General Motors (GM) has ordered a temporary suspension of sales of its 2024 Chevrolet Colorado and 2024 GMC Canyon mid-size pickups due to software problems.
It was the Detroit Free Press that broke the news yesterday. The outlet had noticed that models were piling up in the yards of GM's Wentzville plant before they were shipped. Now we know why.
It is important to note that the company has not provided the media with the cause of the problem. The speculation is that the problem appears to be very similar to one discovered with the new 2024 Chevrolet Blazer EV at the end of December. In some cases, vehicles have been paralyzed due to problems related to the multimedia system. It should be noted that this system manages a variety of vehicle functions, so the list of things that can stop working in the event of a problem is a long one.
In fact, during our test drive of the new 2024 Colorado last December, we were astonished to find that in order to activate the headlights, it was necessary to go through the screen of the multimedia system. A software problem, for example, could make it impossible to turn on the headlights and lights.
A Colorado tested by the Edmunds Group produced "the longest list of major defects" the agency has ever seen, which is obviously worrisome.
Some models have already been shipped to dealerships and will remain there until they are repaired and the stop-sale order is lifted. In all likelihood, GM will continue to hold the pickups at its Missouri plant until the software updates are made.
GM has not provided a timeline for the software upgrades or the resumption of sales and deliveries to customers.
It remains to be seen what the exact nature of the problem with these vehicles is and what solution the company will consider.