If you own a new GMC or Chevrolet van, there’s a chance the airbags might not be safe.

The notice comes after General Motors and the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration found that airbags in 1,798 Chevrolet Express and GMC Savana vans manufactured between June 2, 2011 and October 17, 2011 have faulty airbag systems that fail in their second stage during a severe frontal crash.

This isn’t the first time this year that GM issued recalls related to their airbag systems. Earlier this month we reported on an airbag recall for the Pontiac G8 after it came to light that many of the vehicles had issues with late deployment.

Owners can expect a call later this month when the recall begins if they own a qualifying vehicle.

[Source: Left Lane News]

34,000 units of GM’s 2012 Chevrolet Equinox and GMC Terrain crossovers are recalled due too improperly calibrated tire pressure monitoring systems.

National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, NHTSA, requires all tire pressure monitoring systems to illuminate a warning signal when the tires are below 25 percent of the vehicle’s recommended psi. However, the sensors fitted into the 2012 Equinox and Terrain may not illuminate until it is even lower than that.

Improperly inflated tires will result to various unsafe situations including an overloaded and overheating tire that may blowout at speed, increasing the possibilities of a crash. Inconveniences such as irregular and premature wear, poor handling, as well as poor fuel economy can be a result of underinflated tires as well.

GALLERY: 2012 Chevrolet Equinox, GMC Terrain

If you’ve got a GM vehicle and OnStar, you’ll be able to rent out your idle car and make some extra cash through the RelayRides marketplace.

General Motors has teamed up with RelayRides, a peer-to-peer carsharing marketplace, that’s targeted to owners of a Chevrolet, Buick, GMC or Cadillac vehicle. This innovative program puts the vehicle owner in control – you can choose the rates and availability of your car.  Done through RelayRides online marketplace, there’s a $1 million insurance policy to make the transaction safe and convenient.

Using the OnStar system, RelayRides lets borrowers unlock GM cars with their mobile phones – no additional hardware is needed. If you don’t have OnStar but want to take part in the program, you’ll have to install a small device in your car so borrowers can access it.

“We’re using technology to make both our older and newest models carshare ready and available for those owners who choose to participate in carsharing,” said Stephen Girsky, GM vice chairman. “Our goal is to find ways to broaden our customer reach, reduce traffic congestion in America’s largest cities and address urban mobility concerns.”

This RelayRides mobile application is planned for early 2012, so we’ll pass along the information once we hear about it.

General Motors is preparing to take more steps to add hybrids to its different vehicle lineups, adding it’s eAssist technology to both the Chevy Equinox and GMC Terrain.

According to GMInsideNews the plan to hybridize the two crossovers was initially scheduled to be included in the 2014 model change, but has now been pushed up, meaning we’ll see the high-mpg versions before then.

The reason for the about-face is reportedly due to a desire to keep eAssist production healthy. With the Malibu Eco (the eAssist model) launching first, GM fears the introduction of a cheaper non-hybrid 2.5-liter 4-cylinder version will drastically reduce demand for the eAssist-equipped model. In order to avoid any lull in production, the eAssist-equipped Equinox and Terrain will be set into production early.

In the Malibu Eco, the eAssist system uses a 15-hp electric motor and lithium-ion battery pack mated to a 180-hp 2.4-liter 4-cylinder engine to deliver 26-mpg in the city and 38-mpg on the highway. A similar system fitted to either crossover could produce numbers that are close.

Expected to arrive in 2013 as 2014 model year vehicles, look for the eAssist-equipped Equinox to wear the Equinox ‘Eco’ badge.

[Source: GMI]

Legendary auto executive Bob Lutz will return to General Motors as a part-time consultant, according to the automaker. “Maximum Bob” retired in May 2010 at the age of 79, but has retained a high profile in the industry ever since.

“This formalizes a relationship that’s essentially continued since he left General Motors,” GM spokesman Jay Cooney told Automotive News. Lutz was apparently consulting with GM product boss Mary Barra since January of 2011, but will now be on board officially.

Lutz had a nine year tenure at GM and is generally credited with helping navigate the company through its difficult bankruptcy. Lutz also worked at Chrysler and BMW throughout his 47 year career.

[Source: Automotive News]

Bob Buckhorn, the mayor of Tampa, Florida needed a safe, reliable vehicle for his family, and did what many cost-concious car buyers do – he looked for a vehicle seized by the police.

While most people have to attend an auction to purchase such a car, Buckhorn decided on a police forfeit since it meant that the city wouldn’t have to pay a dime to get him a vehicle. Buckhorn opted for a 2005  GMC Yukon Denali, and the car in question has what many classic car auction houses would call “provenance”.

Buckhorn’s Denali was formerly owned by Charles Melvin Fox, who was convicted of sex trafficking. Authorities allege that Fox’s Denali was used to transport prostitutes across state lines, making Buckhorn’s new car a pimpmobile in every sense of the word – the vehicle even had spinner rims installed, but they were eventually removed before Buckhorn took delivery. Buckhorn described the car as ”a product of ill-gotten gains is being put to good use.”

[Source: Tampabay.com]

Ford was seen as taking a big gamble when it reintroduced V6 engines into its full-size pickup trucks. But the gamble has paid off and now the Blue Oval’s domestic rivals will look to do the same.

With plans for the Ram 1500 to get Chrysler’s new Pentastar V6 engine, look for GM’s Silverado and Sierra twins to offer a V6 option as well.

While also looking to develop the 5.3-liter V8 used in the current rucks, GM is also said to be planning a twin-turbo 3.0-liter V6 engine that could be offered in everything from Cadillac models to trucks, as part of the automaker’s plan to cut the number of engines and platforms in half.

Currently, the GM 5.3-liter V8 comes close to the fuel economy of the Ford EcoBoost engine, although power is down somewhat with the 5.3L making 315 hp and 335 pounds-feet of torque, compared to 365-hp and 420 lb-ft in the Ford. The smaller-displacement GM V6 turbo might have trouble laying own the same numbers as the Ford engine, but should handily beat it in fuel economy.

Look for GM’s new Chevy Silverado and GMC Sierra trucks to arrive with this new engine, plus a lower curb weight and the possible use of an 8-speed automatic transmission in 2013.

[Source: AutoNews via Cnet]

General Motors will look to slash its R&D costs in the future, by increasingly sharing platforms and engines across models. Company CEO Dan Akerson and product boss Mary Barra spoke to the big changes coming for GM during online seminars billed as the 2011 Global Business Conference.

According to Barra, the number of vehicle platforms stood at 24 in 2010. That will drop to just 14 by 2018. The automaker’s engine lineup will also shrink considerably from 20 in 2009 to just 10 in 2018.

Diversifying the product offering may be a way to build success through vehicle sales, but when it comes to profitability, the ideal plan is to build as many vehicles with shared parts. They key then is to differentiate them enough through unique style and equipment so as to avoid the sort of rebadging that many believe got GM into its pre-bankruptcy financial mess.

Apart from R&D savings, reduced platforms and engines will also allow GM to save on tooling for plants, while allowing better flexibility of production.

GM is hardly alone in its plan, with Ford proudly proclaiming its “One Ford” plan of sharing vehicle architectures globally, while Chrysler recently made the move to replace seven different engines with its new Pentastar V6 engine.

[Source: Ward's Auto]

Buick and GMC understand the importance of social networking and have set up online vehicle-shopping experiences that are socially engaging, letting site visitors build, save and share their configured vehicles.

This new type of connectivity enables customers to share with their Facebook friends who can post comments or “like” their customized selections. Both Buick and GMC are among the first automakers to provide customers the opportunity to deepen and personalize the shopping experience.

“We recognize that car buyers are not only looking for product information when shopping for their next car or truck but also use feedback from friends and family to help narrow down their selection,” said John Schwegman, U.S. vice president of GMC Marketing.

A study conducted by Bereford Research that found approximately half of respondents consider information shared on their social networks when making a purchase decision, and that proportion was much higher among users 18-24 with 65 percent doing so. “By offering a connection between our web sites and Facebook, we help our customers get the feedback they want and need to make vehicle purchase decisions,” said Tony DiSalle, U.S. vice president of Buick Marketing.

One of the unavoidable expenses associated with car ownership is the monthly cost of insurance. Depending on your age, experience, driving history and location, your insurance can vary a lot.

However, if you happen to live in the state of Oregon or Washington, General Motors has some good news for you. If you buy any new Cadillac, Chevrolet, Buick or GMC vehicle in these two states, GM will pay for your insurance for up to a year or 15,000-miles. This special offer is a joint collaboration between GM and MetLife to attract more customers.

This program is only available to private buyers and not fleet customers.

So if you’ve been wanting to park that new Corvette ZR-1 on your driveway but was put off by its insurance costs, maybe this will help sweeten the deal. The offer expires on September 6. No word if this program will expand to a nationwide promotion.

[Source: Autoblog]

GM is recalling 10,000 trucks and SUVs that have been impacted by two safety issues worldwide. The majority of the recalls are for the 2011 Chevrolet Colorado and GMC Canyon (9,215 combined) that could roll away when shifted into park due to a faulty part manufactured in China. The recall will be officially issued out on July 19th, and GM will install new automatic transmission adjustment clips. This recall impacts 6,700 vehicles sold in the United States.

Fortunately this recall (and the other one) doesn’t involve any crashes. The Colorado and Canyon recall was discovered when a vehicle failed to start while at a GM assembly plant. The other recall is being issued out to 891 SUVs and trucks for steering problems. 739 of the vehicles impacted are in the United States. Those impacted will have their intermediate steering shaft bolts properly tightened to ensure no loss of steering can occur. Those letters will be sent out on July 13th.

The 891 SUVs and trucks affected by that recall include the Cadillac Escalade, Chevrolet Silverado, Suburban, Tahoe, GMC Yukon and Sierra all from the 2011 model year.

According to research, one in every two smart phone owners, utilizes their device as a shopping tool. In an attempt to get in on the action, GMC has now added a shopping App, which allows consumers to search its range of vehicles via their phones, accessing photos, videos, specifications as well as pricing, dealer quotes, comparison with competitors and even scheduling test drives.

The market for smart phones is currently one of the fastest growing in the world, in 2011 sales experienced an increase of some 85  percent  year-over-year in the first quarter.

Not surprisingly all kinds of companies have been rushing to develop Apps of their very own, including GM’s truck division. “We recognize that smart phones play an important role in our customers’ lives, including purchase decisions,”  declared John Schwegman, U.S. vice president of GMC marketing. “The new GMC Showroom App provides our customers with the advanced technology they have come to expect of the GMC brand and the convenience to easily engage with their GMC dealer.”

The GMC smart phone shopping App is available from the Apple App store for the iPhone (for ions 3.1 or better) and is scheduled to be released for the Android market in late July (for OS 1.6 or newer).

The program including Chevrolet, Buick and GMC names will continue to offer the 12-month/12,000-mile bumper-to-bumper warranty as well as a five-year/100,000 mile limited powertrain warranty with 24-hour roadside assistance and courtesy transportation. Other standard features will include a more thorough 172-point inspection improved from 117 points as well as reconditioning, free trials of OnStar and Sirius/XM Satellite Radio.

“Customers demand more value for their money, and we have responded,” said Jennifer Costabile, general director of marketing and sales support, GM Fleet and Commercial Operations.  “We believe our enhanced program offers our customers an outstanding experience from the moment they drive their Chevrolet, Buick or GMC Certified Pre-Owned vehicle off of the lot.”

GM will be getting rid of the General Motors Certified Used Vehicle brand in the U.S. However the Cadillac Certified Pre-Owned program will continue without any changes.

Don Johnson, vice president, U.S Sales Operations, said that adding more value to the GM Certified Pre-Owned Vehicle program will help the company sell more vehicles. “One of the most important things we can do is manage the business to help increase the value of Chevrolet, Buick and GMC used vehicles,” Johnson said. “This increased value gives potential new vehicle customers more for their trade-ins, thereby lowering their ownership costs.”

Hitting the market back in 2007, the GMC, Buick and Chevy large crossover trio have continued with strong sales despite almost zero updates. That will change for the 2013 model year, with changes planned for all three of the Lambda machines, although you might not notice the changes at first glance.

Rather than update the appearance of the Traverse, Acadia and Enclave, GM will instead change the only key area that is drawing complaints – the interior. In addition to what is expected to be a serious redesign with improved materials, housed in a more modern center stack will be GM’s new infotainment system. Called MyLink for Chevrolet or Intellilink for Buick-GMC, look for a large LCD touch screen to control everything from Bluetooth to audio, as well as OnStar integration.

The next-generation Lambda vehicles aren’t expected until 2016, with Cadillac reportedly gaining a version, while the GMC Acadia will be dropped.

[Source: GMI]

GM’s big SUVs harken back to an era of conspicuous consumption, when $2-a gallon gas and a lingering nostalgia of 15-foot-long American cars flooded the industry. But if the Volt is any indicator, the era of big, cheap Suburbans and Tahoes might finally come to an end with next generation trucks.

To meet new fuel economy regulations, General Motors will add a price premium to its line of full-size SUVs. Currently, the Chevrolet Suburban and Tahoe get a combined average of 17-mpg. But new CAFE regulations will force GM to reach a company-wide average of 35.5-mpg by 2016, and there’s no time to waste.

As a result, GM’s next generation of full-size SUVs “will be more expensive to engineer and build because of the need for lighter weight materials,” said Tracy Handler, an analyst at IHS Automotive. “I expect prices to be higher.”

Sales of full-size SUVs have sunk like, well, a full-size SUV into a lake. From a high of over 1 million units in 2003 and 2004, sales of the Suburban, Escalade, Toyota Sequoia, Lincoln Navigator, and others dropped to 372,437 vehicles. There have been prior doubts to whether this would be the last time these squirrel crushing, deer smacking, driving machines would live to see next year, but GM is still committed to introducing them in 2013 as 2014 models: it is investing over $300 million in its Arlington, Texas plant for the next Suburban, Tahoe, GMC Yukon and Cadillac Escalade.

“We have customers who need full-sized SUVs for work and play,” Chevrolet spokesman Mike Albano said. “We will continue to provide a vehicle in that segment.”

[Source: Automotive News]

The latest in a growing list of investments, General Motors has announced a $331 million cash infusion into its Arlington Assembly Plant in Texas.

The plant currently builds GM’s SUV lineup, with models including the Chevrolet Tahoe, Suburban, GMC Yukon and Cadillac Escalade. The funding will go towards new tooling and equipment for the facility and while GM hasn’t said as much, it’s believed the this is in preparation for a new full-sized SUV line, with new versions of the above-mentioned trucks expected to hit the market some time around 2014.

In addition to sprucing up the place, GM has also announced the creation of 110 new positions at the plant, adding to the 2,400 person workforce there now.

“This investment will allow us to continue building award-winning full-size SUVs that offer better fuel efficiency than ever before without sacrificing the features and functionality they’ve come to expect,” GM Manufacturing Manager Larry Zahner said Thursday. “We remain committed to providing customers the utility and capability of our world-class full-size SUVs.”

Part of a major overhaul of its production facilities and models, GM recently announced upgrades to its Detroit-Hamtramck plant and Bowling Green Corvette Factory as part of an investment strategy that will see $2 billion used to revitalize 17 plants.

Car owners are more satisfied with independent shops for maintenance, according to a latest Consumer Reports Annual Survey. The survey was based on more than 92,000 reports on service visits to independent mechanics and 230,000 service visits to new car dealerships.

Buick and Lincoln were among the leaders with a score of 93, on a scale from 0 to 100, including service experience. Independent shops received 93 and 94 points for maintenance. Cadillac, Land Rover and BMW followed closely, each earning 92 points for dealership service experience.

The overall consensus was that respondents were more satisfied with service from independent mechanics compared to service from new car dealerships for maintenance-only service.

The top ranked brands for dealership service satisfaction include: Lincoln, Buick, Land Rover, Cadillac, Mercury, BMW, GMC, Chevrolet, Lexus, and Ford.

[Source: Consumer Reports]

The Ford F-Series pickup isn’t just the best selling truck in America, but the best selling vehicle and it has been that way for almost as long as anyone can remember. That, however, may change, especially if gas prices continue to stay high and jobless rates don’t decline.

According to data released by Ward’s Automotive, in the month of April truck sales made up the smallest percentage of marketshare since the organization started recording data in 1980. In total, trucks made up just 11.8 percent of light-vehicle sales in April, compared to an all-time high of 22.9 percent in July of 2005.

Traditionally the segment that sells the most vehicles has been the mid-size car segment, with an all-time high of 39.8 percent of the market in 1980. That number has dropped considerably over the years, due mostly to the segmentation of the market, and so far in 2011 mid-size cars make up 20.8 percent of registered new vehicles. Trucks, meanwhile, make up just 12.6 percent.

According to Ward’s the main factors affecting truck sales are jobless rates and the price of gas, with those 2005 truck records coming at 5.0 percent unemployment and $2.28 gas prices.

U.S. automakers are still betting heavily on the truck segment, and there’s still plenty of strength left in it with F-Series trucks up 3.7 percent last month.

[Source: Ward's]

General Motors has done a commendable job differentiating GMC and Chevrolet even though they share many of the same designs. As proof, one could compare the Terrain to the Equinox or the Acadia to the Traverse and see they share the same underpinnings yet each has a distinctive look.

Mark Reuss, GM President in North America explains that GM’s two-branded approach to trucks needs to be better executed in the future. One way to further differentiate GMC is to head farther upscale with its Denali trim range. ”I think we can do premium Chevrolets, and take GMC and move it even further up,” says Reuss. If GMC were to implement the Denali trim level to increase luxury sales, the brand would have to incorporate the badging on many more vehicle models. The Denali level trim is only available to the Sierra, Yukon, and the Acadia.

[Source: Automotive News via Autoblog]

Federal regulators are investigating 865,000 General Motors SUVs, including the 2005-’07 Chevrolet Trailblazer and Buick Rainier,for faulty fuel gauges that are inaccurate. The 2005-’06 Chevrolet Trailblazer EXT, the 2005-’07 GMC Envoy, the 2005-’06 GMC Envoy XL and the 2005-’07 Saab 9-7X are also affected vehicles being investigated.

668 complaints regarding the vehicles having defective fuel gauge readings have been filed already. The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration said, ”One complaint alleged a vehicle crash after the vehicle stalled while exiting the interstate, became disabled and was struck from behind.” A preliminary evaluation has been filed, which is sometimes a precursor to a formal recall.

[Source: Inside Line]

General Motors Co. may reduce production of pickup trucks after inventories rose last month. GM’s truck inventory rose to more than 275,000 at the end of April working out to about 111 days of supply, according to Don Johnson, GM’s vice president of U.S sales. GM dealers had about 264,000 trucks on their lots last month.

GM’s U.S sales climbed 26 percent to 232, 538 vehicles in April compared to 183,997 a year earlier. Large pickup trucks have been a key driver of the auto industry’s sales recovery as small business owners begin to replace aging vehicles.

Mark Reuss, GM president for North America, said today, ”We’re going to do something about it, but we haven’t made those calls yet,” Reuss said in a telephone interview. Buyers shifted away from trucks last month, “but no one month makes a trend, so we’ve got to see where this one holds,” Reuss said.

[Source: Automotive News]

A solid performer for GM, the GMC Terrain is poised to step up its game in the compact crossover segment with a host of new high-tech gadgets.

First among the list of additions is a new infotainment system that will include a touch-screen and integrate systems like smartphone connectivity and Bluetooth and will also allow for hands-free control. The new telematics system is likely to be called GMC MyLink.

But the technology download doesn’t stop on there, the the Terrain set to get several impressive safety features, such as a blind spot alert system, a collision avoidance system and a lane departure system.

What isn’t clear is if the Terrain’s sister car, the Chevy Equinox, will also get these updates as well.

[Source GMI]

Read AutoGuide’s 2011 GMC Terrain Review Here

General Motors has halted production at their Tonawanda, New York engine plant, due to a parts shortage that has affected another factory in Louisiana.

The New York plant builds engines for the Chevrolet Colorado and GMC Canyon, which are assembled at the Shreveport, Louisiana plant. While GM has acknowledged that the closure is due to an issue with Japanese parts, GM hasn’t specified what components are affected.

Of the 623 workers at the plant, 59 have been laid off due to the shortage. Some have suspected that GM is diverting the components to more profitable vehicles, as it fears an extreme disruption to its supply chain. GM plants in Spain and Germany have also been closed due to the shortage.

[Source: USA Today]