Cadillac / Chevrolet / Gmc recall: Air bags
What is wrong
General Motors, LLC (GM) is recalling certain 2012 Cadillac Escalade, Escalade ESV, Escalade EXT, Chevrolet Avalanche, Silverado 1500, Silverado 2500/3500, Suburban, Tahoe, GMC Sierra 1500, Sierra 2500/3500, Yukon, and Yukon XL originally sold, or ever registered, in the states of Alabama, California, Florida, Georgia, Hawaii, Louisiana, Mississippi, South Carolina, Texas, Puerto Rico, American Samoa, Guam, the Northern Mariana Islands (Saipan), and the U.S. Virgin Islands or "Zone A." These vehicles are equipped with non-desiccated passenger frontal inflators containing phase-stabilized ammonium nitrate (PSAN) propellant. These inflators may explode due to propellant degradation occurring after long-term exposure to high absolute humidity, high temperatures, and high temperature cycling.
What could happen
An inflator explosion may result in sharp metal fragments striking the driver or other occupants, resulting in serious injury or death.
The fix
GM will notify owners, and dealers will replace the front passenger air bag inflator with an alternate one, free of charge. Interim letters notifying owners of the safety risk were mailed on February 22, 2021. Second notification letters will be mailed once the remedy is available. Owner notification letters were mailed on May 11, 2021. Owners may contact Cadillac customer service at 1-800-458-8006; Chevrolet customer service at 1-800-222-1020; and GMC customer service at 1-800-462-8782. GM's number for this recall is N212328770.
Vehicles covered
- Cadillac Escalade 2012
- Cadillac Escalade Esv 2012
- Cadillac Escalade Ext 2012
- Chevrolet Avalanche 2012
- Chevrolet Silverado 1500 2012
- Chevrolet Silverado 2500 2012
- Chevrolet Silverado 3500 2012
- Chevrolet Suburban 2012
- Chevrolet Tahoe 2012
- Gmc Sierra 1500 2012
- Gmc Sierra 2500 2012
- Gmc Sierra 3500 2012
- Gmc Yukon 2012
- Gmc Yukon Xl 2012
Facts
- NHTSA recall number
- 21V051000
- Type
- Vehicle
- Filed by
- General Motors, LLC
- Reported to NHTSA
- Feb 5, 2021
- Owners notified
- May 11, 2021
- Vehicles or items affected
- 284,645
- Started by
- NHTSA investigation
- Built
- –
- Part
- Air bags › Frontal › Passenger side › Inflator module
- Maker's own recall number
- N212328770
Notes
Owners may also contact the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration Vehicle Safety Hotline at 1-888-327-4236 (TTY 1-800-424-9153), or go to www.safercar.gov.
Other recalls for the same vehicles
- Chevrolet / Gmc recall: Air bags Sep 24, 2026
- Chevrolet / Gmc recall: Air bags May 21, 2026
- Cadillac / Chevrolet / Gmc recall: Power train May 7, 2026
- Chevrolet / Gmc recall: Air bags Mar 19, 2026
- Buick / Cadillac / Chevrolet and more recall: Equipment Feb 26, 2026
- Chevrolet / Gmc recall: Power train Feb 12, 2026
To check one car, enter its 17-character VIN on the official NHTSA page: a recall may cover only some vehicles of a model year.
Recall data: National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA). Nebula is not affiliated with or endorsed by NHTSA.