GM Recalls 90,000 Vehicles with 10-Speed Automatics Co-Developed with Ford
GM is facing a potentially dangerous issue with its vehicles, as the wheels on a range of its cars are randomly locking up at speed. This has prompted the automaker to issue a costly recall to address the problem.
What makes this situation particularly interesting is that the affected vehicles are equipped with transmissions co-developed with Ford. GM first recalled over 460,000 trucks and SUVs last year due to the risk of random rear-wheel lockup. Now, it seems a similar issue has emerged in a separate line of GM cars, with an additional 90,000 units potentially affected, as reported by NBC News.
The 2020-2022 Chevrolet Camaro, 2020-2021 Cadillac CT4 and CT5, and 2019-2020 Cadillac CT6 are at risk of sudden lockups, potentially causing loss of control, according to reports. These affected models, built between 2019 and 2022, are subject to sudden random lockups of the front or rear wheels, depending on the drivetrain configuration—all-wheel-drive or rear-wheel-drive.
According to documents filed with the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA), GM is recalling certain 2019-2020 Cadillac CT6, 2020-2021 CT4, CT5, and 2020-2022 Chevrolet Camaro vehicles equipped with a 10-speed transmission. In these affected vehicles, a transmission control valve may wear excessively, leading to a loss of pressure in the hydraulic control circuit. This can result in harsh gear shifts and, in some cases, a momentary locking of the wheels.
GM first became aware of this issue in September 2021 after a 2021 Cadillac CT5 experienced a momentary lockup incident, where both front tires locked up before the transmission shifted into neutral. This incident caused damage to the engine and front differential.
Initially, GM's investigation concluded the issue only involved harsh downshifts and a "momentary" wheel lockup lasting less than 150 milliseconds, which it deemed insufficient to cause a crash. However, the case was later reopened in November 2021 after GM identified 115 reports of sudden lockups, including one alleged accident. This prompted GM to issue a safety recall, as it estimates about 1% of the total vehicle population is at risk of the defect.
Beginning in April, GM will notify owners if their vehicles are affected by the recall. Owners should promptly schedule the recall service to receive early warning of any potential transmission problems.
