GM Recalls Nearly 3.8M Pickups, SUVs To Fix Brake Issues

DETROIT (CBS DETROIT/ AP) — General Motors is recalling nearly 3.8 million big pickup trucks and SUVs in the U.S and Canada to fix a brake problem.

The recall covers the Chevrolet Silverado and GMC Sierra 1500, 2500 and 3500 pickups from the 2014 through 2018 model years. Also included are the Cadillac Escalade from 2015 to 2017, and the GMC Yukon and Chevy Suburban and Tahoe from 2015 through 2018.

GM says that as it ages, the pump in the power-assist brakes can put out less vacuum power than needed, increasing stopping distance and the risk of a crash.

Owners were to be notified starting Sept. 6 and at no cost to customers, dealers will recalibrate the electronic brake control module.

GM says the problems occur rarely and mostly at low speeds like driving in parking lots. Even with the problem, the brakes "continue to function and exceed the requirements of the appropriate federal motor vehicle safety standard," GM spokesman Dan Flores said.

NHTSA, the government's road safety agency, began investigating the problem in November of last year after getting 111 complaints from owners of poor brake performance. At the time the agency had nine reports of crashes that had caused two injuries.

When asked why it took that long to do the recall, Flores said only that the company has been cooperating with NHTSA and providing data. He said GM would have done the recall even without the NHTSA investigation.

The recall comes 10 months after NHTSA opened its investigation and over two months after the recall was announced in Canada.

The company says it has 113 reports of crashes and 13 injuries related to the problem.

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