Doh! GM recalls 857,735 vehicles for electrical issue

In the ongoing quest to make our cars more user-friendly, automakers have been adding more and more techno-goodies to make our lives just a bit easier, as well. Unfortunately, these features occasionally do the exact opposite as electrical gremlins take control and make them malfunction. Such is the case with a 857,735 vehicles from General Motors built between 2006 and 2008 that are equipped with heated windshield washer fluid. Apparently, the system is liable to short out, causing it to stop working and even smoke, give off an odor, and make other on-board electronic systems go haywire. To remedy the problem, dealers will add a new wiring harness with an in-line fuse, which will short out before the problematic printed electrical circuit does the same. We've pasted a list of all the affected vehicles after the break.
[Source: NHTSA via Good Car Bad Car]

Recall Summary

Make / Models : Model/Build Years:
BUICK / ENCLAVE 2008
BUICK / LUCERNE 2006-2008
CADILLAC / DTS 2006-2008
CADILLAC / ESCALADE 2007-2008
CADILLAC / ESCALADE ESV 2007-2008
CADILLAC / ESCALADE EXT 2007-2008
CHEVROLET / AVALANCHE 2007-2008
CHEVROLET / SILVERADO 2007-2008
CHEVROLET / SUBURBAN 2007-2008
CHEVROLET / TAHOE 2007-2008
GMC / ACADIA 2007-2008
GMC / SIERRA 2007-2008
GMC / YUKON 2007-2008
GMC / YUKON XL 2007-2008
HUMMER / H2 2006-2008
SATURN / OUTLOOK 2007-2008

Recall Number: 08V441000

Summary:
GM IS RECALLING 857,735 MY 2006-2008 BUICK LUCERNE; CADILLAC DTS; HUMMER H2; MY 2007-2008 CADILLAC ESCALADE, ESCALADE ESV, ESCALADE EXT; CHEVROLET AVALANCHE, SILVERADO, SUBURBAN, TAHOE; GMC ACADIA, SIERRA, YUKON, YUKON XL, SATURN OUTLOOK; AND MY 2008 BUICK ENCLAVE VEHICLES EQUIPPED WITH A HEATED WIPER WASHER FLUID SYSTEM. A SHORT CIRCUIT ON THE PRINTED CIRCUIT BOARD FOR THE WASHER FLUID HEATER MAY OVERHEAT THE CONTROL-CIRCUIT GROUND WIRE.

Consequence:
THIS MAY CAUSE OTHER ELECTRICAL FEATURES TO MALFUNCTION, CREATE AN ODOR, OR CAUSE SMOKE INCREASING THE RISK OF A FIRE.

Remedy:
DEALERS WILL INSTALL A WIRE HARNESS WITH AN IN-LINE FUSE FREE OF CHARGE. THE MANUFACTURER HAS NOT YET PROVIDED AN OWNER NOTIFICATION SCHEDULE. OWNERS MAY CONTACT BUICK AT 1-866-608-8080; CADILLAC AT 1-800-982-2339 OR HTTP://WWW.CADILLAC.COM; CHEVROLET AT 1-800-630-2438; SATURN AT 1-800-972-8876 OR HTTP://WWW.SATURN.COM, GMC AT 1-866-996-9436; OR HUMMER AT 1-800-732-5493; OR AT MYGMLINK, HTTP://WWW.GM.COM/RECALL.

Notes:
GM RECALL NO. 08048. CUSTOMERS 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.