GM issues Buick LaCrosse, Cadillac SRX recall for defroster issues

This recall, which affects 10,179 vehicles, pertains to a particular climate control system in the 2011 Buick LaCrosse sedan and the 2011 Cadillac SRX crossover and over 8,000 of the affected vehicles are Evidently, the portion of the climate control system software that handles the windshield defrosting has been found to be defective in 1-in-50 vehicles. Based on that ratio, roughly 204 LaCrosse sedans and SRX crossovers may experience this issue.

In the new Buick LaCrosse sedans and Cadillac SRX crossovers being recalled, should the climate control system have the software glitch, the defrosting system may not function well enough to clear the windshield. While most drivers will make sure that the windshield is clear before setting out, we have all been in the situation where we can see “well enough”, knowing that the windshield would soon be clear of condensation and/or ice…but should the defroster system fail the windshield will not clear. Should that happen, the driver’s vision could be impaired and when you add in poor weather conditions, the problem can be multiplied – increasing the likelihood of an accident.

I was fortunate enough to spend some time recently in a 2011 Cadillac SRX and through a week of rough weather including heavy snow and hard rains, the HVAC system in my test vehicle performed beautifully. The same was true of my 2011 Buick LaCrosse test vehicle but based on GM’s internal testing, their findings of 1 problematic vehicles out of 50 sold is enough for them to issue the recall.

The good news is that no accidents or injuries have been reported as a result of this recall and the fix for this Buick LaCrosse and Cadillac SRX HVAC is fairly straightforward, as a dealership technician will simply reprogram the climate control software which will fix the glitch. This recall is expected to begin on or around March 11, 2011 and the work will be done free of charge.

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