GM recalls 300,000 Chevy Silverado, GMC Sierra trucks for fire risk
General Motors said Friday that it will recall 303,000 2014 Chevrolet Silverado and GMC Sierra full-size pickup trucks sold in the U.S. to reprogram software to prevent fires in the engine compartment.
The recall also includes 67,000 models sold in Canada and Mexico.
All the recalls affect trucks with 4.3-liter and 5.3-liter engines. The automaker said it has not seen the same problem in trucks with the 6.2-liter engine.
GM said a software glitch can cause overheating in the components of the exhaust system, possibly creating a fire.
The automaker said it knows of eight fires from this condition, but no injuries. All occurred in areas with very cold weather, it said.
GM is contacting customers to alert them of the potential issue, which often is signaled by a continuous yellow “check engine light” and an “engine power reduced” message in the driver information center.
Recall letters are to be mailed next Thursday, but customers can contact dealers for appointments beginning early next week.
The repair will take about 20 minutes, although dealership wait times can vary. Until then, customers are urged to avoid leaving their trucks to idle unattended.
Last year, GM introduced a complete redesign of the trucks. Older vehicles are not affected by the recall.
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