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GM Announces More Recalls! (Some of you may be affected)


nitehawkjcb
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I wonder if they'll ever get around to addressing all the piston-slap problems they've been ignoring since about '90. Aside from inconvenience and annoyance, the piston-slap seems to activate the knock sensor, retarding timing. This reduces fuel mileage, and increases emissions.

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Good. Problems? Fix 'em. I'd still have my '89 Grand Prix LE if it wasn't for the shitty rotting cradle retainers that caused it's early demise. I tried to drill the broken bolt out but couldn't even with a beefy easy-out.

 

They had some sort of half-assed recall but the dealerships I went to refused to honor it.

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That's pretty nuts. Don't know why GM keeps picking at its own scab. The news is constantly filled with recalls, fiery death, corporate irresponsibility, blah, blah, blah. And not just in automotive. Even with Mary Barra's ass dragged in front of some self-rightous Senators for a burning at the stake, outside of the automotive community, the public would forget about it all in roughly five minutes. Did the "unintended acceleration" what-not hurt Toyota? Maybe for a month. Did Hyundai getting caught last year for bullshitting its EPA mileage estimates on everything they've built in the last 10 years affect them whatsoever? Hell, no. Hell, most of the public doesn't even know what "a General Motors" is. They would guess it as a make. If GM had simply let this one die a couple months ago like an import automaker would have done, it would be nothing more than two month old news, but at this point, unlike other high-profile recalls, this one is truly ugly.

 

At this point, it seems like they've now recalled about everything that's new enough to not use the old Saginaw steering column used from the 60s to late 90s. I told my dad to trash the recall notice on his Camaro. GM's just freaking out. That's bullshit they are replacing that nice integrated key/fob with an ugly key and separate fob.

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Good. Problems? Fix 'em. I'd still have my '89 Grand Prix LE if it wasn't for the shitty rotting cradle retainers that caused it's early demise. I tried to drill the broken bolt out but couldn't even with a beefy easy-out.

 

They had some sort of half-assed recall but the dealerships I went to refused to honor it.

 

I couldn't get the dealer to do my broken cradle on my 91.

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That's pretty nuts. Don't know why GM keeps picking at its own scab. The news is constantly filled with recalls, fiery death, corporate irresponsibility, blah, blah, blah. And not just in automotive. Even with Mary Barra's ass dragged in front of some self-rightous Senators for a burning at the stake, outside of the automotive community, the public would forget about it all in roughly five minutes. Did the "unintended acceleration" what-not hurt Toyota? Maybe for a month. Did Hyundai getting caught last year for bullshitting its EPA mileage estimates on everything they've built in the last 10 years affect them whatsoever? Hell, no. Hell, most of the public doesn't even know what "a General Motors" is. They would guess it as a make. If GM had simply let this one die a couple months ago like an import automaker would have done, it would be nothing more than two month old news, but at this point, unlike other high-profile recalls, this one is truly ugly.

 

At this point, it seems like they've now recalled about everything that's new enough to not use the old Saginaw steering column used from the 60s to late 90s. I told my dad to trash the recall notice on his Camaro. GM's just freaking out. That's bullshit they are replacing that nice integrated key/fob with an ugly key and separate fob.

 

I think they're just covering their ass. They're pulling every file they have with vehicles using this ignition system because they don't want to be drug through Washington anymore, or face finger pointing from the loved ones of the *handful* of families who have suffered loss because the victims don't know how to react to a car that loses power.

 

This whole thing is bullshit, has no one ever been in a situation where a car loses all power while in motion?

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This whole thing is bullshit, has no one ever been in a situation where a car loses all power while in motion?

 

This. When I blew the head gaskets on the century, I was on the highway doing 65mph. I didn't die. The car didn't go off the road. It don't take a lot of skill to safely stop a car that lost power. Just a bit of sense.

 

They're making this much more of an issue than it really is. The roads here are absolutely horrible..more potholes than actual road, yet there hasn't been a reported issue of someone's cobalt shutting off and people dying because of it.

 

Jalopnik even tested the issue in the new camaro and its practically impossible to "accidentally" bump the key and shut the car off.

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I think they're just covering their ass. They're pulling every file they have with vehicles using this ignition system because they don't want to be drug through Washington anymore, or face finger pointing from the loved ones of the *handful* of families who have suffered loss because the victims don't know how to react to a car that loses power.

 

This whole thing is bullshit, has no one ever been in a situation where a car loses all power while in motion?

 

This post is full of win. Personally, I think after the Toyota fiasco and Chrysler's lack of cooperation on the Jeep fuel tank issue, GM just wants to cover their ass. Having GM back and forth like Toyota did would do nothing but earn em a hefty fine and the last thing we need is GM topping out Toyota on their record. I think anyone with enough knowledge of the car industry can see that this issue isn't as bad as what Toyota had considering Toyota took almost a year to fix the problem because they didn't want to admit fault, whereas GM is replacing everything without a column mounted lock because they don't want to be liable for someone else's stupidity.

 

I used to have a Grand Am and the ignition key took a lot more than a bump to turn it off. Actually, the car left me stranded because of a bad fuel pump. I never had issues with the key although the key trim was some ass and easy to break. I went through 5 of those.

 

This is more of an issue that our population is stupid and don't know what to do if their car turns off or messes up. The brakes and steering still work with the car off and there's this thing standard on all cars called the hazard lights. I've had my fair share of issues while driving... The key is to find a place where you'll be relatively safe to stay still. I think most people think the car will magically fix itself if it fails.

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This post is full of win. Personally, I think after the Toyota fiasco and Chrysler's lack of cooperation on the Jeep fuel tank issue, GM just wants to cover their ass. Having GM back and forth like Toyota did would do nothing but earn em a hefty fine and the last thing we need is GM topping out Toyota on their record. I think anyone with enough knowledge of the car industry can see that this issue isn't as bad as what Toyota had considering Toyota took almost a year to fix the problem because they didn't want to admit fault, whereas GM is replacing everything without a column mounted lock because they don't want to be liable for someone else's stupidity.

 

I used to have a Grand Am and the ignition key took a lot more than a bump to turn it off. Actually, the car left me stranded because of a bad fuel pump. I never had issues with the key although the key trim was some ass and easy to break. I went through 5 of those.

 

This is more of an issue that our population is stupid and don't know what to do if their car turns off or messes up. The brakes and steering still work with the car off and there's this thing standard on all cars called the hazard lights. I've had my fair share of issues while driving... The key is to find a place where you'll be relatively safe to stay still. I think most people think the car will magically fix itself if it fails.

 

I'm trying to imagine the worst possible scenario... car loses power while turning left across a divided highway maybe??? Perhaps then if you're not used to driving without power steering you end up stranded in oncoming traffic? But yeah, if you're on a highway, you "should" have time to pull over on the shoulder. Not to mention power steering isn't as much of an issue at hwy speeds, I know from experience when I lost the belt in my 98 MC :lol:

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I've lost all power a good 6-7 times in different vehicles while moving 35-65 MPH and guess what... Didn't wreck a single one of them.

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I'm trying to imagine the worst possible scenario... car loses power while turning left across a divided highway maybe??? Perhaps then if you're not used to driving without power steering you end up stranded in oncoming traffic? But yeah, if you're on a highway, you "should" have time to pull over on the shoulder. Not to mention power steering isn't as much of an issue at hwy speeds, I know from experience when I lost the belt in my 98 MC :lol:

 

Yeah, that's my only real lean in the side of the victim. I can see some wrong place/wrong time scenarios where you're slowing to a stop light or stop sign, car shuts off and you lose power brakes...and with the misjudge of stopping distance due to the loss of power you roll into an intersection and get t-boned. Your reaction time and quick thinking play a role there. I'd like to say that I would be able to react quickly enough to either stomp on the brakes or hit the E brake.

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I'm trying to imagine the worst possible scenario... car loses power while turning left across a divided highway maybe??? Perhaps then if you're not used to driving without power steering you end up stranded in oncoming traffic? But yeah, if you're on a highway, you "should" have time to pull over on the shoulder. Not to mention power steering isn't as much of an issue at hwy speeds, I know from experience when I lost the belt in my 98 MC :lol:

 

Even then, you should be able to use the momentum from the car to get it to a corner. The only way I see this being an issue is if you're doing the "Toyota Driver Method" in which you come to a complete stop at a green light to turn and then creep up into the intersection and drive (literally) 1 mile an hour throughout the whole crossing. At this point, I see the issue. AFAIK, you should at least be driving 5 to 10 miles an hour at an at grade intersection turn, considering you're supposed to build momentum at the turn to get to speed once you're on the new pathway. The reason I call this the "Toyota Driver Method" is because I notice this habit; as well as other poor driving habits from people that drive a Toyota. IDK if this is a nationwide thing, but I've observed this a lot in DC and the 2 states that surround it past the "metro area" so IDK if this is a mid Atlantic thing, whether or not the whole states of MD and VA have bad drivers in general, or it's just a big coincidence but these are my observations. I've come to the conclusion that Toyota drivers are not the brightest headlights on the road considering their driving antics. Honda drivers come at a 2nd but it's a big stretch to even come close to doing stupid things like Toyota drivers do. Usually a Honda driver will just rev the shit out of their engine at you at a stoplight, but now that's beyond the topic.

 

One other thing I've noticed with people is that they look at flashing lights on a car as a driver error instead of an actual hazard (as the name implies). When my Pontiac's fuel pump went out, I had managed to get it off the main road BUT I got stuck at a turning corner. Luckily I was able to use the momentum of the car and the slope to get it past the turning section BUT I noticed it took people a long time to realize that I was stuck where the turning lane merges onto the main road. The same thing happened to me when my Camaro overheated and I had to turn it off in the median so I wouldn't fry the engine. At that point, it was the safest thing to do as there was traffic, I was losing power, and I had completely run out of water. In both instances, the cars involved were not hit nor impeding traffic flow as they were away from the moving lanes as they possibly could be.

 

I've had my fair share of issues while driving but I've never been the dumbass that makes a bigger issue by not knowing what to do. I do notice that people are dumb enough to stop on the middle of the road if their car starts exhibiting an issue, sometimes without any warning light that something is wrong. Sometimes you can see a car completely off, driver in the seat as if it was a parking spot and not a traveling lane. Driving school and the driver's manual at the DMV (or whatever it's called in other states) should really focus on vehicular malfunction so people know what to do in these situations, because it seems that is not really taught anywhere and people don't know what to do.

 

I've lost all power a good 6-7 times in different vehicles while moving 35-65 MPH and guess what... Didn't wreck a single one of them.

 

 

For the win!

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I've lost all power a good 6-7 times in different vehicles while moving 35-65 MPH and guess what... Didn't wreck a single one of them.

 

Thank you!!!

I've run out of fuel, failed gauge and screw ups, and had electrical problems shut off several cars at highway speeds. No wrecks.

 

From orbit on my Android.

Edited by My325
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"The Toyota Method" of driving is totally a thing and PISSES ME OFF. Really makes people look like idiots(Perhaps because they are?) and vulnerable to accidents. Happens around here. Creeping into a left yield intersection is one of my pet peeves too. I will block people from backing back up when their attempt fails... Maybe they'll learn the hard way.

 

I've driven enough GM products/1g W bodies and have had innumerable experiences with a full loss of power that it doesn't even surprise/startle/confuse me anymore. I subconsciously stay out of dangerous situations, always leave a way out, constantly have a plan of "what if".

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"The Toyota Method" of driving is totally a thing and PISSES ME OFF. Really makes people look like idiots(Perhaps because they are?) and vulnerable to accidents. Happens around here. Creeping into a left yield intersection is one of my pet peeves too. I will block people from backing back up when their attempt fails... Maybe they'll learn the hard way.

 

I've driven enough GM products/1g W bodies and have had innumerable experiences with a full loss of power that it doesn't even surprise/startle/confuse me anymore. I subconsciously stay out of dangerous situations, always leave a way out, constantly have a plan of "what if".

 

Buck, if I understand what you're describing correctly, this is how northern illinois interrsections are designed. You are TAUGHT up here that if the light is green, you pull into the intersection and wait for a gap. If you don't you will have people lay on the horn at the least, or go around you...

 

The time in between green lights gives those people enough time to get through the intersection once the light turns yellow/red.

 

Going to school in Saint Louis, I found out the hard way that this IS NOT the case in STL intersections. I almost got myself killed doing this the first time.

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"The Toyota Method" of driving is totally a thing and PISSES ME OFF. Really makes people look like idiots(Perhaps because they are?) and vulnerable to accidents. Happens around here. Creeping into a left yield intersection is one of my pet peeves too. I will block people from backing back up when their attempt fails... Maybe they'll learn the hard way.

 

I've driven enough GM products/1g W bodies and have had innumerable experiences with a full loss of power that it doesn't even surprise/startle/confuse me anymore. I subconsciously stay out of dangerous situations, always leave a way out, constantly have a plan of "what if".

 

So I'm not the only one that notices that people that drive Toyotas simply drive stupid? Because some people think I'm crazy till it happens to them. They're cruising down the road driving the speed limit until they have to slam on the brakes because a Toyota driver came to a full stop in the middle of the road to turn RIGHT into a very wide intersection. Another Toyota driver favorite is driving 10 miles below the speed limit. This is mostly a secondary road thing where the speed limit is 35 and they drive 25 or 20 DESPITE conditions being clear to drive the speed limit. In DC, what usually happens is that they simply block "the box" (intersection) and those behind the Toyota driver will have to stop because he's blocking the travel lane because he wants to turn RIGHT (although it happens turning left too, but it's mostly turning right in DC for some reason).

 

You and I are the same. I've driven enough cars to know what to do in vast situations.

 

Buck, if I understand what you're describing correctly, this is how northern illinois interrsections are designed. You are TAUGHT up here that if the light is green, you pull into the intersection and wait for a gap. If you don't you will have people lay on the horn at the least, or go around you...

 

The time in between green lights gives those people enough time to get through the intersection once the light turns yellow/red.

 

Going to school in Saint Louis, I found out the hard way that this IS NOT the case in STL intersections. I almost got myself killed doing this the first time.

 

 

From what I've learned here in DC, the proper way to turn at an intersection is to get as much of the car out of the traveling lane as safety allows (this of course works best when the lanes are separated by a median or there's a turning lane in front of you for what is your right turn (left turn for the person in that lane) and wait for a gap. The stuck in between the intersection issue only happens here in DC when there's no turning lanes because the intersection is not considered a main route, or there wasn't enough space to make one (as is the case Downtown where sometimes you have to go up a block or 2 because you're not allowed to make turns at a major intersection). Most lights here in DC and in the suburbs are timed so you can clear the intersection when your lane turns red. There's a 3 second gap before the other light allows traffic to move. In the case of DC, pedestrians are given a 5 second head start so there's 5 seconds where the whole intersection is red.

 

What Buck is describing is the turning lane to go left where you yield on green and people inch up past the dividing line (or median) into the opposing lane in order to cross but then end up having their car's "nose" stuck because they kept inching up. This is usually accompanied by gaps where the driver COULD have made the turn but was too scared to do so, which results in the car being stuck in the intersection. Most drivers usually back up after seeing they have made a mistake and in Buck's instance what he does is blocks them due to the fact that there were many opportunities for the driver to cross. IT is an aggressive antic but some people simply should stay in the lane until they see a CLEAR gap instead of chickening out last minute. I don't condone nor condemn this behavior (what buck does). I do however think you should not attempt to turn if there's a high speed limit or if it's a road known to be driven at high speeds (So inching up to turn on a main road that travels 55mph is a pretty big no no).

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i have lost power in my 90 lumina before on the highway going 70 when my negative battery terminal came off the battery so no power at all and i was able to just fine pull over to the side of the road without dying O.o

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