GM recalls Hummer models after fires burn three people

House Energy and Commerce Committee Chairman Fred Upton of Michigan says the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration received a large number of complaints about the problem during the past decade.

General Motors announced two separate recalls on Wednesday affecting just over 250,000 vehicles. Detroit News reports that the company plans to fix the ventilation fans’ motors controls, which have been reported to overheat, and spark fire in worst case.

The company stated the issue pertains to the vehicle’s part that controls the speed of the air conditioning and heater blower motor. In an emailed statement, GM noted that it is “aware of three reported minor burns but no crashes or fatalities related to this condition”. Hummers account for most of the total, with 196,000 units including the 2006-2010 H3 and 2009-2010 H3T. Dealers will replace the affected portion of the connector and harness.

The first recall covers 165,000 Hummers in the US and an additional 31,000 in other countries. Also, the radio won’t turn off, which could drain the battery. General Motors mentioned that due to the glitch, the radio display goes blank, and the audio functions stop working, which include several important functions, such as vehicle chimes.

The company said it knows of no crashes or injuries related to the issue.

“In certain vehicles with base radios and OnStar, the radio software may cause the radio to lock up in the OnStar Turn-by-Turn Directions mode”.