General Motors has initiated a safety recall affecting 891 model year 2019-2020 Chevrolet Silverado Medium Duty trucks due to a brake jumper wire harness defect that can disable the backup brake system. The affected vehicles were previously serviced under recall 25V390 with improperly assembled harnesses lacking protective tape. Without this critical tape, wire damage can prevent the auxiliary brake system from providing brake assist when needed, significantly increasing crash risk during emergency braking situations.
Highlights
- Backup brake system failure: Missing protective tape allows wire damage that can disable the auxiliary brake assist system, eliminating redundant braking protection
- 891 commercial vehicles affected: All 2019-2020 Silverado 4500HD, 5500HD, and 6500HD models remedied under previous recall 25V390 with suspect harnesses require re-repair
- Service brake system warning possible: Malfunction indicator lamp may illuminate if harness wires become chafed, providing advance warning before complete failure
- Free harness repair available: Dealers will remove, protect, and reinstall brake jumper harnesses starting December 22, 2025
Brake System Defect Description
The recall addresses a critical defect in the brake jumper wire harness assembly that connects components of the vehicle’s backup brake system. These commercial-grade medium duty trucks utilize a dual braking architecture where the brake jumper harness enables communication and power delivery between the primary and auxiliary brake assist systems.
International Motors, the manufacturer of these Chevrolet-branded commercial vehicles, inadvertently released remedy parts for the previous recall 25V390 without the specified protective tape. This tape serves as a crucial barrier preventing wire insulation damage from chafing against surrounding chassis components, mounting brackets, and other hard points during normal vehicle operation.
When the protective tape is absent, repeated contact and vibration can abrade the wire insulation, exposing conductors to potential short circuits or complete wire failure. If damage progresses to wire breakage, the vehicle’s backup brake system loses the ability to provide supplemental brake assist. This creates a single-point failure condition where operators must rely entirely on the primary braking system without the redundancy designed into medium duty commercial vehicle brake architectures.
The safety risk escalates during heavy braking events, descents on grades, or when hauling maximum payload capacity where auxiliary brake assist is most critical. Loss of backup brake system function extends stopping distances and reduces the driver’s ability to maintain vehicle control under heavy braking loads.
Warning Systems and Failure Detection
Affected vehicles incorporate diagnostic monitoring for brake system electrical circuits. If one or more wires in the brake jumper harness experience chafing or partial failure, the vehicle’s onboard diagnostics may detect abnormal resistance or circuit continuity issues.
When the system identifies a brake circuit fault, a “service brake system” malfunction indicator lamp illuminates on the instrument cluster. This warning provides operators with advance notice of potential brake system degradation before complete auxiliary brake assist failure occurs.
However, the warning system’s effectiveness depends on the nature and progression of wire damage. Intermittent failures caused by partial wire contact may not consistently trigger fault codes. Complete wire separation can result in immediate loss of auxiliary brake function without progressive degradation that would allow the diagnostic system to detect and warn the operator.
Affected Vehicle Specifications
The recall population includes six configurations of Chevrolet Silverado Medium Duty trucks equipped with compression ignition fuel systems and hydraulic service brake systems. All affected vehicles were identified through warranty records indicating remedy service under previous recall 25V390 using suspect brake jumper wire harnesses.
2020 Model Year Population:
- Silverado 6500HD: 105 units (production Nov 19, 2019 – Dec 05, 2020)
- Silverado 5500HD: 306 units (production Nov 20, 2019 – Dec 28, 2020)
- Silverado 4500HD: 13 units (production Nov 26, 2019 – Nov 18, 2020)
2019 Model Year Population:
- Silverado 6500HD: 107 units (production Dec 30, 2018 – Nov 13, 2019)
- Silverado 5500HD: 334 units (production Dec 19, 2018 – Nov 21, 2019)
- Silverado 4500HD: 26 units (production Feb 11, 2019 – Oct 05, 2019)
Vehicles in the 2021 and 2022 model years that were included in recall 25V390 are not affected by this secondary recall. Only 2019-2020 model year vehicles serviced with brake jumper harnesses from the specific suspect production window require re-remedy.
Investigation and Recall Decision Timeline
GM’s investigation originated from its Speak Up For Safety reporting system, which captured a dealer field report documenting the missing protective tape on a remedy part. The investigation timeline demonstrates the interval between field detection and manufacturer recall decision.
A Chevrolet commercial vehicle dealer reported the brake jumper wire harness defect on October 7, 2025, after discovering the missing protective tape during routine service. A GM employee submitted this report to the SUFS system on October 8, 2025. GM opened a formal defect investigation on October 14, 2025.
International Motors confirmed it had inadvertently released the brake jumper wire harness remedy parts without applying the required protective tape during assembly. The supplier identified approximately 870 vehicles potentially remedied with defective harnesses, which warranty record analysis later refined to 891 affected vehicles.
GM’s Safety Field Action Decision Authority reviewed the investigation findings and determined that a safety recall was necessary on October 30, 2025. The recall was submitted to NHTSA on November 6, 2025, receiving campaign number 25V768.
Brake Harness Repair Procedure
The remedy involves three distinct service steps performed by authorized Chevrolet commercial vehicle dealers. Technicians will first remove the existing brake jumper wire harness from the vehicle. The harness will then be wrapped with the specified protective tape at vulnerable contact points where chafing can occur. Finally, technicians will reinstall the protected harness following proper routing specifications to ensure adequate clearance from potential abrasion sources.
The corrected brake jumper harness assembly incorporates protective tape applied during the manufacturing process at specified locations based on engineering analysis of wear patterns and contact points. This factory-applied protection differs from the field-applied remedy by ensuring consistent tape placement and adhesion quality across all repaired vehicles.
International Motors implemented production corrections on October 14, 2025. All brake jumper wire harnesses distributed through the service parts network since that date include the required protective tape as specified in the original component design.
Component and Manufacturer Details
The affected component is classified as a Brake Jumper Harness under part number 19410082. This harness assembly contains multiple conductors that enable communication between brake system modules and provide electrical power for brake assist functions.
International Motors, LLC manufactured both the affected vehicles and the defective remedy parts. The company operates from 2701 Navistar Drive, Lisle, Illinois 60532. International Motors serves as a tier-one supplier to General Motors for medium duty commercial vehicle platforms and manufactures the complete vehicle assemblies sold under Chevrolet branding.
The brake jumper harness falls under the SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC component category in NHTSA’s classification system, reflecting its role in the hydraulic brake system’s electrical control architecture.
Remedy Schedule and Owner Notification
Dealer notification occurred on November 6, 2025, providing service networks with technical service bulletins, repair procedures, and parts availability information. Owner notification letters are scheduled to mail on December 22, 2025, following a phased notification approach.
All affected vehicles remain under manufacturer warranty coverage, and GM will perform all recall remedies at no cost to vehicle owners. The company is not offering reimbursement for prior repairs under 49 C.F.R. § 573.13(d)(1) due to warranty coverage.
Vehicle owners may contact GM customer assistance at 1-866-467-9700 for recall status information and dealer scheduling. GM’s internal recall tracking number is N252531990. Vehicle Identification Numbers became searchable on NHTSA.gov on November 6, 2025.
This recall represents a secondary action for the affected vehicle population. Owners whose vehicles were previously serviced under recall 25V390 must return to dealers for the corrected remedy even if their vehicles have not exhibited brake system warning lamps or performance issues.
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