GM Tells Dealers to Stop Delivering Certain Chevy Models Due to Potential Visibility Issue

General Motors has ordered its dealers to stop delivering certain 2013-2014 model-year Chevrolet Caprice PPV and 2014 Chevrolet SS vehicles in new or used vehicle inventory, saying the wipers may become inoperative causing a visibility issue. The automaker has also issued a recall on this models.

“If any of these vehicles are in dealer inventory (new or used) they must be held and not delivered to customers, dealer traded, released to auction or used for demonstration purposes until further instructions are received,” GM officials told dealers in a statement.

“The wipers may become inoperative during normal operation due to wiper motor gear teeth stripping,” according to GM officials. “With inoperative wipers, the driver would no longer be able to clear rain or snow from the windshield and visibility could be reduced, potentially increasing the risk of crash.”

The automaker identified the issue due to increased warranty claims and asked dealers to return parts related to the claims.

“The supplier informed GM that it had used an unauthorized grease in the motors built from January 15, 2013 to August 5, 2013,” according to the statement. “The supplier further indicated that it changed back to the authorized grease as a result of a July 24, 2013 lot test that revealed the gear teeth stripping. Prior to May 1, 2014, the supplier had not communicated the grease changes or the gear stripping condition to GM. … The root cause was determined to be the supplier’s use of the unauthorized grease and its improper application of the unauthorized grease to the wiper motor gear teeth.”

Dealers are ordered to inspect the wiper module assembly build dates and replace the wiper module assemblies built between January 15, 2013 and August 5, 2013.

A total of 4,794 vehicles are involved in the recall.

Photos on how to check the windshield wiper’s manufacturer date and access to the remedy instructions are available here.

The automaker plans to reimburse customers for previously paid repairs for the recall condition. The customer should submit a customer reimbursement request form (received either via mail or through GM GlobalConnect) to a local dealer or to the GM Customer Assistance Center.

The customer must include the name and address of the person who paid for the repair, as well as a paid receipt confirming the amount of the repair expense, a description of the repair and the person or entity who performed the repair.