If you drive a General Motors SUV or pickup truck that has a bench front seat that allows for a middle passenger, you need to be aware of a safety issue with that center seat. A free repair should be available in February.
GM brands Chevrolet and GMC are recalling pickup trucks and SUVs with three-across front bench seats. The problem is that the seat belt for the center seat may not be firmly attached to the frame of the seat.
GM employees noticed the problem during assembly of some vehicles. The issue is apparently that the seat supplier failed to properly attach the front-center seat belt to the frame. Following up, GM found that the problem affected a number of vehicles.
GM is not aware of any injuries related to this problem.
Which vehicles are affected by the recall?
This recall is NHTSA campaign number 20V792 and GM recall number N202314670.
Only vehicles with three-across bench seats are recalled. Vehicles with two separate front seats are not being recalled.
The affected vehicles include:
- 2019 – 2021 Chevrolet Silverado 1500 pickup trucks
- 2019 – 2021 GMC Sierra 1500 pickup trucks
- 2020 – 2021 Chevrolet Silverado 2500 and 3500 pickup trucks
- 2020 – 2021 GMC Sierra 2500 and 3500 pickup trucks
- 2021 Chevrolet Suburban, Chevrolet Tahoe, and GMC Yukon XL SUVs
Free fix and free courtesy transportation
According to Consumer Reports, GM is offering free courtesy transportation to affected vehicle owners who would otherwise need to use their front-center seat.
The repair will also be free of charge and will be available beginning in February.
To get the free repair, which includes any necessary reattachment of the seat belt to the frame, you can contact your local GMC or Chevy dealer. GM will send out a first-class mailing regarding the recall beginning in February. Or, you can call the brands directly:
GMC: 800-462-8782
Chevrolet: 800-222-1020
Unsure if your vehicle is affected? NHTSA can help.
Any time you are curious if your vehicle could be subject to a safety recall, you can enter your 17-digit vehicle identification number (VIN) into NHTSA’s recall website and it will tell you if any open recalls affect your vehicle. You can find your VIN on most titles and insurance documents and on the vehicle itself. For example, it is printed inside the driver’s door.
If someone has been injured by a malfunctioning seatbelt, you should discuss your situation with an attorney who handles auto product liability.
