GM recalls about 127,000 Chevrolet Corvettes

Wednesday, February 11th 2004, 12:00 am

By: News On 6

DETROIT (AP) _ General Motors Corp. is recalling about 127,000 Chevrolet Corvettes to correct a problem with the steering column lock _ the automaker's third major recall in less than a week.

Since Friday, the world's largest automaker has recalled about 2.5 million vehicles, a situation that dims its much-publicized message of improved quality.

The latest recall, announced Tuesday, involves a condition in which some Corvettes can move even while the electronic steering column lock remains locked.

Vehicles included in the recall are 1997-2000 models with automatic transmissions in the United States, Canada and Mexico; 1997-2004 models with automatic transmissions in Europe and other export countries; and 1997-2004 models with manual transmissions in North America, Europe and other export countries.

All Corvettes are produced at a plant in Bowling Green, Ky.

On Monday, GM said it will recall 636,000 mid-size sport utility vehicles from model years 2002 and 2003 to inspect and repair possible faulty windshield wiper equipment, a condition that has caused at least two accidents.

Last Friday, GM said it is recalling 1.8 million cars to repair potential problems with the ignition switch that may cause a fire. The automaker said there have been reports of 80 incidents of heat build up, melted components, smoldering parts or fires in the ignition system and steering column. It said no injuries or fatalities had been reported.

It all added up to a rough few days at GM's product safety department.

``It's highly unusual we do a recall three business days in a row,'' said spokesman Jim Schell. ``It's taxing. I hope it's a rare situation.''

Last May, GM launched a long-term _ and unconventional _ advertising campaign in which it acknowledges quality blunders to underscore progress it has made in recent years.

In J.D. Power and Associates' 2003 initial quality study, GM fared best among the domestic automakers, recording an average of 134 problems per 100 vehicles _ one more than the industry average. Toyota Motor Corp. repeated as the automaker with the highest overall initial quality.

But GM has narrowed the gap between it and the industry leader in the survey by 58 percent in the past four years.

Among consumers, though, rapid-fire recalls only increase the perception that domestic automakers still lag far behind foreign nameplates with reputations for problem-free cars, said Mike Wall, an analyst with the forecasting and research firm CSM Worldwide.

Another reality for GM is that as the biggest automaker, its recalls can involve millions of vehicles.

``GM might say they've improved themselves much above late 1999 and early 2000 _ and they're right, they have,'' Wall said. ``But at the same time perception is so much more pertinent than reality when it comes to these vehicles.''

GM said owners of the affected Corvettes will be notified before July and instructed to bring their vehicles to Chevrolet dealers. Repairs will be done at no cost to customers.

In some of the cars, the electronic steering column fails to unlock when the driver starts the engine. When that happens, an electronic message is sent to shut off fuel to the engine if the vehicle starts to move. In some cases, the fuel continues to flow and the driver can move the vehicle even while the steering column is locked.

Until their vehicles are repaired, owners can verify that the column is unlocked by turning the steering wheel a full turn before shifting into gear.

Schell said there had been no injuries or crashes related to the recall, but the defect could be the cause of a separate problem that's the subject of an ongoing federal investigation.

According to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, there have been 25 accidents and 10 injuries when the Corvette's steering column locked without warning while the vehicle was moving. The agency has recorded 344 complaints that the steering column locked without warning while the Corvette was traveling between 5 miles per hour and 65 mph.