Fire Risk Prompts Second Recall of Chevy's Big Medium-Duty Work Trucks
The latest car news, reviews, and features.
Chevy has another pickup recall on its hands, but fortunately for GM, this one's significantly less impactful than its ongoing V8 quality-control saga. Earlier this week, the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) pushed out a bulletin advising dealers and the public that GM is recalling approximately 62,000 medium-duty (4500HD/5500HD/6500HD) trucks built for the 2019-2024 model years to address a potential issue with their brake pressure sensors which, in rare circumstances, can lead to a fire.
The company's concerns are focused on a seal that separates the brake pressure switch from its electronic sensor. If this seal is damaged or displaced, brake fluid can leak onto the sensor's wiring harness, potentially leading to a short-circuit, which can cause intermittent activation of the truck's brake assist feature and generate excess under-hood heat, which in turn can start a fire.
The recall appears to be an expansion of a previous campaign initiated in April, 2023, which covered trucks produced through that model year. The new campaign adds some trucks produced for 2024. When it was announced, GM shared concerns that some trucks could catch fire even while parked and unattended, prompting GM to suggests the trucks be parked outside until the issue could be dealt with. That suggestion was echoed in the updated campaign.
Customers whose trucks display a 'service brake system' indicator should be especially cautious, as this could be a sign that brake fluid has already contaminated the wiring harness.
Per GM's investigation, the seals themselves are not faulty, but in some cases, a zinc-based sealing material incorrectly used during assembly can deteriorate over time, and this debris can interfere with the diaphragm separating the switch itself from its electronic components. The issue is likely to be present in a small number (approximately 1%) of the Silverado 4500HD, 5500HD, and 6500HD models assembled during the suspect window.
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