General Motors is recalling 230,013 2018 and 2019 Chevrolet, GMC, Cadillac, and Buick vehicles because they may be equipped with brakes that have defective pistons.
Specifically, the brake pistons were improperly chromed and tempered during production, which can cause hydrogen gas to be released into the brake system. This, in turn, creates a soft or spongy feeling when the driver depresses the brake, impacting brake performance. Dimished braking performance can potentially cause loss of vehicle control, increasing the chance of a crash.
To fix the problem, GM dealers will bleed the rear brakes as necessary to remove any gas. GM is not aware of any accidents due to the brake-piston issue.
Specific vehicles under the recall from the 2018 and 2019 model years include the Chevrolet Bolt EV, Chevrolet Cruze, Chevrolet Equinox, Chevrolet Impala, Chevrolet Mailbu, Chevrolet Volt, GMC Terrain, Buick LaCrosse, and Cadillac XTS.
The recall spans 210,628 vehicles in the U.S. and 19,385 vehicles in Canada, according to GM.
Owners can determine whether or not their vehicle is part of the recall by visiting recalls.gm.com. Owners can also contact each brand's customer service department, including Chevrolet at (800) 222-1020; GMC at (800) 462-8782; Cadillac at (800) 333-4223; and Buick at (800) 521-7300.
