Cars and Drivers

GM Hit by Major Recall

Douglas A. McIntyre

Published: March 4, 2024 9:50 am

A new recall of some General Motors Co. (NYSE: GM) pickups includes about 870,000 affected vehicles. The country’s top automaker said that an electronic latch mechanism, part of an assembly used to open the rear gates of many 2020-2024 Chevy Silverado and GMC Sierra truck beds, could short circuit when water gets into the tailgate. The gate might unexpectedly loosen when parked, meaning unsecured loads in the bed might spill out without the driver knowing. (Check out America’s 16 favorite pickup trucks.)

The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) site indicates that there had been over 125 complaints. The company’s statement about the flaw read, “(The) control logic in the body control module (BCM) would prevent release of the tailgate latch when the vehicle is in gear, even if the BCM receives a release signal from the exterior touchpad switch.”

Like most recalls, this one may not affect safety or even damage items in truck beds. However, they are bad for the manufacturer’s image.

Recalls cost billions of dollars, primarily in compensation for repair costs and victim compensation, although the latter is rare. According to USA Today, here are the top 10 carmakers by the number of vehicles potentially affected by recalls in the United States, per the NHTSA:

• Honda (6,334,825)
• Ford (6,152,614)
• Kia America (3,110,447)
• Chrysler (2,732,398)
• General Motors (2,021,033)
• Nissan North America (1,804,443)
• Mercedes-Benz USA (478,173)
• Volkswagen Group of America (453,763)
• BMW of North America (340,249)
• Daimler Trucks North America (261,959)