Lemon Law Blog

General Motors is backing up talk of better product quality with new warranties. Starting with all 2007 models, GM will offer a 100,000-mile/five-year powertrain warranty on its lineup. In addition, consumers will also get expanded roadside assistance and courtesy transportation, GM CEO Rick Wagoner said at a press conference.

For non-powertrain components, GM’s standard warranties remain in effect: four years or 50,000 miles for Buicks, Cadillacs, HUMMERs and Saabs, and three years or 36,000 miles for Chevrolets, GMCs,Pontiacs and Saturns, GM officials said.

Wagoner credited the expanded warranty coverage to the company’s ongoing improvements in quality. GM’s warranty costs have dropped by roughly 40 percent in the past five years thanks to a concerted effort to ensure the company’s vehicles are reliable, he said.

Wagoner also said the warranty improvement will mean that GM warranties are now better than those offered by key competitors such Ford, Toyota, Honda and Nissan. Ford increased its basic warranty to five years and 60,000 miles earlier this summer.

Popularity: 14% [?]

Ford Service Bulletin Shows Paint Defect on Many 2000-05 Models

Ford has issued Technical Service Bulletin that shows a major paint defect in many large 2000-05 Ford, Lincoln and Mercury cars, trucks and SUVs that used aluminum body parts (hoods and fenders) to reduce vehicle weight. Affected models are the 2000-04 Crown Victoria, Taurus, Expedition, F-150, Ranger; Mercury Grand Marquis, Sable; Lincoln LS, Town Car Navigator and the 2000-05 Explorer, Mercury Mountaineer.

According to the TSB, “Some vehicles may exhibit a bubbling or blistering under the paint on aluminum body parts. This is due to iron contamination of the aluminum panel. . . . Ford’s Scientific Research Laboratory has performed a number of tests on vehicle body parts returned for corrosion related concerns. Testing has revealed that the aluminum corrosion was caused by iron particles working their way into the aluminum body part, prior to it being painted.”

CAS Executive Director Clarence Ditlow said:
“This is a very expensive defect to remedy. The TSB requires “extreme care to be taken” including special tools and segregated work areas to remove the corrosion by blasting, repriming and repainting. This repair is so difficult that CAS recommends the best fix is to replace the corroded part with a primed steel part and paint it. Ford cannot guarantee this repair will eliminate all the iron corrosion or prevent other areas from bubbling or blistering in the future.”

Popularity: 100% [?]