GM Recalls 668K SUVs For Seat Anchors That May Prevent Child Seats From Latching

About two months ago, General Motors and the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration announced a massive recall for around one million SUVs from the American manufacturer due to potentially defective airbag inflators. GM and NHTSA now have another major recall for more than 668,000 SUVs but this time around, the issue is completely different.

According to campaign number 23V339000 (GM’s number for this recall is N232403240), the rear-seat lower child seat latch anchorage bars may have excessive powder coating, which could prevent a child seat from properly latching. As a result, the affected vehicles fail to comply with the requirements of Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standard number 225, “Child Restraint Anchorage Systems.” More importantly, in the event of a crash, an unsecured child seat could be very dangerous.

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General Motors will have to inspect 668,187 vehicles from the 2020-2023 model years of the Chevrolet Equinox and GMC Terrain. Owners of affected SUVs are advised by the NHTSA to either not install child seats or use the vehicle’s rear seat belts to properly secure them until their vehicle is inspected. The dealers, in turn, will inspect the latch anchorage bars and, in necessary, will remove and replace their finish. 

In the previous recall from March this year, General Motors announced it has to inspect around one million SUVs from Buick, Chevrolet, and GMC for airbag inflators that could rupture in the event of a collision hard enough to deploy the airbags. This could send potentially deadly shrapnel flying through the interior. The recall identifies ARC Automotive Inc. as the company that supplies the potentially defective component. The NHTSA reportedly wanted the company to issue a massive recall, citing seven injuries and two deaths caused by ruptured ARC inflators.

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Other recent recalls from General Motors include the 2022 GMC Hummer (potential battery pack sealing issues) and the Chevrolet Bolt (potential fire risks).