GM Orders Two Recalls

General Motors announcing two separate recalls, effecting about a hundred thousand vehicles.

One recall involving about 1300 brand new 2011 trucks, which have an issue that could cause the rear axles to lock up. This involves 2011 model year versions of the Cadillac Escalade, Chevrolet Avalanche 1500 and Silverado 1500 and the GMC Sierra 1500.

GM said the rear axle's cross pin could fracture, becoming displaced within the axle and possibly causing the vehicle to crash without warning. The company added that drivers may hear a banging noise from the axle if the pin has shifted out of position.

The other recall is larger, effecting about 96,000 Cadillac CTS sport sedans from the 2005 to 2007 model year. They have an issue that could keep the passenger airbag from deploying.

The auto maker said that repeated flexing of the sensing mat in the passenger seat can cause the mat to bend or fold so much that the sensor may not detect a passenger is sitting in the seat. Therefore, the sensor wouldn't activate the airbag in the event of a crash.

This is how a press release from GM describes the problem:

• If the airbag becomes disabled, the passenger airbag status indicator on the rearview mirror will show that the airbag is off, the Air Bag indicator will be illuminated, and a Service Air Bag message will appear in the Driver Information Center. In the event of a crash severe enough to activate the front passenger airbag, if the passenger airbag does not deploy, it could result in increased injury for the occupant.

GM says there are no known injuries or fatalities related to this condition.

Recall notices for the axle problem will start to go our in January. Notices for the airbag problem go out in February.

Dealers will replace sensing systems and rear axle cross pins free of charge.

Owners can contact Cadillac at (866) 982-2339, Chevrolet at (800) 630-2438 and GMC at (866) 996-9463. They can also consult the GM owner center website at www.gmownercenter.com.

The Associated Press contributed to this story.