GM is recalling as many as 150,000 Buick Encore SUV and Chevrolet Trailblazer SUV tire jacks because they may break when in use. If the jack breaks when the vehicle is lifted the SUV could collapse and seriously injure the user. General Motors told Consumer Reports they are aware of at least one injury along with additional 21 emergency jack failures while this jack was in use.
The recall of this emergency jack starts in July 2021. That start date coincides with the peak of the Summer driving season, when families might take their SUV on vacation. GM is urging owners of the Encore and Trailblazer to contact the Buick Roadside Assistance Center at 800-252-1112 or the Chevrolet Roadside Assistance Center at 800-243-8872 as an alternative to attempting to change a tire with the emergency jack that came as standard equipment. It is unclear if GM is providing this roadside assistance free of charge. Also, as a result of this recall and the shortage of parts, new vehicles affected by the recall may be sold without an emergency jack and GM plans to provide a replacement at a later date.
The jack failure comes down to a positioning defect and was initially discovered by a GM engineer after a jack fractured during durability testing in March of 2021. As a result of that failure an investigation was opened. In a statement provided to the NHTSA GM said that “although the jack is sufficiently robust when used appropriately and per the instructions, failures can still occur due to customer usage.” In an emergency situation, a driver typically has minimal control and the jack should be designed with that in mind. If you’ve experienced anything like this we would like to talk with you.
We represent people who are injured because of the careless and reckless acts of others. At the end of the day your case can only be settled one time and you need to know all of the facts beforehand. The reason that insurance companies have paid our clients in excess of $130,000,000.00 is that we get the facts and are not intimidated at the prospect of going to trial when insurance companies fail to offer full compensation. We help with serious injuries that require serious representation. We are the Law Offices of Guenard & Bozarth, LLP. Our attorneys have more than 60 years of experience specializing in only representing injured people.. Call GB Legal 24/7/365 at 888-809-1075 or visit www.gblegal.com We would be honored to represent you!
