GM recalls over 1.3 million vehicles in the US to fix power steering

General Motors has announced that it plans to recall over than 1.3 million vehicles in the US that may experience a sudden loss of electric power steering assist.

If power steering assist is lost, a message displays on the Driver Information Center and a chime sounds to inform the driver. Steering control can be maintained because the vehicle will revert to manual steering, but greater driver effort would be required at low vehicle speeds, which could increase the risk of a crash.

Models subject to safety recall include the Chevrolet Malibu, Chevrolet Malibu Maxx, Chevrolet HHR (Non-Turbo), Chevrolet Cobalt, Saturn Aura, Saturn ION, Pontiac G6; and Service parts installed into certain vehicles before May 31, 2010 under a previous safety recall  

Depending on the vehicle, GM will replace free of charge either the power steering motor, the steering column, the power steering motor control unit or a combination of the steering column and the power steering motor control unit. Customers who previously paid for repairs of these parts would be eligible for reimbursement.

“With these safety recalls and lifetime warranties, we are going after every car that might have this problem, and we are going to make it right,” said Jeff Boyer, the recently appointed vice-president, GM Global Vehicle Safety. “We have recalled some of these vehicles before for the same issue and offered extended warranties on others, but we did not do enough.”

GM expects to take a charge of up to approximately $750 million (Rs 4,521 crore) in the first quarter, primarily for the cost of recall-related repairs announced in the quarter. This amount includes a previously disclosed $300 million (Rs 1,808 crore) charge for three safety actions announced on March 17 and the ignition switch recall announced February 25.