General Motors is petitioning the NHTSA to not recall certain 2014 Chevrolet Silverado and 2014 GMC Sierra trucks for a technical hiccup that could result in the instrument panel display being temporarily interrupted.

According to a non-compliance report sent to the NHTSA last October, under certain rare circumstances, when an owner uses the steering wheel controls to browse songs from an external device plugged into one of the vehicle’s USB ports, the instrument cluster could reset. When the instrument cluster resets, the analog gauges and identifications, the shift position indicator, and the cruise control could briefly turn off. In addition, some of the instrument cluster warning lights may also illuminate briefly without a condition being present. Continue reading

Controversial supplier contract purchasing terms adopted by General Motors last year, will be changed by the automobile manufacturer after suppliers say that the terms expose them to greater warranty liability. Although the new terms and conditions applied to only new purchase contracts, supplier executives and attorneys said they were uncomfortable with elements of the new contract. The new terms and conditions extended the automaker’s rights giving GM more authority to recover warranty and safety recall costs, to acquire suppliers’ intellectual property rights, and to access their financial information. Continue reading

cadillac ctsCadillac, GMC’s luxury line, is recalling over 100,000 CTS’s cars built between 2005-2007. The problem is found in the sensing device in the passenger seat that detects whether there is a passenger in the seat. Over time, the sensor may deteriorate resulting in failure to activate the airbag during an accident. Owners will be notified of the recall by mail before the end of February and may contact Cadillac at 866-982-2339 or the National Highway Transportation Safety Administration (NHTSA) hot-line at 888-327-4236.

On July 11, 2009 GM emerged from bankruptcy as a new company called General Motors Company. The old GM sold its best assets to the new company which will be primarily owned by the American and Canadian governments which collectively will hold 72.5%. The Voluntary Employee Beneficiary Association, a union health care trust, will hold 17.5% with the remaining 10% held by the old GM.

The old GM will remain in bankruptcy and its factories, brands, and other operations will eventually be liquidated. The old GM will now be called Motors Liquidation Company. Shares in the old GM will likely be worthless and it is contemplated that the Treasury Department will eventually make a public offering for the new GM stock sometime in 2010.

The new GM will retain the GMC, Chevrolet, Buick, and Cadillac brands. It will no longer offer the Saturn, Pontiac, Hummer and Saab brands. Nevertheless, GM’s remaining dealers will continue to honor warranties for those vehicles. The new GM is planning on closing approximately 1,100 over 6,000 dealerships and eventually hopes to pare down to 3,600 dealers by the close of 2010. Additionally, GM’s present 47 plants, manufacturing engines, transmissions, and stamping and assembly plants will be reduced to only 34. And the number of employees will likewise be reduced from the present 91,000 at the end of 2008 to only 64,000 by the end of 2009. GM is also expected to reduce American executives by 35%, and overall administrative white-collar employees by 20% by the end of this year.