GM Recalls 5,000 Heavy Duty Vans for Engine Fire Risk

Chevrolet Express and GMC Savana Vans Built in February and March Affected

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Mar 26, 2010, 11:40 ET

DETROIT, March 26 /PRNewswire/ -- General Motors Co. is conducting a safety recall of about 5,000 heavy-duty Chevrolet Express and GMC Savana passenger and cargo vans and halting production and sale of the trucks until a fix for a suspected faulty alternator can be determined.

Retail and fleet customers who purchased these vans, which were built in February and March this year, are being urged to stop driving the vans, park them outside away from buildings and other vehicles and, if possible, disconnect both battery cables.

Vehicles affected by the recall and stop sale fall in these ranges of Vehicle Identification Numbers (last eight digits shown):

Year Division Model From Through

2010 Chevrolet Express A1129327 A1142523
2500/3500

2010 GMC Savana A1128784 A1901915
2500/3500

Relatively few of the affected vans are in retail customer possession. About 1,300 are in rental and other fleets, and a Stop Sale order was issued Friday, preventing the fleet-owned vans from being rented or those on dealer lots from being sold. Others are being held at dealerships or in ports before being exported.

Only the 2500 (three-quarter ton) and 3500 (one-ton) Series vans are affected. Light-duty (half-ton) Express and Savana vans use a different alternator. The light-duty vans are still being built and shipped from the plant in Wentzville, Mo. Typical production at the plant is about 60 percent heavy-duty models.

"The Stop Sale and production halt are measures being taken to assure customer safety until we have a repair procedure," said Jeff Boyer, GM executive director of Safety and Interiors.

AC Delco Alternators Also Affected

About 1,400 AC Delco aftermarket parts also are affected by the recall. The affected part numbers are: 15200110; 15288861; 15263859 and 15847291. Customers who had a heavy duty alternator replaced in February or March in a 2005-2010 heavy-duty Express or Savana van or other 2005-2009 GM truck or SUV also are being urged to check their repair order receipts to determine if a suspect part was involved. If it was, or the part used is unknown, they are urged to stop driving their vehicles, park them away from buildings and other vehicles and, if possible, disconnect both battery cables.

These owners also are asked to contact their Customer Assistance Center to provide their contact information, so we can follow up with them when more information is available.

About General Motors: General Motors, one of the world's largest automakers, traces its roots to 1908. With its global headquarters in Detroit, GM employs 204,000 people in every major region of the world and does business in some 140 countries. GM and its strategic partners produce cars and trucks in 34 countries, and sell and service these vehicles through the following brands: Buick, Cadillac, Chevrolet, GMC, GM Daewoo, Holden, Opel, Vauxhall and Wuling. More information on the new General Motors can be found at www.gm.com.

SOURCE General Motors