Hummer EV Pickup

Make
GMC
Segment
Sports Car

It hasn't been exactly smooth sailing for the GMC Hummer EV, facing various hurdles since its launch including a supply shortage. Now, a recent Safety Recall Report by the US National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) adds to that list as it reveals a risky battery issue for one Hummer EV, as well as four Cadillac Lyriq units.

According to the report, certain connections within the battery pack may be out of position or may not have been correctly welded during manufacturing. If the issue isn't fixed, the affected units could enter reduced propulsion mode or lose it entirely. By the sound of it, the issue poses a serious risk of a crash.

The issue stems from a temporarily disabled pass/fail logic following the rolling out of a software maintenance update.

General Motors is recalling one Hummer EV produced on January 28, 2022. Meanwhile, the four Cadillac Lyriq units listed for a recall were manufactured from February 23 to March 10, 2023.

Of note, four out of the total affected five units are at GM dealerships and are not in customers' possession. That one unlucky EV wasn't specified by the automaker, whether it's a Hummer or a Lyriq, but we suspect the owner should know there's something wrong by now.

Owners can identify the problem through a battery warning light and a "Service High Voltage System" message displayed on the instrument panel. A "Charging Disabled" or "Vehicle Will Not Restart" message will also be displayed.

Regardless of the scarcity of the issue, GM will send notification letters regarding the recall to owners starting July 10, 2023. As part of the remedy plan, the automaker looks to replace the faulty high-voltage battery packs free of charge at GMC or Cadillac dealers.

Both the GMC Hummer EV and Cadillac Lyriq are powered by General Motors' Ultium EV battery platform. In a recent teardown video, two engineers showed why the Hummer EV is way heavier than it should be. The most significant factor is the abundant use of steel, which may be cheaper but heavier than aluminum.