General Motors Recall 2020: 840,000 Silverados, Sierras, Tahoes, Malibus, And More Vehicles Affected

In late November, General Motors (GM) warned of an upcoming recall that would affect 5.9 million vehicles to replace defective airbag inflators, costing the company $1.2 billion to repair. On Wednesday, the Detroit-based automaker issued two recalls that affect over 840,000 pickup trucks, SUVs, and sedans.

The first recall covers over 620,000 GM pickup trucks and SUVs that have front-center seatbelts that may not operate properly because the brackets are not correctly secured to the seat frame. This could prevent the occupant of the vehicle from being restrained during a crash, increasing the risk of injury.

The recall affects certain 2019 to 2021 Chevrolet Silverado 1500 and GMC Sierra 1500, 2021 Chevrolet Suburban and Tahoe and GMC Yukon XL, and 2020 to 2021 Chevrolet Silverado 2500 and 3500 and GMC Sierra 2500 and 3500 models.

To repair the seatbelt issue, GM dealers will inspect the left-side and right-side front-row center seatbelt bracket attachments. If necessary, they will be reassembled at no cost to the vehicle owner.

GM said it expects to begin notifying affected truck and SUV owners beginning on Feb. 1, 2021.

GM also issued a recall for another 210,000 vehicles. In this recall, certain 2012 to 2013 Buick Regal, 2013 Chevrolet Malibu, and 2010 to 2013 Buick Lacrosse vehicles may have a rear toe link fracture that could affect the driver’s ability to control the vehicle, leading to an increased risk of a crash.

The issue with the rear toe link stems from excessive electrocoating corrosion protection that may become brittle or break away when contacted by road debris. This could cause the coating to chip away, exposing the metal toe link and making it more susceptible to corrosion, eventually fracturing.

The affected vehicles were sold or registered in the states of Connecticut, Delaware, the District of Columbia, Illinois, Indiana, Iowa, Kentucky, Maine, Maryland, Massachusetts, Michigan, Minnesota, Missouri, New Hampshire, New Jersey, New York, Ohio, Pennsylvania, Rhode Island, Vermont, Virginia, West Virginia, and Wisconsin.

To remedy the corrosion issue, GM said it will replace the rear suspension toe links and adjust the fasteners at no charge. However, it also said that parts for the repair are not currently available.

Due to the unavailability, GM said it will mail out an interim notification to vehicle owners on Feb. 15, 2021. A second notification will arrive when parts are available, which is expected to occur around March 21, 2021.

Questions about the recalls can be directed to GMC customer service at (800) 462-8782, Chevrolet customer service at (800) 222-1020, or Buick customer service at (800) 521-7300.

On Wednesday, shares of GM closed at $42.45, up $1.55, 3.79%.