General Motors recently issued a recall for 3.5 million U.S. pickup trucks and SUVs to address a vacuum pump issue that makes braking more difficult and has been linked to 113 accidents and 13 injuries. GM previously issued a recall in Canada for 300,000 vehicles.
The affected vehicles are the 2014-2018 Cadillac Escalade, Chevrolet Silverado, Chevrolet Tahoe, GMC Sierra, Chevrolet Suburban, and GMC Yukon. The recall was triggered because the amount of vacuum created by the vacuum pump may decrease over time according to documents GM provided to NHTSA. NHTSA said in a statement that the vehicles may experience brake boost failure, which would require increased brake pedal effort, leading to a hard brake pedal feel, and potentially increased stopping distance. Vibration in the brake pedal indicates the problem is present.
NHTSA opened a preliminary investigation in November 2018, following reports of 9 crashes and 2 injuries. NHTSA provided GM with additional field reports of the issue in July 2019, which prompted GM to open an investigation. Strangely, the Canada recall was issued in June 2019 and GM did not explain why it waited more than 2 additional months to issue the recall in the United States.
Prior model years (up to 2013) do not use the vacuum pump and General Motors has discontinued the defective part in its 2019 model year.
If you or someone you know has been injured as the result of an accident involving a brake issue with a defective 2014-2018 Cadillac Escalade, Chevrolet Silverado, Chevrolet Tahoe, GMC Sierra, Chevrolet Suburban, and GMC Yukon, contact an attorney at Abraham, Watkins, Nichols, Agosto, Aziz & Stogner by calling 713-231-9360 or toll free at 1‑800-594-4884.