General Motors LLC: Electrical System
General Motors LLC reported this defect to federal regulators on May 6, 2013 and put the number of vehicles at risk at 42,904. The repair is free for as long as the recall stands.
The defect
General Motors (GM) is recalling certain model year 2012 and 2013 Buick LaCrosse and Regal, and model year 2013 Chevrolet Malibu Eco vehicles equipped with eAssist. These vehicles may have a condition in which the Generator Control Module (GCM) may not function properly. This could cause a gradual loss of battery charge and the illumination of the malfunction indicator light.
The risk
If the vehicle is continued to be driven, the engine may stall and/or the vehicle may not start. In addition, there may be a burning or melting odor, smoke, and possibly a fire in the trunk.
The remedy
GM will notify owners and dealers will test the GCM and replace it, as necessary, free of charge. The recall began on June 11, 2013. Owners may contact GM at 1-800-521-7300. GM's recall campaign number is 13136.
5 model years covered
Newest first| Vehicle | Complaints | Recalls | Fires | Crashes |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2013 Buick Lacrosse | 130 | 5 | 3 | 5 |
| 2013 Buick Regal | 91 | 6 | 2 | 6 |
| 2013 Chevrolet Malibu Eco | 87 | 1 | 1 | 5 |
| 2012 Buick Lacrosse | 206 | 5 | 4 | 10 |
| 2012 Buick Regal | 92 | 7 | 2 | 3 |
What this page is, and what to do next
A recall is not an opinion. It is a Part 573 report a manufacturer is required by federal law to file once it decides a defect poses an unreasonable risk to safety, and it commits them to repairing the vehicle at no cost to the owner. The three passages above are the manufacturer’s own wording as published by NHTSA.
This page describes the campaign. It cannot tell you whether one particular car has already been through the shop — that is tracked by VIN, and only the manufacturer knows it. Check yours at nhtsa.gov/recalls or with a franchised dealer, quoting campaign number 13V173000.
Full record for the 2013 Buick Lacrosse → · Recalls carrying a do-not-drive advisory → · Where this data comes from →