NON-CRASH ENGINE COMPARTMENT FIRES

Electrical System
Electrical System:12v/24v/48v Battery
Electrical System:Wiring
Electrical System:Wiring:Front Underhood
Electrical System:Wiring:Fuses And Circuit Breakers
Engine And Engine Cooling
Engine And Engine Cooling:Engine
Visibility:Windshield Wiper/Washer
Visibility:Windshield Wiper/Washer:Switch/Wiring

Summary

In a letter dated August 27, 2008, General Motors Corp. (GM) notified NHTSA that it will conduct a safety recall (NHTSA recall number 08V-441) to address a safety relateddefect that can result in engine compartment fire in approximately 850,000 vehicles equipped with a heated windshield washer fluid option.the subject vehicles of this investigation comprise over three-quarters of the recall population. According to GM, a short circuit on the printed circuit board for the windshield washer fluid heater module may overheat the control-circuit ground wire. This may cause other electrical features to malfunction, create an odor or cause smoke and in rare cases it may cause a fire.as a remedy, GM dealers will install a wire harness with an in-line fuse. In addition to the subject vehicles, several other GM models with the heated windshield washer fluid option are included in recall 08V-441: MY 2006-2008 Buick lucerne (manufactured August 2005 through November 2007); MY 2008 Buick enclave (manufactured February 2007 through April 2007); MY 2006-2008 Cadillac dts (manufactured May 2007 through November 2007); MY 2007-2008 Saturn Outlook (manufactured August 2006 through April 2007); and MY 2007-2008 GMC acadia (manufactured August 2006 through April 2007) vehicles.GM is instructing owners to take their vehicle to a dealer for service if they experience symptoms of windshield washer heater module short circuits. GM's recall resolves the safety defect concerns pursued by this investigation.this engineering analysis is closed.

Documents (8)

• CLOSING RESUME APPROVED * 09/08/08 * p - Re: Alleged non crash engine compartment fires.
• MEMO TO FILE * 05/18/09 * p
• MEMO TO FILE - * 07/14/09 * p
• MFR IR RESPONSE LETTER - MFR's response to ODI regarding the Microheat Transient report ltr sent to ODI on May 13, 2009. - * 05/27/09 * p
• ODI 7/14/2009 MEMO AND MICROHEAT 5/27/2009 MEMO TO ODI
• MICROHEAT 4/6/2009 LETTER RECALL 08V-441
• GM 8/13/2009 LETTER TO ODI
• OPENING RESUME APPROVED * 06/12/08 * p

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