Cadillac has just issued a recall affecting every one of its Vistiq electric SUVs. The problem is with the third row of seats, and Cadillac warns that the power-folding seatbacks may not stop and reverse if they encounter an obstruction that prevents them from completing their movement.
Cadillac Says 14,540 Models Need A Seat Re-Programming
2026 Cadillac Vistiq Rear SeatJared Rosenholtz / CarBuzz / Valnet
The problem affects 13,629 three-row Vistiq SUVs from model year 2026, and another 911 brand-spanking-new 2027 models. The total is 14,540 vehicles, which is more than GM has listed as selling so far. The recall document says that GM estimates every one of them has this defect.
Per that recall document, the third row seatbacks in the Vistiq have a power-fold function that’s operated by pressing a button in the cargo area or next to the seat. It’s a single press, not a button hold, and the seat is meant to stop and reverse if it hits anything while folding.
According to Cadillac, the seat will stop, but it might not reverse. That could stop an occupant from being crushed by the seat, but it still has the potential to cause injury or death if said occupant is pinned and can’t breathe.
A GM engineer first noticed the possibility of a problem in March. The engineer was reviewing an evaluation done by the company after another automaker issued a recall for a problem with its own third row seat. That’s a reference to a recall of the Hyundai Palisade’s third row after a child was tragically killed.
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During GM’s evaluation, the seat was deliberately closed on a “33 to 40-pound box” on the seat. It stopped but didn’t reverse, so the box could not be removed. The same could happen to a person.
New Module Is Coming, But It Could Be A While
2026 Cadillac Vistiq in silver.Cadillac
To fix the issue, GM dealers will install a new module to control the third row of seats. That new module is not yet available, so in the meantime, GM does have an interim fix for owners. They can take their SUV to their dealer to have the folding seat function disabled, and then return for the fix when it’s ready.
Disabling the seat will be done by disconnecting the power harness under the cargo floor trim. The seats will then stay in place – owners can choose up or down – and can be used safely by passengers.
Letters notifying owners will go out starting August 3, and another set will go out when the recall remedy is ready. Owners who want their seats disabled can contact their dealer, and the vehicles are already loaded into the NHTSA’s recall database and Cadillac’s own site.
Hyundai’s recall and the fatality that resulted from a third row seat folding motor show that these motors are powerful and should be taken seriously. That GM decided to re-test its own vehicles after seeing that recall is an encouraging sign about how seriously automakers take safety. Or at least some automakers, anyway.
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Power-folding seats are becoming increasingly common as a way to give higher-grade trims more features and benefits that lesser models don’t have. Whether the seats are more convenient is debatable, but they are clearly in demand.
Source: National Highway Traffic Safety Administration
