General Motors has recalled hundreds of thousands of Chevy and GMC pickup trucks due to a potential power steering issue.
More than 690,000 2014 GMC Sierra 1500s and 2014 Chevy Silverado 1500s could be potentially affected by the issue. The vehicles may have a software problem that can cause them to lose their electric power steering assistance for about one second, according to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration.
“If [the power steering] assist is lost and suddenly returned, the driver could lose temporary control of the steering wheel, increasing the risk of a crash,” NHTSA said in a public recall document.
Most of the trucks were sold in the U.S., but roughly 100,000 were sold in Canada and other markets.
The document explains the defect further:
General Motors has decided that a defect which relates to motor vehicle safety exists in certain 2014 model year Chevrolet Silverado LD and GMC Sierra LD vehicles. These vehicles may experience a temporary loss of electric power steering (EPS) assist followed by a sudden return of EPS assist, particularly during low-speed turning maneuvers. The loss and sudden return of EPS assist typically happens within a 1 second period and is caused by an electrical/software issue
GM is expected to notify vehicle owners. Dealerships will update the vehicle’s computer software to fix the defect for free. GM has not yet provided a notification schedule, according to AJC.com.
You can look up your vehicle on the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration website here by Vehicle Identification Number (VIN) to see if your vehicle is affected by this or any other recalls. Otherwise, Chevrolet owners can call 1-800-222-1020 and GMC owners can call 1-800-432-8782 to reach customer service. The GM number for the recall is 17276.
GM spokesman Tom Wilkinson did not have any details on whether crashes or injuries are connected to the recall, according to The Guardian.