The largest U.S. automaker said the recall covers various Cadillac CT4 and CT5; Buick Envision; Cadillac Escalade and Escalade ESV, Chevrolet Silverado 1500, Suburban, Tahoe, GMC Sierra 1500, Yukon, and Yukon XL vehicles from the 2020 through 2023 model years.

The recall covers 740,000 U.S. vehicles and 85,000 in Canada.

GM said the body control module software will be updated by a dealer, or through an over-the-air update to address the issue.

The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration said the vehicles do not comply with a U.S. federal vehicle safety standard and glare could reduce visibility and increase the risk of a crash.

The recall is an expansion of a recall GM announced in November for the sale issue. GM said it is not aware of any injuries or accidents related to the recall.

The recall was prompted after a GM engineer submitted a report about the issue in October prompting a company investigation.

— David Shepardson reports on the U.S. transport sector for Reuters from Washington, D.C.

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The problem: How to modernize the largest combustion pickups to keep demand strong and profits flowing, without over-investing at a time when automakers need to spend on developing electric vehicles and battery factories.

At Ford, many of the newest things about the new Super Duty relate to connectivity and business productivity software that Ford hopes will generate revenue over the life of the vehicle. Ford CEO Jim Farley has stressed the importance of software-driven features and is hiring more executives with digital commerce experience.

Ford will install 5G modems in 2023 model Super Duty trucks to enable services such as driver behavior monitoring and digital paperwork systems for fleet operators. Dashboards have been reprogrammed to make it easier for companies that install specialized equipment such as hoisting arms to connect controls for their gear into the truck’s displays. Onboard scales will measure payloads and the new Super Duties will have more power plugs.

The Super Duty, General Motors’ rival Chevrolet Silverado HD and GMC Sierra HD heavy duty pickups and heavy duty versions of Stellantis’ Ram pickup are among the most profitable vehicles sold today by the Detroit Three automakers, or any rival.

Ford said the Super Duty franchise generates “more revenue than many Fortune 500 companies, including Southwest Airlines, Marriott International or Nordstrom.” Southwest reported $15.8 billion in revenue for 2021 (all figures US$).

Powered by big diesel or gasoline engines, Super Duty prices start at $41,240, but can range up to more than $100,000 for a fully loaded model.

Heavy-duty pickups such as the Super Duty and Silverado HD do dirty work in oil fields and on construction sites. But many are sold to individuals who use them to tow large trailers, and want the same connectivity and comfort features they would expect in a luxury SUV.

For now, battery electric powertrains cannot provide the same towing capability and driving range for heavy-duty pickups as combustion powerplants. Both Ford and GM are upgrading existing engines and transmissions, but not investing what it would take to develop new powertrains from scratch.

Ford on Tuesday unveiled the latest generation of the Super Duty at Churchill Downs racetrack in Louisville, not far from the factory where most Super Duty trucks are built.

Ford said Tuesday it will spend $700 million modernizing its Kentucky truck plant, and expects to hire another 500 workers at the plant to support Super Duty production.

One day ahead of Ford’s Super Duty reveal, Chevrolet outlined a list of improvements to its Silverado HD heavy pickup line, which trails the Super Duty in sales.

Chevrolet said it will now offer only a 10-speed Allison transmission on its heavy duty Silverado trucks. The 6.6-litre diesel engine’s horsepower and torque get a boost, and certain models get upgraded interiors with bigger display screens.

— Joe White is Reuters’ automotive industry correspondent in Detroit.

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Ford’s announcement comes a day ahead of rival General Motors’ public introduction of the Chevrolet Silverado electric pickup, which is slated to go on sale in early 2023.

The Silverado E will be unveiled by GM CEO Mary Barra on Wednesday in a remote session connected with the annual Consumer Electronics Show in Las Vegas.

Shares of both U.S. automakers jumped on Tuesday. In afternoon trading, Ford was up nearly 12 per cent to $24.29, boosting its market cap to $97 billion (all figures US$). GM was up 7.6 per cent to $65.83, with its market cap climbing above $95 billion.

Ford CEO Jim Farley in early December told CNBC host Jim Cramer that Ford had to stop taking reservations for the 2022 Lightning “because we had so many.”

Ford originally had production capacity for 70,000-80,000 Lightnings. Farley said in the December interview that Ford aimed to double that over the next two years at the company’s Rouge factory near its Dearborn, Mich. headquarters.

Ford also is planning to triple annual production of its popular Mustang Mach-E electric crossover to more than 200,000 by 2023, to meet better-than-anticipated demand.

The automaker said it will have the annual capacity to build 600,000 electric vehicles globally within 24 months, when it aims to become “the clear No. 2 electric vehicle maker in North America” behind Tesla, which last year sold more than 900,000 EVs.

The 2022 F-150 Lightning will have a starting price of $39,974, and is being aimed at both retail and commercial customers.

— Paul Lienert is a Reuters correspondent covering transport automation and electrification from the Detroit area.

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