GM is recalling its HD trucks to fix an issue with tailgates unexpectedly opening while in park.
This week, General Motors began the recall process for Chevrolet Silverado and GMC Sierra 2500 and 3500 HD trucks due to an issue with power-unlatching tailgates. In some situations, water can intrude into the trucks’ tailgates, short circuiting the switch you press to open the tailgate. However, according to what the automaker told the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA), this condition only occurs while trucks are in the ‘Park’ gear.
In total, GM says 128,966 Chevy Silverado 2500/3500 HD trucks are affected, while 194,266 GMC Sierra 2500/3500 HD trucks make up the rest of the recall population. All of the impacted trucks were built between the 2020 and 2024 model years. Actual production dates vary, with the Silverado HDs in question manufactured between September 8, 2020 and May 16, 2023. Affected GMC Sierra HDs were produced in a similar time frame, between September 3, 2020 and May 12, 2023.
Of the 323,232 trucks included in the recall population, GM claims that only about 1% actually have a defective tailgate power-unlatching switch.
The automaker is advising owners check their tailgates are closed and securely latched before driving their trucks. Dealers were already informed about the issue on February 1, while notification letters should go out to owners starting March 18. There is no estimate on when a remedy is available, but GM is working on sourcing replacement parts that use a new, more water-resistant material to prevent intrusion. Once that’s ready, dealers will replace the tailgate release switches, free of charge. GM will also reimburse owners who already paid out-of-pocket to try and fix the issue.
According to the NHTSA documents, GM began looking into the issue on November 21, 2023 after receiving complaints of tailgates unexpectedly opening. A field analysis completed on January 5, 2024 showed 136 complaints related to the issue, with one claim of a minor injury and three complaints of minor property damage.
GM’s recall number for this campaign is N232426400, while the NHTSA’s recall number is 24V-060.
