United Slates Environmental Protection Agency Press Office (A-107) Washington DC 20460 &EPA Environmental News EPA ORDERS GENERAL MOTORS TO RECALL 170,000 CARS FOR POLLUTION DEFECTS FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE WEDNESDAY. FEBRUARY 20, 1980 Casey (2Q2) v55_0344 The Environmental Protection Agency today ordered General Motors Corporation (GM) to recall approximately 170,000 of its 1977 Buick vehicles equipped with the 350 cubic inch displacement (CID) engine and 2 barrel carburetor which fail to meet Federal exhaust emission standards. The vehicles involved in today's recall include the Buick Century, Regal, and Le Sabre. Vehicles sold in California are not included in the recall. EPA has identified the problems to be defects in the exhaust gas recirculation (EGR) system which cause the vehicles to emit pollutants in excess of the 1977 Federal standard for oxides of nitrogen (NOx). The vehicles also do not meet the standards for emissions of hydrocarbons (HC) and carbon monoxide (CO). Although the exact reason for the excessive HC and CO emissions is still under investigation by GM, EPA believes there is a defect in the carburetor idle system. There are two defects in the vehicle's EGR system. The first defect involves a rubber hose which is not properly retained in a support clip which causes the hose to come into contact with the engine manifold. The high temperature of the manifold will burn a hole in the hose causing a vacuum leak which deactivates the EGR system. The second defect is plugging of the EGR valve stem with carbon-like material, disabling the EGR valve. EPA is also investigating plugging of similar EGR valves used on other GM cars. (more) R-30 ------- -2- Hydrocarbon and N0X emissions form photochemical oxidants, commonly known as smog, when exposed to sunlight. Photochemical oxidants may cause irritation to the respiratory system, eyes and mucous membranes. They are particularly hazardous to the health of the elderly and very young. Carbon monoxide combines with hemoglobin in the blood stream reducing the amount of oxygen distributed throughout the body. Carbon monoxide is harmful to persons who have heart ailments, lung disease, anemia, or cardiovascular diseases. Carbon monoxide can also affect mental function, visual perception and alertness at relatively low concentrations. Under the recall provision of the Clean Air Act, General Motors has 45 days to submit a plan to remedy the pollution problem on these vehicles or to request a hearing. Once EPA has approved the plan, General Motors will notify owners whose cars are involved. The cars would be repaired by GM dealers at no cost to the owners. EPA also reported today that 1.9 million vehicles have been recalled during the 1979 calendar year to repair defects in the vehicles' emission control systems. The year end statistics have been compiled and will be published shortly in EPA's annual Emission Recall Report. According to the Report 1.7 million of the 1.9 million vehicles were either ordered to be recalled by EPA, or recalled as a result of EPA investigations. Approximately two hundred thousand vehicles were recalled by vehicle manufacturers without EPA intervention. This brings the total number of vehicles recalled for emission- related defects since 1972 to 14.2 million. The Report will include a description of the emission problem, the type and model year of vehicles affected by the recall, and the date the recall commenced. EPA encourages owners who are experiencing problems in receiving satisfactory recall repair work, or who wish to report a potential emission control component failure, to contact the Manufacturers Operations Division (EN-340), 401 M Street, S.W., Washington, D.C. 20460. Headquarter;: EPA vVe US EPA Libraries Hoom3340 ustitit'jOf; we NW 709U9 H IS if 0£e AMNen A N019 3U Vdi lOD *DUQl;yVtnifr'" fO'WOiHrw*d3Q Washington DO 200G4 202-566-0556 09K£ 3q uoifltjmMM 'ON JJUIJ9J Vd3 pied smj pue oBeisoj jjsyvi neio-)Sjjj ooe* Mp\ evuvud JO) Aiteuad ssaujsng Aausfiy uotvmoid |«iuMuuoJtAU3 wwiS P»«un ------- |