Major GM recall just announced - fire hazard

Ooh roll on massive negative tv and news coverage. Oh hang on, it's GM. Roll on coverage being brushed under the carpet.

This is now two of the big three companies announcing recalls. Why no huge negative coverage like Toyota got?

 

it comes down to the scale of the issue and the companies reputation.

A windsheild washer heater malfunction isnt as big of a deal to most peopl (or as juicy of a story for the media) as accelerators sticking and crashing cars.

Then there is the companies rep. Most americans hate GM as it is, which makes for a boring news story.

But Toyota was known as one of the most reliable and dependable car makers. Until they has their first big issue. The first big one is always the biggest news story.

 

You must get different news than us. Plenty of negative news on GM. It is much quieter than the Oil Spill news, as it should be.

 

I duno . . . burning to death? Statistics show numerous people burn to death every day, of every year in auto fires. You've got a tank and fuel lines full of a toxic explosive, remember? But our culture is taught from early on to NOT think about that danger. Accelerator pedals? HOOhhh yes ... they WANT you to think about THAT. Batteries that (seldom) catch fire in EV's? Now THAT's important.


Then there's the latest from GM. Who didn't think, "better keep your words soft & sweet ... because it won't be long before you have to EAT them" ... as each GM fan heckled Toyota fans. Only difference is (via Fed ownership) YOU and I get to pay for GM's defects ... because the Feds own the lion's share of GM ... that's right ... YOU and I.
Now pony up.

.

 

Unlike the deaths that have been attributed to Toyota.

 

5 reported fires that melted some plastic on the washer heater, versus 1000s of reports of UI accelleration with a poster family's 911 call and photos of the fatal crash. Which do you think sells more advertisements on the news? How many deaths by minor electrical fires do you think have been covered up.

GM already paid a fine for this, and did a fix that did not work. It is definitely newsworthy and being reported. But some posters here seem to have a giant gm chip on their shoulder, and think anything that is only proportional to the event is a government gm conspiracy. I never owned a GM, and never wanted one, which is maybe why I don't think this merits congressional investigations. It would be nice if the nhtsa actually tracked how well the fixes are working after they fine a car company though.

 

same old blah blah Feds own GM. Yes we all know that.

You can catch a fire and have time to stop and exit the vehicle, whereas with a sticky throttle, good luck.

Ford had a huge recall for fires too, not very many people were burned but it was a big recall.

 

Remember back in the good old days of carbs and return springs? I had a few old cars/trucks where the return spring broke.

Shifted to neutral, the motor screamed, shut the motor off, coasted to the side of the road, fixed the problem, and led a normal life

The crash with the Lexus still doesn't make any sense. The guy was supposed to have been a "professional" driver, eg CHP, but couldn't figure out how to move a gear shift from "D" to "N"

But he could figure out how to be on a cell phone talking about his car racing down the freeway

 

exactly most of it is stupid americans. Which could also play a part in the publicity. Idiots not being able to find nuetral, whereas if the car starts on fire due to the windsheild washer fluid, they should have plenty of time to find the door handle. But if they cant, I think that would make a better news story than people not being able to find nuetral.

 

Nope not a fireman.

But I really dont understand why these issues get blown up like they do. You take a risk when you get in a car. Most of that risk is other drivers, maybe your throttle would stick, maybe your windsheild washer fluid jug would start on fire. Its a risk you take, if you dont like the risk, dont buy a car. Nobody is perfect and if anybody thinks they can build a car better from the ground up, I encourage them. many days I think I can too. But I know its not possible.

Much like in motorsports, we know our risks. Fires are very common as are crashes and explosions. Yes we wear firesuits, safety harnesses and such, but firesuits only prevent you from fire for a short time. And the safety harnesses make it a longer process to exit the vehicle.

 

Don't forget stupid canadians. Plenty of those too you know

 

California Highway Patrol incorporates the California State Police. The merger happened in 1995 and the new organization took the CHP name. (CHiPs may have had something to do with it.)

The assumption has always been made that Saylor was a duty traffic officer, a professional driver, but this has never actually been confirmed. He could have been a desk clerk for all we know, and never had professional driver training. "Officer" was simply his rank.

Of course now it's impossible to find any information about him before his death because the web is filled with press articles, speculation and rumour about the incident.

 

For the record, the brother-in-law called 911 from the passenger seat. Even a desk clerk should know that shifting into neutral will stop a car unless it is travelling downhill. Three adults in the car and between them they didn't know enough to save themselves. IMO California doesn't discriminate on the basis of ability. Maybe his employment filled a quota.