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ctrlraven
08-13-2012, 05:40 AM
http://bottomline.nbcnews.com/_news/2012/08/12/13244537-gm-recalling-38000-police-cars-due-to-crash-risk?lite



General Motors is recalling more than 38,000 Chevrolet Impala police cars in the U.S. and Canada because a part in the front suspension can crack and cause a crash.
The recall affects police cars from the 2008 through 2012 model years. The lower control arm in the suspension can fracture, causing sudden changes in handling that could make the driver lose control, GM said in documents posted Saturday on the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration website.

Impalas sold to the public have some different suspension parts and are not affected by the recall, spokesman Alan Adler said. "We tested for durability on the civilian Impala, and we believe there are no issues," he said.

GM doesn't know of any crashes or injuries from the problem. If a fracture occurs, a squeal or chirp is likely to come from the tire area at low speeds, GM said in the documents.

The company will replace the lower control arms at no charge to police departments. Parts are available, and departments can call dealers to schedule repairs, Adler said.

The problem was discovered after GM got reports from several police fleets that the lower control arms had cracked near a bushing sleeve. GM began investigating the problem in February, and in July, GM engineers had traced the problem to lower control arms that the company started using in the middle of the 2008 model year, the documents said.

All the cars were built at GM's factory in Oshawa, Ontario.

Krytin
08-13-2012, 05:52 AM
Wonder if the parts came from China?

guspech750
08-13-2012, 06:04 AM
What Eva. They all have recalls.


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rayjay
08-13-2012, 01:41 PM
Thats funny. The way GM routed the brake lines in the past, the system would rot out from road salt and the brakes had to be completely replumbed. Our in house tech hated those cars.

Mr. Man
08-13-2012, 07:26 PM
Wonder if the parts came from China?
More likely GM used control arms from the Geo Metro to save .10 cents per. Now they will spend millions replacing parts that should have been sized for the job in the first place. These recalls for crappy parts that GM calls for are very common and I'd bet in a higher %'s than other manufacturers.

Baconbit
08-13-2012, 07:30 PM
Another reason why police cruiser ashould not be front wheel drive vehicles. If your a county deputy and go over a hump in the road at high speed you lose drive wheels and steering wheels all in one...our deputys hate the Impala and our city mechanics refuse to work on a front wheel drive cruiser ever again.

RF Overlord
08-13-2012, 08:56 PM
Another reason why NO CARS should ever be front wheel drive vehicles. Fixed it for ya...

Mr. Man
08-13-2012, 09:09 PM
Fixed it for ya...
I disagree Bob. You can have a lot of fun in the snow with front drive cars (I'll qualify that w/small fwd cars )and a manual transmission.:burnout:

71cyclone
08-13-2012, 09:31 PM
Family friends that were X Troopers [ NJ ,MD , SC ] all stated that FWD carz are useless for heavy enforcement work . local municipalities "ok"

rayjay
08-14-2012, 09:07 AM
I disagree Bob. You can have a lot of fun in the snow with front drive cars (I'll qualify that w/small fwd cars )and a manual transmission.:burnout:

Yep, thats about all they were good for. Goodyear snow/ice speed rated tires
and they'd go through anything. Never got one stuck. We bought them for $$$ reasons. We could get a fully outfitted Wimpala for less than a CV with no equipment on it. The equipment cost adds up quick. So did the repair costs. Due to our extreem winters here my former agency went to all 4x4 patrol vehicles. No plows on the road after 10pm here, in the snowbelt no less. :shake:

Silver03Vic
08-14-2012, 07:38 PM
I think most agencies will end up realizing the SUVS are all that will hold up long term, despite the fuel costs