Anyone who has ever driven a great distance on a highway – especially, for example, Florida’s Turnpike – knows that there is a bevy of ways for a vehicle’s windshield, and more notably a driver’s visibility, to become compromised. From bugs and rain to dings and cracks, drivers must be on their toes when operating vehicles at high speeds or over long distances, as any number of sudden, unexpected circumstances could create distractions and dangers. Granted, even the most casual drivers are aware of such distractions, which is why most people don’t ever think about them during a simple trip to the store or picking a child up at school.
Unfortunately, a recent Chevrolet and GMC automobile recall has drivers fearing a far more serious windshield hindrance. Because of a manufacturing defect in the primary hood latch system, General Motors is recalling approximately 119,000 popular pickup trucks as they are currently in violation of Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standard No. 113, according to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration. Specifically, the safety standard involves the “Hood Latch System” and these popular pickup trucks – Chevrolet Colorado and GMC Canyon – may be missing the secondary hood latch.
General Motors inspectors discovered this problem during a recent routine inspection, as they realized that some Colorado and Canyon trucks were missing the second latches, and the recall was issued because of the fact that drivers could fail to properly secure the primary hood latch, causing it to fly open and either block or possibly shatter the windshield while the vehicle is being operated.
This recall involves Chevy Colorado and GMC Canyon vehicles with model years between 2010 and 2012, and owners of possibly affected pickup trucks should contact Chevy at (800) 630-2438 or GMC at (866) 996-9463 for additional information. The recall will begin on Jan. 17, 2013, and GM representatives will contact owners.