If you own a General Motors vehicle, you may want to check your brakes. The automotive company has issued a voluntary recall of over 3 million pickup trucks and SUVs due to a brake problem.
CNN reports there’s been 113 accidents and 13 injuries due to issues with power-assist brakes. The faulty part can cause drivers to experience a harder brake pedal and an increase in stopping distance, which poses a crash risk.
“In rare circumstances, these vehicles may have a condition in which the engine-mounted mechanical vacuum pump output may decrease over time, decreasing the amount of vacuum/power brake assist,” GM spokesperson Dan Flores said in a statement to CNN.
The recall affects 3.4 million models, specifically, six different GM models ranging from model years 2014 to 2018 including:
- Cadillac Escalade
- Chevrolet Silverado
- Chevrolet Suburban
- Chevrolet Tahoe
- GMC Sierra
- GMC Yukon
According to Flores, the brakes in these models still work, but as a safety precaution, any customer whose vehicle is part of the recall is being advised by GM to get the brakes fixed by a certified GM dealer free of cost. Owners of these vehicles will be notified of the recall.
How to check if the General Motors recall affects your truck or SUV
To find out if your specific model is part of the recall, you can head to the GM Recall Center and enter your vehicle’s 17-character Vehicle Identification Number (VIN).
To find your VIN number, you can check your glove box, as some states include the VIN on your vehicle registration or car insurance documents — but all vehicles have the VIN in two locations.
Look for an identification label on the driver’s door jamb. The VIN is also stamped on the vehicle on the dashboard under the windshield on the driver’s side.
The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) began to investigate the brake issue last November after receiving complaints from GM customers. GM has since been in contact with the organization and issued the recall to fix the ongoing issue.
Digital Trends reached out to GM for further comment, but we haven’t heard back yet. We’ll update this story if we do.
