GM Recalls Nearly 900,000 Trucks

[Derek77]

WASHINGTON — General Motors Corp. (GM) said Friday it is recalling about 900,000 pickup trucks worldwide to fix problems with tailgate cables that can corrode and break when loads are placed on them.

The recall involves 1999-2000 models of the Chevrolet Silverado and GMC Sierra trucks. GM said there have been 84 injuries, most of them minor scrapes and bumps, but no crashes or deaths linked to the problem.

GM, the world's No. 1 automaker, said the galvanized, braided-steel support cables that keep the tailgates in place can corrode or fracture over time because of moisture seeping through cracks in the plastic sheathing of the cable or entering between the cable's metal strands.

The automaker had recalled about 4 million 2000-2004 pickups worldwide in March 2004 because the tailgates could break without warning. The recall involved a broader range of vehicles, including the Chevrolet Silverado, GMC Sierra, Chevrolet Avalanche and Cadillac Escalade EXT trucks.

Story continued at FOXNEWS

[Variance]

I thought this exact cable recall happened already.

[nyscene911]

Who wants to be this is a major story on the news tonight?

[siegen]

I thought this exact cable recall happened already.

It looks like it did. At the end of the article it notes the 4 million that were recalled March 2004. Apparently they missed some vehicles in the last recall (only a million or so, heh), hopefully this will be the last time we hear of this. So far I haven't had any problems with the tail gate on my 04 Sierra, and it has held many heavy loads, including large marine gas and diesel engines on pallets -it would suck to have one of those come down on me

[Newbiewar]

yea i've seen 2 trucks that had broken their cables prior to working at my new job... but of course that was in the livestock business... and anything can happen in that enviornment...

[Camino LS6]

Happened to me on my '01 Silverado - way dangerous. I put a bale of peat moss on the gate and it came crashing down without warning. Just an hour before, I ran a very heavy roto-tiller down a set of ramps from the bed. If it had broken then, I would have been seriously injured. I don't trust those cables at all.

[Newbiewar]

Happened to me on my '01 Silverado - way dangerous. I put a bale of peat moss on the gate and it came crashing down without warning. Just an hour before, I ran a very heavy roto-tiller down a set of ramps from the bed. If it had broken then, I would have been seriously injured. I don't trust those cables at all.

nope any kind of heavy weight like that can break them regaurdless of material...

but it doesnt help if they start to rust or whatever...

when the 4 million were recalled a total of 38 minor injories were reported... but... its not too big a deal i dont think...

[Camino LS6]

nope any kind of heavy weight like that can break them regaurdless of material...

but it doesnt help if they start to rust or whatever...

when the 4 million were recalled a total of 38 minor injories were reported... but... its not too big a deal i dont think...

If something I can lift is all it takes to break them they are inadequate. There was no warning and no visible signs of wear or weakness. My truck was only 2 years old at the time and kept in top conditon. Any defect that will likely lead to injury is a very big deal. Pickup tailgates need to handle heavy loads and these cables are just too marginal for the job. I hope the new Silverados have a much beefier design.

[balthazar]

This is making me really wonder about my '94 F-150. It still has it's original cables- I need to look at this era Chevy's cables: I believe mine are much thicker.

I just made ramps to load a snowblower last fall.

[SingleStylish]

The problem is that they went from stainless braided in the last model to a steel braid with a rubber cover. The idea was reduced cost and same effective life but, moisture and dirt got underneath the rubber and the braids started to corrode.

Newbiewar, these cables are a 1/4" in diameter and A-36 steel brades have a modulus of rigidity of 11200 ksi that is 11,200,000 lbs/in^2. They are by no means undersized or dangerous! The problem here was simply the switch from stainless to standard steel brades. The cables themselves are design with a factor of safety on the payload capacity. If you don't exceed the payload you most certianly will not exceed the maximum strain for the cables.

[AAS]

The nerd in me must chime in...

... these cables are a 1/4" in diameter and A-36 steel brades have a modulus of rigidity of 11200 ksi that is 11,200,000 lbs/in^2.  They are by no means undersized or dangerous!  The problem here was simply the switch from stainless to standard steel brades.  The cables themselves are design with a factor of safety on the payload capacity.  If you don't exceed the payload you most certianly will not exceed the maximum strain for the cables.

... True the cables are designed with a factor of safety, and corrosion is probably the culprit. But! Why are you stating values for modulus of RIGIDITY, when this failure is occuring in TENSION (not bending)? That being the case, you should be stating values for modulus of ELASTICITY (a.k.a. Young's Modulus).

Edited March 12, 2006 by AAS

[corvettekidc6]

As long as no one gets hurt, then I don't really consider it a really big problem for GM. I'm just happy it's not some of the newer models!

[motorman]

The problem is that they went from stainless braided in the last model to a steel braid with a rubber cover.  The idea was reduced cost and same effective life but, moisture and dirt got underneath the rubber and the braids started to corrode.

Newbiewar, these cables are a 1/4" in diameter and A-36 steel brades have a modulus of rigidity of 11200 ksi that is 11,200,000 lbs/in^2.  They are by no means undersized or dangerous!  The problem here was simply the switch from stainless to standard steel brades.  The cables themselves are design with a factor of safety on the payload capacity.  If you don't exceed the payload you most certianly will not exceed the maximum strain for the cables.

my 88 silverado has the steel strap type tail gate holders and no problems in 18 years and 130K + miles. they just tried to cheap things and the person who came up with this idea should be fired if not aleady

[Newbiewar]

my 88 silverado has  the steel strap type tail gate holders and no problems in 18 years and 130K + miles. they just tried to cheap things and the person who came up with this idea should be fired if not aleady

how do you know its not stainless steel?

thats the problem, in '00 they switched to regular steel with a ruber coat to save costs... but they corroded regaurdless of insulation...

[motorman]

how do you know its not stainless steel?

thats the problem, in '00 they switched to regular steel with a ruber coat to save costs... but they corroded regaurdless of insulation...

mine are flat metal straps not covered cable. they are plated steel because there is some rust on them

[Newbiewar]

mine are flat metal straps not covered cable. they are plated steel because there is some rust on them

ohh yea those are good forever... it seems... i know everyweek he puts a pallet (2500lbs) in his 70's chevy... everything still in working order...

[siegen]

The cables have a black rubber sheeth on mine, I'll have to look closer or use a magnet to see if they're stainless or not.

As long as no one gets hurt, then I don't really consider it a really big problem for GM. I'm just happy it's not some of the newer models!

Problem is people have been hurt, minor or not. The possibility for a very serious injury is too great, it is a BIG problem for GM, they should have never made this mistake in the first place (to save what, $5 a cable?)

[capriceman]

If something I can lift is all it takes to break them they are inadequate. There was no warning and no visible signs of wear or weakness. My truck was only 2 years old at the time and kept in  top conditon. Any defect that will likely lead to injury is a very big deal. Pickup tailgates need to handle heavy loads and these cables are just too marginal for the job. I hope the new Silverados have a much beefier design.

yeah a buble starts to form you can feel it with your hand. I've replaced mine with titianum (ap) bands that i had made customly for me. I never trust them i always jump out over the side. besides I thiink my 01' was recalled for those bands?

[76ChevyTrucker]

I hate to say it but the arms on the tailgates of the three trucks we have: 75, 76, and an 83 have had no problems, but I do konw that the cable-style tailgate deal have broken many times. I don't honestly know why they went from the collapseable arms like on our three to the cable-type supports anyway. They both take up the same amount of room and the arms are a helluva lot stronger and longer-lasting.

[Newbiewar]

I hate to say it but the arms on the tailgates of the three trucks we have: 75, 76, and an 83 have had no problems, but I do konw that the cable-style tailgate deal have broken many times.  I don't honestly know why they went from the collapseable arms like on our three to the cable-type supports anyway.  They both take up the same amount of room and the arms are a helluva lot stronger and longer-lasting.

probably because braided stainless steel is stronger...

but gm went cheap after 99 (i think) and went to non-stainless steel with a corrosive protectant, that didnt work effectively, thus the materials lost its strength as each day goes on. eventually to break