Recall Roll Call: Bad News for the Chevy Cruze

General Motors is recalling all Chevrolet Cruze models built in the U.S. between September of 2010 and May of 2012—more than 413,000 of them—to avoid a potential fire hazard in the engine compartment. It turns out that the design of a key piece of engine shielding at the bottom of the car can catch and trap liquids from a couple of sources, which, in turn, could catch fire after contacting a hot engine.

The General is primarily worried about two scenarios: Oil spilling during a sloppy or improper change on all affected vehicles, and hydraulic fluid being expelled from the clutch housing if owners drive manually transmissioned models with a “completely worn clutch.” Also, a very limited number of Cruzes (under 250) will be inspected during the recall to ensure welding in the rear compartment was done properly.

Recall notices will begin being sent to Cruze owners on July 11, but the automaker is urging folks to get into their local dealerships at their earliest convenience. There, technicians will be able to safely modify the engine shield in about 30 minutes, without the need for any additional parts. The weld issue, on the other hand, could require about three hours to resolve.

At this stage, there have been no crashes or injuries associated with either of these issues.

“The most important thing for our customers to know is that we are proactively working to assure the Cruze is the safe and durable car they purchased,” said Alicia Boler-Davis, GM vice president of Global Quality. “We are sorry for any inconvenience caused by these actions.”