GM SUV Recall Issued Due to Fire Hazard

General Motors is recalling about 250,000 Sport Utility Vehicles (SUVs) due to a risk of fire. The recalled vehicles include the Chevrolet Trailblazer, GMC Envoy, Buick Rainier, Saab 9-7x and Isuzu Ascender vehicles sold in 20 states and the District of Columbia. 

The SUV recall (PDF) was announced last week by the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA), after an investigation revealed that a circuit board linked to the power door locks and power window switches could short circuit, due to corrosion caused by fluid entering the driver’s door.

The problem could cause the locks and windows to become inoperative, but the NHTSA also warns that the short circuits could also result in smoke or a fire, putting occupants at risk of injury. The recall notice did not indicate whether any vehicles had actually caught fire or if anyone had been hurt.

The recall affects certain model year 2006 Chevrolet Trailblazer EXT and GMC Envoy XL and 2006-2007 Chevrolet Trailblazer, GMC Envoy, Buick Rainier, SAAB 9-7x, and Isuzu Ascender SUVs, all manufactured by GM or its subsidiaries.

The vehicles were either sold or are currently registered in Connecticut, Delaware, Illinois, Indiana, Iowa, Maine, Maryland, Massachusetts, Michigan, Minnesota, Missouri, New Hampshire, New Jersey, New York, Ohio, Pennsylvania, Rhode Island, Vermont, West Virginia, Wisconsin, and the District of Columbia. There are 249,260 vehicles affected in all.

As of yet, GM has not indicated any details of a plan to fix the problem. Once a plan is in place, registered owners of Buick, Chevrolet and GMC vehicles will be notified by GM, while Isuzu and Saab owners will be notified by the respective companies.