A “Prop Rod Recovery” system is designed to prevent such behavior by controlling liftgate descent, however the software is not properly calibrated to handle all failure scenarios.
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Owners can call Buick at 800-521-7300, Chevrolet at 800-222-1020, GMC at 800-462-8782 and Saturn at 800-553-6000.
The company said the module controlling heating and air conditioning blower motor speeds can overheat when operated for a long time, causing nearby plastic parts of melt and increasing the risk of fire.
The Outlook was discontinued along with the Saturn brand after the 2010 model year; the other three crossovers were refreshed for 2013 and the problem does not appear to affect the newer models.
The power lift gates on these vehicles are equipped with gas struts that wear prematurely, prohibiting the power prop rods from supporting the weight of the lift gate for a slow, controlled return to the “closed” position.
Dealers are replacing the struts and updating software in an attempt to fix the problem. In November of previous year, GM got two more reports of problems and opened another investigation.
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GM says struts on SUVs built after March 1, 2012 were installed differently and are less vulnerable to dirt particles.
