General Motors the producer of has recently announced a recall of all the 2007 Chevrolet Aveo vehicles due to a faulty fuel line which could cause the vehicle to go on fire in case of crashing accidents.
The Director of the Ministry of Economy's Consumer Protection Unit, Dr. Hashim Al Nuaimi said that the local agent of General Motors Company in the UAE, GM Overseas Distribution Corp has concluded that there is a defect that relates to motors safety present in certain 2007 model year of the Chevrolet Aveo Sedan vehicles that are equipped with 1.4 liter engine.
Likewise the US National Highway Traffic Safety Administration of NHTSA reports: "During a severe frontal crash test, the fuel line in the engine compartment developed a fracture. In addition, the crash damage caused four short circuits in the fuse block, the combination of which allowed the fuel pump to continue running and fuel leaked onto the ground."
The report also stated that "if these conditions occurred in an actual crash, a vehicle fire could occur."
The recall has started last November 16, 2006 right after the NHTSA has found oput about the faulty fuel line. David Dayal, Senior Service Manager for Al Yousul Motors Chevrolet said, "We have already completed repairs for 60 per cent of our customers. We began the safety campaign to repair this fault in late December. We have sent letters to all our customers except to the 15 people that we are having trouble getting hold of."
Al Yousuf Motors Chevrolet has been able to sell around 1,000 Aveo models in the UAE that is according to the Ministry of Economy.
According to Dayal it takes an hour to complete the entire process of repair which includes replacing the fuse block and then removing the old fuel line before a new redesigned fuel line is installed. He also added, "We are fully equipped to handle this recall, we have more than enough replacement parts in stock." The service center is open daily from 7 am to 11 pm and Aveo recall is given the utmost priority. Dayal also stressed that "the repair is done free of charge."
For more info on the said recall just contact Fatima Abbas at 04-339-3636 for an appointment to have your Aveo repaired.
In other news, General Motors Opel unit is planning to bring out an all-electric car at the end of the 2010 that is according to GM's European Chief Carl-Peter Foster--- an excerpt from the Auto Motor Sport magazine.
He told the magazine that the application of hybrid technology on small cars is too costly. He also added that a prototype of the E-Flex electric engine from GM is to be presented at the IAA car show in Frankfurt this coming September. A series production of the said engine is scheduled to start at the end of 2010.
