Will it Ever End? GM Issues 67th GM Recall This Year

General Motors has issued its 67th recall since the beginning of 2014. This latest recall—for a risk of brake fires—includes 2013-2015 model-year Cadillac XTS sedans and 2014-2015 model-year Chevrolet Impalas. The global recall totals 221,558 vehicles, 205,309 of which are in the United States.

A recall report posted on the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) website safercar.gov on September 9 states that “the electronic parking brake piston actuation arm may not fully retract causing the brake pads to stay partially engaged,” in the recalled cars. The risk is that “brake pads that remain partially engaged with the rotors may cause excessive brake heat that may result in a fire,” according to the NHTSA.

In a recall bulletin, GM said that drivers “may experience poor vehicle acceleration, undesired deceleration, excessive brake heat, and premature wear to some brake components. If the brake drag is significant or if the vehicle is operated for an extended period of time in this condition, there is a potential for the rear brakes to generate significant heat, smoke, and sparks.”

With the news of the risk of fire from Cadillac XTS and Chevy Impala brake systems, the total number of recalled GM-manufactured vehicles is nearing 30,000. This includes the massive ongoing recall of approximately 2.6 million cars with faulty ignition switches, which have resulted in at least 21 deaths, according to Kenneth Feinberg, an independent compensation expert and attorney who oversees the GM ignition-recall compensation program. Lawsuits allege that the ignition switch defect was known for at least a decade before GM began recalling cars beginning in February of this year.

In other GM news, on September 23, the company announced a “strategic realignment” of its Cadillac brand “that will establish the flagship brand as a separate business unit.” The company plans to open a new global headquarters in New York in 2015.