In November 2024, General Motors recalled nearly half a million vehicles for a scary transmission problem that could cause the wheels to lock up. Now, the number is officially over 500,000 cars thanks to a new recall affecting Cadillac sedans and the Chevrolet Camaro.
There are 90,081 vehicles affected by the new recall, all of them equipped with a 10-speed automatic transmission. The Camaro accounts for a majority of the recall with 50,147 units from 2020 through 2022 potentially affected. The 2020 to 2021 Cadillac CT5 is next at 27,097, followed by the 10,602 CT6 sedans from 2019 and 2020. Only 2,235 CT4s are included, all from 2020 or 2021.
The issue is the same as before. A control valve in the transmission could wear prematurely and lose pressure over time. This can lead to harsh shifts, but in extreme cases, the wheels could lock up. Documents from the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) state this has happened—GM notes 115 field reports of wheels locking up that could be due to the issue.
An investigation was opened after a GM manager reported front wheels locking up on a 2021 Cadillac CT5 with all-wheel drive. After the momentary lock, the car went into neutral. Among the field reports, there was one that allegedly involved an accident. There are no known injuries occurring because of the lock-ups.
The previous recall affected only Chevrolet, GMC, and Cadillac full-size pickups and SUVs with a diesel engine. The fix for this new recall is the same as the old one—owners of affected vehicles will get a software update that can "detect excess wear approximately 10,000 miles before a wheel lock up condition could occur." The software will set a check engine light and limit the transmission to going no higher than fifth gear until repaired. Apparently, the lock-up condition happens when the transmission tries to downshift from eighth gear.
Dealer notification for the new recall is already underway. Owner notification will begin on April 21.
Source: National Highway Traffic Safety Administration
