GM issues latest recall of 5,000 heavy-duty vans due to faulty alternator

General Motors is recalling about 5,000 heavy-duty Chevrolet Express and GMC Savana vans in the US and halting production and sale of the trucks because of a faulty alternator that could lead to a possible fire.

This latest recall comes after General Motors South Korean subsidiary recalled 58,696 automobiles due to potential problems with steering wheels, fuel hoses and faulty interiors this month. (See: General Motors South Korean subsidiary recalls 58,696 automobiles)

Vehicles affected by the latest recall are the Express 2500/3500 models built by the Chevrolet division this year and the Savana 2500/3500 model Savana passenger and cargo vans built by the GMC division this year.

The Detroit-based automaker said it is halting production and sale of these models until a fix for a suspected faulty alternator can be determined.

It has asked retail and fleet customers who purchased these vans, which were built in February and March this year, to stop driving the vans, park them outside away from buildings and other vehicles and, if possible, disconnect both battery cables.

GM said that relatively few of the affected vans are in retail customer possession. About 1,300 are in rental and other fleets, and a Stop Sale order was issued to prevent the fleet-owned vans from being rented or those on dealer lots from being sold.