Recall Alert: 193,000 GM SUVs

GM is voluntarily recalling 193,000 SUVs due to an electrical problem that could cause power windows and door locks to malfunction and possibly cause a fire, the Detroit News reported. Affected vehicles include model-year 2006-07 Chevrolet Trailblazers, GMC Envoys, Buick Rainiers, Saab 9-7x's and Isuzu Ascenders, as well as model-year 2006 Chevrolet Trailblazer EXTs and GMC Envoy XLs.

This latest recall is an expansion of an action that started last August and now includes 443,000 SUVs in the U.S. The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration began investigating the issue in February 2012 and has received 83 complaints, with 66 alleging that the door module had melted or burned, the Detroit News stated.

In the recalled vehicles, fluid may enter the driver's door, resulting in rust that could cause the circuit board to short. The problem could cause the power door-lock and window switches to function intermittently or become inoperable; it could also cause overheating, which could melt components of the door module, producing odor, smoke or fire, the newspaper reported.

PickupTrucks.com Light-Duty Challenge Puts Newest Trucks to the Test

Ram, Chevrolet and GMC recently redesigned their light-duty trucks, and Ford’s F-150 underwent a well-received overhaul prior to that heating up the extremely important segment. PickupTrucks.com teamed up with Popular Mechanics to test all six players in the segment to see which one claims bragging rights as the top truck.

PickupTrucks.com’s 2013 Light-Duty Challenge

2014 Chevrolet Cruze Diesel: Quick Drive

Boasting an EPA-estimated 27/46/33 mpg city/highway/combined, the diesel version of the Chevrolet Cruze compact sedan is now hitting dealerships in select cities. We took a brief drive in the 2014 Chevrolet Cruze Clean Turbo Diesel — Chevrolet's first diesel-powered car since the 1980s — here in Chicago, which will be one of the car's early markets.

More on the 2014 Chevrolet Cruze Diesel

The car will also appear in cities Chevy has determined have high sales of three things: diesel fuel, the gas-powered Chevy Cruze and the car that has owned the diesel slice of this segment's pie, the Volkswagen Jetta TDI, which is rated 30/42/34 mpg with an automatic transmission. After appearing in Baltimore, Denver, Portland, Ore., and Milwaukee, the Cruze Clean Turbo Diesel will spread across the country by year's end.

Top 10 Best Base Models

An ode to the base model.

Black door handles and a seat that can't move up and down/
paying monthly for not a lot has me feeling like a clown.

Just because you might not be able to afford more than the very least in a car doesn't mean you have to sing the base-model blues. Automakers are adding more features to their lowliest trim levels to entice shoppers even if some are stuck in the stone ages before the USB port became a necessity.

Here are 10 models that we consider to be solid picks, even in their base-model version.

Most-Watched Videos of the Week

In what has recently proved a pickup- and SUV-crammed most-watched videos list, the 2013 Toyota Camry still managed to find its way to the top spot in its debut week and was the lone newcomer. Whether it finds commensurate success with drivers in another question, as Cars.com reviewer Mike Hanley says the sporty version of the reliably best-selling Camry doesn't quite live up to the excitement to which it aspires. Check out what else was popular:

1. 2013 Toyota Camry SE
2. 2014 Jeep Grand Cherokee
3. 2013 Ram HD First Drive and Impressions
4. 2014 Chevrolet Silverado: Impressions
5. 2013 Porsche 911 Carrera 4S Cabriolet

Which Cars Fit Three Car Seats?

UPDATE 6/7/2013: Parents are often searching for the automotive holy grail: a car that's not a minivan and can fit three child-safety seats across the backseat. It's a short list.

In the more than three years that Cars.com editors have been installing car seats into test vehicles, we've come across only a handful of cars that can hold three car seats across a backseat.

The newest vehicle to make our list is the 2013 Nissan Armada. The largest of the brand's SUVs has room for eight passengers and easily accommodates three car seats across its second row.

As we come across more cars that fit three child-safety seats, we'll add to this list. For now, here are the cars from our Car Seat Checks that can fit three car seats in the second row:

Chevy, Buick, GMC Add Two Years of Free Service on New Cars

Car shoppers just received added incentive to consider a new GM vehicle. The company announced this morning it will add two years of complimentary service to most new 2014 models from Chevrolet, Buick and GMC. Cadillac already has such a program in place.

Chevrolet becomes only the second full-line brand that offers such a plan, joining Toyota. That company added a new-car maintenance program after it was set back by the unintended acceleration recalls of 2010. Volkswagen also offers a three-year/36,000-mile maintenance program that includes four scheduled services. Nearly every premium and luxury brand offers some form of complimentary maintenance plan.

The new GM plan covers "an oil and filter change, four-wheel tire rotation and a 27-point vehicle inspection based on what's called for in the vehicle owner's manual maintenance schedule and oil life monitoring system," according to the automaker's press release.

Depending on the vehicle this plan could cover very few visits. In the 2013 Chevrolet Sonic's owner's manual, there are only two such services called for at 12,000 and 24,000 miles. An oil change is not necessarily included if the oil levels and quality is deemed acceptable by the dealer.

Owners must have the vehicles serviced at a dealer, and some cars, including performance and alternative-fuel models, will have a different plan.

"Some alternative-fuel vehicles do not include oil changes, and some performance vehicles do not include tire rotations when that service is not recommended. The program covers up to four service visits in the 24-month period, and is fully transferrable to subsequent owners. Customers who have already purchased or leased a 2014 model year vehicle will receive the scheduled maintenance program."

GM has a similar program for certified pre-owned vehicles that debuted in 2011. The automaker and others such as Dodge have also offered free-maintenance programs as incentives that were available for only a short time.

GM hopes this move will add value to its new car lineup, which has undergone a significant overhaul since its 2009 bankruptcy. Would a free maintenance plan like this influence your car shopping? Tell us in the comment section below.

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GM Expands Remote-Start App to 2014 Lineup

Vehicles with remote start are becoming more common; GM just announced it's making the feature standard across its lineup.

Through the OnStar RemoteLink Mobile App, owners of OnStar-equipped 2014 Chevrolet, Buick, GMC and Cadillac vehicles will be able to remotely unlock their doors and activate the horn, lights and remote start functionality on factory-equipped vehicles.

The free smartphone app is available to customers even if they haven't activated their OnStar system. After the customer takes delivery of the vehicle, they can download the app; GM says the service is free for five years from the delivery date.

The automaker debuted its RemoteLink Mobile App for the Chevy Volt in 2010, with other vehicles following. GM says it's been downloaded more than 1.5 million times and has more than 320,000 regular users.

"We know our customers value remote services. GM owners request remote door unlock assistance through OnStar more than 60,000 times each month, so it makes sense for us to offer RemoteLink Key Fob Services to enable customers to lock, unlock or start their vehicle from anywhere they have a wireless or cellular connection," Mary Chan, president GM Global Connected Consumer, said in a statement.

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Cars.com Reviews the 2013 Chevrolet Camaro SS 1LE

The mean-spirited, muscle-bound 2013 Chevrolet Camaro SS 1LE showed up to the party looking for a fight, but not with just any opponent. This is strictly a grudge match with its track-tuned nemesis, the Ford Mustang Boss 302, says Cars.com reviewer Aaron D. Bragman. With styling flourishes like a matte black hood, spoiler, rear diffuser and 20-inch wheels, the SS 1LE aims for intimidation while its roaring 6.2-liter V-8 — good for 426 horsepower and a 4.5-second zero-to-60 time — reiterates its readiness to rumble. Could the nearly $6,000-cheaper Camaro steal the Boss' job? Read Bragman's review and decide.

2013 Chevrolet Camaro SS 1LE Review

Recall Alert: 2013 Cadillac ATS, XTS and 2014 Chevrolet Impala

GM is recalling 1,627 model-year 2013 Cadillac ATS and XTS sedans and 2014 Chevrolet Impala sedans due to an electrical problem affecting the brake lights and cruise control that could cause confusion for other drivers, according to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration.

On the affected vehicles, brake lights may flash without the brakes being applied, and the cruise control may disengage. If the brake lights flash when the vehicle is not slowing, a following driver may then fail to adjust speed when the vehicle does in fact brake and the brake lights illuminate as intended, increasing the risk of a crash.

GM will begin notifying owners Friday, and dealers will reprogram the body control module for free. Owners may call Chevrolet at 800-630-2438 or NHTSA’s vehicle-safety hotline at 888-327-4236, or go to www.safercar.gov for more info.

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