Recall: Is The Hood Flying Off Your 2020 Silverado/Sierra Pickup?
Have you been whistling down the highway in your new 2020 Silverado or Sierra when all of the sudden your hood flies open? It’s happening. In fact, it’s happening so much that the NHTSA has issued a recall. If you’ve got a new Chevy Silverado or GMC Sierra you better check your hood latch and maybe use some baling wire to make sure it stays shut until you can get it down to the local dealer.
Hoods of almost 2,000 Silverado/Sierra pickups are popping prompting the recall
The recall was necessitated by the hoods of almost 2,000 (so far) Silverado and Sierra 2500 and 3500 trucks flipping open at speed. The NHTSA says the majority of them have been Silverados. It says, “The hood-latch striker wires may not have been heat-treated properly, possibly causing them to fracture.”
If the wire fractures pretty much all Hell breaks loose. The hood flies open and, let’s face it, a hood doesn’t work as a window. It almost takes your breath away just thinking about that kind of situation.
The engineers at GM’s Milford Proving Grounds had an issue in October
GM claims to have no knowledge of real-world incidents, but c’mon. If there’s a recall you know it’s happening out in the field. From what we know the problem was discovered by GM This happened to a company-owned truck. The engineers at GM’s Milford Proving Grounds had an issue back in October. Once the NHTSA caught wind of the situation it commenced a formal investigation.
“Hardness testing on the striker wire recovered from the first durability vehicle confirmed that the wire’s metal hardness was significantly higher than GM’s specifications,” another recall notice says. “On January 30, 2020, GM’s hood striker-assembly supplier informed GM that it used an alternative supplier to heat treat these wires. Before receiving this information GM believed that any material issue with the striker wires was fully contained to GM-owned vehicles in GM’s possession.”
The recall means GM will replace the hood assembly free of charge
That was a poor assumption on their part, but at least it is being taken care of. GM will replace the hood assembly free of charge. No, GM won’t replace the entire front end with something that looks better. The hood recall notices should be received by the end of April. In the meantime, you might want to consider using a little something extra to make sure your hood doesn’t become an airbrake.
recall notices should be received by the end of April. In the meantime, you might want to consider using a little something extra to make sure your hood doesn’t become an airbrake.
This is the first 2020 recall of these trucks but not the first for this series. In 2019 there were back-to-back recalls for Silverado and Sierra pickups for software issues. When the first recall made the problem worse a second recall was ordered.
Some are suggesting this is in retaliation by the truck itself for the front end that few have seen as being good. There has been plenty of controversy surrounding the design of the front end and what GM should do about it. Obviously, the trucks have taken matters into their own hands, or hoods.
