GM Recalls More than 740,000 Cars Over Light Snafu
» Posted February 22, 2023 • Resources | Share This Post
General Motors has another car safety problem on its hands.
The major auto manufacturer recently announced that it is recalling some 740,000 vehicles over a defect that could put everyone on the road at risk.
A software glitch may fail to deactivate the daytime running lights (DRL) when the headlights are on, GM recently told federal regulators at the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration. That increases the risk of accidents, according to the company.
“The body control module (BCM) software in these vehicles, under a combination of certain pre-conditions, may fail to deactivate the DRLs when the headlamps are on,” GM said in a defect notice. “If the DRLs do not deactivate when the headlamps are on, the resulting glare could increase the risk of a crash.”
The recall covers a wide range of vehicles: 2021-23 Buick Envision sport utility vehicles; 2020-23 Cadillac CT4 and CT5 sedans; 2022-23 Cadillac Escalade and Escalade ESV SUVs; 2022-23 Chevrolet Silverado 1500 pickup trucks and Suburban and Tahoe SUVs; 2022-23 GMC Sierra 1500 trucks and Yukon and Yukon XL SUVs.
GM plans to notify owners of recalled cars by the end of January. The company told NHTSA it will ask owners to bring their vehicles to local dealers for inspection and repair, free of charge. The fix: updating BCM software.
GM Defects and Owners’ Rights
GM owners and lessors may be feeling a sense of deja vu.
The company routinely recalls slews of vehicles, citing a variety of defects and malfunctions that pose serious safety hazards. The recalls are often launched long after the cars have been built, shipped to dealers and sold to unsuspecting buyers.
Late last year, for example, the automaker called back some 100,000 Cadillac and GMC sport utility vehicles. GM said the SUVs are equipped with defective backup cameras that may fail unexpectedly, increasing the risk of a crash.
Earlier in the year, GM recalled roughly 680,000 cars from across brands because of faulty windshield wipers. The company told NHTSA at the time that the defect boosted the chance of a collision in wet weather by limiting driver visibility.
How the California Lemon Law Works
Many car owners and lessors in California do not have to wait for a recall to get a defective vehicle fixed. You have some important rights under the state’s lemon law.
The California lemon law requires GM and other car manufacturers to perform various repairs on vehicles while they are under warranty. The law also forces manufacturers to buy back (or replace, in some situations) cars that they cannot or will not fix.
Talk with a California Lemon Law Attorney
If you have been stuck with a defective or malfunctioning vehicle, a California lemon law attorney at Bickel Sannipoli APC can help you fight back.
Call us at (888) 800-1983 or contact us online to speak with a California lemon law attorney.
