Dive Brief:
- General Motors has recalled over 42,000 Blazer EVs for a condition where the rear parking brake wiring harness may become damaged or corroded, resulting in unintended activation of the parking brake or loss of function, according to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration.
- The recall includes 2024-2025 Blazer EVs built prior to Jan. 31, 2025, before GM introduced an updated wiring harness. Gas-powered Blazer models are not included in the recall.
- Dealers will inspect the parking brake wiring on the vehicles and reroute them or install anti-abrasive tape as needed, but any wiring harnesses showing signs of damage will be replaced for free. Owner notification letters are expected to be mailed on Aug. 11.
Dive Insight:
Any unintended application of the rear electronic parking brake can increase the risk of a crash, and loss of function could result in vehicle rollaway while parked, according to the recall report.
GM discovered the problem on March 18, after a brand quality manager submitted the issue to the automaker’s “Speak Up For Safety” program where employees can report any safety concerns they encounter. The manager flagged the issue after reviewing four customer complaints alleging a “service parking brake” warning message on the instrument cluster or an inability to shift the vehicle out of park.
GM opened a product investigation on May 6, which included a review of dealer photographs that showed damage to parking brake wires. The images revealed the wires were subjected to flexing during normal use at the bend in the harness. In some of the photographs, the wires were completely severed while others had damaged insulation, making them more susceptible to corrosion.
A further review of field data completed by GM on May 21 uncovered 97 customer complaints potentially related to damaged parking brake wiring on Blazer EV models received between Aug. 15, 2023, and May 15, 2025. One complaint alleged rear wheel lock-up while driving and another described loss of parking brake function.
As a result of the findings, GM's Safety Field Action Decision Authority decided to conduct a safety recall on June 18. However, the automaker is not aware of any accidents or injuries related to the defect.
GM sourced the wiring harnesses from Tier 1 supplier Lear Electrical Systems de Mexico, a division of Lear Corp. The parts were manufactured at a Lear facility in Mexico. The Blazer EV is also built at GM’s Ramos Arizpe assembly plant in Mexico.
The battery-powered Blazer is one of GM's best-selling EVs. The automaker reported sales of 6,187 units in Q1, a year-over-year increase of 931%. For comparison, GM sold 14,510 gas-powered Blazer models during the same period.
