Drive power loss recall and Ultium software faults plague 2024–2026 Sierra EV. Multiple dealer visits may qualify for a California buyback. Free review.
The GMC Sierra EV was supposed to be the electric work truck that finally made sense for California buyers: Ultium-powered, full-size capable, and built on GM's most advanced platform. But for owners of 2024 and 2025 models, the first years on the road have exposed a troubling pattern — one that begins with a single, alarming event: the truck simply stops moving. In May 2024, NHTSA opened recall 24V320 after GM confirmed that the electric motors inside the Sierra EV's rear drive unit were built with insufficiently insulated wires. Those wires can contact each other, short out, and cut drive power entirely — at any speed, without warning. The fix requires pulling the entire rear drive unit and replacing it, a job GM estimates at roughly six hours at an EV-certified dealer. Owner notification letters went out June 24, 2024. Layered on top of the drive-unit defect is a second, broader problem: the Ultium platform arrived with software that was not ready for the road. GM issued Technical Service Bulletins 24-NA-143 and 24-NA-113 requiring dealers to perform vehicle-wide module reprogramming across every electronic system — infotainment, propulsion, ADAS, and body control — to address cascading faults that appeared across the 2024 and 2025 Sierra EV production run. Owners report instrument-cluster warnings appearing without explanation, backup cameras that refuse to load, infotainment screens that go black mid-drive, and OTA updates that fail or complete only partially. Each trip to the dealer for a software flash is another service event on your record. California's Song-Beverly Consumer Warranty Act exists precisely for situations like this: a new vehicle that cannot be made to conform to its warranty after a reasonable number of repair attempts. If your Sierra EV has been in for a propulsion issue, a software-related fault, or any of its now multiple recalls, those visits may count toward a lemon law claim.
The issues owners report most, ranked by severity — each one verified against a cited NHTSA source.
Sudden loss of all drive power; vehicle cannot accelerate or maintain speed; warning lights illuminate; vehicle may coast to a stop without warning
Front turn signals and parking lights appear nearly identical in brightness; other drivers cannot clearly distinguish when turn signal is activated; increased crash risk at intersections and lane changes
Electronic stability control system experiences a malfunction but the ESC warning light does not illuminate on subsequent key cycles; driver is unaware of ongoing ESC system fault; vehicle stability control may be degraded without any dashboard warning
Rear center seat belt assembly may be loose; seat belt may not restrain occupant properly in a crash; no dashboard warning for this condition
Random warning messages on instrument cluster; infotainment screen freezes, goes blank, or reboots unexpectedly; surround-view or backup cameras fail to load; software modules report errors requiring dealer reprogramming; OTA updates fail or are incomplete
Spurious BECM diagnostic trouble codes P0AA6 and/or U395E may trigger after first sleep cycle post-programming; battery system fault warnings; potential for inaccurate moisture-detection alerts that could cause unnecessary service visits or, if threshold is set too high, failure to detect actual battery moisture
A settled Margarian Law case on this exact model, published with the actual settlement math.
Open any defect for the symptoms and why it matters for a California lemon-law claim. Each is tied to a cited NHTSA source.
Sudden loss of all drive power; vehicle cannot accelerate or maintain speed; warning lights illuminate; vehicle may coast to a stop without warning
Complete propulsion loss while driving is a safety nonconformity. Rear drive unit replacement is a multi-hour service event. Also affects other 2024 Ultium vehicles — part of a platform-wide defect pattern. Multiple Ultium-related repair visits strengthen a substantial-impairment claim under CA Civil Code §1793.2.
Rear drive unit replacement by GM dealer; approximately 6 hours labor; no charge to owner
Front turn signals and parking lights appear nearly identical in brightness; other drivers cannot clearly distinguish when turn signal is activated; increased crash risk at intersections and lane changes
FMVSS 108 lighting noncompliance is a per se safety defect. 1,962 units affected — nearly the entire initial production run of the 2024 Sierra EV — making this a population-wide defect. If owner experienced any collision or near-miss attributable to invisible turn signals, this is high-value lemon-law territory.
Dealer replaces headlamp multipurpose LED driver (MLD) module; no charge to owner. Owner notification letters mailed November 25, 2024.
Electronic stability control system experiences a malfunction but the ESC warning light does not illuminate on subsequent key cycles; driver is unaware of ongoing ESC system fault; vehicle stability control may be degraded without any dashboard warning
FMVSS 126 noncompliance is a per se safety defect. A silently-failing stability control system is especially dangerous in wet, snowy, or emergency-braking conditions. 624 Sierra EV units affected. If OTA remedy fails or requires dealer visit, adds to repair-attempt count.
Dealer or OTA update to reprogram the EBCM software; no charge to owner
Rear center seat belt assembly may be loose; seat belt may not restrain occupant properly in a crash; no dashboard warning for this condition
Safety recall affecting seat belt restraint integrity. Very small unit count (approximately 5 vehicles total across Sierra EV and Silverado EV). Primary lemon-law relevance: if an owner's vehicle was delivered after a repair attempt and the bolt was still not properly torqued, that constitutes a nonconformity not repaired after reasonable attempt.
Dealer tightens bolt securing rear center seat belt assembly to seat structure; no charge to owner. All affected units were in dealer inventory (stop-sale) at time of recall; no owner letters mailed.
Random warning messages on instrument cluster; infotainment screen freezes, goes blank, or reboots unexpectedly; surround-view or backup cameras fail to load; software modules report errors requiring dealer reprogramming; OTA updates fail or are incomplete
Multiple software-related dealer visits — particularly if for the same or substantially similar fault — strongly support a lemon-law claim under CA Civil Code §1793.2(d)(1). Software defects impairing vehicle use, safety, or value qualify as nonconformities. The platform-wide scope of TSBs 24-NA-143 and 24-NA-113 confirms GM recognized a systemic defect across the entire 2024–2025 Sierra EV production run.
Full vehicle-wide module reprogramming at EV-certified dealer using Techline Connect / SPS2 per TSB 24-NA-143 and 24-NA-113 procedures; covered under warranty. OTA updates may address some issues remotely. Multiple dealer visits may be required.
Spurious BECM diagnostic trouble codes P0AA6 and/or U395E may trigger after first sleep cycle post-programming; battery system fault warnings; potential for inaccurate moisture-detection alerts that could cause unnecessary service visits or, if threshold is set too high, failure to detect actual battery moisture
BECM-related fault codes may trigger unexpected 'battery fault' or 'service required' warnings causing owner distress and dealer visits. If the underlying moisture threshold is insufficient to detect real water ingress, there is an unrepaired safety defect in the battery system. Multiple visits for battery-related faults build a lemon-law repair attempt record.
Dealer or OTA update to BECM software under GM Service Update N252516700; no charge to owner. Campaign active through October 31, 2027.
Hairline cracks radiating from the vent holes in the steel spare wheel disc; if the spare is mounted and a crack propagates, wheel vibration, loss of tire pressure, or wheel disc separation while driving. No driver warning before failure.
A wheel that can crack and separate is a safety defect, although on the Sierra EV it is limited to the spare and the remedy is a one-visit inspection and replacement. On its own this is unlikely to carry a lemon-law claim; it matters as part of the cumulative defect and open-recall record on a 2026 Sierra EV (see the 25V594 ESC indicator and 26V114 owner's manual campaigns on the same model year), and any delay obtaining a replacement wheel adds to days out of service.
Under recall 26V496 (GM N262556920) dealers inspect the spare wheel for suspect disc lot dates and replace it as necessary, free of charge. Owner letters expected September 14, 2026.
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The steel spare wheel may have a manufacturing defect that can eventually result in cracking at the disc vent holes. The supplier's piercing/coining process that forms the outer ring of the vent holes may not have been properly adjusted, producing hairline cracks that can propagate over time.
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The radio in certain 2026 GMC Sierra EV vehicles may not have been set to the correct production status to download the electronic owner's manual, leaving owners without access to required safety information. FMVSS 208 noncompliance.
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Factory-installed EBCM software in certain 2026 GMC Sierra EV vehicles contains incorrect memory parameters. After experiencing an ESC system malfunction, the instrument cluster ESC malfunction warning light may not illuminate on the subsequent key cycle even if the malfunction persists, violating FMVSS 126 S5.3.3.
closed
The bolt securing the rear center seat belt assembly to the seat structure may not have been properly torqued after a supplier offline repair, potentially preventing the seat belt from restraining occupants as intended.
closed
The calculated photometric intensity ratio of the front turn signal lamp and parking lamp in certain 2024 GMC Sierra EV vehicles is below the FMVSS 108 minimum, making the turn signals insufficiently distinguishable from the parking lights when combined in a single lamp assembly.
closed
Electric motors in the rear drive units of certain 2024 GMC Sierra EV vehicles may have insufficiently insulated wires that can contact each other, resulting in a short circuit and loss of drive power.
Every item below comes from this vehicle's documented defects. The more you recognize, the more a free case review is worth your time.
California's Song-Beverly Consumer Warranty Act — commonly called the lemon law — gives you specific rights when a manufacturer cannot fix a defect after a reasonable number of repair attempts during the warranty period. For safety-related defects, California law presumes two repair attempts may be sufficient to trigger the lemon law presumption. For other substantial defects affecting use, value, or safety, four repair attempts — or 30 or more cumulative days out of service — can establish the same presumption. Importantly, each dealer visit for a related problem counts, including visits under recall campaigns, visits resulting in UTD outcomes, and days spent waiting for parts or an EV-certified technician's availability. The Sierra EV's rear drive unit replacement (approximately 6 hours labor at a certified facility), combined with additional visits for software reprogramming under the TSB program, can accumulate quickly. If your vehicle qualifies, you may be entitled to: a full repurchase (the amount you paid for the vehicle, minus a mileage offset), a comparable replacement vehicle, or a cash settlement. GM — not you — pays your attorney fees if you prevail under Song-Beverly, which means many California lemon law cases cost the owner nothing out of pocket. The above is general information only and is not legal advice; every case depends on its specific facts, dates, and service history.
“Could not duplicate” doesn't mean the defect isn't real. Here's exactly what to do to protect a potential California lemon-law claim.
Document the moment it happens. Photos, video, and screenshots of any warning lights — with the date and the mileage.
Get a repair order every visit — even “found nothing.” That paperwork is the foundation of a claim.
Check your VIN at nhtsa.gov/recalls. Note any recall that has no available remedy yet.
Track your out-of-service days. California law counts the cumulative days your vehicle spends in the shop.
Keep loaner & rental records. Alternate-transport paperwork during long repairs matters.
Save everything in one place. Symptoms, dates, repair orders, and every repeat visit — the intermittent ones especially.
Dealers frequently close repair orders with 'unable to duplicate' (UTD) or 'no trouble found' (NTF) — especially for intermittent warning lights and propulsion symptoms that clear between events. Here is what to do if that happens to you: 1. Document before every visit. Write down the exact warning message or symptom, the date, time, mileage, ambient temperature, and recent driving conditions. Take photos of any warning lights displayed on the cluster or infotainment screen. 2. Request a printed copy of all Diagnostic Trouble Codes (DTCs), including stored and historical codes. Even if the warning light has cleared, the DTC history remains in the module until cleared by a technician. Do not let the dealer erase codes without giving you a copy first. 3. Ask the dealer specifically about TSBs 24-NA-143 and 24-NA-113. These bulletins require vehicle-wide module reprogramming on all 2024–2025 Sierra EV trucks. If your dealer has not performed this programming, they may have missed the documented software fix. Ask for the repair order to show which modules were updated and to which software version. 4. Confirm your recall status. For the rear drive unit recall (24V320), ask the dealer whether the unit was replaced — not just inspected — and get the part number for the new unit on your repair order. A UTD result on a safety recall is itself significant. 5. Keep every repair order, including UTD ones. Under California lemon law, a UTD visit still counts as a repair attempt. A stack of UTD repair orders for the same symptom is strong evidence the manufacturer cannot fix the problem.
GM launched the Sierra EV on a platform that was not finished. Recall 24V320 documents a manufacturing defect — insufficiently insulated motor wires — that should never have left the factory. TSBs 24-NA-143 and 24-NA-113 confirm that GM knew its Ultium software was incomplete across the board and dispatched a vehicle-wide reprogramming requirement to every dealer in the network. These are not random one-off failures; they are platform-wide defects that GM has had to fix after delivery. If you own a 2024 or 2025 Sierra EV and have had multiple dealer visits for propulsion issues, software faults, or recall-related repairs, we encourage you to gather your repair orders and speak with a California lemon law attorney before your warranty window closes.
— The Margarian Law team
Has your GMC Sierra EV been back to the dealer for a sudden loss of power, software warnings you cannot explain, or any of its recall campaigns? If your truck has had two or more visits for the same problem — or has spent weeks at the dealer waiting for parts or a certified technician — your repair history may already meet the threshold for a California lemon law claim. The consultation is free. Find out where you stand.
Yes. NHTSA recall 24V320 (GM internal recall N242447080, issued May 2024) covers certain 2024 GMC Sierra EV trucks for exactly this defect. The electric motors inside the rear drive unit were built with insufficiently insulated wires. Those wires can contact each other, short out, and cut drive power entirely — with no warning — at any speed. The consequence NHTSA lists is an increased risk of a crash. The remedy is full replacement of the rear drive unit by a GM dealer at no charge; GM estimates the job takes approximately six hours. Owner notification letters were mailed June 24, 2024. You can confirm whether your VIN is covered by entering it at nhtsa.gov. If your dealer has not performed the replacement yet, schedule a service appointment and ask specifically about recall 24V320.
As of mid-2026, the 2024–2026 GMC Sierra EV has been subject to five NHTSA recall campaigns: (1) 24V320 (May 2024) — rear drive unit wire insulation failure causing loss of drive power. Remedy: rear drive unit replacement. (2) 24V755 (October 2024) — front turn signal lamps too dim to meet FMVSS 108 minimum, affecting 1,962 trucks. Remedy: headlamp LED driver module replacement. (3) 25V015 (January 2025) — rear center seat belt bolt improperly torqued at the factory. Only a small number of units affected; all were on dealer stop-sale at the time. (4) 25V594 (September 2025) — ESC malfunction warning light may fail to illuminate on the next key cycle after a stability-control fault, affecting 624 Sierra EV units (2026 model year). Remedy: EBCM software reprogramming. (5) 26V114 (March 2026) — radio not configured to download the electronic owner's manual (FMVSS 208). Remedy: radio reset. Enter your VIN at nhtsa.gov to see which recalls are open or completed on your specific vehicle.
Yes, and GM has formally acknowledged it. General Motors issued Technical Service Bulletins 24-NA-143 and 24-NA-113 requiring dealers to perform vehicle-wide module reprogramming on 2024 and 2025 GMC Sierra EV trucks. The bulletins cover multiple electronic systems: infotainment (including RPO codes IVD and IVE), propulsion modules, ADAS systems, and body-control modules. Symptoms the TSBs address include random warning messages on the instrument cluster, infotainment freezes or reboots, camera failures, and OTA updates that fail or complete only partially. The reprogramming must be performed by an EV-certified technician using GM's Techline Connect / SPS2 diagnostic platform. If your dealer has not performed this update, ask them to check for open TSBs under bulletins 24-NA-143 and 24-NA-113. Get a repair order showing which modules were updated and to which software version.
Yes. Under California's Song-Beverly Consumer Warranty Act, a dealer visit that results in an 'unable to duplicate' (UTD) or 'no trouble found' (NTF) outcome still counts as a repair attempt — provided the vehicle was brought in for a symptom that is substantially the same on each visit. To protect yourself: always describe your symptom in writing on the repair order (not just verbally), keep every copy of every repair order even if the dealer found nothing, and ask the dealer to pull all stored and historical Diagnostic Trouble Codes before clearing them. For the Sierra EV specifically, ask the dealer to document whether TSBs 24-NA-143 and 24-NA-113 have been applied and whether recall 24V320 is open or closed on your VIN. A pattern of UTD visits for the same propulsion or software symptom is itself evidence that the manufacturer cannot fix the nonconformity.
It may, depending on your specific repair history. California's Song-Beverly Consumer Warranty Act presumes a vehicle qualifies for a buyback or replacement if the manufacturer has made two or more repair attempts for a safety-related defect, or four or more attempts for any substantial defect affecting use, value, or safety, or if the vehicle has been out of service for 30 or more cumulative days during the warranty period. For Sierra EV owners, relevant visits can include: dealer visits to perform the rear drive unit replacement under recall 24V320; visits for vehicle-wide software reprogramming under TSBs 24-NA-143 and 24-NA-113; visits for infotainment or cluster warning-light complaints; and time spent waiting for an EV-certified technician or backordered parts. Each of those events — including UTD outcomes — can count. The analysis is fact-specific, so gathering your repair orders and speaking with a California lemon law attorney is the best first step. Under Song-Beverly, GM pays your attorney fees if you prevail, which means most California lemon law cases cost the owner nothing out of pocket.
Yes. Software-related defects on the GMC Sierra EV — including the module faults addressed by TSBs 24-NA-143 and 24-NA-113 and the BECM moisture-detection update under GM Service Update N252516700 — are remedied by dealers at no charge under the new-vehicle warranty. Infotainment and software repairs are typically covered by GM's 3-year/36,000-mile bumper-to-bumper warranty; powertrain and high-voltage battery system issues fall under the 8-year/100,000-mile EV warranty. If you have paid out of pocket for a software-related repair that should have been warranty-covered, keep the receipt — reimbursement may be available. More importantly, if multiple warranty visits for software faults have not resolved the underlying problem, those visits build a lemon law repair-attempt record. Ask your dealer for a complete service history printout at each visit.
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