GM recalls Chevy Cruze for steering shaft problem

2011 Chevrolet Cruze

DETROIT  — General Motors Co is recalling more than 154,000 of its top-selling Chevrolet Cruze cars to check that the steering shaft was properly installed.

Of those vehicles, more than 120,000 cars with an automatic transmission will also be inspected to ensure the transmission shift linkage was properly installed, GM said this week.

The cars are built at a plant in Lordstown, Ohio and sold in the United States and Canada. The Cruze was GM’s No. 2 selling vehicle in April and is instrumental to diversifying GM’s lineup at a time of rising fuel prices.

“Very few” of the vehicles should have either problem and GM has made quality process changes to ensure neither error happens again, GM Vice President of Global Quality Terry Woychowski said in a statement.

In April, GM recalled 2,100 Cruze cars to inspect for an improperly fastened steering wheel.

The largest U.S. automaker also announced two other smaller recalls. No crashes or injuries stemmed from any of the recalls.

The company said the nut on the windshield wiper motor crank arm could come loose on some 2011 Chevrolet Colorado and GMC Canyon pickup trucks, affecting 6,303 vehicles, including 4,674 trucks in the United States.

GM also said possible brake fluid leaks prompted it to recall 8,723 Chevrolet Express and GMC Savana vans for the model year 2011.