GM Issues Urgent Recall for Some 2015-2016 Chevrolet Silverados and Tahoes

General Motors is recalling about 23,000 2015-2016 Chevrolet Silverado 1500, 2500 and 3500, and Tahoe Police Pursuit and Special-Service vehicles. Chevrolet is concerned that the driver’s side seat belt could separate and fail to protect the driver. According to information filed with the National Highway Transportation Safety Administration, “The flexible steel cable connecting the driver’s seat belt to the outboard side of the seat may be repeatedly bent over the seat side shield as the driver enters and exits the vehicle causing the cable to fatigue and separate.”

GM is Stopping Dealers from Selling Affected Vehicles Until Fixed

GM is also taking the unusual step of ordering its dealers to stop delivering any new or used vehicles affected by this recall on their lots because of potential danger. A letter that was sent to all GM dealers states “Until further instructions are received, involved vehicles that are in dealers’possession (new or used vehicle inventory, GM Certified Used, courtesy transportation vehicles, dealer shuttle vehicles, etc.) must be held and not delivered to customers, dealer-traded, released to auction, used for demonstration purposes or any other dealer use.”

GM also states in the letter to dealers “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.”

How Dealers will Fix the Seat Belt Problem

Dealers will replace the pretensioner cable and seat side-shield, free of charge. Unfortunately, they do not yet have the parts to make the repairs. GM is working with its suppliers to get the new cables and seat shields as quickly as possible. Dealers are being told not to try to make the repairs until they get the new parts. At this point, GM is not estimating when the repairs will be available.

Customers who own a vehicle involved in the field action will be notified by mail by Chevrolet, but they may also check their Vehicle Identification Number (VIN) for field actions in GM Owner Center my.gm.com/recalls or via NHTSA's website at vinrcl.safercar.gov/vin/.

Owners may contact Chevrolet customer service at 1-800-222-1020. GM’s number for this recall is 18156.

Owners may also contact the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration Vehicle Safety Hotline at 1-888-327-4236 (TTY 1-800-424-9153), or go to www.safercar.gov.