In a recent safety recall notice, General Motors (GM) has announced the recall of nearly 820,000 pickup trucks due to a faulty electronic latch mechanism used to open the trucks' tailgates. The recall poses an increased risk of road hazards and crashes.

According to GM, the affected vehicles include 570,434 Chevy Silverado and GMC Sierra trucks with model years between 2020 and 2024 in the United States. An additional 249,000 trucks were sold in Canada. The issue with the faulty latch mechanism could lead to the unintended opening of the tailgate if water enters the electric tailgate, posing a potential danger to unsecured cargo in the bed of the truck.

GM received 136 complaints of the tailgate opening while driving, despite it only being intended to open when the vehicle is parked. While the company did not provide specific details about these complaints, one customer reported a minor injury and three reported minor property damage.

The safety notice released by GM stated that the control logic in the body control module (BCM) would prevent the release of the tailgate latch when the vehicle is in gear, even if a release signal is received from the exterior touchpad switch. GM has urged affected owners to manually close their tailgate before driving until the recall is complete.

Starting on March 18, GM will begin notifying customers who own vehicles affected by the recall. The company has not specified when it expects the recall to conclude. In the meantime, drivers with defective tailgates can take their pickup truck to a dealer to have the exterior touchpad switch assemblies replaced, which will enhance the component's water resistance.

GM has assured customers that their safety and satisfaction are among the highest priorities for the company. A spokesperson for GM stated that they became aware of the issue through customer feedback and subsequent product investigation. The company is committed to promptly resolving the matter.

This recall by GM is just one of several recent recalls in the automotive industry. Last week, Toyota issued a recall for 381,199 Toyota Tacoma trucks in the United States due to brake performance issues. Additionally, earlier this month, Toyota voluntarily recalled 280,000 pickup trucks and SUV models over a safety issue where the transmission may not disengage completely when in neutral, causing the vehicles to "creep forward." Toyota has also recalled some 19,000 Mirai and Lexus vehicles due to a software programming issue, along with 4,000 Toyota Camry vehicles over safety concerns with the head restraints on rear fold-down seats.

GM's proactive approach to addressing the faulty tailgate latch mechanism and ensuring customer safety adds to the growing list of recalls in the industry. It serves as a reminder of the importance of thorough quality control measures to identify and rectify potential issues promptly.