Recalls are unfortunately quite common when all-new vehicles go on sale, since many of the components and technologies are new and don't yet fall under the "tried and tested" category. Cadillac has been hit with a recall just like this for the new Cadillac Lyriq EV, and it has ultimately led to General Motors pausing deliveries of certain 2023 Lyriqs until the issue can be resolved.

In a nutshell, the problem is an instrument panel that goes blank and fails to display critical information like speed and warning lights. So, while this doesn't prevent owners from actually driving their vehicles, the potential for a more dangerous outcome is there if the screen goes blank and the driver isn't alerted to a problem with the car.

According to documentation filed with the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA), the potential number of units affected is 186. That's the one advantage of the Lyriq not having been on sale for too long and not many units being on the road. GM has had far bigger recalls to deal with in the past, such as when a brake issue affected 230,000 models.

GM's own investigator found 16 field incidents related to the Lyriq's blank screen, so clearly something needs to be done. According to the documentation, the "driver video display control module in these vehicles occasionally performs a boot-up/shut-down cycle when the vehicle is parked and powered off that can be interrupted if a door is opened."

If this boot-up/shut-down cycle is interrupted within a specific window of five seconds, that's when the driver's video display can go blank. Although customers can "normally" resolve the problem by switching the Lyriq off and back on again, that is merely a temporary solution.

GM will update the problematic video display control module software at no charge to owners, and owner notification letters will be sent out on November 7. Before that, however, owners can reach out to Cadillac's customer service center for more information.

For owners who have placed orders for their new Lyriq, it is not clear how long they'll have to wait. GM notes that it is illegal to deliver a new car until this defect has been fixed, so any Lyriqs sitting with dealers can't be delivered to customers, released to auction, or even be used for demonstration purposes.

The Lyriq is one of several modern EVs that have had to deal with electronic gremlins. While actual EV motors seem quite sound, the advanced technologies inside all-electric vehicles have let them down. That much was evident in a Consumer Reports reliability report that was published late last year.

Hopefully, the otherwise excellent Lyriq's first recall is also its last.