GM Recalls | Page 5 | MotorSafety.org

General Motors continues recall of heavy duty pickups with faulty seat belts

January 5, 2021 Rebecca Rand GM Recalls, GMC Recalls

Warren, MI – January 5, 2021 – General Motors (NYSE:GM) is continuing a recall of 38,048 heavy-duty trucks that were built with the driver- and front passenger-side seat belt parts meant for other cars. The recall includes the following pickup trucks:

2017-2018 Chevrolet Silverado 2500 and 3500
2017-2018 GMC Sierra 2500 and 3500

The name of the affected component is Retractor ASM-F/Seat Belt with part numbers 84253641, 84253686, 84234013 and 84234008.

Recall summary

The recall concerns the seat belt torsion bars, which help the seat belt hold a passenger during a crash and protect him or her from an upper body injury. The bars a supplier of General Motors (GM) installed in these vehicle models in the seat belt retractors were the wrong size and had not gone through crash testing. These bars are typically used in “other full-size trucks,” according to GM.

Continuation of the 2017 recall

This is a continuation of a recall that was originally announced in September 2017. A month after starting the original recall GM petitioned the auto industry regulator – the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) – to be released from going through with the recall, based on the belief that the different seat belt part would be “inconsequential” to safety.

The regulator disagreed and denied GM’s petition in November 2020. Between fall of 2017 and spring of 2019, the automaker recalled and fixed over 10,000 cars.

Other Chevy Silverado recalls

A different model year of Chevy Silverado 2500 is subject to a recent recall launched on the back of faulty airbag end caps that may fly off and injure or distract the car occupants. 2020-2021 Silverado 2500 and 3500, as well as GMC Sierra 2500 and 3500 trucks, are involved in another seat belt recall, also as reported. The seat belts on these cars may similarly fail to protect the driver and passengers due to being loose.

Risks

A seat belt meant for another car may not work as expected. This can lead to an injury or death for the car’s driver and passengers.

Read more about seat belt safety in this Chrysler seat belt recall article.

The repair

GM will replace the seat belt retractor with one with the correct size torsion bar, free of charge. GM began notifying owners on December 28, but the repair will not be available until after March 17.

Is your vehicle part of this recall?

Over 38,000 vehicles are part of this GM recall. To see if your car is one of them, use MotorSafety’s free vehicle lookup tool.

General Motors vehicles recalled for seat belt issue

December 31, 2020 Ken Boyd Chevrolet Recalls, GM Recalls, GMC Recalls

Warren, MI – December 31, 2020 – General Motors (NYSE:GM) has recalled 624,216 vehicles due to a seat belt issue in the front-row center seat. The seat belt may not properly secure the occupant in the seat, increasing the risk of injury in a crash.

The recall includes:

2019-2021 Chevrolet Silverado 1500 trucks
2019-2021 GMC Sierra 1500 trucks
2021 Chevrolet Suburban SUVs
2021 Chevrolet Tahoe SUVs
2021 GMC Yukon XL SUVs
2020-2021 Chevrolet Silverado 2500 trucks
2020-2021 Chevrolet Silverado 3500 trucks
2020-2021 GMC Sierra 2500 trucks
2020-2021 GMC Sierra 3500 trucks

Recall summary

Seat belt brackets are designed to secure the seat belt to the seat frame. In recalled vehicles, the supplier of the front-row center seat failed to attach the brackets to the frame of the seat correctly.

As a result, the seat belt may be “loose or detached from the seat frame.” Passengers may also hear a rattling sound emanating from the seat.

The issue was first caught by the manufacturer in August 2020. There are no injuries associated with this recall.

Other GM recalls

December saw a GMC Sierra and Chevy Silverado recall due to an issue with roof-rail airbags, as well as a massive, six-million car recall due to faulty Takata airbags’ inflators that are prone to hurling “sharp metal fragments” into the car occupants in a crash. The latter includes Chevrolet Suburban and Tahoe SUVs. However, the trucks involved in both recalls are older models and not the same ones that are being recalled this time around.

Risks

According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), “Motor vehicle crashes are a leading cause of death among those aged 1-54 in the U.S.” Seat belts can sharply reduce the risk of death or injury in a crash but they must be able to secure each occupant in the vehicle. If not, the passenger or the driver may be injured inside the vehicle or thrown from the vehicle during a crash.

The repair

To fix the issue, dealers must inspect the seat belt bracket attachments on both sides of the front-row center seat and will reassemble them as necessary. The repair will be free of charge. General Motors expects to begin the recall on February 1, 2021.

Is your vehicle part of this recall?

Over 624,000 vehicles are included in this General Motors recall. To see if your car is one of them, use MotorSafety’s free vehicle lookup tool.

Sierra and Silverado trucks recalled for airbag inflator issue

December 22, 2020 Ken Boyd Chevrolet Recalls, GM Recalls, GMC Recalls

Warren, MI – December 22, 2020 – General Motors (NYSE:GM) has recalled 9,279 vehicles that operate with roof-rail airbags. The airbags connect to the inflation system using an end cap and the cap may malfunction. The recall includes:

2015 GMC Sierra 1500, 2500 and 3500 trucks
2015 Chevrolet Silverado 1500, 2500 and 3500 trucks
2016 GMC Sierra 1500 trucks
2016 Chevrolet Silverado 1500 trucks

Recall summary

The vehicles in this recall are equipped with roof-rail airbags (RRAB). These airbags deploy from near the roof and downward, to protect occupants from a side-impact crash.

Each RRAB operates with an inflator, which inflates the airbag with compressed gas during a crash. An end cap keeps the compressed gas in the airbag.
A supplier’s manufacturing error caused moisture to corrode inside the inflator vessel near the end cap.
In the recalled cars, the inflator end cap may detach from the inflator, and compressed gas may propel the end cap into the passenger compartment. The end cap may injure occupants or distract the driver and cause a crash.

GM is aware of two cases of end caps detaching. No injuries have been reported.

Note that this recall is different from the massive recalls for defective Takata airbags in 2015 or the recent recall of Nissan Sentras, also related to airbags.

GMC Sierra and Chevrolet Silverado vehicles have had other recall notices in recent years. Recalls have been made for ignition locks, brakes, seats and for seat belt issues.

Risks

A detached end cap may fly forcefully into the vehicle and hit an occupant, causing an injury. The end cap detachment may also distract the driver.

The repair

To fix the issue, dealers will inspect each RRAB and replace modules that appear to be dangerous. The repair is free of charge. General Motors expects the recall to begin on January 10, 2021.

Is your vehicle part of this recall?

Over 9,200 vehicles are included in this Chevrolet Silverado and GMC Sierra recall. To see if your car is one of them, use MotorSafety’s free vehicle lookup tool.

General Motors vehicles recalled for potential fuel leaks

December 9, 2020 Ken Boyd Buick Recalls, Cadillac Recalls, Chevrolet Recalls, GM Recalls, GMC Recalls

Warren, MI– December 10, 2020 – General Motors (NYSE:GM) has recalled 194,105 vehicles due to missing bolts on the start-stop accumulator end cap. The missing bolts may result in a transmission oil leak, a loss of vehicle power or an engine fire. This General Motors (GM) recall includes:

2018-2019 Chevrolet Cruze sedans
2018-2019 Buick LaCrosse sedans
2018-2020 Chevrolet Equinox SUVs
2018-2020 Chevrolet Traverse SUVs
2018-2020 GMC Terrain SUVs
2018 Chevrolet Malibu sedans
2019-2020 Buick Encore SUVs
2019-2020 Buick Enclave SUVs
2019-2020 Cadillac XT4 SUVs
2019-2020 Chevrolet Blazer SUVs
2019-2020 GMC Acadia SUVs
2020 Cadillac XT6 sedans

Recall summary

Your vehicle’s transmission is designed to transfer engine power to the driveshaft. The start-stop accumulator shuts down the engine when it is not in use to achieve better fuel economy and cut down on emissions.

Each start-stop transmission accumulator is attached using four bolts. In the case of the recalled vehicles, due to a supplier software error, two of the required bolts are missing.

Risks

Missing bolts can create a number of issues:

Transmission oil leak: A leak may damage other engine parts, and driving the vehicle without the proper amount of oil or transmission fluid may damage the engine.
Loss of vehicle power: A loss of power may prevent the driver from accelerating into a busy road or onto a highway, increasing the risk of an accident. A power loss may also reduce the driver’s ability to speed up to avoid an accident. Finally, the vehicle may slow down on its own until it comes to a complete stop, increasing the risk of being struck by another vehicle coming up from behind.
Increased risk of fire: A fire can injure the vehicle occupants, or cause the driver to lose control and cause an accident. This article explains what you should do if you believe your vehicle is on fire.

The repair

To fix the issue, dealers will need to check the start-stop accumulator end cap and determine if any bolts are missing. If they are, the dealer will replace the end cap at no cost to the owner. GM expects the recall to begin on December 14, 2020.

Is your vehicle part of this recall?

This GM oil leak recall includes over 194,000 vehicles. To see if your car is one of them, use MotorSafety’s free vehicle lookup tool.

General Motors ordered to recall 5.9 million cars equipped with Takata airbags

December 3, 2020 Rebecca Rand Cadillac Recalls, Chevrolet Recalls, GM Recalls, GMC Recalls, Takata Airbag Recalls

Pleasanton, CA – December, 3 2020 – The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) has ordered General Motors (NYSE:GM) to recall 5,888,421 pickup trucks and SUVs built with potentially dangerous Takata airbag inflators, which could explode and fling deadly shrapnel into vehicle occupants. The infamous airbag inflators have already killed 27 people and injured at least 250 more, and are part of the largest auto recall in history. The latest installment of the recall – which already encompasses 19 car manufacturers and “tens of millions” of cars – includes the following GM models on the GMT900 platform:

2007-2014 Cadillac Escalade ESV and EXT SUVs
2007-2014 Chevrolet Avalanche pickups
2007-2014 Chevrolet Silverado 1500 and 2500/3500 pickups
2007-2014 Chevrolet Suburban SUVs
2007-2014 Chevrolet Tahoe SUVs
2007-2014 GMC Sierra 1500 and 2500/3500 pickups
2007-2014 GMC Yukon XL SUVs

Recall summary

The recall concerns the vehicles’ passenger-side airbag inflators. The inflators use ammonium nitrate to generate a small explosion to inflate the airbags. If this volatile chemical is exposed to heat and humidity, it becomes porous. The extra surface area in this microscopic swiss-cheese allows the ammonium nitrate to burn faster, thus causing a much stronger explosion than intended. This explosion can blow up the inflator and send bits of shrapnel flying into vehicle occupants at high speeds, potentially maiming or killing them.

NHTSA first ordered GM to recall the affected cars in 2016. The company had recalled 330,198 vehicles on the GMT900 platform in May 2015, but argued that the rest of vehicles that are now being recalled should be excluded because the airbag defect was “inconsequential.” This argument was rejected by NHTSA on November 23. Despite disagreeing with the decision, GM said it would not appeal.

‘Almost no data’ to back up claims

NHTSA consulted air-bag chemical expert Harold Blomquist regarding these findings, who rebutted GM’s many claims that unique design features could prevent their inflators from exploding. “GM expended little effort over the last two years to methodically study the claimed features in order to substantiate their effectiveness,” he said in his 75-page review of GM’s petition. As a result, Blomquist said, GM had “almost no data” to back up their claims that their Takata airbags were somehow less dangerous.

Previous Takata airbag recalls

Automakers have been issuing ever-expanding recalls of Takata airbags for seven years, with 100 million inflators recalled worldwide. Volkswagen, BMW and Honda all recalled cars this and past year because of the airbag issue.

Repair

GM will replace the Takata airbags with a different model, free of charge. More information about the recall schedule should be released by December 24.

What to do if you own a recalled vehicle

NHTSA has issued a few broad recommendations for drivers in the Takata recall population:

Don’t have your dealer disable your airbags. “It is much more likely that your airbag will perform properly and protect you in a crash than cause harm,” NHTSA says.
“If you feel uncomfortable continuing to drive your vehicle before it is repaired, you should contact your dealer to see if they will provide a loaner until the repair is completed,” NHTSA says. Dealers and manufacturers aren’t required to provide loaners, but it can’t hurt to ask.
If you’re offered an interim repair, take it. Some automakers will offer to replace the old Takatas with newer ones, which are safer. “It is an inconvenience to have your vehicle serviced twice and to wait for a final repair,” NHTSA says, “But rejecting an interim replacement air bag is not worth the continued higher risk of injury or even death to you, your family, and your friends while waiting for the final repair.”

Some automakers have advised riders not to sit in the front passenger seat.

Here is the list of vehicles that NHTSA says should NOT be driven.

Is your vehicle part of this recall?

Nearly 6 million vehicles are included in this GM Takata Airbag recall. Use MotorSafety’s free lookup tool to see if your vehicle is affected.

General Motors issues another round of recalls for brake assist system

November 25, 2020 Ken Boyd Cadillac Recalls, Chevrolet Recalls, GM Recalls, GMC Recalls

Pleasanton, CA – November 25, 2020 – General Motors (NYSE:GM) has recalled 14,620 vehicles that operate with either 5.3L or 6.2L V8 engines. In each case, the power of the mechanical vacuum pump – which helps the engine with several key functions, including braking – may decrease. This may negatively affect the brake assist system. The recall includes:

2018 Cadillac Escalade sedans
2018 Chevrolet Silverado 1500 trucks
2018 Chevrolet Tahoe SUVs
2018 GMC Sierra 1500 trucks
2018 GMC Yukon SUVs

Recall summary

Among other functions, the mechanical vacuum pump provides power to the brake assist system. Due to a design error that was not addressed during a previous recall of the vacuum pump in the power assist brakes last year, essentially “the output” of the pump can drop over time, making the power brake assist system less effective.

There are several factors that alert the driver to the brake assist issue:

The brake pedal may vibrate when the driver applies the brakes
Braking requires more effort
A ticking sound is emitted from the engine compartment when the brakes are applied
The driver may see a “Service Brake” message pop up on the dash

Risks

If the brake assist is not operating correctly, the driver must press on the brake pedal with more effort and depress it further to be able to stop the vehicle.

This change in braking ability increases the risk of a crash. Drivers may not be able to brake quickly enough to slow or stop the vehicle. GM notes that the problem is more apparent at low speeds when a driver applies soft pressure to the brakes.

The repair

To fix the issue, dealers will need to inspect the Electronic Brake Control Module and reprogram the system. The recall is free of charge and began on November 16.

Is your vehicle part of this recall?

Over 14,000 vehicles are included in this General Motors recall. To see if your car is one of them, use MotorSafety’s free vehicle recall lookup tool.

General Motors recalls SUVs for blocked fuel pump nozzle

November 16, 2020 Rebecca Rand Buick Recalls, Cadillac Recalls, Chevrolet Recalls, GM Recalls, GMC Recalls

Laguna Hills, CA – November 16, 2020 – General Motors (GM) (NYSE: GM) has recalled 2,781 midsize SUVs which may have a blocked fuel pump nozzle that could stall the vehicle. The recall includes:

2020 Buick Enclave
2020 Cadillac XT5 and Cadillac XT6
2020 Chevrolet Traverse
2020 GMC Acadia

and concerns the fuel tank pump module (MODULE – F/TNK F/PMP, #84702674).

Recall summary

The issue stems from the fuel pump, which supplies the vehicle’s engine with the gasoline it needs to run. A tube inside the fuel pump may be blocked by burrs left over from the manufacturing process. This could keep fuel from getting to the engine, particularly if the gas tank is already running low. If the engine is starved of fuel, the car could unexpectedly stall while driving.

Risks

A car that stalls in moving traffic, especially at high speeds, can get hit from behind as other drivers may not have enough time to react. Even if the driver safely gets to the shoulder, they are still at risk of being hit. This raises the risk of injuries or death for everyone involved.

For information on what to do if your car stalls, please see this article.

The repair

Owners will be notified about the recall by mail starting on November 30. GM will replace the fuel pump module for free, but this service is not yet available. In the meantime, owners who are not comfortable driving their recalled car may be eligible for courtesy transportation through their vehicle’s warranty.

Is your vehicle part of this recall?

Over 2,700 vehicles are part of this GM recall. To see if your car is one of them, use MotorSafety’s free vehicle lookup tool.

GM Recalls More Than 1,000 Chevy Malibus for Air Bag Defects

January 31, 2019 Sean Reyes Chevrolet Recalls, GM Recalls

Detroit – January 31, 2022 – General Motors (NYSE:GM) has remedied issues with 459 2010-2011 Chevy Malibu vehicles for a potential defect that may cause the driver’s frontal airbag inflator to explode. Additionally, 52 of these vehicles have been categorized as unreachable, and 53 have been removed from the recall. These 2010-2011 Chevrolet Malibu models were remedied in 2 different years, four groups in 2019 and three groups were remedied in 2020 by having these driver airbag issues.

Detroit – January 31, 2019 – General Motors is recalling certain 2010-2011 Chevrolet Malibu vehicles, due to a potentially dangerous airbag defect. Up to 1,145 units may be affected by this issue.

The defect

According to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration Safety Report, in the event of a crash necessitating deployment of the driver’s frontal airbag, the airbag inflator in these cars may explode due to being over-pressurized.

If the inflator explodes, sharp metal fragments may strike the driver or other occupants, resulting in serious injury or death.

Timeline of events

On November 30, 2017, an attorney contacted GM and claimed that on September 22, 2017, the front-driver airbag inflator in a 2011 Chevrolet Malibu ruptured during a crash-related deployment and injured his client.

GM reported the allegation to NHTSA on December 6 of the same year in accordance with Standing General Orders 2015-01 and 2015-02.

Between November 30, 2017, and December 13, 2018, GM made multiple attempts to locate and inspect the vehicle to confirm whether or not a rupture had occurred.

A GM engineer was permitted to inspect the vehicle and components. Based on that examination, GM determined that the front-driver airbag inflator in the subject vehicle likely over-pressurized and ruptured during deployment.’’

On December 19, 2018, GM presented the inspection photos and the other findings of its preliminary analysis to the NHTSA. On December 20, 2018, GM’s Safety Field Action Decision Authority (SFADA) decided to conduct a safety recall on the ARC inflators built in the suspect manufacturing lot.

At the time of the initial filing, GM was not aware of other rupture allegations involving this ARC inflator in GM vehicles.

On December 29, 2016, GM recalled certain 2017 Chevrolet Malibu vehicles due to airbag inflator defects. This recall is part of the larger Takata airbag inflators recall. These problems were similar to the reasons that led to a recent recall of 2016 Malibu vehicles.

The solution

GM has notified owners of these potentially problematic vehicles, and dealers will replace the front driver airbag module for free. Interim notices informing owners of the safety risk were mailed on February 8, 2019.

Owners will receive a second notice when the remedy becomes available, which is expected to be in late March 2019. GM’s number for this recall is N182206630.

The NHTSA Campaign Number for this recall is 19V-019000.

To find out if your vehicle is part of this recall, use MotorSafety.org’s free vehicle recall lookup tool.

GM Recalls More Than 150 Vehicles for Damaged Airbag Modules

December 27, 2018 Sean Reyes Chevrolet Recalls, GM Recalls, GMC Recalls, Pontiac Recalls, Saab Recalls

Laguna Hills, CA – December 27, 2018 – General Motors LLC (GM) is recalling certain 2019 Chevrolet Silverado 1500 Crew Cab and GMC Sierra 1500 Crew Cab vehicles due to potential issues with airbag modules. The potential number of units affected is 154.

The defect

According to the NHTSA notification, these vehicles have a retainer ring within the passenger-side airbag module that may have been damaged during the assembly process.

This damage could allow gas to escape during airbag inflation and deployment, which would reduce the amount of gas available to fill the airbag.

Since the passenger-side frontal air bag module in affected vehicles may have been damaged during assembly, possibly resulting in the air bag not inflating properly in the event of a crash, the risk of injury is significantly increased if a crash does occur.

Timeline of events

On December 6, 2018, the manufacturer notified GM of the issue. On December 17, 2018, General Motors LLC (GM) informed the NHTSA. On December 26, 2018, the recall began.

This recall is not connected to the widespread Takata airbag recall which has been ongoing, and affected certain Saab, Chevrolet, Pontiac, Saturn, and GMC models.

The solution

GM will notify owners, and dealers will replace the passenger side air bag module, free of charge. The recall began on December 26, 2018. GM’s number for this recall is N182198820.

Courtesy transportation is available for customers whose vehicles are involved in a product program and still within the warranty coverage period. The NHTSA Campaign Number for this recall is 18V-868.

To find out if your vehicle is part of this recall, use MotorSafety.org’s free look-up tool.

GM recalls vehicles with defective passenger presence systems

July 13, 2018 Sean Reyes Chevrolet Recalls, GM Recalls

Warren, Mich. – July 13, 2018 – General Motors has recalled more than five dozen vehicles potentially equipped with defective passenger presence systems, according to documentation submitted to the National Highway Transportation Safety Administration.

The campaign affects 2016-2018 Chevrolet Malibu sedans produced between Nov. 20, 2015, and Sept. 8, 2017. The American automaker suspects all of the vehicles involved in the action contain the defective components.

The Defect

Affected models contain replacement PPS assemblies that were installed as part of an earlier service initiative. However, these features, which are designed to detect seated passengers and signal the air bags to deploy in the event of an accident, contain miscalibrated parts.

These flawed components may cause the PPS software to misclassify children or smaller adults, inhibiting air bag functionality during collisions. The defect therefore poses a serious safety hazard to passengers. That said, GM has yet to receive reports connecting the problematic PPS assemblies to any accidents or injuries.

Timeline of Events

On Feb. 8, 2018, a GM engineer managing the PPS replacement initiative noticed that the part numbers for a number of the substitute PPS assemblies installed in 2016-2018 Chevrolet Malibu sedans were incorrect. This error indicated that some dealers may have installed the wrong replacement parts in some vehicles – specifically, PPS software not calibrated to the correct vehicle seat position.

Five days later, the design release engineer who discovered the issue notified the GM corporate office via the company’s Speak Up For Safety program. The engineer then began releasing work orders in an effort to address the issue proactively and did so until March 14, 2018.

On March 16, 2018, GM launched an official internal investigation. The automaker found that the GM engineering team had released two replacement PPS assemblies as part of the earlier repair initiative: one made for vehicles with vented seats and another made for vehicles with non-vented seats. Due to a part numbering mishap, these two components were mislabeled, meaning a number of dealers had likely installed incompatible parts in numerous 2016-2018 Chevrolet Malibu sedans and had unknowingly created a serious safety hazard.

GM evaluated the issue May 25, 2018, and decided that a voluntary safety recall was necessary.

The automaker informed dealers June 14, 2018.

The Solution

GM has directed dealers to replace the front PPS assemblies in affected vehicles free of charge, according to an NHTSA recall acknowledgment document. However, the car manufacturer has yet to release an owner notification timetable.

Owners in need of assistance can speak with GM customer service personnel by calling (800) 222-1020. Callers should use the internal recall identification number 18208. Owners can also reach out to the NHTSA directly using the agency’s Vehicle Safety Hotline at (888) 327-4236.

Recall summary

Continuation of the 2017 recall

Other Chevy Silverado recalls

Risks

The repair

Is your vehicle part of this recall?

Recall summary

Other GM recalls

Risks

The repair

Is your vehicle part of this recall?

Recall summary

Risks

The repair

Is your vehicle part of this recall?

Recall summary

Risks

The repair

Is your vehicle part of this recall?

Recall summary

‘Almost no data’ to back up claims

Previous Takata airbag recalls

Repair

What to do if you own a recalled vehicle

Is your vehicle part of this recall?

Recall summary

Risks

The repair

Is your vehicle part of this recall?

Recall summary

Risks

The repair

Is your vehicle part of this recall?

The defect

Timeline of events

The solution

The defect

Timeline of events

The solution

The Defect

Timeline of Events

The Solution

Recent Posts

Archives

Categories