GM's electric car woes are due to a corporate philosophy that dates back quite a ways.
The Vega was a winner with reviewers when it came out. It should have been a great little car. But GM screwed the pooch in more ways than one with it.
- The front end of the vehicle separated in only eight miles on the General Motors Test track.
- In 1972, GM issued three mass recalls, the largest covering 500,000 Vegas, to fix defective axles, balky throttles and problems that caused fires.
- The Vega's aluminum engine was notorious for buckling and leaking.
- By May 1972, six out of every seven Vegas produced was the subject of a recall.
- Chevrolet campaign number 72-C-05, addressed engine backfires on 130,000 cars fitted with the L-11 option two-barrel carburetor. An engine that backfired with specific frequency and magnitude weakened and ruptured the muffler. Hot exhaust gases then, in turn, spilled out and heated the adjacent fuel tank which expanded, ruptured and spilled fuel that ignited and caused a fire.
- A component in the emission-control system (idle stop solenoid bracket) could fall into the throttle linkage, jamming it open.
- Campaign number 72-C-09, which affected 526,000 vehicles, the result of which was a rear axle which could separate from the vehicle. As it was recorded by NHTSA, the "axle shaft and wheel could then move outboard of the quarter panel and allow vehicle to drop down onto rear suspension.
- Faulty valve-stem seals caused excessive oil consumption
- When the engine got hot, which wasn't uncommon, the cylinders distorted and the piston rings wore off the exposed silica that was meant to provide a tough wall surface. Then, at best, the cars burned more oil. At worst, the distortion compromised the head gasket.
- With its small 6 US quarts (5.7 L) capacity and tiny two-tube 1 sq ft (0.1 m2) radiator, the Vega cooling system was adequate when topped off, but owners tended not to check the coolant level often enough, and in combination with leaking valve-stem seals, the engine often ran low on oil and coolant simultaneously. Consequent overheating distorted the open-deck block, allowing antifreeze to seep past the head gasket, which caused piston scuffing inside the cylinders.
- There was a process failure during the vat treatment stage because a trapped air pocket prevented the anti-rust coating from reaching a gap between the Vegas’ front fenders and cowl. Under normal driving conditions, this allowed moist debris and salt to build up and rust the untreated steel on early Vegas because they had no protective liners. The finance department had rejected liners as they would have added a $2.28 unit cost.
FORD, can either be Fixed Or Repaired Daily OR First On Race Day
