General Motors Corp. began recalling about 587,000 Cadillacs this week to replace a computer chip that causes the cars to emit illegal levels of pollution when the air conditioner is running.
GM agreed in December to the recall and an $11 million fine in what the U.S. Justice Department said was the largest automobile case brought under the Clean Air Act. The fine is the second-largest assessed under that law.This week's recall involves model-year 1991-1995 Cadillac Sevilles, DeVilles and Eldorados with 4.9-liter, V-8 engines. The engines were installed with a computer chip that causes them, when the air conditioner is on, to emit three times more carbon monoxide that allowed under federal law.
Justice said the chip was installed starting in 1991 models to fix a stalling problem with the engines. The new chip enriched the fuel mixture when the air conditioning was turned on.
GM spokesman Kyle W. Johnson disputed the government's contention that the cars violated the Clean Air Act but said it agreed to the recall "to live up to our commitment to environmental responsibility and to maintain the integrity of our flagship brand."
GM said that under federal procedures in effect at the time, cars were not required to be operated with the air conditioning on during emissions testing. It said the Cadillacs met all emissions standards.
The new chips will be installed for free. Owners will be notified by mail.
Johnson declined to say how much the recall is expected to cost. But the Justice Department said GM had agreed to spend $34 million on the recall and anti-pollution programs.