GM to take $150-million hit through 1.5-million vehicle recall over fire risk

General Motors (GM) will take a $150-million hit from its voluntary recall of 1.5-million vehicles to disable a heated washer fluid system that could pose a fire risk, the second such recall for the Detroit-based automaker in two years.

The washer fluid system squirts heated cleaning fluid, which GM said  has caused five fires so far, but none have resulted in injury or death.

The fluid heating system is a popular option on many of GM's large cars and SUVs. On cold days, the system heats windshield washer fluid before spraying it onto the windshield, where it melts ice and frost.

Since GM does not have a sollution to the problem, it is recalling the vehicles to disable the heating system.

The heating problem in the washer fluid system dates back to 2008, when GM had recalled more than 900,000 vehicles because a short circuit on the printed circuit board was overheating the control-circuit ground wire.

GM had then installed a fuse that shuts off the system in the event of a short circuit.