GM recalls 1 million pickup trucks and SUVs for glitch that causes vehicles to lose power steering

General Motors announced on Thursday that it will recall 1.2 million pickup trucks and sport utility vehicles as a result of a software issue that may cause vehicles to temporarily lose power steering.

Models Affected

According to Fox News, the issue affects the following 2015 models: Chevrolet Silverado 1500 and GMC Sierra 1500 trucks, as well as the Chevrolet Suburban, Chevrolet Tahoe, GMC Yukon and Cadillac Escalade SUVs.

Most of the affected vehicles are in the U.S., Canada and Mexico. The move comes after GM recalled 2014 trucks in 2017 to address the same issue. That recall affected nearly 700,000 Chevrolet Silverado and GMC Sierra trucks.

Risk Of Crash At Low Speeds

According to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, if the power steering glitch occurs “and then suddenly returns, the driver may have difficulty steering the vehicle, especially at low speeds, increasing the risk of a crash.”

GM spokesperson Tom Wilkinson said the company has received reports of 30 crashes and two injuries; no deaths have been associated with the recall.

GM dealers will notify owners of the affected vehicles of the recall and then update the power steering module software free of charge. The software update is apparently already available, so customers can begin scheduling repairs for their vehicles now.

More information about all GM recalls can be found on the automaker’s website.

Ford F-150 Recall

The GM recall comes days after Ford announced a recall of close to 2 million F-150 trucks due to a possible fire risk.

The trucks involved in the recall include regular cab and supercrew cabs from model years 2015 to 2018. Ford says seat belt pretensioners can create “excessive” sparks, which could lead to a fire. The company says there have been 17 reports of smoke or fire in the U.S. and six in Canada, none of which has lead injuries or accidents.

Ford says an investigation found that some front seat belt pretensioners can generate excessive sparks and when sufficient sparks are present, gases exhausted inside the B-pillar (a roof support structure located between the front and rear doors) by the pretensioners may ignite. If this gas ignites, components such as insulation and carpet may catch fire.

Affected vehicles include 2015 to 2018 Ford F-150 vehicles built in Dearborn, Michigan, from March 2014 through August 2018 and Kansas City, Missouri, from August 2014 to August 2018. The vehicles were sold in the United States, Canada and Mexico, with 1,995,776 of them being sold in North American alone.

If your vehicle is involved in the recall, dealers will remove insulation material from the B-pillar trim, as well as remnants of wiring harness tape in the area, then apply heat-resistant tape to the carpet and its insulation. The back interior panels of regular cab vehicles will also be modified. All repairs will be provided at no cost to the truck owner.

The recall comes after the federal government launched a preliminary investigation into reports of fires in five trucks. In each incident, the fire occurred after a crash.

For more information, visit Ford’s website. Do you own a vehicle involved in the recall?