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Recall: 118,800 GM pickups for missing hood latches

Supplier 'forgot' to weld the part during assembly of some Chevrolet Colorados and GMC Canyons.

By Exhaust Notes Dec 20, 2012 6:14AM
General Motors is recalling 118,800 Chevrolet Colorado and GMC Canyon pickups for missing hood latches, according to filings with the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration.

The hood latch in question is a "secondary" latch -- the one that keeps the hood locked when you pop it or don't close it hard enough. That means the hood could fly straight in the driver's face and block the windshield at higher speeds.

GM says its hood supplier essentially forgot to weld the latches during assembly on the hoods of some 2010-2012 models. The automaker had received two reports of trucks with missing latches in late September and early November.

Dealers will replace the hoods on vehicles with missing latches starting Jan. 17. Owners can call Chevrolet at 1-800-630-2438 or GMC at 1-866-996-9463.

Last month, Mercedes-Benz recalled 23 CLS sedans for secondary hood latches that may not have been properly bolted to the chassis.

[Source: NHTSA]

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136Comments
frostyross
Dec 20, 2012 7:15AM
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I can understand not noticing an air bag sensor issue, window switch defect and such during production but how do the people that do nothing but attach hoods to trucks all day long not notice that a piece is missing?? I understand that that welded on piece is not part of their job but if you are looking at, and attaching, hoods all day long, no one notices that something is missing? Is there not a quality control person that makes sure that that hood opens/closes properly before it heads to the dealership? Was he /she taking a nap while those 100,000 trucks rolled past? Completely inexcusable.
  This, along with wheels falling off, steering wheels coming off, brake lines mounted where tires can rub through them, cars leaving the assembly line without brake pads and such are perfect examples of why GM's quality isn't even rated as high as "average" each year.
  Some recalls for hard to see issues are acceptable but the above is simply poor quality construction and poor quality control and exactly the reason that I don't buy their products anymore for my personal use.

Someone (normfromWindhamME)
Dec 20, 2012 7:32AM
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WTF? How do you forget to weld something like that, when that's a integral part of the part's ability to perform properly? Hopefully GM drops this supplier like a hot rock.
tarheit
Dec 20, 2012 7:34AM
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Even if they were missed in manufacturing.  Certainly the dozens or hundreds of dealerships would have noticed it when the hood flies open when the vehicle is inspected for purchase or on the first oil change.  Should not have taken them long to notice the pattern.
nascar21fan
Dec 20, 2012 7:34AM
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Guess the "new truck" design isn't working out so well lol..

 

Oh, and for those who say GM paid back their bankruptcy money:

 

 

I hope the link stays.  If it dosen't, just google "GM to buy back shares/Treasury to lose up to 12 BILLION dollars from bailout.

 

Thanks Noblaba.  I'm sure feeling the "hope and change" today...

 

Sincerely,

 

A dis-satisfied customer and voter...

 

88 blazer
Dec 20, 2012 7:34AM
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well at least the brakes work, this is just typical of all thing now days nobody cares nobody questions just give me my pay check .

everybody that worked on that should get fired

Sgt. Hugo Stiglitz
Dec 20, 2012 7:47AM
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If you have ever had a GM truck have the hood pop open, it's an eye opening experience. Before you can even think of slowing down, the hood has already come back, bent in the middle a smacked into the windshield busting it.  The only are you can see through is the small gap at the bottom of the hood.  Fun times, glad I wasn't going 50 mph when it happened.  We drive GM products at work and the garage retrofits a second safety strap on the hoods because all the GM hood latches fail...........
Downray
Dec 20, 2012 7:57AM
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   I hauled GM products for over 40 years,and there is one thing that is allways missing on all of them.......QUALITY!!​!!!!

Bart O
Dec 20, 2012 7:53AM
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It's the secondary latch, not the primary! That's an easily fixed defect that shouldn't cause accidents or deaths unless you are stupid enough to pop your hood going down the interstate. So what's the big deal here?  This doesn't even compare in size or seriousness to some of the recent Toyota and Honda recalls. 
Bob Gaul
Dec 20, 2012 7:50AM
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What do you expext from unionTHUGS????
skook2
Dec 20, 2012 7:48AM
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   Yet again-truly sad.  The US car makers had their butts handed to them by the Japanese over quality issues during the 70's & 80's.   They have been working for over 20 years to try to convince us that things have changed. 
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