General Motors announces two recalls totaling nearly 720,000 vehicles

DETROIT (AP) _ General Motors Corp. recalled nearly 720,000 cars and trucks Monday that have potential air bag problems. <br><br>The first recall includes 570,000 model year 2000 pickups and sport utility

Tuesday, August 20th 2002, 12:00 am

By: News On 6

DETROIT (AP) _ General Motors Corp. recalled nearly 720,000 cars and trucks Monday that have potential air bag problems.

The first recall includes 570,000 model year 2000 pickups and sport utility vehicles with a problem that could prevent air bags from working in certain frontal collisions.

The affected models include Chevrolet Silverado and GMC Sierra pickups and Tahoe/Suburban and Yukon/Yukon XL SUVs. Only full-size pickups and SUVs built between February 1999 and February 2000 are affected.

The second recall includes 150,000 2002 and 2003 Buick, Cadillac, Chevrolet, GMC, Oldsmobile and Pontiac cars and trucks built between May and July 2002.

In these vehicles, GM said the air bag inflation device on the driver's side may break apart during inflation and ``strike or injure the occupants.'' The air bag also would not fully inflate.

GM said it has not received any reports of crashes or injuries related to the problems.

The vehicles involved include the Buick LeSabre, Cadillac DeVille, Chevrolet Impala and Monte Carlo, Oldsmobile Aurora, and Pontiac Bonneville passenger cars; Chevrolet Venture, Pontiac Montana, and Oldsmobile Silhouette minivans; and Buick Rendezvous, Chevrolet TrailBlazer, GMC Envoy, and Oldsmobile Bravada SUVs.

Owners of cars, trucks and SUVs involved in either recall are asked to take their vehicles to a dealer. All repairs will be performed at no cost.