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Canada opens probe into 250,000 GM pickups, SUVs over brake performance

Transport Canada, the auto safety regulator, has opened a probe into braking issues in nearly 250,000 General Motors full-size pickups and SUVs after U.S. officials launched a similar probe last year, the agency said on its website. The U.S. National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) in November into 2.73 million U.S. 2014-2016 model year SUVs and pickups after receiving 487 reports of hard brake pedal effort accompanied by extended stopping distance that were attributed to deterioration of the engine-driven brake assist vacuum pump. Transport Canada's probe covers 249,700 2015 through 2017 model year vehicles including the Cadillac Escalade, Chevrolet Suburban, Chevrolet Tahoe and GMC Yukon as well as 2014-2017 Chevrolet Silverado LD and GMC Sierra LD vehicles. The U.S. agency said it had reports of nine incidents of vehicles incurring damage as a result of colliding with another vehicle or fixed object at low speeds and reports of two injuries. NHTSA said if the pump fails to operate, the amount of brake power assist can be significantly reduced, extending vehicle stopping distance. The NHTSA sent GM an information request in a Feb. 7 letter. A GM spokesman said he had no update on the investigation. Reporting by David Shepardson; editing by Jonathan Oatis

Some 2012-13 Chevy Volts may not have enough battery coolant

The 2012 and 2013 model year Chevrolet Volt extended-range plug-in vehicle may have a battery glitch caused by low coolant levels. No recall has been issued and General Motors is taking care of the issue at no cost to drivers. Some of the affected Volts may have lower-than-advisable coolant levels because of some pesky air pockets in the car's cooling circuit. When the coolant levels get too low, the charging system for the battery powering the car's onboard generator (i.e. the Rechargeable Energy Storage System, or the RESS) may be shut down, turning one's Volt into a run-of-the-mill gas-powered car, and a pricey one at that. The Car Connection says GM is advising owners of the '12 and '13 Volts to contact their local Chevy dealer for a free fix. GM representatives didn't immediately respond to a request for comment from AutoblogGreen for more details. We believe this is a separate issue than the one that brought 8,000 Volts back to the dealers for a battery coolant fix, what GM called a "voluntary customer satisfaction effort," a few years ago. General Motors sold 23,094 Chevy Volts last year after selling 23,461 Volts in 2012, so that fix-it list may get fairly lengthy. Check out a GM-Volt.com user thread related to this issue here. *UPDATE: Chevrolet spokesman Randy Fox confirmed in an e-mail to AutoblogGreen that the company issued a service bulletin to dealers that they may need to top off coolant levels on certain Volts because of the issue, and that the vehicle will "return to normal charging operation" once that's done.

Someone has already test driven the 2016 Chevy Volt

Due to some well-placed connections at General Motors Canada headquarters in Oshawa, a senior member of the gm-volt.com forum with the handle "kickincanada" got about 30 minutes behind the wheel of a 2016 Chevrolet Volt. Kickincanada owns a 2012 Volt, and other than personal reservations over the styling of the new car, he came way nothing but impressed by the second-generation hybrid. He drove the Premier trim, posted his observations on the site, then answered questions for other owners desperate to find out what's coming. He said the interior materials are "more upscale," there is less hard plastic and better leather, the seats are more comfortable, and ergonomically, "Everything is beautifully laid out." Although obviously not as luxurious, the interior reminded him of the Cadillac ELR. Tech touches like a better display, Apple integration, a wireless charging area for the phone, heated rear seats, and a better rear console were also worth noting. As for driving, Kickincanada called it "incredible." The "much more luxurious drive" comes courtesy of a "firm and sporty" suspension setup, less NVH thanks to more sound insulation, quieter Michelin Energy Saver tires, and quieter operation of the genset ICE. He said acceleration from a standstill felt quicker because there was no delay between applying the throttle and the car taking off. He estimates owners should be able to get about 100 kilometers (62 miles) out of the electric mode alone on a full charge, and that the new Volt is "clearly improved in almost every way" (the car's official range, as determined by the EPA, is 53 electric miles). We look forward to finding out ourselves. Click through to gm-volt to read all of his thoughts and responses if there's a hybrid purchase in your future. Related Video: