General Motors is recalling 735 of the GMC Hummer EV SUVs and 89 BrightDrop EV600 electric vans for a faulty battery seal that could allow water into the battery pack, which would make the vehicles undrivable.
On July 26, 2022 and August 9, 2022, GM received Speak Up For Safety (SUFS) submissions relating to potential electrocoating and urethane-sealing issues in certain Hummer EV battery packs. GM opened product investigations to investigate these related allegations on August 2, 2022 and August 19, 2022.
GM’s investigations identified two manufacturing errors—undercured electrocoating along certain portions of the battery tray and improper urethane seal repair—that could result in poor urethane seal adhesion in battery packs built during specific build windows.
GM is aware of two relevant field reports and a relevant report involving a GM-owned test vehicle. In the two field reports, received by GM on June 27 and July 19, 2022, the vehicles would not start. In the third report, a GM-owned test vehicle lost propulsion during a test event at GM’s Milford Proving Grounds on September 24, 2022. All three of these vehicles exhibited water leaks at urethane seals that had been repaired by the battery pack supplier during pack assembly. Water inside the battery packs triggered the vehicles’ onboard diagnostics, and the drivers received notification of a battery-pack malfunction.
GM is now working on a remedy for this condition. The fix is not yet available, but when it is, GM will issue a recall bulletin and dealers will begin repairs on affected vehicles. GM will cover the inspection and repair costs associated with this recall at no cost to the customer.
Any customer that wants to check if their vehicle is affected by this recall can do so at the GM Owner Center website or doing the same by visiting the NHTSA’s website.
