US safety agency looking at expanding Pontiac brake light recall to 550,000 vehicles

DETROIT - U.S. safety regulators are looking at expanding a small recall of Pontiac G6 midsize cars so it includes up to 550,000 vehicles. About 8,000 of the cars were recalled by General Motors in 2009 because the brake lights and cruise control didn't work properly.

But the recall affected only cars made in January of 2005. On Friday, the U.S. National Highway Traffic Safety Administration said in documents posted on its website that it's studying whether all G-6s from the 2005 through 2009 model years should be added to the recall.

The safety agency says it has received 212 complaints from consumers that brake lights won't come on when the pedal is pressed, or the lights come on for no reason. Some of the complaints also say the cruise control disengages for no reason, or it may not work at all. No crashes or injuries have been reported from the problem, and GM says it is co-operating with the investigation.

In the 2009 recall, GM traced the problem to corrosion in a wiring connector. Dealers were to fix it by putting a lubricant on the connector to prevent corrosion. But NHTSA said Friday that complaints persisted from people with G6s from additional model years, so it will look at an expanded recall. In one complaint from December of 2012, the owner of a 2007 G6 told NHTSA of problems with brake lights and the cruise control.

"I have been having issues with my brake lights coming on while I am accelerating, and the brake lights go off when I brake, putting me at higher risk for an accident," the owner wrote.

NHTSA does not identify people who file complaints, and in most cases, does not reveal where they live.

Owners who suspect brake light or cruise control problems should take their cars to any Chevrolet, Buick, Cadillac or GMC dealer. GM shut down the Pontiac brand in 2010 as part of its massive restructuring. Although the Chevrolet Malibu and Saturn Aura share many components with the G6, they are not included in the probe, GM spokesman Alan Adler said.

By Tom Krisher
THE ASSOCIATED PRESS