever paid as a result of a government investigation of violations stemming from recalls, which are linked to the deaths of at least 13 people.
The automaker also faces a barrage of lawsuits related to the ignition-switch problems, which federal authorities say GM knew about for years before issuing the recalls.
Sen. Richard Blumenthal, D-Conn., who chairs the Senate subcommittee in charge of highway safety, said on "CBS This Morning: Saturday" that he intends to push for a stiffer penalty against GM.
Some lawmakers have expressed unhappiness with the fine against GM, arguing that the sanction is too light and that it will do little to ensure that other automakers act promptly to recall and fix troubled vehicles.
GM shares were down 46 cents, or 1.37 percent, at $33.79 in midday trading.