U.S. Intensifies Probe of GM’s Tailgate Failures

General Motors Corp. faces a stepped-up U.S. safety investigation of its bestselling pickup trucks, which may be prone to the same tailgate failures that led to a recall of 3.66 million vehicles last year.

The review of 1.67 million Chevrolet Silverado and GMC Sierra pickups, begun last year, was upgraded after reports of at least 35 more injuries because of broken support cables on the tailgate, the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration said Monday. The investigation covers 1998, 1999 and some 2000 Silverados and Sierras.

GM, the world’s largest automaker, recalled newer versions of those pickups last year to repair tailgates. It was the fourth-biggest recall ever for the Detroit-based automaker and GM’s biggest last year. The action accounted for 12% of the record 30.7 million vehicles recalled in the United States in 2004.

The agency said Monday that during the 2000 model year the automaker changed materials coating the tailgate cables. The 2004 recall covered some 2000 Silverados and Sierras and all 2001 through 2004 models. NHTSA’s probe summary reported 682 complaints and 54 injuries in the older models.

The automaker has received 11,560 warranty claims for the tailgate problem, NHTSA said.

The earlier recall also included the Chevrolet Avalanche and some Cadillac Escalades, which have tailgates like those on the Silverado and Sierra.

Monday’s action is an engineering analysis, the second step toward a possible recall. Seven of 10 engineering analyses lead to recalls.

GM spokesman Alan Adler said the automaker would continue to cooperate with NHTSA. The Silverado is the automaker’s bestselling vehicle and No. 2 in the U.S., behind Ford Motor Co.’s F-Series pickup.

GM’s shares rose 59 cents to $26.19 on the New York Stock Exchange.