GM was like "HEY! Come back! We forgot to install brakes!"

[Jesda]

http://www.freep.com/article/20111230/B ... ads-recall

General Motors said on Friday that it is recalling more than 4,000 of its 2012 Chevrolet Sonic subcompact cars to check for missing brake pads.

The possibility that some Sonics could be missing an inner or outer brake pad was discovered during warranty service for a rental vehicle customer. GM said the problem "is expected to exist in very few cars," and there are no known crashes or injuries related to the issue. A missing pad could require longer stopping distance, and contribute to a crash.

The recall involves 4,296 of GM's 2012 Sonics sold in the U.S. The affected models are from the Orion Township assembly plant, where the Sonic is built for sale in the U.S. and Canada.

Dealers will inspect the front brakes for missing inner or outer pads and, if a pad is missing, install new pads. If needed, a new brake caliper or brake rotor, or both, will also be installed. Affected customers will receive dealer letters beginning Jan. 14.

The Sonic is an unusually nice car for a cheap subcompact and the first one built in the US by a domestic maker. Then they go and botch the assembly.

[Jesda]

Pictures of this magical brakeless car:

[hannibal]

General Motors said on Friday that it is recalling more than 4,000 of its 2012 Chevrolet Sonic subcompact cars to check for missing brake pads.

The possibility that some Sonics could be missing an inner or outer brake pad was discovered during warranty service for a rental vehicle customer. GM said the problem "is expected to exist in very few cars," and there are no known crashes or injuries related to the issue. A missing pad could require longer stopping distance, and contribute to a crash.

The recall involves 4,296 of GM's 2012 Sonics sold in the U.S. The affected models are from the Orion Township assembly plant, where the Sonic is built for sale in the U.S. and Canada.

Dealers will inspect the front brakes for missing inner or outer pads and, if a pad is missing, install new pads. If needed, a new brake caliper or brake rotor, or both, will also be installed. Affected customers will receive dealer letters beginning Jan. 14.

Ya think?!

Doesn't seem like you could get very far before you notice the lack of brakes...

[Jesda]

I also like how the notices arent going out for another two weeks.

[themadscientist]

no pads equals full metal racing brakes!

[hitbychance]

classic gm fail

[PapaSmurf2k3]

I also like how the notices arent going out for another two weeks.

GM has obligations to buy this many rotors and this many calipers from their supplier. They want to destroy 4000 of them just for the hell of it

I bet now they invest in a $4000 vision system (or other) poke-yoke so this doesn't happen again... or perhaps their calipers come in loaded from the supplier, who is currently CATCHING HELL.

[Jesda]

Ooooh supplier, you in twubbboooooo

[Jesda]

[frapjap]

^ that is EXACTLY what came to mind when I saw the thread title.

[youtube]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wiTIqLuOmjA[/youtube]
OHMYGODWE'REBURNINGALIVE!

[frapjap]

Also, having driven the Sonic for 3 days I can honestly say that on the first day, I enjoyed it. Then it started to suck at everything from unsupportive seats, terrible power, a muddy sound system with FAR to much poorly executed bass reproduction, and AWFUL handling and gas mileage for what it is.
Give me an early 90's Civic any day over that hunk of worthless s***.

[themadscientist]

[nissangirl74]

WIN

[MinisterofDOOM]

Saw a Sonic on the road yesterday. The bodywork certainly looks less like aluminum over cardboard than the Aveo's did, but it doesn't look anywhere near as good in person as it does in that picture.

[Bubba1]

It is astonishing when you consider how many people handled those cars between completion and final customer delivery, and not of them reacted to the noises that come with missing brake pads. But I'm not surprised by the recall. I had a former co-worker who was a QC inspector at the Wilmington GM assembly plant (Sky/Soltice at the time) He had quit GM due his conscience. He was disillusioned by the shabby workmanship and missing parts that were allowed to pass.He was overruled every time he found critical problems like bad or missing welds, and was told they'd be handled in the final check area. Yeah,right.

[nissangirl74]

It is astonishing when you consider how many people handled those cars between completion and final customer delivery, and not of them reacted to the noises that come with missing brake pads. But I'm not surprised by the recall. I had a former co-worker who was a QC inspector at the Wilmington GM assembly plant (Sky/Soltice at the time) He had quit GM due his conscience. He was disillusioned by the shabby workmanship and missing parts that were allowed to pass.He was overruled every time he found critical problems like bad or missing welds, and was told they'd be handled in the final check area. Yeah,right.

Damn. That CTS-V isn't looking like such a good deal anymore.

[Jesda]

Lansing Grand River is a well-respected facility. I'd buy any CTS. I'd also trust anything built at Hamtramck (Volt, DTS, Lucerne, 2013+ Malibu).

Orion, the plant that builds the Sonic, has done most respectable work in the past (and some less than respectable), but GM and the UAW decided to try a new labor agreement to bring down assembly costs, otherwise it would have been built in Mexico or South Korea. Sounds like some folks at Orion were asleep at the wheel, including management. They have the gall to complain when their jobs are shipped overseas.

GM Wilmington was, inexplicably, allowed to build the Solstice, a pretty important car for Pontiac's revival. Wilmington's track record includes the Corsica and Beretta. *shudder* Thankfully, GM no longer builds cars there. Nothing good seems to come out of Delaware.

[nissangirl74]

Well, it makes me feel better that they aren't built at the same plant. It is such a shame though that GM is supposedly trying to re-make themselves and then they go and f*** things up on a royal level. the UAW strikes again....

[themadscientist]

Can we sue the UAW and GM for attempted murder?