GM pauses sales of Chevy Blazer EV over software issues

NEW YORK (CNN) — GM has paused sales of its brand-new Chevy Blazer EVs after some customers reported software problems.

“We’re aware that a limited number of customers have experienced software-related quality issues with their Blazer EV,” Scott Bell, Vice President of Global Chevrolet, told CNN in a statement. “Customer satisfaction is our priority and as such, we will take a brief pause on new deliveries.”

The automaker said it was working quickly to resolve the problem and sales would resume after the software update. Blazer EV owners will be asked to bring their cars into a dealership for the update.

GM told CNN the software quality issues are not safety related and also not related to the Ultium propulsion system or Google Built-In.

The Blazer EV launched just a few weeks ago as a mass-market SUV and an integral part of GM’s electric lineup.

GM said last week it expects the Blazer EV to temporarily become ineligible for a US electric vehicle tax credit starting January 1.

The US Treasury Department imposed new rules this month to disqualify EVs using certain battery components from China. GM has said it plans to change its sourcing to comply with the guidelines by early January.

GM has said it plans to sell nothing but electric- and hydrogen-fueled vehicles by 2035. It recently started selling the GMC Hummer EV electric truck, and the Cadillac Lyriq electric luxury SUV has entered production.

Shares of GM (GM) are up 7% in 2023.

Software problems abound

GM’s voluntary pause comes just after Tesla recalled more than 120,000 vehicles over software issues that may cause unlocked doors to open during a crash, increasing the risk of injury.

Last week, Tesla also recalled nearly all 2 million of its vehicles in the United States to limit the use of its Autopilot feature. The recall came after a two-year probe by US safety regulators of roughly 1,000 crashes in which the feature was engaged.