The defect
ON CERTAIN PICKUP TRUCKS AND SPORT UTILITY VEHICLES, THE GALVANIZED STEEL TAILGATE SUPPORT CABLES THAT RETAIN THE TAILGATE IN THE FULL OPEN (HORIZONTAL) POSITION MAY CORRODE, WEAKEN, AND EVENTUALLY FRACTURE. IF BOTH CABLES FRACTURED, THE TAILGATE WOULD SUDDENLY DROP AND STRIKE THE TOP SURFACE OF THE REAR BUMPER.
The risk
ANYONE SITTING OR STANDING ON THE HORIZONTAL SURFACE OF THE TAILGATE WHEN BOTH CABLES FRACTURED COULD BE INJURED BY FALLING FROM THE TAILGATE. ON VEHICLES THAT HAVE HAD THE BUMPER REMOVED, THE TAILGATE MAY DROP EVEN LOWER. ADDITIONALLY, IF THERE IS CARGO ON THE TAILGATE THE CARGO MAY FALL OFF IF THE SUPPORT CABLES FRACTURE.
The remedy
DEALERS WILL REPLACE THE CABLES. INTERIM OWNER NOTIFICATION BEGAN ON APRIL 7, 20004. THE RECALL BEGAN ON SEPTEMBER 24, 2004, WHEN REPLACEMENT PARTS WERE AVAILABLE, AND WILL CONTINUE THROUGH OCTOBER 29, 2004. OWNERS SHOULD CONTACT CADILLAC AT 1-866-982-2339, CHEVROLET AT 1-800-630-2438 OR GMC AT 1-866-996-9463, OR VISIT WWW.MYGMLINK.COM, AND ENTER YOUR VEHICLE IDENTIFICATION NUMBER.
NHTSA's own wording · initiated by ODI
Vehicles covered
| Model | Model years |
|---|---|
| Cadillac Escalade EXT | 2002, 2003, 2004 |
| Chevrolet Avalanche | 2002, 2003, 2004 |
| Chevrolet Kodiak | 2003, 2004 |
| Chevrolet Silverado | 2000, 2001, 2002, 2003, 2004 |
| GMC Sierra | 2000, 2001, 2002, 2003, 2004 |
| GMC Topkick | 2003, 2004 |
Components: STRUCTURE:BODY:TAILGATE:HINGE AND ATTACHMENTS
Model years in this recall
NHTSA complaints and the number of recall campaigns for each model year this recall covers.
| Model | Year | Complaints | Recalls |
|---|---|---|---|
| Cadillac Escalade EXT | 2002 | 22 | 1 |
| Cadillac Escalade EXT | 2003 | 15 | 2 |
| Cadillac Escalade EXT | 2004 | 11 | 2 |
| Chevrolet Avalanche | 2002 | 444 | 2 |
| Chevrolet Avalanche | 2003 | 204 | 4 |
| Chevrolet Avalanche | 2004 | 165 | 5 |
| Chevrolet Kodiak | 2003 | 1 | 4 |
| Chevrolet Kodiak | 2004 | 5 | 5 |
| Chevrolet Silverado | 2000 | 1,305 | 8 |
| Chevrolet Silverado | 2001 | 877 | 4 |
| Chevrolet Silverado | 2002 | 710 | 4 |
| Chevrolet Silverado | 2003 | 695 | 6 |
| Chevrolet Silverado | 2004 | 622 | 8 |
| GMC Sierra | 2000 | 443 | 8 |
| GMC Sierra | 2001 | 264 | 4 |
| GMC Sierra | 2002 | 249 | 4 |
| GMC Sierra | 2003 | 206 | 6 |
| GMC Sierra | 2004 | 188 | 7 |
| GMC Topkick | 2003 | 0 | 4 |
| GMC Topkick | 2004 | 5 | 5 |
Other structure recalls in 2004
44 of the 601 recall campaigns reported to NHTSA in 2004 concerned the structure; GENERAL MOTORS CORP. filed 1,195 campaigns in all.
| 04V601000 30 Dec 2004 | PORSCHE CARS NORTH AMERICA, INC. |
| 04V588000 13 Dec 2004 | CHAMPION BUS, INC. |
| 04V569000 3 Dec 2004 | INTERNATIONAL TRUCK & ENGINE CORPORATION |
| 04V564000 30 Nov 2004 | HONDA (AMERICAN HONDA MOTOR CO.) |
| 04V563000 23 Nov 2004 | VERITRANS SPECIALTY VEHICLES, INC. |
| 04V545000 15 Nov 2004 | ORION BUS INDUSTRIES LTD. |
| 04V533000 2 Nov 2004 | PACCAR INCORPORATED |
| 04V523000 2 Nov 2004 | BIG DOG MOTORCYCLES, LLC |
NHTSA recalls (public domain) · all recalls of 2004