GM Recalls Thousands of Trucks to Fix Tailgate Safety Risk

Car recall headlines do not seem to be slowing down any time soon. General Motors has announced a recall of thousands of its vehicles due to a tailgate issue. The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) released its safety brief on the matter at the end of November 2024. We’ve broken down the details to make it easy for you to understand which vehicles are recalled, why, and what to do if you’re impacted by the tailgate issue plaguing them.

Why Is GM Recalling Some of Its Vehicles?

According to the NHTSA brief, some GM vehicles are experiencing malfunctions with the tailgate’s electronic gate-release switch. This switch “may short circuit due to water intrusion,” causing the tailgate to unlatch while in park. This is dangerous because “an unlatched tailgate may open and result in a loss of unsecured cargo, creating a road hazard and increasing the risk of a crash.”

Which GM Vehicles Have These Tailgate Issues?

Over 130,000 GM vehicles have been recalled due to this tailgate issue, including the:

• 2024 Chevrolet Silverado HD 2500
• 2024 Chevrolet Silverado HD 3500
• GMC Sierra HD 2500
• GMC Sierra HD 3500

GM will mail letters to the affected owners in mid-January 2025. So, if you own one of the vehicles on this list, keep an eye on your mailbox. The owner’s letter will have more information.

What To Do If You Have a Recalled GM Truck

Per the NHTSA brief, GM “dealers will replace the exterior touchpad switch assemblies, free of charge.” So don’t delay; get this remedied as soon as you can. If you don’t want to wait for your letter, or if you have further questions, you can contact Chevrolet customer service at 1-800-222-1020 or GMC customer service at 1-800-462-8782. Be sure to clarify that you’re calling about recall number N242469160; it’s an expansion of NHTSA Recall 24V-060.

In the meantime, if you have one of the affected GM vehicles, be sure to double-check your tailgate every time you get into the car until the issue has been remedied. Limit your use of the car as much as possible until then. You don’t want to be the reason for a pileup on the highway or a crash on the way home from the hardware store.

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