GM Recalls Over 480,000 Chevrolet, GMC, and Cadillac SUVs for Seat Belt Defect

Keith Barry
·3 min read
3

Newer Suburbans, Tahoes, and Escalades need to have their third-row seat belts inspected and potentially replaced

By Keith Barry

Some popular three-row SUVs will need a free repair because their third-row seat belts might not protect occupants in a crash. The recall includes the 2021 and 2022 model year Cadillac Escalade and Escalade ESV, Chevrolet Tahoe and Suburban, and GMC Yukon and Yukon XL SUVs.

The buckles on their third-row seat belts may have been installed incorrectly at the factory, and pieces of the buckle assembly may come apart. Both the left- and right-side belts are included in the recall. As a result, the seat belts might not properly restrain third-row occupants.

In documents provided to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, GM says that it is aware of eight instances where seat belt buckle assemblies separated, none of which led to crashes or injuries.

After the failures were reported, the seat belt supplier changed its manufacturing processes and instituted an additional inspection step to ensure that new parts were not affected by the same issue. Dealerships will inspect the seat belt buckle assemblies on recalled vehicles and, if necessary, replace them with new parts, free of charge.

GM says that drivers whose vehicles are involved in the recall may be eligible for a rental car or courtesy transportation ​​until the repair is performed.

The Details

Vehicles Recalled

• Cadillac Escalade SUVs manufactured from March 16, 2020, through May 27, 2022

• Cadillac Escalade ESV SUVs manufactured from June 24, 2020, through May 27, 2022

• Chevrolet Suburban SUVs manufactured from Jan. 6, 2020, through May 27, 2022

• Chevrolet Tahoe SUVs manufactured from Nov. 11, 2019, through May 27, 2022

• GMC Yukon SUVs manufactured from Nov. 12, 2019, through May 27, 2022

• GMC Yukon XL SUVs manufactured from Jan. 6, 2020, through May 27, 2022

The problem: Manufacturing errors at a seat belt supplier meant that the rivet that retains the buckle to the mounting bracket on the left- or right-side third-row seat belt buckle assembly might not have been properly formed during the manufacturing process. Such belt buckles might not protect occupants in a crash.

The fix: Dealerships will inspect and, if necessary, replace faulty parts with upgraded ones, free of charge.

How to contact the manufacturer: GM will begin notifying owners of affected vehicles by mail on Sept. 26, 2022. Owners may also contact Chevrolet at 800-222-1020, Cadillac at 800-458-8006, or GMC at 800-462-8782—or they can go to the GM Recall Center.

NHTSA campaign number: 22V617. GM’s own number for this recall is N222372380.

Check to see whether your vehicle has an open recall: NHTSA’s website will tell you whether your vehicle has any open recalls that need to be addressed.

If you plug your car’s 17-digit vehicle identification number (VIN) into NHTSA’s website and a recall doesn’t appear, it means your vehicle doesn’t currently have any open recalls. Because automakers issue recalls often, and for many older vehicles, we recommend checking back regularly to see whether your vehicle has had a recall issued.



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