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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.

2020 Cadillac XT5 light refresh shown in China ahead of U.S. reveal

We spied the lightly refreshed 2020 Cadillac XT5 not too long ago, but now we have official photos via China. Cadillac decided to reveal the mid-cycle refresh of its crossover on that side of the world, so the vehicle you're looking at here is a China-spec XT5. While this may be the case, many of the details unmasked about the vehicle will likely be seen here, too. Cadillac told us it will be able to confirm U.S. specifics in the near future. You may be wondering, what's different? Truthfully, there isn't much to the mid-cycle update from a visual perspective. The grille has been swapped for one that better matches all the other grilles in Cadillac's newest crossovers like the XT4 and XT6. Cadillac of China didn't include any photos of the rear for this light reveal. There are significant updates in other places, though. At least in China, Cadillac is giving the XT5 its new 2.0-liter turbocharged four-cylinder engine we first saw in the XT4. That engine produces a refined 237 horsepower and 258 pound-feet of torque. We can't say whether the crossover will or won't keep the 3.6-liter V6 option in the states, but adding the boosted motor won't come as a surprise. Along for the ride is GM's nine-speed automatic transmission that is paired to that four-cylinder. The interior looks largely the same, save for the addition of Cadillac's rotary knob to control the infotainment system. This follows suit with other newly-released Cadillacs that allow you to control the system with both the knob and the touchscreen. Another notable interior upgrade is the addition of the rearview mirror camera. Cadillac is clearly set on integrating this technology onto every car it makes, and we certainly don't have any qualms with that. One bit of tech that wouldn't be included for China but may present itself for the U.S. model is Super Cruise. We've been told to expect the driver assistance system to spread throughout the manufacturer's lineup, and the XT5 seems a perfect candidate for the tech. Watch out for more details and photos coming soon for the 2020 XT5, as Cadillac will be sharing more specifics on the U.S. version in due time.

Weekly Recap: Cadillac's crossover blitz hinges on the 2017 XT5

Cadillac's aggressive new cadence of crossovers begins next spring with the arrival of the 2017 XT5, the first of four new utility vehicles that Cadillac will unleash in a bid to win more customers and revitalize its image. The XT5 replaces the aging SRX, and it's the first SUV to use the brand's new naming scheme (cars will use the corresponding CT prefix). Billed as the cornerstone of Cadillac's remade crossover lineup, the XT5 will join showrooms right after Caddy's new flagship, the CT6 sedan. It will be on display next week at the Los Angeles auto show after first appearing this month at the Dubai motor show. "It's pivotal to our ongoing growth, which is why we've developed XT5 from the inside out to provide customers more space, more technology, more luxury, and more efficiency," Cadillac president Johan de Nysschen said in a statement. "Pivotal" is almost understating the XT5 and the red-hot midsize crossover segment. The SRX is Cadillac's top seller in 2015, posting a 25-percent increase and its 56,732 units (up 25 percent) are more than one third of the brand's 141,090 sales this year. Yes, the totals have been partially incentive-fueled, and Cadillac put an average of $7,225 on the SRX's hood in October, according to TrueCar data. Still, it's an impressive performance for any vehicle, especially one that's had few major changes since the new generation launched as a 2010 model. "The SRX has been selling very well, given how late in the lifecycle it is," AutoPacific product analysis manager Dave Sullivan told Autoblog. It outsold the all-new MKX last month and really only trails the Lexus RX. This is the volume model for Cadillac and dealers need this to be a grand slam, not just a home run." Cadillac is adamant the XT5 isn't an SRX re-skin. It has a new chassis, more interior room, and adds features like Apple CarPlay and Android Auto. Thanks to a new structure, the XT5 sheds 278 pounds compared with its predecessor, which should improve fuel economy and driving character. The crossover uses General Motors' latest 3.6-liter V6 rated at 310 horsepower and 270 pound-feet of torque, and it is fortified with variable-valve timing, cylinder-deactivation, and stop-start features. The V6 will team with an eight-speed automatic transmission and a twin-clutch all-wheel-drive system than can summon all of the torque distribution to the front or rear axles. Cadillac will also sell a 2.0-liter turbo four-cylinder model in China.