Steering Wheel Concern Prompts Chevy Recall

General Motors is recalling 2100 Chevy Cruze compact cars, after the steering wheel broke away from the steering column, while a person was driving the car.

The company says it believes this is an isolated incident, but says it's erring on the side of caution, and has identified any vehicle that could even potentially have a problem. According to GM, the driver who's steering wheel came loose was able to stop the vehicle and was not hurt.

"The level of the problem is very serious," says AutoBeat Daily Editor Katie Kerwin, who adds that size of the recall, and the promptness of GM's response will likely prevent future problems.

"2100 is a very small number for a recall," she says. "It appears GM has jumped on this, and it may be a limited problem."

General Motors says the problem occurred in the manufacturing process. The wrong steering wheel was put on a vehicle, and when it was replaced, the replacement wheel wasn't properly tightened.

The company says it changed production process to make sure that only the proper steering wheel can be put on a vehicle to begin with. But, as a precaution, it is recalling all vehicles built before it made that change.

GM says it hasn't found the problem in any of the other cars it's tested. Owners with any questions can call Chevrolet at 1 800 630-2438.

The Chevrolet Cruze is an all new vehicle, debuting for the 2011 model year. It replaces the Cobalt as Chevy's compact offering. It's been well received by critics, and has been off to a strong start in the market.