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GM diesel pickups first to undergo extra EPA, CARB testing

The effects of Volkswagen's long-running diesel emissions evasion are starting to spill over to other automakers, but General Motors is taking things in stride. The 2.8-liter, four-cylinder Duramax in the 2016 Chevrolet Colorado and GMC Canyon is the first engine to get extra scrutiny by the Environmental Protection Agency and the California Air Resources Board, Automotive News reports. Rather than just the usual in-lab test, it's also being checked on the road. However, the extra evaluation shouldn't have any impact on when the trucks with his mill hit dealers later this fall. "We're in our final stages of the EPA certification, and our launch is on track," Chevy spokesperson Otie McKinley tells Autoblog. The four-cylinder diesel in the trucks makes 181 horsepower and 369 pound-feet of torque, and the automaker is touting low NOx production. In the announcement for the Colorado's specs, the company calls it "the cleanest diesel truck engine ever produced by General Motors." The tech includes exhaust gas recirculation to lower combustion temperatures and improve emissions. There's also a urea tank like on the bigger diesels for full-size trucks, and it gets refilled in time with oil changes. An indication on the instrument panel lets drivers know when that's needed, too. Even with the more demanding testing, the company doesn't seem too worried about the four-cylinder passing. "Part of our development process is on-road and off-road [laboratory] testing," Scott Yackley, Chevy Trucks assistant chief engineer, said to Automotive News. In the wake of the VW scandal, the EPA has pledged more rigorous testing. Before, on-road emissions evaluations were largely limited to heavy-duty vehicles, but the agency has decided to apply the checks more often to other models. There's also now greater cooperation with Canadian authorities.

Engine block heater issues force GM to recall 324,226 diesel heavy duty trucks

General Motors has issued a recall on 324,226 diesel heavy duty trucks that could be susceptible to short circuits, and consequently, potential fire. The recall affects several models of heavy duty Chevrolet Silverados and GMC Sierras with optional engine block heaters. GM is recalling seven different truck models spread across three years. The recall affects the 2017-2019 Chevrolet Silverado 2500HD, 2017-2019 Silverado 3500HD, 2019 Silverado 4500HD, 2019 Silverado 5500HD, and 2019 Silverado 6500HD, plus the 2017-2019 GMC Sierra 2500HD and 2017-2019 Sierra 3500HD. Specifically, it includes these models with the 6.6-liter Duramax diesel engines and the optional engine block heater. The recall technically deals not with the engine block heater itself, but the way it is connected. According to NHTSA campaign No. 19V328000, the engine block heater cord or the terminals that link the cord to the heater could short circuit. A short circuit could potentially damage engine components and result in a fire. According to The Detroit News, 19 fires have been reported but nobody has been injured. GM has yet to figure out a fix, and thus has not yet released a notification schedule for affected customers. If you believe your vehicle is part of the recall, contact GM customer service at 1-586-596-1733 and use reference number N182206310.

Next-gen Chevy Volt will get 1.5-liter, four-cylinder engine

As General Motors gets ready to unveil the new Chevy Volt at the Detroit Auto Show in January, it's starting to reveal a few more details about the updated plug-in hybrid. Today should be fruitful on that front, thanks to an event GM is hosting today that focuses on the new Volt, and we've just had the first bit of new: a bigger engine is coming. Since the beginning, the Volt has used a 1.4-liter, four-cylinder engine as a range extender when the battery runs dry. The second-generation model will instead get a slightly larger 1.5-liter, four-cylinder engine that will be built in Flint, MI. That's a step up from the various engines that have been a part of the 2016 Volt's rumored mills, everything from a 1.0-liter or 1.2-liter three-cylinder to a 2.0-liter turbo. The confirmation about the new 1.5-liter powerplant was found in Automotive News, where we also heard again that GM is going to start building the new Volt's electric drive unit in Detroit, moving production up from Mexico. We will have more information on the 2016 Chevy Volt later today.