The problem
General Motors, LLC (GM) is recalling certain 2013 Cadillac Escalade, Escalade ESV, and Escalade EXT, Chevrolet Avalanche, Silverado 1500, Silverado 2500/3500, Suburban, Tahoe, GMC Sierra 1500, Sierra 2500/3500, Yukon, and Yukon XL vehicles 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." Additionally, GM is recalling certain 2010 Cadillac Escalade, Escalade ESV, and Escalade EXT, Chevrolet Avalanche, Silverado 1500, Silverado 2500/3500, Suburban, Tahoe, GMC Sierra 1500, Sierra 2500/3500, Yukon, and Yukon XL vehicles originally sold, or ever registered in the states of Arizona, Arkansas, Delaware, District of Columbia, Illinois, Indiana, Kansas, Kentucky, Maryland, Missouri, Nebraska, Nevada, New Jersey, New Mexico, North Carolina, Ohio, Oklahoma, Pennsylvania, Tennessee, Virginia, and West Virginia or "Zone B." Additionally, GM is recalling certain 2009 Cadillac Escalade, Escalade ESV, and Escalade EXT, Chevrolet Avalanche, Silverado 1500, Silverado 2500/3500, Suburban, Tahoe, GMC Sierra 1500, Sierra 2500/3500, Yukon, and Yukon XL vehicles originally sold, or ever registered, in the states of Alaska, Colorado, Connecticut, Idaho, Iowa, Maine, Massachusetts, Michigan, Minnesota, Montana, New Hampshire, New York, North Dakota, Oregon, Rhode Island, South Dakota, Utah, Vermont, Washington, Wisconsin, and Wyoming or "Zone C."
The risk
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 24, 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 N212328790.
Recall details
| NHTSA campaign | 21V-053 (21V053000) |
|---|---|
| Manufacturer number | N212328790 |
| Manufacturer | General Motors, LLC |
| Component | Air bags › Frontal › Passenger side › Inflator module |
| Report date | February 5, 2021 |
| Owners notified | May 11, 2021 |
| Vehicles affected | 692,526 |
| Initiated by | NHTSA investigation |
Vehicles covered
- 2009 Cadillac Escalade
- 2010 Cadillac Escalade
- 2013 Cadillac Escalade
- 2009 Cadillac Escalade ESV
- 2010 Cadillac Escalade ESV
- 2013 Cadillac Escalade ESV
- 2009 Cadillac Escalade EXT
- 2010 Cadillac Escalade EXT
- 2013 Cadillac Escalade EXT
- 2009 Chevrolet Avalanche
- 2010 Chevrolet Avalanche
- 2013 Chevrolet Avalanche
- 2009 Chevrolet Silverado 1500
- 2010 Chevrolet Silverado 1500
- 2013 Chevrolet Silverado 1500
- 2009 Chevrolet Silverado 2500
- 2010 Chevrolet Silverado 2500
- 2013 Chevrolet Silverado 2500
- 2009 Chevrolet Silverado 3500
- 2010 Chevrolet Silverado 3500
- 2013 Chevrolet Silverado 3500
- 2009 Chevrolet Suburban
- 2010 Chevrolet Suburban
- 2013 Chevrolet Suburban
- 2009 Chevrolet Tahoe
- 2010 Chevrolet Tahoe
- 2013 Chevrolet Tahoe
- 2009 GMC Sierra 1500
- 2010 GMC Sierra 1500
- 2013 GMC Sierra 1500
- 2009 GMC Sierra 2500
- 2010 GMC Sierra 2500
- 2013 GMC Sierra 2500
- 2009 GMC Sierra 3500
- 2010 GMC Sierra 3500
- 2013 GMC Sierra 3500
- 2009 GMC Yukon
- 2010 GMC Yukon
- 2013 GMC Yukon
- 2009 GMC Yukon XL
- 2010 GMC Yukon XL
- 2013 GMC Yukon XL
Owner complaints about the air bags
- 2009 Cadillac Escalade airbag problems 24
- 2010 Cadillac Escalade airbag problems 21
- 2013 Cadillac Escalade airbag problems 3
- 2009 Cadillac Escalade ESV airbag problems 3
- 2010 Cadillac Escalade ESV airbag problems 4
- 2009 Cadillac Escalade EXT airbag problems 2
- 2009 Chevrolet Avalanche airbag problems 41
- 2010 Chevrolet Avalanche airbag problems 53
- 2013 Chevrolet Avalanche airbag problems 22
- 2009 Chevrolet Silverado 1500 airbag problems 230
- 2010 Chevrolet Silverado 1500 airbag problems 197
- 2013 Chevrolet Silverado 1500 airbag problems 83
Frequently asked questions
Is the recall 21V-053 repair free?
Yes. Cadillac dealers will fix the problem at no cost: 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 24, 2021.
How do I know if my car is included?
Not every vehicle of the listed model years is affected — the recall covers 692,526 vehicles built in a certain window. Check your 17-character VIN with our VIN recall check or at nhtsa.gov/recalls.
Source: U.S. National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) — owner complaints through October 20, 2026, recalls and defect investigations; fuel economy from the EPA. Complaints are unverified reports and are not proof of a defect. How we rate model years.