General Motors Recalls Cadillac, GMC SUVs Over Backup Cameras

General Motors is calling back some 100,000 Cadillac and GMC sport utility vehicles over a defect that could result in accidents.

The vehicles being recalled are equipped with defective backup cameras that may fail unexpectedly, the company told federal regulators. GM said the “crimping process used to attach connectors on coaxial cables” may have been shoddy.

“If the rearview camera is not functioning properly, rear visibility is reduced, increasing the risk of a crash during a backing event,” the company added in a defect notice filed with the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration.

The recall covers certain 2020 and 2021 Cadillac XT5, Cadillac XT6, and GMC Acadia SUVs. 

The company said it plans to notify owners of recalled cars by early November. It will ask owners to bring their vehicles to a local dealer for inspection and replacement of coaxial cables, free of charge.

GM also sent a notice to dealers in late September, instructing them to stop selling or delivering recalled SUVs until they have also had the cables replaced.

“It is a violation of federal law for a dealer to deliver a new motor vehicle or any new or used item of motor vehicle equipment (including a tire) covered by this notification until the defect is remedied,” the manufacturer told dealers.

These kinds of recalls have unfortunately become second nature for GM and other carmakers around the world.

The company, for example, announced a pair of recalls in April alone. GM said it was recalling nearly 700,000 vehicles over a defect that could make them difficult to drive in wet weather: faulty windshield wipers. It also recalled certain electric Hummer trucks and sport utility vehicles over malfunctioning tail lights.

There is some good news for GM and other car owners in California. The state’s lemon law offers some important rights and protections when it comes to defective and malfunctioning vehicles.

Known formally as the Song-Beverly Consumer Warranty Act, the lemon law forces auto manufacturers to do various repairs on cars while they are under warranty. The law also requires the companies to buy back (or replace, in some circumstances) vehicles that they cannot or will not fix. That includes covering the purchase price, financing fees and other related expenses.

There is no magic number of repair requests or attempts that must be made before the buyback requirement kicks in. That is one reason why it is crucial to seek the assistance of an experienced lemon law lawyer. The law obligates car manufacturers to foot the bill for certain legal fees incurred by owners while enforcing their rights.

Speak with a California Lemon Law Attorney

If you have been stuck with a defective or malfunctioning vehicle or are haggling with a car manufacturer over repairs, the California lemon lawyers at Bickel Sannipoli APC can help you fight back.  

Call us at (888) 800-1983 or contact us online to speak with an attorney at our firm.