Faulty fuel hose stalls Holden Cruze sales as GM rushes to fix hot-selling small car

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Faulty fuel hose stalls Holden Cruze sales as GM rushes to fix hot-selling small car

11 March 2010

By RON HAMMERTON

GM HOLDEN has suspended customer deliveries of its successful Cruze small car while it investigates a potential faulty fuel hose that could cause a fuel leak.

The company has confirmed to GoAuto that 2010 model-year 1.8-litre petrol-powered Cruzes in its delivery holding yards and dealer stocks around Australia have been withheld pending the investigation.

It is not yet clear how many cars are affected or if any of the cars have been delivered to customers, but Holden says it will notify customers as soon as possible should action be necessary.

Nor is it clear how long sales will be on hold. Any major delay in deliveries of Holden increasingly important small car will upset the brand's current hot sales streak that saw its sales jump 24 per cent last month.

GoAuto understands that replacement parts for the faulty fuel lines are being rushed to Australia to get stocks moving again.

Holden spokesman Jonathon Rose told GoAuto: “Holden is investigating a potential fuel feed hose condition on a certain range of Cruze MY10 1.8-litre petrol models that could cause a fuel leak.

“A stop-delivery notice was issued to all dealers on Wednesday 3 March to ensure dealers do not retail, deliver or transfer certain MY10 1.8-litre petrol Cruzes until the investigation has been carried out and if necessary, corrective action has been completed.

“No action is required at this time on any MY10 petrol Cruzes that have already been delivered to customers.

“However, safety is always our number one priority so if further action is required we will notify customers as soon as possible.”

Holden dealers have been selling more than 2000 Cruzes a month since the replacement for the Vauxhall-made Astra hit its straps in October last year, giving the company much-needed firepower in the top-selling segment.

Last month, Cruze was the fourth best-selling small car in Australia, out-pointed only by the Mazda3, Toyota Corolla and Hyundai i30.

The Cruze will go into local production at Holden’s Elizabeth plant in South Australia next year. The two-model range will include a facelifted version of the current Cruze sedan and a Holden-designed five-door hatch based on the same platform.

Plans for local production were pushed back six months from the third quarter of this year to March 2011, with Holden saying this schedule meant both the sedan and hatch could be introduced simultaneously.

The local version will gain GM’s latest fuel-efficient 1.4-litre turbocharged four-cylinder engine, and, potentially, LPG and hybrid powertrains.

The premium engine, which produces 103kW and 200Nm in US form, will be sold alongside the naturally aspirated 1.8-litre petrol four-cylinder currently available in the imported Cruze (104kW/176Nm), as well as the VM Motori 2.0-litre turbo-diesel rated at 110kW and 320Nm.

link:

http://www.goauto.com.au/mellor/mellor.nsf/story2/34D85BDACE9E3CECCA2576E2001EFBEC