General Motors LLC (GM) is recalling more than 40,000 trucks containing loose brake pedals.
The Warren, Michigan-based manufacturer sent the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) a safety recall report on Aug. 30, 2018 stating they will recall 41,468 2015-2016 Chevrolet Silverado 2500/3500, 2015-2016 Chevrolet Silverado 1500 Crew Cab Special Service, and 2015-2016 GMC Sierra 2500/3500 vehicles built between Oct. 1, 2013 and Jan. 30, 2016.
If you own a lemon Silverado, contact Allen Stewart’s team of experienced lemon law attorneys today.
The brake pedals in these vehicles contain pivot nuts that can loosen, making the pedal itself loose or inoperative. This can affect a driver’s braking ability and increase crash risk.
A GM fleet customer towed their 2015 Chevrolet Silverado in for repair on April 2, 2018 alleging the brake pedal was out of place and the driver lost braking ability. The incident was reported to GM’s Speak Up for Safety program and the manufacturer’s safety officials opened an official investigation on June 19, 2018. The investigators found the affected vehicle was previously recalled in 2016 for a related issue regarding the brake pedal pivot bolt.
Investigators found the subject vehicle did not receive thread adhesive on the brake pivot pedal nut per the recall’s remedy procedure. Several recalled vehicles received only an inspection without applying the adhesive. The investigator determined of the 53,000 vehicles that received only an inspection, more than 37,500 were built with a bolt orientation that should have required application of thread adhesive and increased nut torque.
The manufacturer decided on Aug. 23, 2018 to conduct a safety recall.
GM will notify owners and dealers will add adhesive to the nut and reinstall the nut with increased tightness, free of charge. The manufacturer has not yet provided a notification schedule. Owners can contact Chevrolet customer service at 1-800-222-1020, or GMC customer service at 1-800-462-8782. GM’s number for this recall is 18278. GM owners can also visit the NHTSA’s website and enter their VIN to see if their vehicle is included in any recalls.
Your vehicle’s manufacturer is legally required to fix any recalled problems for free. If the dealership refuses to fix the part or tries to charge you for the repair, contact the manufacturer immediately. The Highway Safety Act of 1970, which created the NHTSA, requires car manufacturers to pay for the recall and replacement of a defective part.
If the manufacturer fails to repair, replace, repurchase, or provide your recalled vehicle’s loss value, they are violating the warranty and a lawyer may be able to assist you. Lemon law attorneys help their clients by dealing directly with the manufacturer on the clients’ behalf, working to promptly resolve the issue and get their clients back on the road. Thanks to the Magnuson-Moss Warranty Act, attorneys can seek their fees directly from the manufacturer, meaning a client can obtain legal counsel without having to pay attorneys’ fees directly out of pocket.