There will be no red carpets or teary acceptance speeches, but the Chevy Silverado and GMC Sierra have driven off with the Most Recalled Vehicle of 2014 award, according to CNN. The popular pickup trucks have been recalled six times so far in 2014. And with the leaves still on the trees, there’s plenty of time to pad the record.
The various equipment and safety issues that have spurred the recalls include steering problems, and floor mats that won’t stay put. Some recalls have affected just a few hundred vehicles. But as the CNNMoney article points out: “[J]ust because a recall is small doesn’t mean it isn’t serious. The steering problem flagged in May was so serious that GM called owners, sent overnight letters and used the OnStar in-vehicle communication system to warn them to stop driving the pickups immediately.”
Why would GM go to such extremes? When a vehicle recall is initiated, whether by the manufacturer or by a federal safety agency such as the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA), federal law requires the manufacturer to take a number of steps to let vehicle owners know about the recall — including filing a public report, searching for affected owners, and sending out notification letters. Learn more about Vehicle Safety Recalls.
Want to know whether your vehicle, child safety seat, or other equipment has been the subject of a recall or safety alert? Check out the NHTSA Safety Database to do a little online research.
