General Motors

Among General Motor's restructuring and cost slashing activities of 2018, GM was apparently in talks to sell their headquarters in Detroit. GM bought the Renaissance Center in 1996 for $70 million and has made substantial renovations over the years. The RenCen, as it is also known, was originally built by Ford in 1971 who later sold it in the 1980s. The potential buyer was billionaire Dan Gilbert. Talks fell through rather early because the aging structure requires expensive upgrades to its heating and air conditioning systems along with other renovations. There does not appear to be another buyer in talks with GM at this time. News of the potential sale fol…

It seems with every new report concerning General Motors and the ignition switch recall, GM only looks worse off. Consider this piece from the Wall Street Journal today which reports that the automaker placed an order for 500,000 replacement ignition switches two months before announcing a recall. Emails shown to the Wall Street Journal revealed that on December 18, a GM contract worker contacted supplier Delphi Automotive for a 'urgent' order of 500,000 switches. This comes a day after GM senior executives were called into a meeting to discuss the situation over the Chevrolet Cobalt was discussed. However, no records were kept about what was said at the meeting. These …

General Motors seems being in a cutting mood as it drives to improve its profit margins and stock price. Last week saw the sale of Opel and Vauxhall to PSA Group and it's only the beginning said GM CEO Mary Barra. Automotive News reports that GM is considering reducing investments in North American cars and "select" international markets according to a chart that was shared during a conference call with analysts last week. The chart says these two earned a spot on the chopping block due to low profit potential and weak strength in franchises. "There's a little bit more work that we're doing in the international markets. Our overall philosophy is that every count…

Since the launch of Super Cruise on the 2018 Cadillac CT6, General Motors executives said the technology would expand to other brands. But they didn't give a timeframe as to when. Today at the Intelligent Transportation Society of America conference in Detroit, GM product chief Mark Reuss said Super Cruise would begin rolling out to Buick, Chevrolet, and GMC models after 2020. This will follow Cadillac's expansion of the technology to other models beginning in 2020. Super Cruise is "a feature that customers routinely come into dealerships asking about, shopping for, and specifically ordering," said Reuss in a speech. "Making it available in every Cadillac on t…

General Motors is rethinking its approach in the automotive marketplace. A number of conflicting issues (auto sales growth are slowing, stricter standards for emissions and safety; autonomous vehicles, changes in how vehicles are owned, and trying to return more cash to stockholders) have the company making some drastic changes in an effort to cut captial spending. Speaking with Reuters, a number of GM executives said they are undertaking the most extensive overhaul of its vehicle development process in many years. The end goal is to design their global lineup with a few building blocks and spreading the costs of engineering and research over many more vehicles. Also,…

General Motors is recalling 1,015,918 pickup trucks from the 2015 model year due to a problem with the electric power steering (EPS) system. In a letter published by the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration yesterday, the EPS may momentarily lose assist before regaining it. "If EPS assist is lost and then suddenly returns, the driver may have difficulty steering the vehicle, especially at low speeds, increasing the risk of a crash," wrote NHTSA. The models affected include, Cadillac Escalade Chevrolet Silverado Chevrolet Suburban Chevrolet Tahoe GMC Sierra GMC Yukon The fix is simple as dealers will update th…

General Motors took a surprising step a few years ago when they introduced a Cruze with a diesel engine for the U.S. The model gets 46 MPG on the highway and is meeting the sales expectations the company has set. Well according to Steve Kiefer, GM’s vice president of global powertrain, there could be more diesel options coming to the U.S. “The Chevrolet Cruze diesel will be the first of many diesel-powered passenger cars General Motors will offer in the United States,” said Kiefer to an audience at the 2014 Management Briefing Seminars. “We will continue to introduce more diesels as appropriate and as the market accepts them.” Kiefer said that diesels in cars and light …

Almost a week after the state of Michigan signed into law a series of bills that allow for the testing of autonomous vehicles on public roads, General Motors announced today that it would begin testing them immediately. The plan will see GM beginning to test vehicles on road the company's technical center in Warren, MI. In due course, the testing will move to the metro Detroit area. During a press conference today, CEO Mary Barra said Detroit would be GM's primary test area for snow and cold-weather driving. “Revolutionizing transportation for our customers while improving safety on roads is the goal of our autonomous vehicle technology, and today’s announcement gets …

William Maley Staff Writer - CheersandGears.com December 27, 2012 In the past few generation of its full-size SUVs, General Motors used pretty much the same interior design across all brands. That looks to be changing with the next-generation SUVs. “In the past we shared SUV and (pickup) truck interiors. That is not the case going forward,” said Chris Hilts, creative manager of interior design at General Motors to Car and Driver. Hilts cites two reasons for this change. One is that SUV owners want more refinement in their vehicles. Pickup owners want something a bit different. “We went to a lot of clinics. What we learned is that truck customers like their interior …

General Motors will be using Google Software for its embedded infotainment systems starting in 2021. This is in contrast to the Amazon Alexa capability found in some new Ford vehicles starting this year. The systems from GM will offer Google assistant, Google Maps, and certain other applications that are available in the Google Play app store in all of its brands except those in China. GM and other automakers have resisted demands by consumers for this type of software built in out of a fear of losing control of data and the possibility that the Silicon Valley brands eclipse their own. Consumer demand has forced the manufacturers’ hands however. Google will…

William Maley Staff Writer - CheersandGears.com October 31, 2013 More and more vehicles are coming equipped with elaborate infotainment systems that can do pretty much everything from giving directions to playing music off your phone. But these systems aren't always user friendly. A number of OEMs saw their ratings drop in Consumer Report's Auto Reliability survey because of their infotainment systems. General Motors wants to change that and is asking their 4,300 dealers about adding a customer Connection Center, a place where consumers can learn more and ask about in-vehicle technology and infotainment systems. GM spokesman Klaus-Peter Martin tells The Detroit News …

William Maley Staff Writer - CheersandGears.com September 19, 2013 It seems diesel mania is hitting truck manufacturers. Ram has the 1500 with a diesel option; Nissan has announced a diesel V8 for the next-generation Titan; and Toyota is considering whether to do a diesel option for the Tundra. Now a new report says General Motors is ready to join the diesel fray in half-tons if it proves to be popular. According to AutoGuide, GM can use the same 3.0L Diesel V6 found in Ram 1500. This is due to GM owning a part of the engine builder of the 3.0L Diesel V6, VM Motori. Also, General Motors commissioned VM Motori to build this engine for the European market CTS a few year…

General Motors is turning to Android to power its next-generation infotainment system. According to Automotive News, Harman International CEO Dinesh Paliwal made the announcement during a conference call discussing quarterly earnings. “As you would expect, this next-generation infotainment solution will enable an app store, which allows this infotainment system to stay technologically relevant over the life cycle of the vehicle. Apps will be developed by General Motors, Harman and a bunch of other third parties, not just Google and Apple," said Paliwal. Harman won the $900 million contract back in 2012 and has been working closely with Google on the system. It should be…

The UAW has been striking against General Motors for 31 days, the longest work stoppage since the 1970s. Now news comes that GM and the Union have reached a tentative agreement and the union council will vote today on whether to end the walkout of 46,000 workers or wait until the agreement is ratified by union members. The Union and GM plan to discuss the deal after the vote has taken place. We will update this article as more news comes. Update 1:20 pm: Healthcare remains as-is. Temporary employees have a path to full employment All current hourly workers will receive raises to at least $32.32 by the end of the contract term Wages su…

Just as GM and Toyota worked together in bringing us the Pontiac Vibe and Toyota Matrix, GM and Honda now plan to bring us a series of affordable EVs targeting the world's most popular vehicle segment, SUVs. To quote Doug Parks, GM executive VP, Global Product Development, Purchasing and Supply Chain. “Our plans include a new all-electric product for North America positioned at a price point lower than the upcoming Chevrolet Equinox EV, building on the 2 million units of EV capacity the company plans to install by the end of 2025.” New EV series planned to go on sale in 2027 starting in North America Honda and GM collaboration designed to e…

General Motors and LG Chem are joining forces to invest $2.3 billion in a new battery plant near its old Lordstown Assembly complex in Lordstown, Ohio. The deal is a 50/50 partnership between GM and LG Chem and will create 1,100 jobs in the area. Construction of the plant will begin mid-2020 at a greenfield former manufacturing site. The employees will work for the joint-venture and will not be direct GM employees. Initially, the plant will solely supply batteries for GM vehicles, though with a maximum capacity of 30 gigawatt-hours annually, the company could expand to supply other manufacturers as well. GM and LG Chem are forming this joint venture in an atte…

William Maley Staff Writer - CheersandGears.com October 25, 2012 In a not surprising announcement yesterday, General Motors and PSA Peugeot-Citroen said they will be co-developing four new platforms that are part of the Global Strategic Alliance between the two. The platforms will primarily be for Opel/Vauxhall, Peugeot, and Citroën. Those four platforms are, A new low-emissions city car Midsize car (sedan, hatchback, and wagon) Small Multi-Purpose vehicle Joint program for compact MPV for Opel/Vauxhall and a compact CUV for Peugeot GM and PSA say the launch of the first models of this joint venture will happen in 2016. The two also announced the Global S…

GM's Spring Hill assembly has been quiet since production of Chevrolet Traverse moved in 2009, with the plant building powertrains and other components. Now, a car is returning to Spring Hill. Today, GM announced a $244 million investment into Spring Hill that will create one of the industry's most flexible production lines. The assembly line will open in the second half of next year building the Chevrolet Equinox, which will help supplement production in Canada. But GM says the plant will be capable of assembling any car from its portfolio should increased demand require another production site. GM says the investment will bring forth 594 hourly jobs and 91 salaried po…

William Maley Editor/Reporter - CheersandGears.com February 2, 2012 GM’s Arlington, Texas plant, the place where the current Cadillac Escalade, Chevrolet Suburban and Tahoe, and GMC Yukon and Yukon XL is going under some renovations. GM announced a new $200 million stamping facility that will produce large stamping components for GM’s next-generation full-size SUVs. The facility will save the company $40 million in logistics and will come online in 2013. Since we’re talking about Arlington and next generation SUVs, Motor Trend has uncovered some information about the next generation. All of the SUVs will stick with the underpinnings from Chevrolet Silverado and GMC Si…

General Motors is building as many Chevrolet Colorado and GMC Canyon pickups as they can, but they are still not able to keep up with the demand. Currently, there is a 41 day supply of Colorados and 58 day supply of Canyons in dealers or being sent out. Part of the problem of not meeting demand is the Wentzville, MO is working at full tilt producing as many midsize trucks, along with full-size commercial vans. But GM has a possible solution to increasing production of their midsize trucks; outsource some of the van production. In a statement released on Friday, GM and Navistar, Inc announced a new partnership where Navistar would build the cutaway version of the Chevr…

William Maley Editor/Reporter - CheersandGears.com April 5, 2012 Today, General Motors announcing pricing for the Cadillac XTS and Chevrolet Spark. The Spark will start at $12,995 (includes destination) for the base LS model. The base LS includes 10 airbags, air conditioning, power windows, OnStar and 15-inch alloys. Next up is the 1LT trim, costing $14,495. The 1LT will include seven-inch color touchscreen, USB connectivity, satellite radio, keyless entry, power mirrors, cruise control, Bluetooth, visor mirrors, and floor mats. The top level 2LT, costing $15,795 will include a unique set of 15-inch wheels, sportier body-color fascias, fog lamps, exterior brightwork, …

Another day, another large recall set from General Motors. The automaker announced six recalls covering around 3.5 million vehicles from the 2000 to 2015 model years. The largest recall covers around 3.36 million vehicles built between 2000 and 2014 and sold in the US, Canada, and Mexico. The problem deals with the vehicle's ignition switch where it can kicked off from the run position due to if keychain is heavy or if they experience a "jarring" event. GM will modify the ignition key by drilling a four-by-six-millimeter hole to deal with weight of a keychain better. The vehicles affected include: 2005-2009 Buick Lacrosse 2006–2011 Buick Lucerne 2004–2005 Buick Reg…

Last night, General Motors announced that the ignition switch has been expanded to include an additional 824,000 vehicles. The vehicles include, 2008-2010 Chevrolet Cobalt 2008-2011 Chevrolet HHR 2008-2010 Pontiac G5 2008-2010 Pontiac Solstice 2008-2010 Saturn Sky This brings the total number of vehicles involved in the recall to over 2.6 million vehicles. Like the previous recalls, GM is urging owners to remove all of their keys except the ignition key to prevent the switch from moving. GM said replacement parts will begin arriving at dealers starting on April 7th. "We are taking no chances with safety. Trying to locate several thousand switches in a popu…

It seems a month can't go by without another automaker announcing a new pocket rocket. Currently we have the Ford Fiesta and Focus ST; Honda Civic Si, Subaru WRX and WRX STI; Subaru BRZ, Scion FR-S, and Volkswagen GTI. So that leaves us and a number of enthusiasts wondering - where is GM's contender? General Motors' vice president of product development tells Automotive News that at the moment, there isn't a business case for one. "Capital is not a black hole. On those cars, the price point begins to approach the segment of the next car up. We would spend a lot of money and resources, and what are we really doing?" said Reuss. AutoPacific Inc. analyst Dave Sul…

William Maley Staff Writer - CheersandGears.com August 12, 2012 General Motors CEO Dan Akerson is not happy with the media this past week. During the company’s Thursday employee meeting, Akerson criticized leaks to news media. "We have to stop leaking in this company. It's an act of treason — it really is," Akerson said. Akerson used the Ewanick departure as an example. As we reported last week, Ewanick was thrown out of GM due to internal frictions and failure to disclose the full $559 million cost of a soccer deal. This information was gotten by Bloomberg News after a source told them about what had happen. It was almost verbatim what happened. That is unfair to a…

General Motors announced today that by a unanimous vote by the board, current CEO Mary Barra will become the next chairman of the board. She is the first woman to hold this position, much as she was the first woman CEO of the Detroit automakers. The appointment was announced yesterday and Barra will continue to be CEO. “I am honored to serve as Chair of the Board of Directors. With the support of our Board, we will continue to drive shareholder value by improving our core business and leading in the transformation of personal mobility.” Barra said in a statement. Barra's predecessor, Tim Solso will stay on the board as the lead independent director. “At a time…

William Maley Editor/Reporter - CheersandGears.com April 26, 2012 General Motors' CEO, Dan Akerson recently said that he would like to see GM’s next CEO come from within the company ranks. “My preference would be for it to be an internal candidate just because as you might expect, in any company in any industry, it’s less disruptive,” Akerson said at the 2012 Automotive News China Conference. Akerson told The Wall Street Journal earlier this month that GM Vice Chairman Steve Girsky is on the list of candidates with a shot at replacing him as CEO. Also on that list are North America chief Mark Reuss and global product head Mary Barra. When asked how long he would con…

By William Maley Staff Writer - CheersandGears.com March 7, 2013 General Motors CEO Dan Akerson made some ambitious announcements at a energy conference in Houston, TX on Wednesday. For starters, Akerson said General Motors has a goal of reducing vehicle weight by 15% by 2016. This will be accomplished by using lightweight materials like aluminum, carbon fiber, and magnesium. Akerson says the move to lightweight materials could improve fuel economy by more than 6.5%. Akerson also said the company is working on two electric vehicles; one that comes with a 100 Mile range and another vehicle with a 200 Mile range. "There will be breakthroughs in battery technology, the…

For the first half of this year, General Motors posted a profit of $6.3 billion, making it the best start in over two-decades. However, GM CEO Dan Akerson wants the company to do better. $6.3 Billion is nothing to scoff at, but Akerson points out that figure equates to a 6% margin. He wants to see GM beat out the 7% margins realized by Ford & Volkswagen. So how will GM do it? By cutting. GM has put forth plans to have just 14 global architectures by 2018, a dramatic drop from the 30 architectures in use. Also, GM will cut down their engine platforms from 20 to 10 in the same time frame. Akerson is also targeting the company’s marketing efforts to help cut costs. GM…

William Maley Staff Writer - CheersandGears.com August 4, 2012 "In recent weeks, you have seen that we do not hesitate to act when change is required to make the business stronger." Those words coming out of General Motors CEO Dan Akerson during a conference call with reporters this week. Akerson was referencing the recent outings of Global Marketing Chief Joel Ewanick and Dave Lyon, who was to become VP of design at GM Europe. Akerson went on to say, "from time to time, it will mean parting company with people who are not delivering expected results, or alternatively, who don't meet the highest standards for accountability or integrity." In terms of making the busi…

William Maley Staff Writer - CheersandGears.com November 5, 2013 October was a very good month for GM's pickup lineup. With the new Chevrolet Silverado and GMC Sierra in the mix, GM was able to move 59,163 trucks this past month. Still that wasn't quite enough to beat the Ford F-Series which sold 63,803 units in the same timeframe. Part of the reason is that Ford has been laying on the incentives as a way to keep sales up. But Kurt McNeil, GM’s chief sales analyst tells Wards Auto there is another reason at play. “We are still over-weighted toward crew-cab and V-8 trucks. Our light-duty (pickup) mix will moderate over time as our launch progresses,” said McNeil. GM d…

William Maley Staff Writer - CheersandGears.com September 23, 2013 General Motors is considering whether or not to do off-road-focused versions of their next-generation full-size SUVs. "We are looking at, for this generation, a more off-road variant," said Jeff Luke, GM's executive chief engineer for trucks. Luke explains that off-road capability is a major reason why buyers go to full-size SUVs and not crossovers. Owners "just love off-roading with these vehicles. They look at this vehicle as more off-road capable" than crossovers, said Luke. GM sold a Z71 off-road package for their current-generation of full-size SUVs. The package added stronger shocks, larger wh…

General Motors' midsize trucks has become a bright spot for the company. Originally forecasted to sell around 80,000 this year, the company is now on track to selling near 120,000 Chevrolet Colorado and GMC Canyon trucks by the end of year. The two model are also the fastest-selling vehicles this year with the average time a Colorado sat on a dealer lot landing around 27 days. The Canyon was slightly longer with a 37 day average. But this has caused a supply problem for GM. The Wentzville, Missouri plant where both trucks are built has been pushed to the limits. Currently, the plant has three shifts and also builds models during the weekend. Even workers at the plant …

After announcing the closure of 5 plants back in November, General Motors ended production of the Chevrolet Cruze at the Lordstown Ohio assembly plant last week. Now, Ohio Governor Mike DeWine has said that in his discussions with General Motors, that the company has plans to make an announcement in about 4 to 6 weeks. DeWine said that it is his understanding that GM is looking to sell the plant, but that he doesn't know who GM is talking to. While he reiterated his uncertainty, he said The governor stated he or his office is in contact with GM at least twice a week. View full article

Despite General Motors mostly leaving the European market with the sale of Opel and Vauxhall to PSA Group earlier this year, the automaker isn't ruling out a full-scale return. During a recent meeting of the Automotive Press Association in Detroit, GM CEO Mary Barra said the company would "absolutely" consider a return to the European market, adding that "nothing keeps us from going back." But it will be some time before GM decides to go back. According to Barra, the company would need to build out a lineup of "transformative products" like electric or self-driving vehicles to make it worthwhile. General Motors does have a small presence in Europe with Cadillacs…

William Maley Staff Writer - CheersandGears.com October 22, 2013 Last week, General Motors announced they would be raising the prices on the new Chevrolet Silverado and GMC Sierra by as much as $1,500. This week, dealers are giving the company a piece of their mind with this decision. They say sales of the two trucks are getting beaten up by discounts and rebates being offered by Ford and Ram to clear out their stock of 2013 models. "We all know that it's a great truck. But [GM's] position is that the vehicle stands on its own and it doesn't need a bigger rebate. That's not what the market is telling us," said W. Carroll Smith, president of Monument Chevrolet in Pasa…

Maven, General Motors' car-sharing service launched in 2016 will be ceasing operation in several cities in the U.S. The news was first broken by the Wall Street Journal on Monday and has been confirmed by a GM spokeswoman. Eight out of the seventeen markets that the service operates including Boston and Chicago will be closed down within the next few months. According to the spokeswoman, the shutdown is due to GM wanting to "concentrate on markets in which we have the strongest current demand and growth potential." Those markets in question include Detroit, Los Angeles, and Toronto. Another possible reason is the lack of awareness of Maven in the eight markets b…

GM has decided to postpone EV drive production at its Toledo Propulsion Systems plant in Ohio. They have revised their schedule, with plants to start EV production by the end of 2024. This postponement has affected EV drive unit production by nine months. GM announced this information during a Wednesday meeting with employees at the Toledo plant. GM, in a statement on Wednesday, indicated that the decision to "retime the launch of Electric Drive Unit at the plant to Q4 2024" was made to better synchronize with the planned production schedule at the Orion Assembly. This development follows GM's previous announcement of a substantial $760 million investment aimed…

GM is delaying the launch of the new inline-6 diesel engine bound for the GMC Sierra 1500 and Chevrolet Silverado 1500. No longer available for ordering on the 2019s, GM has pushed the availability into the 2020 model year. According the GM, the emissions certification process on the engine is taking longer than normal. Customers who ordered a 2019 Silverado or Sierra with the diesel engine will have their orders canceled and will need to resubmit the order for a 2020 model year vehicle once they become available for order. GM has yet to open orders for 2020 truck models with the diesel engine, but a GM spokesperson said that it will be "soon". Assuming the…

When General Motors decided to study the Ford F-150 to help make the next-generation Chevrolet Silverado/GMC Sierra, they sent engineers to the front door of where the F-150 is built. According to Reuters, engineers went on a public factory tour of Ford's Dearborn truck plant to study how Ford was building them. Special attention was paid to workers attaching aluminum body panels to the trucks. After watching and timing the fitment of parts with stopwatches, GM engineers found some problems. “They had a real hard time getting those doors to fit,” said Tim Herrick, executive chief engineer for GM truck programs. Focusing on the doors, engineers bought F-150…

General Motors CEO Mary Barra spoke yesterday at the Barclays Global Automotive Conference in New York. During her talk, Barra said the company expects to make a profit off electric vehicles once they launch their next-generation EV platform. “We are working to provide desirable, obtainable and profitable vehicles that deliver a range of over 300 miles. There’s a lot of really creative things we’re doing to achieve that profitability point for that new platform,” Barra said to investors. The next-generation modular platform, due in 2021 will play a pivotal role in GM's plan to launch 20 all-new electric and hydrogen fuel cell vehicles by 2023. The platform will …

General Motors has agreed to pay a $35 million fine over its handling of the ignition switch recall. This amount represents the maximum fine issued by the Government. "Safety is our top priority, and today's announcement puts all manufacturers on notice that they will be held accountable if they fail to quickly report and address safety-related defects," said U.S. Transportation Secretary Foxx. The ignition switch recall covers 2.6 million Chevrolet Cobalt, HHR, Pontiac G5, Solstice, Saturn Ion, and Sky models built from the 2005 to 2011 model years. This problem is linked to 31 accidents and 13 deaths. "No excuse, process, or organizational structure will be allowed t…

The GMC Build and Price tool has let the details slip on the power ratings of the upcoming inline-6 diesel due to be released in the Sierra and Silverado in a few weeks. The 3.0 liter turbo diesel will produce 277 hp at 3,750 rpm and 460 lb-ft at a mere 1,500 rpm. The only transmission choice will be the 10-speed automatic. These numbers are SAE certified and verified by GM. The diesel motor will be available on LT and above trims on the Chevy and on all GMC trims except the base. These numbers make the GM six more powerful than Ford's V6 Powerstroke diesel which runs at 250 hp and 440 lb-ft of torque. The New Ram 1500 still hasn't gotten a diesel unit, but it will…

GM has announced total investments of $56M for capacity expansion to be spread over two of its existing manufacturing plants GM said in a press statement. $20M will be going to its Romulus Michigan propulsion plant to expand capacity of 10-speed transmission manufacturing. The investment will be used to purchase additional machining equipment. GM 10-speed is used in their full-size rear-wheel drive SUVs and trucks. The Romulus plant currently employs about 1,350 people and also builds V6 engines. Expansion of the Romulus plant implies GM is preparing to expand the transmission to more models. An additional $36M in investment will go into its Lansing Delta To…

The last thing you want before testifying before the U.S. House is announcement of more vehicles being recalled. In the case of the General Motors, this is happening. The automaker announced this afternoon the recall of 1.3 million vehicles because of faulty electric power steering units. The units can fail with little or no warning; the steering system still works, but it takes more effort from a driver. The vehicles involved in this recall include, Chevrolet Cobalt: Some model year 2010 vehicles Chevrolet HHR (Non-Turbo): Some model year 2009 and 2010 vehicles Chevrolet Malibu: All model year 2004 and 2005, and some model year 2006 and model year 2008 and 2009 veh…

General Motors has announced another set of recalls that will cover 717,949 vehicles. Unlike the previous set of recalls, this set doesn't include any dealing with the ignition switch. Here are the recalls: 414,333 vehicles equipped with the power height-adjustable driver or front passenger seats could have a bolt that holds height-adjuster actuator may become loose or fall out. If this happens, the seat can freely move up and down, and cause a safety hazard when involved in a accident. 2010-2012 Cadillac SRX 2010-2012 Chevrolet Equinox 2010-2012 GMC Terrain 2011-2012 Buick LaCrosse 2011-2012 Buick Regal 2011-2012 Chevrolet Camaro 124,008 vehicles will n…

As we reported a couple weeks ago, General Motors has decided to pull Chevrolet from Europe to give Opel and Vauxhall some breathing room. But with this pullout comes a problem for GM in South Korea. The continent produced most of the Chevrolet models for Europe. With Chevrolet saying pulling out in late 2015, production volume is expected to drop 20 percent. This has GM thinking about cutting jobs. Reuters reports that GM Korea is planning to launch a "voluntary retirement" the 6,000 salaried workers by March. A spokesperson says this is the fourth round of job cuts since 2009. GM Korea CEO Sergio Rocha says that no production jobs will be cut. "Workloads are too light…

As sales of compacts and sport cars begin declining, automakers are faced with tough decisions as to what in terms of production and workers. General Motors made the difficult decision to lay off 2,000 workers at two plants. Bloomberg reports that GM will be cutting the third shift at their Lansing Grand River plant in Michigan (home to Cadillac ATS, CTS, and Chevrolet Camaro) and a shift at Lordstown, Ohio plant (home to the Chevrolet Cruze). GM spokesman Tom Wickham said the company is treating the layoffs as permanent, although some workers will be able to transfer to other plants. The layoffs are due to sales of compact and sports cars going down due to consum…

General Motors' lost $2.9 billion in profit due to the strike according to the company's Q3 earnings report released Tuesday. That number exceeded analyst estimates by $900 million. In the final two weeks of the strike, as further plants had to be shut down due to parts shortages, the company lost $750 million. The total loss is about $2.00 per share. The stock is up 4.71 percent over Monday's close at the time of this writing. The strike hit 31 factories and 21 other facilities including plants in Canada and Mexico which build the Chevrolet Equinox and Chevrolet Blazer respectively. Both plants were forced to shut down due to parts shortages caused by striking wor…

General Motors is making some major changes in Russia. The automaker announced today that it will withdraw Opel and mainstream Chevrolet models in December, and focus on the premium segment of the Russian market with Cadillac and iconic Chevrolet models (Camaro, Corvette, and Tahoe). “This change in our business model in Russia is part of our global strategy to ensure long-term sustainability in markets where we operate. This decision avoids significant investment into a market that has very challenging long-term prospects,” said GM President Dan Ammann. GM will still offer parts and service for those who own an Opel and mainstream Chevrolet vehicles. Along with the de…

William Maley Editor/Reporter - CheersandGears.com December 1, 2011 In a interview today with Reuters, GM CEO Dan Akerson said the company may redesign the Volt's battery in response to a NHTSA investigation. "We want to assure the safety of our customers, of our buyers, and so we're just going to take a time out, if you will, in terms of redesigning the battery possibly," Dan Akerson told Reuters. Back on Monday, GM announced they would offer loaner vehicles to 5,500 Volt owners after NHTSA opened a investigation into Volt's batteries last Friday. In addition, Akerson said the Opel Ampera would not go on sale until engineers and safety regulators had worked out how…

GM's four North American brands announced today that as of now, most 2016 vehicles that currently have Apple CarPlay compatibility can be brought to their dealers for a free update to the infotainment system to add Android Auto. Android Auto requires a phone running Android Lollipop 5.0 or higher and require various apps to be installed on the phone. You can find apps compatible with Android Auto here. Vehicles eligible for the updates are as follows: Chevrolet - 2016 models with 8" MyLink eligible for Android Auto Update: Malibu (Excluding Limited) Impala Volt Camaro coupe and convertible Corvette coupe and convertible Colorado Silverado 1500 and HD Tahoe Sub…

Today, General Motors announced that it will provide a loaner to any Chevrolet Volt owner concerned about the safety of their vehicle. The announcement comes a few days after NHTSA announced an investigation into the Chevrolet Volt's batteries after tests done by NHTSA have cause the batteries to catch on fire. GM says they will try to contact every Volt owner to attempt to clear up the confusion. GM has sold 5,329 Volts and each owner should receive a letter within the next few days. “We are contacting all Volt owners to assure them and reassure them the car is safe to drive. The Volt is our pride and joy and we will do all we can to make Volt owners as happy with it a…

Starting today, owners of General Motors EVs will be able to charge at more than 17,800 Tesla Superchargers when using a GM approved NACS charging adaptor.  The adaptors are available for purchase through the branded mobile app for $225 USD.  That same app will also allow for seamless location of Tesla Superchargers, location status, and initiate and pay for charging sessions. Earlier this summer, we reported that Hummer EVs had access to Tesla Supercharging when a change appeared on the GMC website. Several Hummer EV owners reported being able to charge at Superchargers by adding a Rivian R1T to the Tesla App and using a Rivian or Ford NACS adapto…

GM Announced this morning that the company will be investing $300 million and adding 400 jobs at its Orion Township, Michigan assembly plant. The investment will go towards facilities to produce a new electric vehicle for the Chevrolet brand. The new vehicle will be the second such vehicle, after the Cadillac EV Crossover, to be built on GM's new BEV3 platform, an advance version of the same platform that underpins the Chevrolet Bolt EV. The Orion plant currently builds the Chevrolet Sonic, Chevrolet Bolt EV, and the Cruise AV test vehicles. There are about 880 hourly and 130 salary employees working there. Along with the investment announcement for Orio…

When the 2019 Chevrolet Silverado and GMC Sierra begin rolling off the assembly line sometime later this year, there will be a larger number of crew cabs. GM's vice president of global product development, Mark Reuss tells Automotive News that the company has been "constrained' when it comes to the output of their crew cab pickups, a segment that has seen its popularity increase in recent years. Reuss said the company is planning to increase capacity for crew cabs with their next-generation pickups. A Chevrolet spokesman said that crew cabs have grown from more than 50 percent of GM's truck sales in 2013 to more than 60 percent. Source: Automotive News (Sub…

The bad news for General Motors continues to flow in. The Detroit News reported yesterday morning that GM has put two of its engineers, Gary Altman and Ray DeGiorgio on paid leave as part of as part of a continuing internal investigation into the ignition switch recall. The two engineers were singled out during the congressional hearings as members of congress were very dubious as to why the company hadn't fired anyone at the moment. In a statement released today, GM CEO Mary Barra said the decision came after an update from Anton Valukas, the former U.S. attorney who is currently overseeing an independent investigation over the recall. “This is an interim step as we s…

William Maley Staff Writer - CheersandGears.com December 18, 2012 GM's full-size hybrid pickups, the Chevrolet Silverado Hybrid and GMC Sierra Hybrid have offered the best fuel economy in the class since being introduced in 2009. However, they haven't been a sales success as GM had expected. Last year, GM sold 3,114 Hybrid trucks and SUVs, from a high of 8,797 vehicles in 2009. Last week at the press introduction of the new Chevrolet Silverado and GMC Sierra, GM North America President Mark Reuss told GreenCarReports that a hybrid model isn't in the cards. “In this truck we decided to go with the EcoTec3 technology, with the V-6 and the two V-8s, and we think that's …

It came down to the wire, but a tentative deal between General Motors and Canadian union Unifor was reached before the midnight deadline. “Did we achieve our objective? I would suggest the answer is clearly yes,” said Unifor President Jerry Dias during a press conference this morning. “We have found a solution for your facilities. To say this is a difficult set of negotiations is an incredible understatement." In a statement released by GM, the tentative agreement will bring wage increases to the 3,860 workers and introduce new investments and products to the Oshawa and St. Catharines plants. Oshawa was a key focus for Unifor as GM didn't have any plans for t…

Last week, General Motors issued a stop sale on the 2016 Buick Enclave, Chevrolet Traverse, and GMC Acadia due to the window stickers having overstated fuel economy numbers by one to two mpg. All-wheel drive models had an incorrect label showing ratings of 17 City/24 Highway/19 Combined. The correct label has ratings of 15 City/22 Highway/17 Combined. But what about the folks who bought one of GM's large crossovers with the incorrect ratings? How did this happen in the first place? We have answers. In a statement to Automotive News, GM explained the 2016 models were equipped with new “emissions-related hardware,” which meant new tests needed to be done. “The f…

General Motors announced a recall Wednesday of 3.46 million GM trucks and SUVs for a braking issue that has been linked to 113 accidents and 13 injuries. The problem arises from a vacuum pump issue where the pump make less vacuum over time, thereby increasing the braking effort. The pump is lubricated by engine oil and can accumulate debris and oil sludge lessening the pump's effectiveness. The recall covered model years 2014 - 2018 of Cadillac Escalade, Chevrolet Silverado, Suburban, and Tahoe, and GMC Sierra and Yukon. GM told the NHTSA that the pump design was only used during those years of manufacture. In a smaller recall, GM is recalling 177,000 20…

General Motors today announced a recall of 4.3 million vehicles globally with 3.64 million of those vehicles located in the US. The recall involves a software bug in the sensing and diagnostic module that could prevent the deployment of the front airbags in certain circumstances preceded by a specific series of events. Most of the vehicles involved are GM's recent trucks and large SUVs. The repair for this recall requires a software update and no physical parts are required for most vehicles. The following vehicles are affected by this recall: 2014 - 2016 Chevrolet SS, Spark EV / Buick Lacrosse 2014 - 2017 Chevrolet Corvette, Trax, Caprice, and Silve…

General Motors has ordered a recall on 1.4 million older vehicles equipped with the 3.8L V6 for a fire risk again. The affected vehicles include, 1997 - 2004 Buick Regal 2000 - 2004 Chevrolet Impala 1998 - 1999 Chevrolet Lumina 1998 - 2004 Chevrolet Monte Carlo 1998 - 1999 Oldsmobile Intrigue 1997 - 2004 Pontiac Grand Prix The problem deals with valve covers that degrade and can leak oil. The leaking oil can fall onto the exhaust manifold under hard braking and catch fire. Now the Detroit News reports this is the fourth time that GM recalled vehicles with this problem since 2008. GM says the previous recalls haven't worked because of the "aging and wear to the …

In a securities filing today, General Motors revealed that it is currently under five different government investigations into its handling over the ignition switch recall. The five investigations include ones from U.S. Attorney’s Office for the southern district of New York, Congress, NHTSA, the SEC, and a unnamed state attorney general. “We are also the subject of various inquiries, investigations, subpoenas and requests for information from the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the southern district of New York, Congress, NHTSA, the SEC, and a state attorney general in connection with our recent recall. We are investigating these matters internally and believe we are coopera…

In a memo released to dealers yesterday, General Motors announced that beginning with 2016 model year vehicles, the powertrain warranty will be shortened from 100,000 miles to 60,000 miles on Chevrolet and GMC models, while still remaining in effect for 5 years. Buick's existing 6 year / 70,000 mile powertrain warranty remains in effect. General Motors began offering 5 year / 100,000 mile powertrain warranties in 2007 at a time when public confidence in the company was low. There is no mention of Cadillac in the memo, so it looks like they will keep the 5 year / 100,000 powertrain warranty they currently offer. Also being scaled back is the amount of included maintenance…