Drivers who rely on pickup beds for work or hauling family gear now face a new safety concern, as an automaker has recalled thousands of trucks because their tailgate latches can release while the vehicle is moving. The defect raises the risk that cargo could spill onto the road, creating hazards for both the truck’s occupants and anyone traveling behind them.
The recall targets specific model years and trim levels where engineers identified a latch mechanism that may not stay fully secured under normal driving conditions. Regulators say the problem has already produced documented incidents, and the company is now racing to inspect and repair affected trucks before minor glitches turn into serious crashes.
What the recall covers and why regulators are concerned
Safety investigators first focused on a pattern of complaints describing tailgates that appeared to be closed, only to swing open once the truck was underway. That behavior pointed to a latch that could disengage under vibration or body flex, rather than a simple case of owners failing to shut the gate properly. According to the recall notice, the affected trucks share a common latch design that can allow the tailgate to unlatch while driving, which in turn can let unsecured cargo slide or fall into traffic, a risk detailed in the official NHTSA filing.
The automaker’s internal review, summarized in the same recall report, identifies a tolerance issue in the latch assembly that can prevent the mechanism from fully engaging under certain conditions. In practical terms, that means a tailgate may feel closed when the driver walks around the truck, yet still be vulnerable to popping open once the vehicle hits bumps or rough pavement. Federal regulators classify this as a safety defect because any cargo that exits the bed can become a road obstacle, increasing the chance of a crash or injury for following motorists.
How many trucks are affected and what owners should do next
The recall covers a defined population of trucks built over a specific production window, with the automaker reporting that 47,892 vehicles are potentially affected in the United States, according to the NHTSA documentation. The models include certain 2023 and 2024 pickups equipped with the suspect latch hardware, and the company’s chronology shows that engineers traced the problem to a supplier change that altered the latch’s internal dimensions. While not every truck in the recall pool will have a defective latch, regulators require the automaker to treat the entire group as at risk until each vehicle can be inspected.
Owners of the affected trucks will receive mailed notifications explaining the defect and outlining the free repair, which involves replacing the tailgate latch with an updated part that meets the original design specifications. The recall notice states that dealers have been instructed to prioritize appointments for customers who regularly haul heavy or loose cargo, since those drivers face the highest risk if a tailgate opens unexpectedly. Until the repair is completed, regulators advise owners to secure loads with additional tie-downs and to verify that the tailgate is fully latched before driving, especially after loading or unloading the bed.