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GM recalls half-million full-size SUVs to address seatbelt issue

GM is recalling its redesigned full-size SUV models to address improperly riveted mounts securing the third-row seatbelts that may fail in the event of an accident. The population includes the 2021-2022 Cadillac Escalade and Escalade ESV, 2021-2022 Chevrolet Suburban and Tahoe, and 2021-2022 model year GMC Yukon and Yukon XL, for a total of 484,155 vehicles. "Operators at the supplier’s manufacturing plant may have not properly followed manufacturing processes and inadvertently missed the rivet forming operation," GM said in its defect report to NHTSA. "In certain of these vehicles, the rivet that retains the buckle to the mounting bracket in the left or right side third-row seatbelt buckle assembly may not have been properly formed during the manufacturing process. If the third-row seatbelt assembly is not properly riveted, it may not properly restrain occupants in a crash, increasing the risk of injury." Fortunately, the fix is relatively simple. GM service technicians will inspect the rivets on the rear seatbelt buckle assemblies and replace the entire unit if the rivets are not to spec. Dealer notifications have already been distributed; owners should receive notice start in September. Related video: Cadillac Chevrolet GM GMC Ownership Safety SUV

2025 GMC Sierra EV rumored to offer a smaller 170-kWh pack as standard

It's kind of wild that you can order a 2024 GMC Sierra EV Denali Edition 1 pickup, yet GMC hasn't released specific figures for battery capacity; maybe that's info you only get after putting down a deposit. Adding to the mystery, the 2025 GMC Sierra EV, already being promoted at the GMC site and which will be available later this year, will add a second battery. GM Authority says the pack in the 2024 truck (that only comes in one trim) is the 204-kWh pack we already know from the GMC Hummer EV. In April, GMC raised the estimated range rating for that pack from 400 miles to 440 miles, upped towing capacity by 500 pounds to 10,000 pounds, and raised max payload capacity by 150 pounds to 1,450 pounds. For 2025, GMA says the the Sierra EV range will add a smaller 170-kWh pack for lower trims.  Trims, you ask? Yes, next year's standard Denali trim will be joined by AT4 and Elevation trims. The AT4 will come with trail-use perks like four-wheel steering, CrabWalk, and two additional inches of ground clearance thanks to 18-inch wheels wrapped in 35-inch all-terrain tires, plus Super Cruise and a spray-on bedliner. Optional features on the AT4 include a DC fast charge upgrade to 350-kW, GMC's MultiPro MidGate, and the 10.2-kW Power Station Pro. The Elevation, typically a lower trim in GMC's vehicle lineups, comes with a power-operated frunk, the MultiPro tailgate, and sits on 18-inch wheels in 33-inch rubber. The Elevation options menu will offer the MultiPro MidGate, Super Cruise, spray-on bedliner, Power Station Pro, and fast charge upgrade. The Denali will come with all of these tech features standard, but sit on 24-inch wheels in 35-inch rubber. New colors will expand the palette from the sole option today, Thunderstorm Gray, to include Deep Ember Tintcoat, Deep Ocean Metallic, Moonlight Matte, Onyx Black, and Summit White. Back to the battery, the 2025 Sierra EV's order guide shows two pack options, an Extended Range and a Max Range, without giving capacity figures. GMA believes this will be a 20-module pack of 170 kWh, powering a range of around 380 to 390 miles. The 2025 trucks reportedly begin heading down lines in early September, starting with the Denali trim, so information should be forthcoming in the not-too-distant. The AT4 and Elevation trims will reach dealerships early next year.

GM will no longer remove parts from trucks to calculate curb weights

Following last week's mild uproar after it was discovered that Ford and General Motors were removing some optional parts from their pickups to lower the curb weight and consequently increase the maximum payload, GM has come out and committed to a base curb weight for its upcoming Chevrolet Colorado and GMC Canyon compact trucks (although it has yet to publish them) and its current Silverado and Sierra. The company will do the same for its heavy duty offerings, although those numbers have not been finalized yet.
"This will make our curb weight and payload specs more consistent with those of most other truck makers, making it easier for customers to compare vehicles," GM spokesman Tom Wilkinson told Autoblog in an emailed statement.
As GM notes - and as every manufacturer has noted since this story broke - customers still shouldn't take max payload ratings as gospel. Instead, they should refer to their truck's Tire and Load Label, like the one shown at the inset, which will offer detailed information on max payload, specific to their truck.