- Vehicles
- 3,662,211
- Built between
- Oct 1999 – Nov 2003
- Models
- 6
- Recall type
- Vehicle
- Initiated by
- NHTSA investigation
- Owners notified
- 18 September 2004
- Repaired
- Not reported
- Unrepaired
- Not reported
Does this affect my vehicle?
This recall covers vehicles built between October 1999 and November 2003. If yours was built outside that window, it is not part of this recall.
- 2002-2004 Cadillac Escalade EXTBuilt October 2000 to November 2003
- 2002-2004 Chevrolet AvalancheBuilt October 2000 to November 2003
- 2003-2004 Chevrolet KodiakBuilt April 2002 to November 2003
- 2000-2004 Chevrolet SilveradoBuilt October 1999 to November 2003
- 2000-2004 GMC SierraBuilt October 1999 to November 2003
- 2003-2004 GMC TopkickBuilt April 2002 to November 2003
What the defect is
On certain pickup trucks and sport utility vehicles, the galvanized steel tailgate support cables that retain the tailgate in the full open (horizontal) position may corrode, weaken, and eventually fracture. If both cables fractured, the tailgate would suddenly drop and strike the top surface of the rear bumper.
What could happen
Anyone sitting or standing on the horizontal surface of the tailgate when both cables fractured could be injured by falling from the tailgate. On vehicles that have had the bumper removed, the tailgate may drop even lower. Additionally, if there is cargo on the tailgate the cargo may fall off if the support cables fracture.
What gets fixed
DEALERS WILL REPLACE THE CABLES. INTERIM OWNER NOTIFICATION BEGAN ON APRIL 7, 20004. THE RECALL BEGAN ON SEPTEMBER 24, 2004, WHEN REPLACEMENT PARTS WERE AVAILABLE, AND WILL CONTINUE THROUGH OCTOBER 29, 2004.
Timeline
- Vehicles builtOctober 1999 to November 2003
- Recall reported to NHTSA17 March 2004
- Owners notified18 September 2004
Your rights
A safety recall repair is free. Under US federal law the manufacturer must fix a safety defect at no cost to you — no charge for parts, labor or diagnosis — whether or not you are the original owner. A dealer cannot charge you for recall work, and cannot require you to have bought the vehicle from them.
That entitlement is not unlimited. It applies where the vehicle was first sold less than 15 years before the recall was announced — 5 years for tires. Past that a manufacturer may still do the repair free of charge, and many do, but they are no longer obliged to. This recall was reported on 17 March 2004.
To arrange the repair, contact any franchised dealer for the brand. If a dealer refuses the work or tries to charge for it, you can report that to NHTSA at nhtsa.gov/recalls or on 1-888-327-4236.
Manufacturer contact
Owners should contact cadillac at 1-866-982-2339, chevrolet at 1-800-630-2438 or gmc at 1-866-996-9463, or visit www.mygmlink.com, and enter your vehicle identification number.
Official source
- Manufacturer's recall number
- 04007
- Recalling manufacturer
- GENERAL MOTORS CORP.
- Recall initiated by
- ODI
Everything on this page — the models listed, the build dates and the repair figures — comes from the manufacturer's filing to NHTSA and describes the vehicle line as a whole, not any individual car. Only the manufacturer can confirm whether a specific vehicle is affected, and whether its recall work has already been carried out. Check yours by VIN and read the official notice at nhtsa.gov/recalls.
Additional notes
GM recall no. 04007.CUSTOMERS can also contact the national highway traffic safety administration's auto safety hotline at 1-888-DASH-2-DOT (1-888-327-4236).
Check your own vehicle
This page describes the recall, not any one car. To see which recalls cover a specific vehicle, search by make, model and year.
A VIN lookup here identifies your vehicle and shows recalls issued for that make, model and year. It cannot tell you what is still open on your individual car - only the manufacturer knows that. Search by VIN instead, or check your VIN at nhtsa.gov for whether a recall is still open on your individual car.