General Motors is recalling about 820,000 pickup trucks due to a defect in the electronic latch mechanism used to open the trucks’ tailgates, increasing the risk of road hazards and collisions.
The Detroit-based GM said: Safety recall notice previously reported CNN Affected vehicles include 570,434 Chevrolet Silverados and GMC Sierras from model years 2020 to 2024 sold in the U.S. and an additional 249,000 in Canada.
GM said water ingress into the electric tailgate could short out all gates in the beds of affected trucks, saying, “If the driver does not manually close the gates, the hinged door will inadvertently open and cause damage to the bed.” There is a possibility that unsecured items may come out of the vehicle.” Please go to the gate before you start driving. ”
GM’s safety notice says it has received 136 complaints about the tailgate opening “while driving,” even though the gate is designed to open only when parking.
GM said one customer suffered a minor injury and three others reported “minor property damage,” but did not provide further details on the complaint.
“The control logic in the body control module (BCM) prevents the release of the tailgate latch when the vehicle is in gear, even if the BCM receives a release signal from the external touchpad switch,” the company also said. , warned the owner: Until the recall is complete, please close the tailgate manually before driving.
Starting March 18, affected customers will be notified if their vehicle is affected by a recall.
It was not immediately clear when GM expects the recall to be completed.
In the meantime, drivers with a defective tailgate can take their pickup truck to a dealership to have the exterior touchpad switch assembly replaced. This improves the water resistance of the part.
GM announced that it would reimburse customers for repair costs.
A GM spokesperson told the Post the company learned of the issue from “customer feedback and subsequent GM product research.”
The spokesperson also confirmed that “customer safety and satisfaction is one of the top priorities for the entire GM team and we are working to quickly resolve this issue.”
GM’s recall joins a long list of recalls in recent weeks. Most of the blame comes from Toyota, which announced last week that 381,199 2022 and 2023 model year Toyota Tacoma trucks in the U.S. had brake performance issues that increased the risk of accidents. crash.
The problem is caused by “welding debris left on the end of the rear axle assembly during manufacturing,” which could lead to separation of the axle shaft. Toyota said: It added that affected customers will be notified via email by late April 2024.
And on February 23rd, the Japanese car company announced that it will be disengaging 28 of its pickup truck and SUV models, citing a safety issue in which the transmission does not fully disengage when in neutral, potentially causing the vehicle to “drive forward.” Ten thousand units were voluntarily recalled.
The recall affects Toyota Tundra, Tundra Hybrid, Sequoia, and the company’s luxury Lexus LX 600 (2022-2024 models) in the United States.
Additionally, approximately 19,000 2023 and 2024 Mirai and Lexus LS, LC, and ES vehicles distributed in North America, Japan, and Asia have been recalled due to “software programming issues.”
Separately, approximately 4,000 Toyota Camrys and Camry Hybrids have also been recalled due to a safety issue with the headrests of the rear folding seats that could “increase the risk of injury in certain collisions.” Ta.
