Fearing that fires may start under the hood of the 2011 and 2012 model year Chevrolet Cruze sedans, General Motors has issued a recall of 413,418 vehicles in the United States and 61,299 in Canada.
The company said on Friday that fires can ignite when fluids, mainly during improper engine oil change procedures, spill onto a plastic shield below the engine.
GM will modify the engine shield under the vehicle to prevent any liquids from being trapped in the engine compartment, where a fire could start and spread.
The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) opened a preliminary investigation in April of this year after learning about two engine compartment fires in 2011 model year Cruzes and later added the 2012 model year.
In a separate action, GM is recalling 249 Chevrolet Cruze sedans from the same model years to inspect for inadequate welds in the rear compartment that could affect the fuel tank attachment to the floor structure and a sub assembly to the rear floor pan.
“The most important thing for our customers to know is that we are proactively working to assure the Cruze is the safe and durable car they purchased,” said GM vice president of Global Quality Alicia Boler-Davis. “We are sorry for any inconvenience caused by these actions.”
PHOTO GALLERY
