GM recalls 40,000 pickups to fix fire risk

NEW YORK

General Motors is recalling certain Chevrolet Silverado medium-duty trucks for model year 2019 or later, following the discovery of a potential leak in brake fluid that could result in a fire.

Potentially 40,428 vehicles could be affected.

They include 4500HD, 5500HD, and 6500HD models with model years between 2019 and 2023, according to documents posted by U.S. safety regulators on Saturday.

The vehicles may have a brake pressure sensor assembly that allows brake fluid to leak and cause a short circuit. That in turn increases the risk of a fire that could occur when the vehicle is either driving or parked.

GM advises owners with potentially affected models to park outdoors and away from structures until the recall repair is done. Vehicles with model years before 2019 used a different design.

GM said it’s not aware of any injuries related to the condition.

The U.S. auto giant delivered 603,208 vehicles in the first quarter, up 17.6 percent from the year-ago period.

GM vice president Steve Carlisle described the period as a “great start” to 2023 saying the company has a “busy season” of product launches coming up.

GM had especially meager vehicle availability for much of 2021 and 2022, reflecting a hit to supplies following factory suspensions during Covid-19. This was followed by a hit to output from a dearth of semiconductor chips.