Lemon Law for California

Build Dates: n/a

Vehicle Make/Model: Chevrolet/Cobalt of 2005-2010, Pontiac/G5 of 2007-2010

NHTSA CAMPAIGN ID Number: 10V073000

Date Owner’s Notified: 0000-00-00

Manufacturers Involved: GENERAL MOTORS CORP.

Manufacturer’s Responsible for the Recall: GENERAL MOTORS CORP.

Component: STEERING: ELECTRIC POWER ASSIST SYSTEM

Potential Number of Units Affected: 1050889

Summary:

General Motors is recalling certain model 2005-2010 Chevrolet Cobalt and model year 2007-2010 Pontiac G5 vehicles equipped with electric power steering. The driver may experience a sudden loss of power steering assist that could occur at any time while driving.

Consequence:

If power steering assist is lost, it would require greater driver effort at low vehicle speeds, increasing the risk of a crash.

Remedy:

Dealers will replace the electric power steering motor free of charge. The manufacturer has not yet provided ab owner notification schedule.

Build Dates: 01 June, 2008 – 30 September, 2008

NHTSA CAMPAIGN ID Number: 09V154000

Date Owner’s Notified: 2009-05-18
Date Received by ODI: 2009-05-06
Date Added to Database: 2009-05-06

Manufacturers Involved: GENERAL MOTORS CORP.
Manufacturer’s Responsible for the Recall: GENERAL MOTORS CORP.
Manufacturer Campaign Number: 08411

Component: FUEL SYSTEM, GASOLINE

Potential Number of Units Affected: 27188

Summary:

GM is recalling 27,188 My 2009 Cadillac Escalade, Escalade Hybrid, Escalade ESV, and Escalade EXT; Chevrolet Avalanche, Suburban, Tahoe, Tahoe Hybrid, and Colorado; and GMC Yukon, Yukon Hybrid, Yukon XL, and Canyon vehicles. The fuel system control modules may have a condition in which an adhesive separation of the Room Temperature Vulcanizing “RTV” seal between the seal and the housing may allow water to seep into the module.

Consequence:

Water in the module could cause a short or open circuit, illumination of the service engine soon lamp, setting of diagnostic trouble codes or the engine may be hard to start, may not start or may stall increasing the risk of a crash.

Remedy:

Dealers will install a new fuel system control module free of charge. The recall began on May 18, 2009.

Build Dates: 01 July, 2008 – 31 October, 2008

NHTSA CAMPAIGN ID Number: 08V615000

Date Owner’s Notified: 2008-11-26
Date Received by ODI: 2008-11-24
Date Added to Database: 2008-11-25

Manufacturers Involved: GENERAL MOTORS CORP.
Manufacturer’s Responsible for the Recall: GENERAL MOTORS CORP.
Manufacturer Campaign Number: 08387

Component: SEAT BELTS: REAR: BUCKLE ASSEMBLY

Potential Number of Units Affected: 16667

Summary:

GM is recalling 16,667 My 2009 Buick Enclave, Chevrolet Traverse, GMC Acadia, and Saturn Outlook vehicles for failing to conform with the requirements of federal motor vehicle safety standard no. 209, ’seat belt assemblies.’ these vehicles may have been built with a safety belt buckle in the second or third row that is missing a rivet.

Consequence:

In a vehicle crash, if the rivet is missing, the buckle may separate from the mounting strap, increasing the risk of injury to the passenger.

Remedy:

Dealers will inspect the safety belt buckles in the second and third rows, and replace them if necessary. The recall began on November 26, 2008.

Build Dates: 01 July, 2008 – 31 October, 2008

NHTSA CAMPAIGN ID Number: 08V615000

Date Owner’s Notified: 2008-11-26
Date Received by ODI: 2008-11-24
Date Added to Database: 2008-11-25

Manufacturers Involved: GENERAL MOTORS CORP.
Manufacturer’s Responsible for the Recall: HONEYWELL INTERNATIONAL, INC.
Manufacturer Campaign Number: 08387

Component: SEAT BELTS: REAR: BUCKLE ASSEMBLY

Potential Number of Units Affected: 16667

Summary:

GM is recalling 16,667 My 2009 Buick Enclave, Chevrolet Traverse, GMC Acadia and Saturn Outlook vehicles for failing to conform with the requirements of Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standard No. 209, ‘Seat Belt Assemblies.’ These vehicles may have been built with a safety belt buckle in the second or third row that is missing a rivet.

Consequence:

In a vehicle crash, if the rivet is missing, the buckle may separate from the mounting strap, increasing the risk of injury to the passenger.

Remedy:

Dealers will inspect the safety belt buckles in the second and third rows, and replace them if necessary. The recall began on November 26, 2008.

Build Dates : 01 November, 2008 - 31 December, 2008

NHTSA CAMPAIGN ID Number : 09V153000

Date Owner’s Notified: 2009-05-06
Date Received by ODI: 2009-05-06
Date Added to Database: 2009-05-06

Manufacturers Involved: GENERAL MOTORS CORP.
Manufacturer’s Responsible for the Recall: HONEYWELL INTERNATIONAL, INC.
Manufacturer Campaign Number: 09045

Component: PARKING BRAKE

Potential Number Of Units Affected : 15393

Summary:

GM is recalling 15,393 My 2009 Chevrolet Traverse vehicles for failing to comply with the requirements of Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standard no. 135, “Passenger Car Brake Systems.” These vehicles may have a park brake cable link “connector” that is not to specification. This connector may fracture when the park brake pedal is depressed.

Consequence:

If the transmission shift lever is in the park position, there will be no unintended vehicle movement. However, if the keys are left in the ignition, the transmission shift lever is in any position other than park, and the vehicle is parked on a sufficient slope, it could result in unintended vehicle movement. This could result in a crash without prior warning.

Remedy:

Dealers are to replace the park brake cable link “connector” free of charge. GM anticipates that the dealer bulletin will be sent may 5, 2009 and owner letters will be mailed in June 2009.

General Motors Corporation decided to accept liability for future product defects as one of several concessions the company has made to expedite approval for a quick sale from bankruptcy. GM also said that it would alter the terms of its proposed asset sale to assuage the concerns of over 20 suppliers who objected to specifically the original terms.

GM addresses these and other concerns as part of documents filed in the last week of June 2009 in a New York bankruptcy court. GM has been actively working with officials of Obama administration to smooth over many of the problems that arose when the company filed bankruptcy. Over nine state attorney generals objected to GM’s proposed reorganization because the original terms would have left GM buyers without any protections against product defects under state laws. GM responded by saying that it would continue to honorlemon law claims in California and throughout the nation so that if consumers purchased a defective vehicle, they would be entitled to a replacement vehicle or a refund.

The outcry over the terms of the bankruptcy caused GM and Obama administration officials to rethink the reorganization of the company and reconsider liability for future product liability claims. GM said that the purchaser will assume all product liability claims arising from accidents or other.

GM suggested a new company to be created under the reorganization plan to purchase the company’s best and most economically viable assets, and that the sale would be concluded by August 2009.

A group of about 300 U.S. citizens with pending lawsuits against GM vigorously objected to the terms of the reorganization in response to the reorganization plan. They claim that any wrongful death and injury claims that would be paid from the sale of GM’s less financially viable assets are nearly worthless. This group named the Ad Hoc Committee of Consumer Victims of General Motors said at the bankruptcy court filing that the car manufacturer’s insurance would only cover product liability claims of up to $35 million for each claim.

Build Dates : April 30, 2007 - November 30, 2007

NHTSA CAMPAIGN ID Number : 08V441000

Date Owner’s Notified: 20080912
Date Received by ODI: 20080828
Date Added to Databse: 20080828

Manufacturer’s Involved: GENERAL MOTORS CORP.
Manufacturer’s Responsible for the Recall: GENERAL MOTORS CORP.
Manufacturer Campaign Number: 08048

Component: ELECTRICAL SYSTEM
Potential Number Of Units Affected : 857735

Summary:

GM is recalling 857,735 My 2006-2008 Buick Lucerne; Cadillac Dts; Hummer H2; My 2007-2008 Cadillac Escalade, Escalade Esv, Escalade Ext; Chevrolet Avalanche, Silverado, Suburban, Tahoe; Gmc Acadia, Sierra, Yukon, Yukon Xl, Saturn Outlook; and my 2008 Buick Enclave vehicles equipped with a heated wiper washer fluid system. A short circuit on the printed circuit board for the washer fluid heater may overheat the control-circuit ground wire.

Consequence:

This may cause other electrical features to malfunction, create an odor, or cause smoke increasing the risk of a fire.

Remedy:

Dealers will install a wire harness with an in-line fuse free of charge. The recall began on September 12, 2008.

General Motors is widely believed to be filing for bankruptcy by June 1. At midweek no could even guess about the bankruptcy and its stock rose significantly, but by the end of the week the company drew another $4 billion from the government and the bankruptcy filing seems all but certain. On the lemon law front, we are now informed that settlement checks will take 4-6 weeks to process (not 1 week as previously done) and that all repurchases are being stopped.

This bankruptcy may be worse for consumers than Chrysler. First, Chrysler is smaller than GM, and so many more people will be affected. Second, Chrysler,  at the outset of its bankruptcy, made a mistake by failing to honor pre-bankruptcy settlements in lemon law and warranty cases. This isn’t deplorable from the bankruptcy perspective- after all all kinds of people are being hurt — but from the PR perspective it creates a problem. How do you expect that car buyers trust your warranty promises if you won’t honor lemon law settlements? But it took them a week to announce that checks will be reissued (which hasn’t yet been done), and so the uncertainty created a problem.

Chrysler tried to seemingly having its purchaser assume existing warranties and, at the same time, staking out a legal position that all existing lemon law and warranty claims would be ‘unsecured’ (read ‘unlucky’) in bankruptcy. Ultimately this inconsistency cost them time and bad press.

Build Dates : July 01, 2008 - September 30, 2008

NHTSA CAMPAIGN ID Number : 08V517000

Date Owner’s Notified:
Date Received by ODI: 20081006
Date Added to Databse: 20081006

Manufacturer’s Involved: GENERAL MOTORS CORP.
Manufacturer’s Responsible for the Recall: GENERAL MOTORS CORP.
Manufacturer Campaign Number: 08342

Component: AIR BAGS:FRONTAL
Potential Number Of Units Affected : 79

Summary: 

GM is recalling 79 MY 2009 Chevrolet Impala vehicles. Some of these vehicles have a passenger-side front air bag inflator that could fracture at an inflator tube during a deployment.

Consequence: 

During a passenger-side air bag deployment, pieces of the inflator tube could strike and injury vehicle occupants and the air bag cushion would not inflate fully, reducing the capability of the bag to protect the passenger.

Remedy: 

Dealers will install a new passenger-side front air bag. The recall is expected to begin during mid-october 2008. 

Build Dates : May 01, 2007 - April 30, 2008

NHTSA CAMPAIGN ID Number : 08V444000

Date Owner’s Notified:
Date Received by ODI: 20080903
Date Added to Databse: 20080903

Manufacturer’s Involved: GENERAL MOTORS CORP.
Manufacturer’s Responsible for the Recall: GENERAL MOTORS CORP.
Manufacturer Campaign Number: 08157

Component: LATCHES/LOCKS/LINKAGES:DOORS:LATCH
Potential Number Of Units Affected : 296422

Summary: 

GM is recalling 296,422 MY 2006-2008 Chevrolet HHR vehicles for failing to comply with the requirements of federal motor vehicle safety standard no. 201, ‘occupant protection in interior impact.” the door on the storage bin in the top center of the instrument panel failed to remain closed as required.

Consequence: 

This standard specifies performance requirements to provide head impact protection for occupants.

Remedy: 

A redesigned latch will be made available. The recall is expected to begin during November 2008.