General Motors Recalls Sierras, Silverados
» Posted May 24, 2019 • Resources | Share This Post
You don’t need to be an auto mechanic to understand that it’s a bad thing when your car catches on fire.
General Motors is recalling some 370,000 Chevrolet Silverado models and GMC Sierra vehicles. The pickup trucks are getting another look in response to at least 19 reports of fires caused by engine block heater cords, according to the Detroit Free Press.
“In vehicles equipped with the Duramax diesel 6.6 liter engine and the optional engine-block heater cord, a short-circuit condition may develop in the engine-block heater cable or in the terminals that connect the heater cable to the block heater,” GM said in a notice to the National Traffic Highway Safety Administration. “A short-circuit condition can cause damage to engine components and, in rare cases, start a fire in the engine compartment.”
The pickups included in the recall include the 2019 Silverado 4500, 5500 and 6500 trucks, as well as the 2017-2019 Silverado 2500 and 3500 trucks. The 2017-2019 Sierra is also part of the recall.
GM recently began sending recall notices to owners and lessors of affected trucks. The company wants owners and lessors to visit a local dealer to get the engine block heater turned off in their cars. It also said it’s working on a long-term solution to eventually restore the engine-block heater’s functionality. In the meantime, GM has also instructed dealers not to sell or lease cars covered by the recall.
How the California Lemon Law Protects Car Buyers, Lessors
The latest GM recall is far from the only example of carmakers alerting owners and lessors about serious safety hazards associated with the vehicles long after the car leaves the dealer’s lot. That’s why the California lemon law was created: to help automobile and other consumers who have been harmed or put at risk by defective products.
The Song-Beverly Consumer Warranty Act creates certain basic responsibilities for car manufacturers. The law requires a manufacturer to make various repairs to a vehicle while it is still under warranty. If the company doesn’t make those repairs—or if it doesn’t fix the problem—the carmaker is required to take the vehicle back and reimburse the owner or lessor for the purchase price, financing costs and other relates expenses. There is no magic number of repair attempts that must be made before the law kicks in.
The manufacturer can also offer to replace the car instead, but the decision is ultimately up to the owner or lessor. The law also forces the manufacturer to pick up any of your legal costs related to enforcing these rights.
How our California Lemon Law Attorneys Can Help
The California Lemon Law attorneys at the Bickel Law Firm have represented hundreds of clients in defective vehicle cases across the state. We help clients ensure that carmakers are made responsible for their lemons.
Our offices are conveniently located in Los Angeles, San Diego and San Francisco. Call us at (888) 800-1983 or contact us online to speak with an attorney.
