http://www.autoblog.com/2009/04/13/gm-to-recall-1-4-million-passenger-cars-over-potential-engine-fi/

GM recalling 1.4 million passenger cars over potential engine fires

by Chris Paukert on Apr 13th 2009 at 12:56PM

http://www.blogcdn.com/www.autoblog.com/media/2009/04/2003-pontiac-grand-prix-gt-580.jpg

The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration has just announced a major recall covering nearly 1.5 million General Motors passenger cars from the late 90's and early 2000s. The recall affects various Buick, Chevrolet, Oldsmobile, and Pontiac models equipped with normally aspirated versions of GM's much-utilized 3800 3.8-liter V6.

Apparently, some of these engines can drop oil onto the exhaust manifold during hard braking. If that manifold has gotten hot enough and the oil dribbles below the heat shield, it can start a small fire. The flames can then engulf the plastic spark plug wire channel, potentially resulting in a full-on engine compartment fire.

The fix? Dealer service departments will be asked to remove said spark plug wire retention channel from the front of the engine bay, and then retrofit two new retainers.

Models Affected:

1997-2003 Buick Regal
2000-2003 Chevrolet Impala
1998-1999 Chevrolet Lumina
1998-2003 Chevrolet Monte Carlo
1998-1999 Oldsmobile Intrigue
1997-2003 Pontiac Grand Prix

The recall is slated to begin in May. Official NHTSA Release after the jump.

[Source: NHTSA]


PRESS RELEASE:

Vehicle Make / Model: Model Year(s):

BUICK / REGAL 1997-2003
CHEVROLET / IMPALA 2000-2003
CHEVROLET / LUMINA 1998-1999
CHEVROLET / MONTE CARLO 1998-2003
OLDSMOBILE / INTRIGUE 1998-1999
PONTIAC / GRAND PRIX 1997-2003

Manufacturer: GENERAL MOTORS CORP. Mfr's Report Date: APR 08, 2009
NHTSA CAMPAIGN ID Number: 09V116000
EA07008

NHTSA Action Number: EA07008

Component: ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING
Potential Number of Units Affected: 1497516
Summary:

GENERAL MOTORS IS RECALLING 1,497,516 MY 1997-2003 BUICK REGAL, MY 1998-2003 CHEVROLET LUMINA, MONTE CARLO AND IMPALA, MY 1998-1999 OLDSMOBILE INTRIGUE, MY 1997-2003 PONTIAC GRAND PRIX VEHICLES EQUIPPED WITH A 3.8L V6 NATURALLY ASPIRATED ENGINE. SOME OF THESE VEHICLES HAVE A CONDITION IN WHICH DROPS OF ENGINE OIL MAY BE DEPOSITED ON THE EXHAUST MANIFOLD THROUGH HARD BRAKING.

Consequence:
IF THE MANIFOLD IS HOT ENOUGH AND THE OIL RUNS BELOW THE HEAT SHIELD, IT MAY IGNITE INTO A SMALL FLAME AND MAY SPREAD TO THE PLASTIC SPARK PLUG WIRE CHANNEL AND BEYOND INCREASING THE RISK OF AN ENGINE COMPARTMENT FIRE.

Remedy:
DEALERS WILL REMOVE THE SPARK PLUG WIRE RETENTION CHANNEL AT THE FRONT OF ENGINE AND INSTALL TWO NEW SPARK PLUG WIRE RETAINERS FREE OF CHARGE. THE RECALL IS EXPECTED TO BEGIN DURING MAY 2009. OWNERS MAY CONTACT CHEVROLET AT 1-800-630-2438, OLDSMOBILE AT 1-800-630-6537, AND PONTIAC AT 1-800-620-7668 OR HTTP://WWW.PONTIAC.COM OR HTTP:WWW.GMOWNERCENTER.COM.

Notes:
GM RECALL NO. 90047. OWNERS 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 .

My friend has a 2003 GP GT, so I'll be sure to let him know about this. Sure he thinks that the GP is better then my Deville, but if his car got turned into a pile of ash, I'd have no one to kill on weekends. :thumbsup:

We have a '98 Buick Regal. Hahaha. Ya know I wonder if my friend's '99 Firebird is also affected by this? That's a 3.8 liter too.....

Oil + Exhaust = My Eldorado

After 5 years of owning it i'm still alive so it can't be that dangerous...right? :suspect:

While someone is bound to complain about shoddy cars at least GM are being honest about this, even under their financial circumstances, unlike Mitsubishi who hid product recalls for over a decade:

http://www.nytimes.com/2005/03/31/business/worldbusiness/31mitsubishi.html

We have a '98 Buick Regal. Hahaha. Ya know I wonder if my friend's '99 Firebird is also affected by this? That's a 3.8 liter too.....

Do you make fun of him for buying a V6 pony car?

My '85 RX7 always smelled like gas, but I wrote it off as the whole "rotary, running rich, etc" deal. I found out a year later that the pulsation damper on the side of the fuel rail was leaking gas right onto my exhaust manifold. Whoops.

That's funny, this has been a recall for months on the Supercharged models. We were doing them at Southview back in November!

While someone is bound to complain about shoddy cars at least GM are being honest about this, even under their financial circumstances, unlike Mitsubishi who hid product recalls for over a decade:

http://www.nytimes.com/2005/03/31/business/worldbusiness/31mitsubishi.html


I doubt very much that g.m. voluntarily owned up to this problem, I'm sure they were forced into it,big companies like g.m. would rather fight and lose a few cases than own up to a responsibility,it's all about money,whichever is the least costly is the route they will take,there is no
honour or good will.

I doubt very much that g.m. voluntarily owned up to this problem, I'm sure they were forced into it,big companies like g.m. would rather fight and lose a few cases than own up to a responsibility,it's all about money,whichever is the least costly is the route they will take,there is no
honour or good will.

Just like the thing with the gas tank on the Pinto. Ford got in trouble for not telling anyone, someone sued, so they had to pay damages and put that plate to protect that gas tank.

Just like the thing with the gas tank on the Pinto. Ford got in trouble for not telling anyone, someone sued, so they had to pay damages and put that plate to protect that gas tank.

Also the ford explorer roll over problem,along with firestone tires,ford fought that one every inch of the way.

Most automotive recalls are actually instigated via NHTSA investigations into open complaints. Occasionally a manufacturer will pre-emptively issue a recall without any agency involvement, but those cases are not common... It costs money.

You know the non supercharged 3800 Series II actually has the same engine code number as the Cadillac 4.9L (L26). So if you look up the RPO code on a 4.9 Cadillac, it will come up as saying you have a 3800 V6. :thepan:

You know the non supercharged 3800 Series II actually has the same engine code number as the Cadillac 4.9L (L26). So if you look up the RPO code on a 4.9 Cadillac, it will come up as saying you have a 3800 V6. :thepan:That was only the latest version of the N/A 3.8L. The engine was previously called the L36. I think it was called the L27 before that.

IIRC, the LS6 moniker has been used before...I think it was a big block at one point.

You know the non supercharged 3800 Series II actually has the same engine code number as the Cadillac 4.9L (L26). So if you look up the RPO code on a 4.9 Cadillac, it will come up as saying you have a 3800 V6. :thepan:

Thanks, you made my day ,I own a 4.9 that could go up in flames,and 97 sts thats on top of the hit parade for blowing gaskets.

Thanks, you made my day ,I own a 4.9 that could go up in flames,and 97 sts thats on top of the hit parade for blowing gaskets.

3800 is a V-6 and the 4.9 is a V-8 ?.

Also the ford explorer roll over problem,along with firestone tires,ford fought that one every inch of the way.

What did they expect making the car so tall on such a short wheelbase?

Thanks, you made my day ,I own a 4.9 that could go up in flames,and 97 sts thats on top of the hit parade for blowing gaskets.

Actually, the case of the 3800 V8 and the 4.9 having the same RPO code is mere coincidence. The two engines are in no way related to each other (mechanically), and the 4.9 has no such problem with fire.