Nearly 820,000 GMC, Chevrolet Pickup Trucks Recalled

General Motors (GM) expanded a recall first announced in early February to include 820,000 pickup trucks with tailgates that may unexpectedly open while parked.

In certain situations, water may enter the electronic gate-release switch, causing it to short circuit and open the tailgate. If the tailgate remains open when driven , items in the truck bed could fall out, posing a risk of accidents, according to a safety recall report from the National Highway Transportation Safety Administration (NHTSA).

GM first opened an investigation into the issue in November 2023 and identified 136 complaints of the tailgate releasing while driving. But the complaints are likely attributed to the tailgate unlatching while in park, before a drive, the safety report noted.

Among the complaints was one allegation of minor injury and three reports of minor property damage.

The recalled trucks

About 570,000 trucks in the US and 249,000 in Canada are part of this recall, affecting certain Chevrolet Silverados and GMC Sierras from the 2020 to 2024 model years. The defect is estimated to affect only 1 percent of the recalled vehicles.

Owners will be notified about the recall by March 18. Dealers will be instructed how to replace the touch pad switches, which will be offered for free to affected owners.

GM first estimated that the recall affected only 323,000 vehicles in the U.S.

To determine whether your vehicle is affected by any recall, you can search your vehicle’s identification number (VIN) on the NHTSA website.