Recall for the Saab 9-7X: power-window and door-lock switches

Make: SAAB Model: 9-7X

Model Year: 2006-2007

Manufacturer: General Motors LLC Mfr's Report Date: AUG 15, 2012

NHTSA CAMPAIGN ID Number: 12V406000 NHTSA Action Number: EA12004

Component: VISIBILITY, POWER WINDOW DEVICES AND CONTROLS

Summary:
General Motors (GM) is recalling certain model year 2006 Chevrolet Trailblazer EXT and GMC Envoy XL and 2006-2007 Chevrolet Trailblazer, GMC Envoy, Buick Rainier, SAAB 9-7x, and Isuzu Ascender vehicles, originally sold or currently registered in Connecticut, Delaware, Illinois, Indiana, Iowa, Maine, Maryland, Massachusetts, Michigan, Minnesota, Missouri, New Hampshire, New Jersey, New York, Ohio, Pennsylvania, Rhode Island, Vermont, West Virginia, Wisconsin, and the District of Columbia. Fluid may enter the driver's door module, causing corrosion that could result in a short in the circuit board. A short may cause the power door lock and power window switches to function intermittently or become inoperative. The short may also cause overheating, which could melt components of the door module, producing odor, smoke, or a fire.

Consequence:
A short in the circuit board could lead to a fire, increasing the risk of personal injury.

Remedy:
The remedy plan is still being finalized. A notification schedule has not been determined yet. Buick, Chevrolet, and GMC owners will be notified by GM. Buick owners may contact the owner center at 1-800-521-7300, Chevrolet owners at 1-866-694-6546, and GMC owners at 1-866-996-9463. Isuzu owners will be notified by Isuzu Motors. Owners may contact Isuzu customer service at 1-800-255-6727. SAAB owners will be notified by SAAB Cars North America and for inquiries, owners may call SAAB customer service at 1-855-880-0808.

Notes:
GM's campaign number is 12180. Owners may also contact the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration's Vehicle Safety Hotline at 1-888-327-4236 (TTY: 1-800-424-9153), or go to Home | Safercar -- National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA).

From the Associated Press:

General Motors and Isuzu Recall 258,000 S.U.V.’s

DETROIT (AP) — General Motors and Isuzu are recalling more than 258,000 sport utility vehicles in the United States and Canada to fix short circuits in power-window and door-lock switches that can cause fires.

The recall covers Chevrolet TrailBlazer, GMC Envoy, Buick Rainier, Isuzu Ascender and Saab 97-X S.U.V.’s from the 2006 and 2007 model years. It affects those sold or registered in 20 states, Washington, D.C., and Canada, where salt and other chemicals are used to clear roads in the winter.

G.M. has reports of 28 fires. It does not know of any injuries caused by the problem.

Fluid containing the road-clearing chemicals can get inside the driver’s door and cause corrosion in the power-window and door-switch circuit boards, according to documents posted on the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration Web site. The corrosion can cause short circuits, knocking out the switches and causing fires.

The recall affects S.U.V.’s sold or registered in the following states: Connecticut, Delaware, Illinois, Indiana, Iowa, Maine, Maryland, Massachusetts, Michigan, Minnesota, Missouri, New Hampshire, New Jersey, New York, Ohio, Pennsylvania, Rhode Island, Vermont, West Virginia and Wisconsin.

Dealers will replace the power-window switch free, according to documents posted by the federal agency on Saturday. Owners will get letters telling them when to schedule appointments. G.M. also will make repairs at no cost to owners living in states not covered by the recall, a company spokesman, Alan Adler, said in an e-mail.

The agency started investigating the S.U.V.’s in February after getting a dozen complaints of fires.

In one complaint filed with the agency, from Oct. 29, 2008, a woman reported that the alarm sounded while her 2006 TrailBlazer was parked in her driveway. When she looked outside, she saw the S.U.V. in flames. Firefighters put out the blaze and told her it started in the driver’s door.

“The fire burned the entire driver’s side of the vehicle, a portion of the front passenger seat and the roof,” she wrote.

The TrailBlazer was the biggest seller among the S.U.V.’s and helped make the truck-based sport utility vehicle popular in the United States. The S.U.V.’s were phased out in 2009 and replaced by more efficient car-based crossovers.

G.M. manufactured the Ascender for Isuzu, and Saab was part of G.M. when the recalled vehicles were built.

Sounds like any legal action should also be lodged against DOT and the manufacturer of the chemical. I assume that this is the pre-treat emulsion that goes down like an oil in streaks before the snow or ice. How the heck, short of a crystal ball, is the auto community supposed to know what DOT and their associated agencies will or will not be approving for use.

I predicted this years ago but figured it would be corrosion issues not fires.

I heard on the radio this morning (08aug14) about GM's recall for the window switch problem. They are now saying park the vehicle outside, not in the garage, due to potential for the switch to catch fire ( I guess from a short circuit in the wiring).

This was originally a recall in 2012. Is this a new recall?

RECALL Subject : Driver's Master Power Window Switch may Short

Report Receipt Date: JUL 02, 2014
NHTSA Campaign Number: 14V404000
Component(s):
Potential Number of Units Affected: 184,611
All Products Associated with this Recall
Vehicle MakeModelModel Year(s)
BUICK RAINIER 2006-2007
CHEVROLET TRAILBLAZER 2006-2007
CHEVROLET TRAILBLAZER EXT 2006
GMC ENVOY 2006-2007
GMC ENVOY XL 2006
ISUZU ASCENDER 2006-2007
SAAB 9-7X 2005-2007

Details
Manufacturer: General Motors LLC

SUMMARY:
General Motors LLC (GM) is recalling certain model year 2005-2007 SAAB 9-7x; 2006 Chevrolet Trailblazer EXT and GMC Envoy XL; and 2006-2007 Chevrolet Trailblazer, GMC Envoy, Buick Rainier and Isuzu Ascender vehicles. Fluid may enter the driver's door master power window switch module, causing corrosion that could result in a short in the circuit board. A short may cause the power door lock and power window switches to function intermittently or become inoperative. The short may also cause overheating, which could melt components of the door module, producing odor, smoke, or a fire.

CONSEQUENCE:
A short in the circuit board could lead to a fire, increasing the risk of personal injury. A fire could occur even while the vehicle is not in use. As a precaution, owners are advised to park outside until the remedy has been made.

REMEDY:
GM will notify owners, and dealers will inspect the part number on the door module, and install a new door module if necessary, free of charge. Parts for the remedy are not currently available. GM will send an interim letter to owners in late August 2014. A second owner letter will be mailed when parts are available. Owners may contact GM customer service at 1-800-521-7300 (Buick), 1-800-222-1020 (Chevrolet), 1-800-462-8782 (GMC), 1-800-955-9007 (SAAB), and 1-800-255-6727 (Isuzu). GM's number for this recall is 14309. NOTE: This recall provides a new remedy for all vehicles covered by recall 13V-248. Vehicles whose modules were modified but not replaced as part of the previous recall remedy must have their vehicles remedied again under this campaign.

NOTES:
Owners may also contact the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration Vehicle Safety Hotline at 1-888-327-4236 (TTY 1-800-424-9153), or go to Home | Safercar -- National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA).

Looks like GM is having trouble fixing a simple switch.. so this is a recall of a recall.

Quote:

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This is GM’s third campaign related to this issue in some of these vehicles. It started as an investigation into fires, then a recall covering about 250,000 examples in certain cold-weather states and another nationwide for about 193,000 units in 2013. According to the latest NHTSA document for this one, “vehicles whose modules were modified but not replaced as part of the previous recall remedy must have their vehicles remedied again under this campaign.”

GM spokesperson Alan Adler spoke about the situation to Autoblog. The previous recall included a cover over the part to protect it, but the automaker found that it wasn’t working. Its decision this time was to “just replace the door modules.” According to him, the recommendation not to park in the garage “was always in place,” from the earlier campaigns. He didn’t know why it wasn’t included in the press release.

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Read more: GM SUV window switch recall urges owners to park vehicles outside

I'm wondering what the effects of pulling the fuse for the Driver Door Control Module would be. Aside from the obvious, the switches will no longer work...could this provide temporary protection from the short circuit and fire risks?

If I recall, it's Fuse 2 in the box under the rear left side seat. I think I'll get my multi-meter out and do a little before/after testing on the module. Presumably, removing power to the module will prevent the short/fire risk and I can go back to parking in the garage.

It probably also means I won't be able to unlock the door with a remote...and I'll get to be "that guy" at the drive through who has to open his door and reach over...but that's better than a fire, I reckon.

Anyone smarter than me care to chime in?

it's nothing new - and I'm still waiting for the recall to cover my 2006 9-7... lol