Grand Prix of Recalls
I once owned a sporty red Pontiac Grand Prix coupe. Enjoyed it, but too often Pontiac asked me to come in for a recall. One time it was the windshield wiper wiring. Another time it was a fuel pressure regulator. Finally, Pontiac needed to replace the steering pinion bearings. Between 1965 and 2007 the Pontiac Grand Prix faced 38 recalls. Wow!
I bring this up due to all of the news and anxieties around Toyota gas pedal defect. 2.3 million cars and trucks are being recalled bringing investigation threats from Congress and a “leave your Toyota at home” advice from the Secretary of Transportation. By the way Mr. Secretary is the primary interface between the White House and our government’s recent acquisition, General Motors.
Is 2.3 million recalls some type of record? Not even close!
- In 2009 GM recalled 1.5M Buick’s, Chevy’s, Oldsmobile’s and Pontiac’s for potential engine fires.
- In 2004 GM recalled 4M pick-up trucks for corroding tail gate cables
- In 2004 Chevrolet recalled 1.5M Monte Carlos for manifold fire hazards
- All Corvette convertibles, manufactured in 2008 and 2009, were recalled because their convertible roof covers tended to fly off.
- 127,000 Corvette’s were recalled in 2004 because of a steering lock problem
- SAAB, a GM subsidiary, faced 6 recalls between 2002 and 2008 for a variety of issues including defective head restraints and seat belts.
The list goes on-and-on before we go back into the 1990’s. Let it be known I was born in a General Motors town, and as a UAW card-carrying college student, I sweated two summers in one of their foundries. I also own a 2010 Toyota Camry. It is starting to feel like a muscle car. When I pull up to a cross-walk, pedestrians are nervous walling in-front of my beast. Toyota should be a shame of themselves. However, the White House and Congress should stay out of it. The President and crew must keep a sharp eye on their General Motors subsidiary. According to Advertising Age, General Motors is the only competitor offering a special discount for Toyota trade-ins. That is with U.S. taxpayer money! Ford, Honda, and others are sitting on the sidelines. They know that in the grand prix of recalls, people in glass houses should go easy on the stones.
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