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Cadillac has ordered dealers to stop selling the 2026 and 2027 Vistiq three-row electric crossover due to a new recall campaign targeting its third-row seat. According to the manufacturer, the seat’s power-folding feature can trap an occupant in the rear seat, potentially leading to a hazardous situation.
“The third-row seatbacks in these vehicles can be commanded to power fold into the stowed position with a single press-and-release of the ‘down’ control button located in the cargo area or on the pillar adjacent to the seat,” Cadillac’s recall report said. “The seatback stops and does not automatically reverse if it encounters an obstruction in the seat.”
“Smaller occupants could become trapped under the seatback, increasing the risk of injury,” the report said.
According to GM’s report, the automaker discovered the issue after Hyundai issued a similar recall and stop-sale order for the 2026 Palisade, which was blamed for the death of a two-year-old in Ohio.
“On March 31, 2026, a GM engineer submitted a report through GM’s Speak Up For Safety (SUFS) program after reviewing an evaluation of the third-row power seatback folding function on a 2026 Cadillac VISTIQ,” the report said.
“GM conducted this evaluation after the March 2026 announcement of a recall by a different vehicle manufacturer,” the report continued. “[T]his recall related to second- and third-row power seats in certain vehicles failing to appropriately respond to contact with an occupant or object during powered-seat operation.”
GM says the cars can be sold if the power-folding third-row seat feature is disabled prior to delivery. This will “freeze” the seats in place temporarily, so customers are being consulted to determine which position they’d prefer in the meantime.
Instructions for disabling the Vistiq’s third row have been distributed to dealers; owners who already have a Vistiq at home will receive notices to visit their service departments to have the feature disabled until new parts can be installed.
Once parts are available, Cadillac will update all existing and future Vistiqs so that the third-row seat will automatically return to the previous position if an obstacle is encountered. The earliest expected window for new parts is the week of August 3rd.
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Byron is an editor at The Drive with a keen eye for infrastructure, sales and regulatory stories.
