GM loses bid to skip recall for lights that are too bright

General Motors has lost a bid to avoid recalling about 727,000 small SUVs in the U.S. with headlight beams that can be too bright and cause glare for oncoming drivers

General Motors-Results (Copyright 2020 The Associated Press. All rights reserved)

General Motors has lost a bid to avoid recalling about 727,000 small SUVs in the U.S. with headlight beams that can be too bright and cause glare for oncoming drivers.

In 2019, the Detroit automaker petitioned the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration asking to avoid a recall, saying the problem didn't affect safety for surrounding vehicles. The petition covered GMC Terrain SUVs from the 2010 through 2017 model years.

But the agency denied the request in a document posted Thursday on the Federal Register website. GM said it's reviewing the decision and deciding what to do next. It's likely the company will have to do a recall for not complying with federal safety regulations.

The company said in documents that the lights meet recognized industry standards. GM had only one complaint from a customer about headlights shining up into trees.

But the agency said parts of the headlight beam were three times brighter than allowed. That could cause glare or distract drivers of other vehicles.