GM is recalling more than 1 million 2014 and 2015 Chevy Silverado and GMC Sierra trucks.
General Motors is recalling more than 1 million full-size pickup trucks due to a problem with the seat belts that can wear out over time.
The automaker is recalling 2014 and 2015 model year Chevrolet Silverado and GMC Sierra 1500 trucks. The recall affects 895,232 trucks in the U.S. A flexible steel cable in the belt can wear out over time as the driver sits down in the seat repeatedly.
The cable will eventually separate from the vehicle.
This issue was discovered through warranty data, and there have been no reports of crashes, injuries or fatalities related to this issue.
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For trucks in the field, dealers will enlarge the side shield opening, install a pusher bracket on the tensioner, and if necessary, replace the tensioner assembly.
The recall in the United States includes a stop-sale of approximately 3,000 new 2014 and 2015 model year pickups still on dealer lots. Dealers will repair the vehicles prior to delivering them to customers.
GM is covering the repairs as part of the vehicle’s warranty and at this point, the automaker said it is unaware of any crashes, injuries or deaths stemming from the issue.
More than 895,000 of the trucks are in the U.S. with the remainder in Canada and Mexico, according to GM. Customers will be notified by GM if they own an affected vehicle.
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The recall comes as an auto industry trade group is asking the insurance industry to remind motorists to check to see if their cars are subject to recalls whenever it’s time to renew their policies.
Under pressure from regulators and safety advocates, automakers have also been trying other strategies that have, in some instances, included offering owners gift cards if they respond to outstanding recalls.
According to studies, less than 75% of all recall repairs are made. Automakers are facing difficulties getting owners to bring the vehicles in – even as the number of recalls has hit record levels in each of the last two years – and that problem only increases as vehicles are sold to second, third and fourth owners.
Recently, Mark Rosekind, NHTSA administrator, pledged to get the recall repair rate to 100%, and is pressing the auto industry to do more. Congress stepped into the debate last December when it approved a measure that requires daily rental companies to pull recalled vehicles from their fleets until repairs are made.
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Congress did approve a pilot last year allowing up to six states to study programs that could eventually force motorists to get recalled vehicles fixed before they could be registered.