Filed under: Aftermarket, Gadgets, Recalls/TSBs
Microheat files for bankruptcy after GM recall
Microheat Inc., the company responsible for inventing and supplying General Motors with their HotSpot windshield cleaning system, has filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy protection. The technology utilized heated liquid to clean the front glass of debris, ice, and snow. Unfortunately, a short circuit on a printed circuit board could overheat and lead to a fire (removing contaminants from much more than just the front windshield). As a result, GM recalled 944,000 vehicles and dropped Microheat, and their HotSpot product, from the lineup. Even with the system no longer offered on vehicles, things are cooking in court as GM is now seeking $20-25 million in damages to cover the cost of the recall. Without the assets to cover the charges, bankruptcy protection could only be expected. While GM's HotSpot recall solves the overheating problem with a simple inline fuse, the new filing by Microheat only seems to be fueling the fire.
[Source: Automotive News, subs. req'd]
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Reader Comments (Page 1 of 2)
TigerMil 6:38PM (10/15/2008)
It makes me crazy when GM's incompetence (they didn't fuze the component or even put a fusible link in there? WTF?) is reflected on a supplier problem. Microheat ought to countersue.
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TRAVIS D 6:44PM (10/15/2008)
did you read it? Microheat invented it! what the hell would they have to sue on? well your honor we invented and supplied this device but they didn't fix our engineering mistake so we would like to counter sue their suing of us.
PiCASSO 8:24PM (10/15/2008)
Read the article...
LOL 6:40PM (10/15/2008)
LOL
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P.V. 6:52PM (10/15/2008)
For a moment, I thought the title was "'Microcheat' files...".
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Flea 6:54PM (10/15/2008)
dang, that must've been quite a kick in the bum for those who invented and invested in an essentially good system, which failed them because of ONE fault on the circuit. sadly, these things happen all the time.
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Dasupersprint 6:56PM (10/15/2008)
I'll never invent anything for GM.
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Judy Zik 7:25PM (10/15/2008)
This is the ultimate in stupidity and an example of how poorly run GM is these days.
First off this system should have installed with a fuse and better tested. Both parties should accept blame in that one. But that isn't the point. Instead of installing such a simple fix and moving on GM drops a good feature and forces a supplier into bankruptcy. The legal action to follow will recoup very little once the lawyers are paid. Everybody loses including the consumer and small suppliers will think twice before trying to sell new technology to GM.
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Justin 7:43PM (10/15/2008)
Piss, meet Moan.
Ted 8:01PM (10/15/2008)
So, didn't GM test this thing? Didn't they sign off on it? Sorry but I don't get it. GM uses thousands of contractors and must test the products over and over again. Even IF the design was changed, GM should have known and tested it before putting it into a car.
I'm completely baffled at this one. I can't IMAGINE Toyota blaming it's subcontractor without also taking responsibility. This was one of GM's "big innovations" this year. They really blew it.
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Bob D 8:02PM (10/15/2008)
So, GM can't even make hot water for defrosting windshields and they want us to stick our butts over a giant high energy battery pack called "VOLT"?
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Hamud 8:56PM (10/15/2008)
Ladies and Gentleman, meet The General.
Guess both are to be blamed on this, but GM could have made things a lot easier for Microheat, after all, suppliers = partners. I know the General is starving for money, but this is not the way to get it. This kind of thing makes me really sad, really.
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dukeisduke 10:19PM (10/15/2008)
This was a great idea, and it's a shame that GM couldn't work with Microheat to resolve the issues. Besides, anything electrical that involves heat should be fused. Period.
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wonsnam 10:22PM (10/15/2008)
Just another example of whistles and bells you don't need or want, that drive up the cost of automobiles. Put a fuse in it and make cars not castles. Stupid engineering!!! There was nothing broke with what we had.
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Maxzillian 11:08PM (10/15/2008)
I can guarantee this thing was behind at least one fuse. Trouble is, it was likely behind a fuse that powered multiple other devices. Chances are, the short pulls enough current to fall just short of the fuses rated amperage.
Ford's cruise control system comes to mind. Their hydraulic brake switch would short out and catch the brake fluid on fire. It was behind a fuse of some sort for part of the system, but Ford's fix was to install a fuse specifically for that switch.
Yes, everything should be fused. No, everything can't have it's own fuse. I can't even fathom how many fuses would be required if such was the case.
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TheMexican 11:59PM (10/15/2008)
How about this sequence:
GM files lawsuit.
Microheat files Chapter 11
All assets from Microheat are awarded to GM
GM acquires patents and uses (correctly this time) the technology exclusively...............
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BigWill 7:29AM (10/16/2008)
What's really pathetic is that heated washer fluid is the best feature you can advertise about Buicks.
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Tourian 2:03PM (10/16/2008)
It was explained to us that the system was to be disabled completely on cars not yet delivered and not offered anymore at all, which seems different to just putting a fuse on it and allowing it to remain operational.
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Tourian 2:06PM (10/16/2008)
Okay, update.
The recall will pull the fuse that's already there and disable the system until parts come in that will allow it to work properly. So there is a fuse, just not a proper one, doesn't seem to share a circuit with other accerories, but I can't answer that for all models affected.
Frank 2:03PM (10/16/2008)
This is why I F'ken hate GM. FORD has this problem with the cruise control switch in which they fixed with a fuse, just like TigerMil mentioned. Ford did not go the Texas Instrument (maker of the cruise control switch) and sued them.
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