April 28, 2003

Faulty power mirror switch causes recall of 570,000 GM trucks

Detroit, Michigan - General Motors is recalling about 570,000 model year 1997-98 Chevrolet and GMC Suburban truck wagons, 1997 Chevrolet Blazer and GMC Jimmy midsize SUVs, 1998 Chevrolet C/K and GMC Sierra pickups, and 1998 Chevrolet Astro and GMC Safari midsize vans all equipped with remote power adjustable mirrors. GM will repair a mirror control switch condition in the driver's door. Of the total, about 507,000 of the vehicles are in the U.S. and approximately 46,000 are in Canada. The rest are outside the U.S. and Canada

The full-size pickups and SUVs and the midsize SUVs involved in this recall are not the new, full-size models GM introduced in 1999 and 2000 (Chevrolet Silverado and GMC Sierra) and the new, midsize SUVs (Chevrolet TrailBlazer, GMC Envoy, and Olds Bravada) that went on the market in 2001.

Beginning in April, GM will notify owners of the affected vehicles, instructing them to bring them into their Chevrolet and GMC dealers. Dealers will install a fused jumper harness in the door wiring harness leading to the mirror switch. This will provide over-current protection. The repairs will be performed at no cost to the customers.

In some of the recall vehicles, a short circuit could allow continuous current flow through the switch, producing enough heat to initiate smoldering in the switch, wiring insulation, and adjacent materials. The smoldering could progress to an electrical fire in the door trim panel and other interior surfaces. There are 67 incidents of electrical fires where the mirror control switch was specifically given as the source. There have been three reports of injuries that may be related to the condition, but no fatal injuries.

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