General Motors Co. was forced to issue a recall last Friday over concerns of engine fires in their 2010 model year Chevy Express and GMC Savana passenger and cargo vans. The recall affects roughly 5,000 vans that were produced and sold during February and March. The problem in the vans is centered on a faulty alternator which can cause engine fires. As a result of the recall, GM has halted production of the affected vehicles until they can be certain that the design flaw has been resolved.
The specific vehicles that are affected by the recall are 2500 and 3500 series Chevy Express heavy vans ending with Vehicle Identification Numbers A1129327 through A1142523. The affected 2500 and 3500 series GMC Savana vans have VINs ending A1128784 through A1901915. The recall also extends to about 1,400 AC Delco heavy duty alternators used in the vehicles. The affected alternators were installed in 2005-2010 Express and Savana vans in February and March as replacement alternators. Owners of the vehicles should be looking for alternators with part numbers 15200110; 15288861; 15263859 and 15847291.
Roughly 1,300 of the affected vans were sold by GM to fleet customers with the rest being sold as individual units. GM is asking customers with vans affected by the recall to stop driving the vehicles, park them away from buildings and other cars, and disconnect the battery cables. As for the affected alternators, customers with alternators matching the part numbers or those who cannot identify the part number are being asked to follow the same safety guidelines as those issued for the vans. GM has not released any details on when they plan to call the vehicles back to dealerships for repairs. So far no reports of deaths, injuries, or vehicle fires have been linked to the faulty alternators.
The recall comes as a disappointing setback for the American car giant as it tries to recover from bankruptcy. At the height of the recession, GM accepted $50 billion in bailout money from the U.S. government and had recently announced plans to repay $6.7 billion to the government by June 2010. Friday’s recall is just more bad news for a company that posted a $1.2 billion loss in their first quarter after emerging from bankruptcy. Officials from GM insist however that despite some setbacks, the company is ahead of schedule in their plan to return to profitability.
If you or a loved one owns one of the affected GMC or Chevy models and have experienced problems with engine fires, contact Newsome Law Firm and fill out a case evaluation form today. Our team of attorneys has experience specific to complications associated with automobile recalls. Not only can they give you the legal guidance you need, they can help you get the compensation you deserve.