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GMC equipment recalls: block heater fires and wrong vehicle labels
Only one of GMC's four equipment recalls involves a part that can hurt you: the engine-block heater cord on 2017-2019 Sierra 2500 and 3500 trucks with the 6.6-liter Duramax diesel, where an electrical short in the cable or cord can start a fire. The other three are label and information defects that repeat across GM's lineup. The 2021 Canyon's tire and loading placard overstates load capacity by 51 pounds; 2023 Acadia B-pillar certification labels carry illegible tire size information; and 2025 Canyon models, alongside a long list of Chevrolet, Buick and Cadillac vehicles, never downloaded their electronic owner's manual. Canyon appears twice, and the heavy-duty diesel Sierras carry the only fire risk.
Warning signs to watch for
- Three of the four recalls give no driving symptom at all — nothing looks, sounds or feels wrong.
- A load capacity figure on the driver's side B-pillar placard that is 51 pounds higher than it should be (2021 Canyon).
- Tire size text on the B-pillar certification label that is smeared, faded or unreadable (2023 Acadia).
- The electronic owner's manual missing from the infotainment screen or never finishing its download (2025 Canyon).
- On Duramax diesel Sierra 2500/3500 trucks, the hazard sits in the block heater cable and cord, which GM says should not be plugged in until it is replaced.
Is it safe to keep driving?
None of these four recalls tells you to stop driving or park outside. The diesel Sierra block heater is the one real hazard, and the restriction is on the accessory, not the truck: do not plug the block heater in until the replacement is done. The 2021 Canyon drives normally, but treat its printed load capacity as 51 pounds too high and stay under that lower figure. The 2023 Acadia label and the missing owner's manual are paperwork and software issues — just confirm the correct tire size before buying tires.
What the free repair involves
All four repairs are free. Dealers replace the engine block heater and heater cord on diesel Sierra 2500 and 3500 trucks, and owners whose heater was disabled earlier are offered replacement parts. GM mails 2021 Canyon owners a new B-pillar label they can apply themselves or have a dealer install, dealers replace the illegible Acadia certification label, and a dealer radio reset restarts the owner's manual download.
Severity at a glance
| Severity | Recalls |
|---|---|
| critical | 1 |
| medium | 1 |
| low | 2 |
Models affected most
Every recall in this group
| Date | Recall | Severity |
|---|---|---|
| 2026-02-26 | GM and Cadillac vehicles missing electronic owner's manual download | low |
| 2022-09-22 | Cadillac XT5, XT6, GMC Acadia tire label unreadable | low |
| 2021-07-01 | Chevrolet Silverado and GMC Sierra block heater fire risk | critical |
| 2021-07-01 | GMC Canyon load capacity label overstates weight limit | medium |
Common questions
Can I still use the block heater on my Duramax Sierra?
No. GM's notice puts the short circuit in the block heater cable or cord, so leave it unplugged until the dealer replaces the heater and the cord. The truck itself is not restricted — the recall does not tell you to stop driving.
How much weight can I safely carry in my 2021 Canyon?
Stay about 51 pounds below the number printed on the tire and loading placard. GM is mailing a corrected B-pillar label; until it arrives that lower figure is the real limit, and trusting the printed number risks overloading the truck.
Do the label and owner's manual recalls require a dealer visit?
Not all of them. The 2021 Canyon label is mailed to you, and you may apply it yourself or have a dealer install it. The Acadia certification label replacement and the radio reset for the owner's manual are done at a dealer, free.
A recall applies only to specific vehicles. Check your 17-character VIN at nhtsa.gov/recalls.