GM cars, SUVs may have weak rear brakes

NHTSA campaign 18V576000 · Reported 2018-08-30 · General Motors LLC

medium How serious is it? About this label

The brakes still work but can be weaker than normal, which lengthens stopping distances; the notice does not tell you to stop driving, so book the free repair and leave extra following distance until it is done.

What's wrong, in plain English

The pistons inside the rear brake calipers, the parts that squeeze the brake pads against the wheels, were not coated properly. That can let gas pockets form in the brake system at the rear wheels. Gas squashes when you press the pedal instead of pushing firmly on the pads, so the rear brakes do less of the work and the vehicle can take longer to stop than you expect. The dealer bleeds the brake system to clear the gas out.

What you should do

1. Check your VIN at nhtsa.gov/recalls to see whether your vehicle is on the list.
2. Call your dealer or the brand's customer service (Chevrolet 1-800-222-1020, GMC 1-800-462-8782, Buick 1-800-521-7300, Cadillac 1-800-458-8006) and mention GM recall 18279.
3. Have the brake system bled at no cost to you.

Affected vehicles (18)

2018 Buick Lacrosse
2018 Buick Regal
2018 Cadillac XTS
2018 Chevrolet Cruze
2018 Chevrolet Equinox
2018 Chevrolet Impala
2018 Chevrolet Malibu
2018 Chevrolet Volt
2018 GMC Terrain
2019 Buick Lacrosse
2019 Buick Regal
2019 Cadillac XTS

Show all 18 vehicles

2019 Chevrolet Bolt EV
2019 Chevrolet Cruze
2019 Chevrolet Equinox
2019 Chevrolet Impala
2019 Chevrolet Volt
2019 GMC Terrain

Who to contact

Buick — official Buick recall lookup

Customer service: 1-800-521-7300

Cadillac — official Cadillac recall lookup

Customer service: 1-800-458-8006

Chevrolet — official Chevrolet recall lookup

Customer service: 1-800-222-1020

GMC — official GMC recall lookup

Customer service: 1-800-462-8782

Any franchised dealer for the brand can do the repair. Phone numbers are taken from manufacturer sites and recent NHTSA notices; if one has changed, the number in your own recall letter is the one to use.

The bigger picture

Can Cadillac brake recalls affect stopping power and warning lights? · all 6 Cadillac recalls in this area
Chevrolet brake recalls: fire risk, software faults and failing calipers · all 17 Chevrolet recalls in this area
GMC brake recalls: why braking gets weaker or warning lights fail · all 11 GMC recalls in this area

Official notice

Component: SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC:FOUNDATION COMPONENTS:DISC:CALIPER
Summary: General Motors LLC (GM) is recalling certain 2018-2019 Chevrolet Equinox, Impala, Cruze, Volt and Bolt EV vehicles, GMC Terrain vehicles, Buick Lacrosse and Regal vehicles, Cadillac XTS and XTS Professional vehicles and 2018 Chevrolet Malibu vehicles. The rear brake caliper pistons may have an insufficient coating causing gas pockets to form, potentially reducing rear brake performance.
Safety risk: A reduction of braking performance can increase the risk of a crash.
Remedy: GM will notify owners, and dealers will bleed the vehicle's brake system, free of charge. The recall began October 11, 2018. Owners may contact Buick customer service at 1-800-521-7300, Cadillac customer service at 1-800-458-8006, Chevrolet customer service at 1-800-222-1020, or GMC customer service at 1-800-462-8782. GM's number for this recall is 18279.

Verify your specific vehicle by VIN at nhtsa.gov. Recall repairs are free of charge by law.