General Motors recalls vehicles for contaminated brake booster

Pleasanton, CA – Sept 24, 2020 – General Motors (GM) (NYSE: GM) has recalled 6 different vehicle models which may have a contaminated component in the braking system. This contamination could disrupt sensor communications to the brake booster, making it harder to stop the vehicle and increasing the risk of a crash. The recall includes:

  • 2020-2021 Buick Encore GX subcompact SUVs
  • 2020 Cadillac CT4 and CT5 luxury sedans
  • 2020 Cadillac XT4 compact SUVs
  • 2020 Chevrolet Corvettes
  • 2021 Chevrolet Trailblazer crossovers

Recall summary  

The recall concerns the brake-by-wire system, which uses an electronic brake booster to help stop the car quickly without depending on how hard the driver presses the brake pedal. 

In June, GM launched an investigation after receiving multiple complaints about the strength of the brakes. They discovered that, due to a factory cleaning issue, the connector between the rotor position sensor and the electronic brake control module had been contaminated.

This contamination can disrupt communication between the two parts and disable the electronic brake booster.

Safety tips

Drivers with a failing brake booster may notice that their brakes are difficult to press. They may also notice an increase in the car’s stopping distance. 

Own one of these affected vehicles? It may be wise to keep an eye on the instrument panel, which will display a warning message if the brake booster fails. If this happens, keep the increased stopping distance in mind as you drive.

The repair

Dealers will replace the vehicles electronic brake control module for free. However, this repair is not yet available, as GM is still working on sourcing enough replacement brake boost modules. The company will notify owners when the repair becomes available.

Is your vehicle part of this recall?

Over 3,000 vehicles are part of this GM recall. To see if your car is one of them, use MotorSafety’s free vehicle lookup tool.

Rebecca RandGeneral Motors recalls vehicles for contaminated brake booster

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