GM recalls nearly 1.5 million vehicles

[maroman88]

looks like my dads 02 monte's guna have to get this taken care of when we get the letter !

(CNN) -- The possibility of engine fires has prompted General Motors to recall nearly 1.5 million passenger sedans manufactured between 1997 and 2003, the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration announced Monday.

The recall covers certain mid- and full-size passenger sedans under GM's (GM, Fortune 500) Chevrolet, Buick, Oldsmobile and Pontiac brands.

The recalled vehicles all have naturally aspirated 3.8 liter V6 engines -- that is, engines that uses atmospheric pressure to bring in air for combustion rather than a mechanical blower -- according to documents filed with federal regulators by GM last week.

On Friday, the federal government acknowledged the filing and agreed to the plan.


The problem involves a potential for oil to leak on the exhaust manifold during hard braking. When a car operates under normal conditions, the manifold can get very hot. Oil that runs below the manifold's heat shield could ignite and spread to plastic channels that hold spark plug wires.

The company recommends as a solution for the problem a change in the bracket that holds spark-plug wires, which will be done free of charge. Owners and dealers affected by the new recall will be notified by letter next month with details.

The vehicles involved are 1997-2003 Buick Regals; 1998-2003 Chevrolet Luminas, Monte Carlos and Impalas; 1998-1999 Oldsmobile Intrigues; and 1997-2003 Pontiac Grand Prix.

GM issued a similar recall on a similar engine in 2008, according to the company's filing with the government. That problem was traced to a faulty gasket on the engine rocker cover.

[GP99GT]

does the bracket mount on a valve cover bolt? thats probably why...

of course, none of these idiots notice their engine losing oil and get the old brittle valve cover gaskets replaced

[bandit88]

nice.

[WildBillyT]

Doesn't surprise me. They should recall the ****ing intake gaskets.

[NJ Torque]

Doesn't surprise me. They should recall the ****ing intake gaskets.

Just my luck... I did mine already.:-x

[Tru2Chevy]

Just one more reason why 60* v6 pwns 90* v6 :)

- Justin

[sweetbmxrider]

Doesn't surprise me. They should recall the ****ing intake gaskets.

nooo!!!! thats like guaranteed maintenance at 100K :moon:

my buddy just sold his 2000 impala 3.8. we did the valve cover gaskets though. oh gm you are awesome at making cars.

[Tsar]

This comes out just at the right time for them :lol:

[WildBillyT]

nooo!!!! thats like guaranteed maintenance at 100K :moon:

my buddy just sold his 2000 impala 3.8. we did the valve cover gaskets though. oh gm you are awesome at making cars.

Yeah. I am re-gasketing the top end of my GTP this weekend.

[NastyEllEssWon]

Doesn't surprise me. They should recall the ****ing intake gaskets.



they recalled the dexcool which ate them awhile back. you missed the mark in like 07

[NJ Torque]

Yeah. I am re-gasketing the top end of my GTP this weekend.

Let me know if you need a hand Bill... I just did this over the winter.

[BurninrubberGT]

and the best part about this is that has never been a fire reported

im pissed....i wanted them to replace my valve cover gaskets lol

[WildBillyT]

and the best part about this is that has never been a fire reported

im pissed....i wanted them to replace my valve cover gaskets lol

I find that hard to believe. My cousin's Grand Prix burned to the ground in her driveway.

Let me know if you need a hand Bill... I just did this over the winter.

Thanks Chris! I should be good but if anything comes up I'll give you a call.

[GP99GT]

Just one more reason why 60* v6 pwns 90* v6 :)

- Justin

last i checked 60* had intake issues also

and 90* v6s make more power so just accept it

[BurninrubberGT]

I find that hard to believe. My cousin's Grand Prix burned to the ground in her driveway.



Thanks Chris! I should be good but if anything comes up I'll give you a call.

was it a gtp?

i could have sworn i read and heard on the news that there was never fires reported

[WildBillyT]

was it a gtp?

i could have sworn i read and heard on the news that there was never fires reported

Nope. GT.

[BurninrubberGT]

Nope. GT.

hmm...il go back and re read it lol

[maroman88]

lol just search "grand prix fire" on youtube! i just happend across one the other night, and when i looked at the related videos there were a bunch!

[BurninrubberGT]

lol just search "grand prix fire" on youtube! i just happend across one the other night, and when i looked at the related videos there were a bunch!

l67's (gtp) had a lot of problems with fires, but iirc gm did not fix the major source of the fire


here's the article that said there was no reports of the l36 catching fire-
http://finance.yahoo.com/news/GM-recalling-15M-vehicles-apf-14916291.html

[91chevywt]

It truly amazes me that this is such big news. Did this really have to be on every news channel and at the top of major websites? This does not help the American people restore confidence in GM

[FlyingDutchman]

then again ive seen more recalls issued by toyota with similar sized recalls

i think its better for them to stop a potential problem then to deny it like they do to other issues. its responsibility.

[TaKid455]

dammit. I just changed the V/C gaskets on the prix b/c they were leaking.:evil: To you GM :moon:

Waiting for the recall that retro fits a supercharger on the N.A. 3.8. that would be nice.

[BigAls87Z28]

You can mail in your recepit if you fixed it to be reembursed I belive.

[BurninrubberGT]

Waiting for the recall that retro fits a supercharger on the N.A. 3.8. that would be nice.

lol ya me too, my friend just did his top swap...imagine his face if i told him the dealership did mine for free :rofl:

[WildBillyT]

dammit. I just changed the V/C gaskets on the prix b/c they were leaking.:evil: To you GM :moon:

Waiting for the recall that retro fits a supercharger on the N.A. 3.8. that would be nice.

In my case it would have been better to do them myself...

[Frank drives a Firebird]

Well when oil comes out of my valve cover gaskets it slides right on down to the exhaust manifolds, just like on every Chevy V8 since the fifties. I don't see why it's starting fires now.

[WildBillyT]

Well when oil comes out of my valve cover gaskets it slides right on down to the exhaust manifolds, just like on every Chevy V8 since the fifties. I don't see why it's starting fires now.

It collects in the spark plug loom under hard braking.

[TaKid455]

lol ya me too, my friend just did his top swap...imagine his face if i told him the dealership did mine for free :rofl:

what did he think of the conversion? lots of effort for minimal gain or the opposite? did he need to switch pcms and other knick knacks? aren't the heads and pistons different?

[DaSkinnyGuy]

You have to be kidding me around 6pm today a white 4 door grand prix was being towed away from the fast food place after it caught fire in the front end

[Stevoone]

We just had a Grand Prix come in for the new recall. With the new recall for all of the N/A 3.8 engines all they have you do is replace the spark plug wire loom with 3 wire retainers. There not replacing the gasket like they did with the supercharged 3.8.

[nj85z28]

do a search on club gp for fire and youll get quite a lot of good pictures of these cars burning themselves and the surrounding property to the ground. amazing it took this long to get something fixed