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GM announces 3 new recalls affecting 1.7M vehicles in North America [w/video]

Still embroiled in the ongoing ignition switch recall, General Motors announced today three more discrete recalls, affecting a grand total of 1,546,900 vehicles in the US. The Detroit News reports that some 1.7 million vehicles are affected overall in North America. The first and largest of the trio of new recalls concerns some 1.18-million Buick Enclave and GMC Acadia crossovers from the 2008-2013 model years, Chevrolet Traverse from 2009-2013 (pictured above) and Saturn Outlook vehicles from 2008-2010. All of the crossover utilities may have an issue with the wiring harness for their seat-mounted side airbags. Apparently, the vehicles are equipped with a Service Air Bag warning light that, if ignored, "will eventually result in the non-deployment of the side impact restraints." Those restraints include the side airbags, a front-center airbag if the vehicle is so equipped and seatbelt pretensioners. Dealers of affected vehicles will be instructed to remove driver and passenger side airbag wiring harness connectors, and then "splice and solder the wires together." The second recall affects 303,000 Chevrolet Express (pictured right) and GMC Savana vans from model years 2009-2014, and with gross vehicle weights under 10,000 pounds. Said vehicles do not comply with a head impact requirement for unrestrained occupants, and will need a reworking of the instrument panel material to be sent back on the road. It doesn't sound as though there's a quick fix for this one, as the GM press release states: "Unsold vehicles have been placed on a stop delivery until development of the solution has been completed and parts are available." Finally, the third recall affects 63,900 Cadillac XTS luxury sedans from model years 2013 and 2014. A brake booster pump may be susceptible to corrosion by way of the relay, potentially causing and electrical short, overheating, melting of plastic components and even engine fires. GM says it is aware of two engine fires in unsold XTS models and two cases of melted parts. Repairs for the issues affecting the XTS have not not mentioned by GM in the release. The Detroit News is also reporting that along with news of the triple-recall, GM is taking a $300-million credit to help pay for the repair costs, and to deal with the ongoing costs associated with the ignition switch recall. In an attempt to explain just what GM has been doing in the face of these very serious issues, newly minted CEO Mary Barra has addressed the issues in a new video.

Cadillac teases two new V-Series prototypes at the Detroit Grand Prix

We told you earlier this week that there would be more to come from Cadillac's V-Series of performance vehicles following the introduction of the brand's CT4-V and CT5-V performance sedans. We just didn't expect it to come quite so soon. Cadillac surprised attendees of the 2019 Detroit Grand Prix as two new prototypes took to the track for what we figure must have been demonstration laps in between other official race events. A CT4-based machine wearing funky blue camouflage joined a red-hued CT5-based prototype on the track, with driving duties split between Mark Reuss, president of General Motors, and Ken Morris, vice president of Product. Cadillac CT4 V-Series prototype View 3 Photos Exactly what's powering these prototypes is still a mystery, but we have our suspicions that these two beasts are putting down a lot more power than the 320-horsepower CT4-V and 355-hp CT5-V that underwhelmed enthusiasts earlier this week. We wouldn't be surprised if there was a version of Cadillac's twin-turbo Blackwing V8 engine under the hood of this V-badged CT5 prototype. Cadillac is being coy with further details, saying only that these two vehicles "represent the next step in Cadillac's V-Series performance legacy." So we'll just have to wait for now. But in the meantime, feel free to peruse the images above and speculate in the comments below.

Weekly Recap: Auto execs face life in prison for recall delays under proposed legislation

The stiff punishments are part of broader transportation legislation, but clearly McCaskill has automakers in her sights.
Missouri Senator Claire McCaskill threw down the gauntlet this week, proposing a bill that could send auto executives to prison for life if they were found to have delayed a recall. She also wants to eliminate the limit for fines for auto safety violations, which are currently capped at $35 million.