General Motors Recalls Thousands of Heavy-Duty Trucks for Potential Fuel System Defect

General Motors, LLC has announced a recall affecting approximately 11,787 heavy-duty Chevrolet Silverado 3500 and GMC Sierra 3500 vehicles from the 2025 and 2026 model years. According to the U.S. Department of Transportation’s National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA), these vehicles may have a defect in their fuel transfer system that could lead to a vehicle stall, increasing the risk of a crash. The recall specifically targets models equipped with gasoline engines and dual fuel tanks, identified by RPOs L8T and N2N, while excluding diesel engine variants.

The issue stems from an incorrect engine control module (ECM) software calibration. This calibration may erroneously trigger diagnostic trouble codes during a normal fuel transfer from the rear tank to the front tank. Once these codes are set, further fuel transfers are disabled until the vehicle is turned off and restarted. While the fuel gauge will initially display the combined fuel volume from both tanks, after a brief period, it will continue to reflect the total, even though fuel from the secondary tank is no longer accessible to the engine during the current driving cycle. This can lead to a situation where the driver is not adequately warned about the dwindling fuel supply to the engine, potentially causing a stall while driving.

The defect was first identified by a GM systems engineer on October 29, 2025, who noted a high occurrence of specific diagnostic trouble codes in the affected trucks. Further investigation revealed that these codes could be set in error and lead to the misleading fuel gauge reading and subsequent stall. The issue was formally reported to GM’s “Speak Up For Safety” program in January 2026. An analysis of field data conducted in January 2026 identified 20 potentially related complaints of vehicles stalling while in operation. These reports were received by GM between February 4, 2025, and January 5, 2026. While GM is aware of these stalling incidents, the company has stated it is not aware of any crashes or injuries associated with this particular defect. Following this investigation and analysis, GM’s Safety and Field Decision Authority determined on February 26, 2026, that a safety recall was necessary.

To address this safety concern, General Motors will update the software in the vehicle’s engine control module (ECM). Owners of affected vehicles will have the option to receive this software update wirelessly through over-the-air (OTA) technology, provided they have accepted the necessary terms and conditions. Alternatively, owners can schedule an appointment to have the update performed at a General Motors dealership. The corrected ECM calibrations will prevent the erroneous setting of diagnostic trouble codes that disable the fuel transfer system. These corrected calibrations were implemented into production vehicles starting on March 4, 2026.

Owners of affected vehicles can expect to be notified about the available remedy. Dealerships were scheduled to be notified of the recall on March 5, 2026. The mailing of owner notifications regarding the available remedy is estimated to begin around April 20, 2026. The Vehicle Identification Number (VIN) for affected vehicles will be searchable starting March 5, 2026, allowing owners to check if their specific truck is part of the recall. Since all covered vehicles are under warranty, General Motors is not offering reimbursement for any related expenses.

Owners of 2025-2026 Chevrolet Silverado 3500 and GMC Sierra 3500 trucks with gasoline engines and dual fuel tanks should be aware of this potential issue. While the remedy is expected to be available soon, drivers are advised to be particularly attentive to their fuel gauge readings and to consider parking their vehicles outside and avoiding driving them until the software update is performed, as recommended in consumer advisories for this recall.

Article by Mel Anara, based upon information from General Motors, LLC and NHTSA.

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