|
GM's Trailblazer and Envoy SUVs probed for fuel leaks
By Gopal Ratnam
Bloomberg News
Published March 16, 2007, 11:23 AM CDT
General Motors Corp.'s Envoy and Chevrolet Trailblazer, the automaker's top-selling sport-utility vehicles, may develop fuel leaks from corrosion, a U.S. safety agency said in announcing an investigation.
The inquiry covers 2002 to 2003 Envoy XL and XUV versions and Trailblazer EXT models, the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration said today on its Web site, citing 16 complaints about corrosion on fuel pump modules. About 818,000 SUVs may be affected, the agency said.
Motorists told the agency they smelled gasoline odor and saw fuel dripping from the gas tank. The fuel pump module is located in the tank and could be exposed to air, causing corrosion and leaks, NHTSA said.
The investigation is the Washington-based agency's first step in its safety review process. About half of such inquiries lead to a recall. GM, the world's largest automaker, will cooperate with the agency, company spokesman Alan Adler said.
Trailblazer and Envoy sales totaled 418,381 in 2003, making the mid-sized models GM's strongest-selling SUV line. Sales dropped about 40 percent over the next three years as gasoline prices rose and consumers shifted to more car-like SUVs.
Shares of Detroit-based GM rose 19 cents to $29.57 at 12:12 p.m. in New York Stock Exchange composite trading.
Separately, the safety agency also announced the recall of 3,282 Dodge Ram 2500 pickup trucks and 16,309 Nissan Versa passenger cars, both from the 2007 model year.
The Dodge trucks made by DaimlerChrysler AG's Chrysler carry incorrect tire pressure inflation labels, NHTSA said on its Web site. Improper tire inflation could lead to crashes. Chrysler will fix new labels at no cost to consumers.
In hatchback versions of Nissan's Versa, damaged passenger- side seatbelt sensors could shut off the front air bag on that side, the agency said. The recall will begin April 16, and Nissan will replace the damaged part for free, NHTSA said.
Copyright © 2007, Chicago Tribune
http://www.chicagotribune.com/business/chi-070316gm-suv-story,0,7133120.story?coll=chi-bizfront-hed
|