General Motors (GM) announced on Tuesday, April 29th, that it is recalling 721,000 SUVs and trucks worldwide due to engine issues that could result in loss of power and increased crash risks.
The company stated, “Customer safety and satisfaction are the top priorities for all General Motors employees, and we are working diligently to address this issue as quickly as possible.”
According to the recall notice submitted to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) on April 24th, the recall affects a total of 597,630 vehicles in the United States, including 126,027 Cadillacs, 174,208 Chevrolets, and 297,395 GMC vehicles.
The recalled models include 2021 to 2024 Cadillac Escalade and Escalade ESV, Chevrolet Silverado 1500, Suburban, and Tahoe, as well as GMC Sierra 1500, Yukon, and Yukon XL equipped with the 6.2-liter V8 gasoline engine.
The recall notice states that these vehicles may have defective connecting rods and/or crankshaft components, which could lead to engine damage or failure.
GM mentioned that drivers may notice warning signs before experiencing engine failure, such as engine knocking or tapping noises, check engine light coming on, or other engine performance issues like abnormal shifting, hesitation, or loss of power.
Following reports of engine failures in vehicles equipped with V8 engines, the NHTSA launched an investigation in January involving 877,710 General Motors vehicles. Subsequently, GM also initiated its own investigation.
GM reported 12 potential crash incidents related to the recall issue and 12 injury incidents in the United States.
Starting from June 9th, General Motors will begin notifying vehicle owners. Owners of the affected models can take their vehicles to Cadillac, Chevrolet, or GMC dealerships for engine inspection, repair, or replacement at no cost.
Service technicians will inspect the engines and replace or repair them as necessary.
Inspected vehicles will have a higher viscosity oil used, which will require new oil filters, oil fill caps, and updated owner’s manuals.
Vehicle owners can also contact Cadillac customer service at 1-800-333-4223, Chevrolet customer service at 1-800-222-1020, or GMC customer service at 1-800-462-8782 for inquiries, providing the recall number N252494000.