While it’s not directly related to the now-infamous General Motors ignition defect that has been blamed for the deaths of 35 motorists, the company is replacing ignition keys for some model year 2014 and 2015 Chevrolet and GMC pickup trucks and SUVs. When the steering column is in the highest position, the shifter can make contact with the key and turn off the engine.
Theoretically, this defect poses no danger to drivers, at least according to what GM has told our safety-conscious colleagues down the highway at Consumer Reports. The shifter and ignition key only make contact with each other when the driver is shifting in and out of Park, and the shifter shouldn’t do that unless the driver has his or her foot on the brake. If the vehicle turns itself off while it’s parked, that’s incredibly annoying, but not dangerous.
Affected models that GM announced today include the 2014 and 2015 Chevrolet Silverado, 2015 Chevrolet Tahoe, 2015 Chevrolet Suburban, 2014 and 2015 GMC Sierra, and the 2015 GMC Yukon and Yukon XL.
This issue isn’t considered a formal recall, and is simply a service bulletin about a problem that will be covered as long as the vehicle is still under warranty. However, if you’re curious whether there are any outstanding recalls for your vehicle that you’ve missed, you can type in your Vehicle Identification Number and check the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration’s database.
GM issues new ignition keys to eliminate shifter interference [Consumer Reports]
by Laura Northrup via Consumerist
Posts
0 comments:
Post a Comment