GM to recall over 1 million pickups, most in U.S. and Canada, to fix seat belts

DETROIT – General Motors is recalling more than a million Chevrolet Silverado and GMC Sierra pickup trucks worldwide because the seat belts may not hold the driver in a crash.

FILE – This Friday, May 16, 2014, file photo, shows the General Motors logo at the company’s world headquarters in Detroit. On Friday, April 15, 2016, General Motors is recalling more than a million Chevrolet Silverado and GMC Sierra pickup trucks worldwide because the seat belts may not hold people in a crash. The recall covers certain model 1500 pickups from the 2014 and 2015 model years. GM says a steel cable that connects the belts to the trucks can wear and separate over time. If that happens, the belts could come loose.(AP Photo/Paul Sancya, File)

Most of the trucks were sold in the U.S. and Canada, but some are in Latin America and the Middle East.

The company, which announced the recall on Friday, says it covers certain 2014 and 2015 model 1500 pickups. A steel cable that connects the belts to the trucks can bend when the driver sits in the seats. Over time it can wear and separate, and if that happens, the belts could come loose.

GM said it found the problem by analyzing warranty data, and that it has no reports of crashes or injuries due to the cables. The problem happens rarely and mainly with trucks used by businesses in which drivers frequently enter and exit, GM spokesman Tom Wilkinson said.

Although the recall is large, GM says it expects to cover the cost from its normal warranty reserves.

The company has told dealers not to sell about 3,000 new 2014 and 2015 trucks until the cables are repaired. The Silverado is GM’s top-selling vehicle, while the Sierra ranks No. 3.

Dealers will enlarge an opening and install a bracket on the cable tensioner. If necessary they’ll replace the tensioner. Owners will be notified soon, but no specific date has been set for the recall to start, Wilkinson said.