GM recalling 53,000 Chevy Cobalt, Saturn Ion, and Pontiac G5 models over fuel leak concern
2009 Chevrolet Cobalt SS - Click above to view high-res image gallery
General Motors may have shed itself of much of its pre-bankruptcy problems, but the automaker still has to tend to its warranty and recall duties. As such, GM is recalling 53,000 Chevrolet Cobalt, Pontiac G5 and Saturn Ion models for a potential fuel leak problem that the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration says could lead to a fire. The problem involves 2006 Cobalt and Ion model models sold or registered in Arizona and Nevada and 2007 Cobalt, G5 and Ion models sold or registered in Arizona, California, Texas, Florida and Nevada.
NHTSA says the plastic supply or return port on the cars' modular reservoir assembly may crack, potentially leading to a fuel leak that could cause cause decreased efficiency and performance. Worse, if that leaking gasoline comes into contact with an ignition source of any kind, you could be looking at a Delta platform car-b-que.
To fix the fuel leak problem, company dealers will replace the fuel pump module of affected vehicles free of charge. GM is also providing a special coverage for 2006 and 2007 Cobalt, G5 and Ion models in other warm weather states, and you can hit the jump to read over the NHTSA press release to see if you live in a participating location. GM hasn't yet provided a time frame for owner notification, but if you have questions you can read the official press release after the jump or call 1-800-630-2438 (Cobalt), 1-800-972-8876 (Ion) or 1-800-620-7668 (G5).
[Source: NHTSA]
PRESS RELEASE:
Vehicle Make / Model: Model Year(s):
CHEVROLET / COBALT 2006-2007
PONTIAC / G5 2007
SATURN / ION 2006-2007
Manufacturer: GENERAL MOTORS CORP. Mfr's Report Date: OCT 22, 2009
NHTSA CAMPAIGN ID Number: 09V419000
NHTSA Action Number: N/A
Component: FUEL SYSTEM, GASOLINE:DELIVERY:FUEL PUMP
Potential Number of Units Affected: 52937
Summary:
GENERAL MOTORS IS RECALLING CERTAIN MODEL YEAR 2006 CHEVROLET COBALT AND SATURN ION VEHICLES ORIGINALLY SOLD IN OR CURRENTLY REGISTERED IN THE STATES OF ARIZONA AND NEVADA; AND MODEL YEAR 2007 CHEVROLET COBALT, PONTIAC G5 AND SATURN ION VEHICLES ORIGINALLY SOLD IN OR CURRENTLY REGISTERED IN THE STATES OF ARIZONA, CALIFORNIA, FLORIDA, NEVADA AND TEXAS. THE PLASTIC SUPPLY OR RETURN PORT ON THE MODULAR RESERVOIR ASSEMBLY MAY CRACK. IF EITHER OF THESE PORTS DEVELOPS A CRACK, FUEL WILL LEAK FROM THE AREA. IF THE CRACK BECOMES LARGE ENOUGH, FUEL MAY BE OBSERVED DRIPPING ONTO THE GROUND AND VEHICLE PERFORMANCE MAY BE AFFECTED.
Consequence:
FUEL LEAKAGE, IN THE PRESENCE OF AN IGNITION SOURCE, COULD RESULT IN A FIRE.
Remedy:
DEALERS WILL REPLACE THE FUEL PUMP MODULE FREE OF CHARGE. A SPECIAL COVERAGE WILL BE IMPLEMENTED IN THE SAME TIME FRAME FOR MODEL YEAR 2006 VEHICLES REGISTERED IN ALABAMA, ARKANSAS, CALIFORNIA, FLORIDA, GEORGIA, HAWAII, LOUISIANA, MISSISSIPPI, NORTH CAROLINA, NEW MEXICO, OKLAHOMA, SOUTH CAROLINA, TENNESSEE AND TEXAS AND MODEL YEAR 2007 VEHICLES REGISTERED IN: ALABAMA, ARKANSAS, GEORGIA, HAWAII, LOUISIANA, MISSISSIPPI, NORTH CAROLINA, NEW MEXICO, OKLAHOMA, SOUTH CAROLINA AND TENNESSEE. THE MANUFACTURER HAS NOT YET PROVIDED AN OWNER NOTIFICATION SCHEDULE. OWNERS MAY CONTACT CHEVROLET AT 1-800-630-2438, SATURN AT 1-800-972-8876 AND PONTIAC AT 1-800-620-7668 OR AT THE OWNER CENTER AT WWW.GMOWNERCENTER.COM.
Notes:
GM RECALL NO. 090226. OWNERS MAY ALSO CONTACT THE NATIONAL HIGHWAY TRAFFIC SAFETY ADMINISTRATION'S VEHICLE SAFETY HOTLINE AT 1-888-327-4236 (TTY 1-800-424-9153), OR GO TO HTTP://WWW.SAFERCAR.GOV .
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Reader Comments (Page 1 of 1)
Luis 9:46AM (11/04/2009)
where's mr. vette?!
I'll say it again: every maker has their issues. Keep the flaming away (no pun intended!)
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CarZ 9:50AM (11/04/2009)
It looks like the trouble days for GM aren't over yet.
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Egon 9:59AM (11/04/2009)
I'm still puzzled by these regional recalls. I can understand the concern within warm-weather states, but wasn't the defective part installed into all of the vehicles rolling off the assembly line?
What happens if I buy my car in Ohio and then move to Arizona? Do I get a recall notice or do I just walk out one morning to find a charred heap where my Cobalt used to be parked?
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alex 11:59AM (11/04/2009)
seems to be the norm in the industry... similar to toyota only recalling trucks in cold whether states for the rust issue. i'm guessing if you bought one of these cars in colorado and then moved to new mexico they'd still fix it, but i don't know for sure.
Dave 12:36PM (11/04/2009)
Many years ago, my '82 Subaru was recalled because there was a possibility of rusted components causing dangerous suspension failure.
The recall was limited to snowbelt states where road salt could cause such a failure. (I live in Rhode Island)
TrevMo 10:00AM (11/04/2009)
Why do you have a photo of a 2008 Cobalt SS? This car is not even part of the recall!
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leftlaneabuse 10:02AM (11/04/2009)
"FUEL LEAKAGE, IN THE PRESENCE OF AN IGNITION SOURCE, COULD RESULT IN A FIRE." Could?! Could?!
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Hazdaz 10:05AM (11/04/2009)
All the JDM fanboys are going to laugh over this, while all the Foreign-car haters are going to make apologies and excuses, while if it was Toyota or Honda, the shoe would be on the other foot. Both you guys are wrong.
Lets face it - recalls are a fact of life in the car world.
Sure they suck to have to go through them, but would you guys rather have it like back in the day when car makers simply hid their mistakes under red tape and didn't own-up to anything? I wouldn't say that recalls are "good" but they at least show that car makers are willing to stand behind their products and are willing to fix them.
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The Other Bob 10:08AM (11/04/2009)
As a friend of mine used to say: "If man can make it, man can break it."
pixis 11:18AM (11/04/2009)
Oh so if my 2006 Chevrolet Cobalt goes up in flames - it will burn my house down and I will be rid of two problems ? car payment and mortgage payment - yeah-
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alex 12:00PM (11/04/2009)
d'oh! weather, not whether!
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Kyle454ever 1:30PM (11/04/2009)
It's always fun to see who will get on the defensive first when a recall notice is put up.. haha
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alex 5:04PM (11/04/2009)
autobloggers, i am impressed. this has got to be the calmest GM or Toyota recall thread ever! Maybe everyone has finally realized that every company has their fair share of recalls. except suzuki and mitsubishi. it seems you have to actually sell a few cars to have anything to recall! i kid, i kid
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AndrewGTO 5:57PM (11/04/2009)
The problem is with the fuel pump, in the tank. How is this leak going to venture all the way up to an ignition component? An extremely far stretch to assert a potential fire hazard. I'd say a fire is beyond unlikely. I think the fire assertion by the author was to instill exchange.
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Egon 7:21PM (11/04/2009)
I think you might be confusing the terms 'ignition source' and 'ignition component'. An ignition source could be from anywhere; certainly a vehicle component, but it could also be a discarded cigarette or a water heater pilot light, for instance.
AndrewGTO 8:20PM (11/04/2009)
Egon,
My gears for brains may have interpreted as such, correct. Still a stretch on a fire hazard though. Water heater pilot light? Come on now. Is there a fuse from the water heater going into the garage to underneath the car?
Egon 11:33AM (11/11/2009)
(Sorry for the delayed reply, I was just browsing around and found this discussion again)
Actually - a pilot light be it from a stove, water heater, space heater or whatever - is not an uncommon ignition source. I personally have responded to a house fire that started when the gasoline fumes from a shadetree motorcycle repair floated over to a water heater, concentrated within the flammable range, and *WOOF*, instant structure fire. Now granted, the dude was working on the cycle an unventilated basement, burned himself pretty badly, and torched his entire house. But it all pointed back to the tiny blue flame hiding out under the water heater.