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GM re-recalls 11k SUVs

General Motors is recalling a bunch of previously recalled SUVs because, well, they still aren't quite fixed. The latest repairs are necessary on 10,974 SUVs in North America, including 9,932 in only the US. Affected models include the 2006-2007 Buick Rainier, Chevrolet Trailblazer, and GMC Envoy; plus the 2006 Trailblazer EXT and Envoy XL. While not listed by NHTSA, a statement by GM to Autoblog says the 2006-2007 Saab 9-7X and Isuzu Ascender are also affected. In these SUVs, it's possible that liquid could get into the driver's door master power window switch module and cause a short circuit. This could potentially lead to a fire, and owners are urged to park the vehicles outside until repaired. GM has been trying to fix this issue for years. It started as an investigation into fires, and that led to a recall for about 250,000 vehicles in cold-weather states. A nationwide campaign came in 2013 for 193,000 of them in the US. Last year, the automaker decided to replace the whole module as a repair. However in a recent investigation of these recalls, GM discovered that this latest group of SUVs never received the new part. According to documents submitted to NHTSA (as a PDF), "Some dealers incorrectly used the labor code associated with module replacement when, instead of replacing the module, they only added a protective coating to the module." To fix things this time, the models finally get the correct component. Related Video: GM Statement General Motors is recalling 9,932 older midsize SUVs in the U.S. because they were mistakenly excluded from an earlier recall. Certain 2006 Chevrolet TrailBlazer EXT and GMC Envoy XL, and 2006-2007 TrailBlazer, Envoy, Buick Rainier, Saab 9-7X and Isuzu Ascender vehicles may continue to have a condition in which the printed circuit board inside the driver's door may corrode and short if exposed to certain fluids such as melted snow containing road salt. GM is aware of four fires but no crashes, injuries or fatalities associated with the expanded recall. The total number of vehicles being recalled, including Canada, Mexico and exports is 10.974. Customers are urged to park these vehicles outside until repairs have been made. GM reported this recall to the NHTSA on September 23.

GM cutting Chevy Sonic, Buick Verano production by more than 20%

General Motors' Orion Assembly plant in Michigan is seeing even more production cuts this year to further reduce inventories of the Chevrolet Sonic and Buick Verano. These latest adjustments mean layoffs for about 100 workers in phases starting in July. "GM Orion Assembly will adjust plant production capacity to better align with market demand," the company said in a statement announcing the change. Through May, sales of the Sonic are down 28.5 percent to 29,082 vehicles, and the Verano is off 15.6 percent, with 15,279 sold this year. According to unnamed plant insiders speaking to Automotive News, the assembly rate is slowing at Orion Assembly from the current 33 cars an hour down to 26 an hour, a 21-percent reduction. GM is also reportedly going to keep the plant idle for three weeks during the normal summer shutdown, rather than the usual two. Earlier in the year, the factory was idled for two weeks due to excess supply of the Sonic and Verano. In March, it was closed again for several days for the same reason. The Orion Assembly plant is the future home to the line for the Chevy Bolt EV. GM Statement: GM Orion Assembly will adjust plant production capacity to better align with market demand. A phased layoff of approximately 100 employees will begin in July 2015 and conclude by year-end. Related Video: News Source: Automotive News - sub. req.Image Credit: Bill Pugliano / Getty Images Plants/Manufacturing Buick Chevrolet GM Hatchback Sedan buick verano orion assembly

Buick Envision interior just as nice as its exterior

GM China loosed more photos of the all-new 2021 Buick Envision, this time of the interior. We are happy to report that the cabin design is just as pleasing to the eye as the exterior. When the 2021 model shows up for the reunion with its earlier model-year siblings, no one will recognize it. The modestly dated interior of the current crossover with its too-small infotainment screen and Rorschach-blot button placement is all gone. The gaudy curves and textures on the current instrument panel give way to a simple, split-level, bi-color form. What's more, the IP subtly carves out distinct driver and passenger spaces, a design trait normally reserved for sports cars. When Buick and GMC design boss Helen Emsley said the coming Envision would possess "striking styling designed to combine the expressiveness of a car with the practicality of an SUV,” she wasn't lying. The new steering wheel picks up more substantial spokes decorated with linear buttons instead of the circular pads, and its center cap is wider and no longer reminiscent of an alien face. The dash's dark portion up top houses a 10-inch infotainment screen canted at an 18-degree angle for the driver's ease-of-use. Air vents accentuate the break between the top and bottom of the instrument panel. Beneath the center vents, in the cabin-colored portion of the dash, are a slick set of climate controls. The pushbutton gear selectors along the left side of the center tunnel come from the China-market Enclave. And even the cupholders are handsome. The Envision Avenir gets a few exterior changes like a mesh grille and nicer wheels to set itself apart, the interior wearing Ivory White and Jazz Black hues and diamond-stitched seats. We might prefer the interior with peanut-butter brown and black even more. And suddenly, the Cadillac XT4 could have a problem; the Buick and the Cadillac share the E2 platform, but one of them — in photos, at least — is incontestably more fetching. As for tech, expect Android Auto and Apple CarPlay standard, and driver safety features such as automatic emergency braking with pedestrian detection, lane-keep assist, and the automaker's safety alert seat. Regular conveniences will include space for five, nearly two dozen storage cubbies, and an available giant panoramic moonroof. The only engine we've heard tell of so far is a 2.0-liter turbocharged unit, expected to be a carryover mill with 252 horsepower and 295 pound-feet of torque.