NHTSA Engineering Analysis EA08010

IN A LETTER DATED AUGUST 27, 2008, GENERAL MOTORS CORP. (GM) NOTIFIED NHTSA THAT IT WILL CONDUCT A SAFETY RECALL (NHTSA RECALL NUMBER 08V-441) TO ADDRESS A SAFETY RELATEDDEFECT THAT CAN RESULT IN ENGINE COMPARTMENT FIRE IN APPROXIMATELY 850,000 VEHICLES EQUIPPED WITH A HEATED WINDSHIELD WASHER FLUID OPTION.THE SUBJECT VEHICLES OF THIS INVESTIGATION COMPRISE OVER THREE-QUARTERS OF THE RECALL POPULATION. ACCORDING TO GM, A SHORT CIRCUIT ON THE PRINTED CIRCUIT BOARD FOR THE WINDSHIELD WASHER FLUID HEATER MODULE MAY OVERHEAT THE CONTROL-CIRCUIT GROUND WIRE. THIS MAY CAUSE OTHER ELECTRICAL FEATURES TO MALFUNCTION, CREATE AN ODOR OR CAUSE SMOKE AND IN RARE CASES IT MAY CAUSE A FIRE.AS A REMEDY, GM DEALERS WILL INSTALL A WIRE HARNESS WITH AN IN-LINE FUSE. IN ADDITION TO THE SUBJECT VEHICLES, SEVERAL OTHER GM MODELS WITH THE HEATED WINDSHIELD WASHER FLUID OPTION ARE INCLUDED IN RECALL 08V-441: MY 2006-2008 BUICK LUCERNE (MANUFACTURED AUGUST 2005 THROUGH NOVEMBER 2007); MY 2008 BUICK ENCLAVE (MANUFACTURED FEBRUARY 2007 THROUGH APRIL 2007); MY 2006-2008 CADILLAC DTS (MANUFACTURED MAY 2007 THROUGH NOVEMBER 2007); MY 2007-2008 SATURN OUTLOOK (MANUFACTURED AUGUST 2006 THROUGH APRIL 2007); AND MY 2007-2008 GMC ACADIA (MANUFACTURED AUGUST 2006 THROUGH APRIL 2007) VEHICLES.GM IS INSTRUCTING OWNERS TO TAKE THEIR VEHICLE TO A DEALER FOR SERVICE IF THEY EXPERIENCE SYMPTOMS OF WINDSHIELD WASHER HEATER MODULE SHORT CIRCUITS. GM'S RECALL RESOLVES THE SAFETY DEFECT CONCERNS PURSUED BY THIS INVESTIGATION.THIS ENGINEERING ANALYSIS IS CLOSED.