GM Sierra, Chevrolet Silverado Truck Recall Issued Due To Possibility of Brake Pedal Coming Off

Just over 420,000 heavy duty Chevrolet Silverado and GMC Sierra pickup trucks are being recalled, after an investigation identified a potential risk that the brake pedal may become loose or detach from the assembly, potentially resulting in brake failure and a crash hazard. 

The GMC and Chevrolet pickup truck recall was announced by the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) on February 10, following an internal investigation that discovered the pivot bolt and nut assembly were not manufactured to specification, allowing the brake pedal to loosen and potentially come off of the assembly rod.

If the brake pedal becomes loose or inoperative, the driver may be unable to stop the vehicle by use of the brakes. To date, no injuries or accidents have been reported.

According to the NHTSA recall notice, the brake pedal assembly nut that fastens the brake pedal to the brake pedal assembly rod may be too short to allow it to lock in place. The NHTSA warns that not only would there be a braking problem if the pedal detached, but it could also become lodged under the accelerator pedal.

The defect was first identified in November 2015, when the brake pedal assembly supplier, Flex-N-Gate, contacted General Motors (GM) about pedal assembly loosening reports during durability studies.

After further evaluation GM opened a formal investigation on December 15, which discovered several warranty claims had been reported from customers about loose and noisy brake pedals. GM’s Safety Field Action Decision Authority concluded that a safety defect existed and decided to conduct a recall.

The recall includes 426,593 model year 2015 to 2016 Chevrolet Silverado 2500 and 3500 heavy duty trucks manufactured from October 1, 2013 to February 1, 2016, and model years 2015 to 2016 Chevrolet Tahoe Police Pursuit Vehicles manufactured March 1, 2014 through February 1, 2016. Also included in the recall are model years 2015 to 2016 GMC Sierra 2500 and 3500 heavy duty trucks manufactured from October 29, 2013 through February 1, 2016.

Although General Motors has not yet announced a recall schedule, the automaker plans to have customers schedule an appointment at their local dealer where they will inspect the brake pedal pivot nuts, adding an adhesive threading, and tighten the locking nuts free of charge. Customers with questions may contact Chevrolet Customer Service at 1-800-222-1020 or GMC’s Customer Service center at 1-800-462-8782.