GM is recalling certain 2020 Chevrolet Silverado 2500 and 3500 trucks, as well as GMC Sierra 2500 and 3500 models over a potential hood latch issue.

According to the NHTSA recall notice, the hood-latch striker wires may not have been heat-treated properly, which in turn could cause them to fracture. If that happens, the hood might open unexpectedly while driving, increasing the risk of a crash.

In order to fix the issue, GM will begin by contacting owners, letting them know that their dealerships will replace the hood assembly free of charge. Some 1,909 trucks could potentially be affected by this hood latch problem. These include around 1,400 Chevrolet Silverados built between March 7 and July 11, 2019, and 509 GMC Sierras made from April 29 through June 11, 2019.

In a statement to NHTSA, GM describes how it became aware of the problem:

“On October 29, 2019, while conducting durability testing, engineers at GM’s Milford Proving Grounds identified a fractured hood-latch striker wire on a company-owned 2020 model year GMC Sierra 2500 truck. The issue was reported to GM’s Speak Up for Safety program on October 31, 2019. In November 2019, Milford engineers identified a second GM test vehicle with a fracture at the base of the hood-latch striker wire. On December 17, 2019, GM opened a formal product 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. On January 30, 2020, GM’s hood striker-assembly supplier informed GM that it used an alternate supplier to heat treat two batches of striker wires in January 2019, and that the supplier failed to properly 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.”

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GM said it is “not aware of any field claims alleging that a striker wire fractured in the subject vehicles”.The recall is expected to begin on April 26, with Chevy and GMC truck owners able to also contact their respective brand’s customer service centers at 1-800-222-1020 for Chevrolet and 1-888-988-7267 for GMC.

It was only four months ago that GM had to recall more than 900,000 vehicles worldwide over software and fire risks. That call back included more than 550,000 Silverado 1500 and GMC Sierra 1500 trucks from the 2019 model year, regarding the software issue alone.

As for the fire risk problem, it led to the call back of more than 400,000 2019-2020 Silverado 1500 and Sierra 1500 models, which had to be inspected for faulty battery positive cable rings (manufactured with excessive glue).

Like any recall, this latest one is to be taken very seriously. The risk of suddenly finding yourself driving without any visibility (if the hood suddenly pops open) is too great to ignore, especially at highway speeds, which is where such a problem would likely arise.