General Motors is recalling nearly 462,000 pickup trucks and large SUVs with diesel engines because the rear wheels can lock, increasing the risk of a crash.
The US recall affects certain Chevrolet Silverado and GMC Sierra 1500, 2500 and 3500 pickups from model years 2020 through 2022. Also included are the 2021 Cadillac Escalade, GMC Yukon and Chevrolet Tahoe and Suburban.
Documents posted Wednesday on the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration website say a transmission control valve can wear out over time. In rare cases it can malfunction and lock the rear wheels. Drivers may notice hard shifting before wheel problems occur.
GM says in documents that dealers will install new transmission control software that will monitor the valve and detect excessive wear 10,000 miles before the wheels lock. If wear is detected, the transmission is limited to fifth gear, preventing wheel lock that occurs when the transmission downshifts from eighth gear.
GM provides warranty coverage to repair transmissions with a defective control valve.
Owners will be notified of the recall by letter on December 9.
Documents say GM discussed an owner complaint about the problem with U.S. safety regulators in January and GM began an investigation in July. In September, a GM investigator found 1,888 reports of wheel locks possibly related to the condition. The company also found 11 possibly related incidents, including vehicles veering off the road and in some cases causing minor property damage. Three minor injuries were reported, although GM said these were not related to a crash.
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