GM Recalls 132K Heavy-Duty Pickups Over Tailgate Fault
Last week, General Motors issued a recall for just north of 132,000 heavy-duty pickup trucks that could have a faulty tailgate power latch, causing the tailgate to open unexpectedly. According to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration’s (NHTSA) web page for this recall, the issue pertains to certain 2024 Chevrolet Silverado 2500 HD, 3500 HD, and GMC Sierra 2500 HD and 3500 HD models equipped with the power-unlatching tailgate.
If water gets into the tailgate mechanism, the switch that controls the powered gate release may short-circuit, causing it to open while the vehicle is parked. Something like this would obviously be pretty easy to spot if you’re vigilant before setting off. Still, if you’re not expecting an open tailgate and you throw it in drive, you could risk your payload making a rapid and violent departure from the truck’s bed. No bueno.
NHTSA’s page says that “owners are advised to check that the tailgate is closed before driving,” which makes sense. As a remedy, dealers will replace the exterior touchpad switch assemblies free of charge. Letters will begin mailing to affected owners on or after January 13, 2025.
We’ve watched pickups of all shapes and sizes grow more capable and more luxurious with every new generation or update, and a touchpad switch that drops the tailgate for you certainly feels like one of those “nice to have, but not vital” things that trucks are full of nowadays. We’re not shocked to see that a tech-forward feature might have some teething issues when it comes to withstanding the rigors of truck life. Here’s to hoping the replacement touch switches will fare better in the elements.
It’s amazing to see apart that is exposed to the elements seems to have been poorly designed or built to withstand the elements. I thought this was going to be about the super complicated tailgate having the issue not a switch for a latch.
Dealers are already fixing this issue, I took my 2024 Silverado HD into the dealer for a software update which I had received a letter about and they fixed the tailgate at the same time, took about 2 hours to get both issues taken care of. Gotta say, I love the truck, wish I had bought a 3/4 ton pickup earlier!
The electronic e-brake on a work truck is the most inefficient thing I’ve ever seen. In certain situations we use a mechanical brake for various things. Not to mention as the truck ages if you had a brake issue you can’t use the emergency brake as an emergency brake. It’s strictly a parking brake. Plus, if you get stuck in the mud and are alone you can’t put it in neutral, hook a
tractor to it and pull it out.the brake sets automatically. Also might want the brake halfway on so it will roll enough to tow it but not roll into something on its own. Umpteen times I’ve fought with this stupid electronic parking brake and it’s enough to make me hate the truck.
Isn’t it obvious that a lot of electronic niceties are fine on cars but not cut out for the “rigors’ of truck life?
Come on folks, think of water ingress on a vehicle likely to spend its life outdoors.
One of my friends was recently killed by a defective truck tailgate. He was sitting flat on the floor of his shop working on a trailer hitch when the tailgate suddenly unlatched and swung down right on top of his head, fracturing his skull in several places. Fix them!
Really? This is how far we’ve “progressed”? We can’t even pull a handle to open a tailgate nowadays – we’ve got to have it done electronically? And I thought we’d gone soft when pick-ups started getting power windows and door locks…
Got to agree with DUB6, not exactly the rough and tumble image a pickup owner of the recent past is striving for I wouldn’t think?
KISS!!!!!!!! Keep it simple Stupid!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
DUB6 is right as usual. The majority of these “trucks” will never do any truck work, they will carry one person everywhere at astonishing speed in complete luxury. I know I’m a throwback but I say if it has carpeting, it’s a car.
any time u have something new test period engineer has make changes come out testing period they give okay for production 💰
forget all the crap electronics nowadays and build a basic simple strait forward truck instead of the garbage that there putting out nowadays.
Ironically, you could buy a “classic” pickup that is better built, more utility, less complicated, AND CHEAPER!!!
Did I miss something?