GM issues stop sale on midsize pickups for software quality issues

General Motors Co. has issued a pause on sales of the new GMC Canyon and Chevrolet Colorado midsize pickups after identifying software issues during validation, the automaker confirmed Tuesday.

GM has a fix for the issues and has begun implementing it on vehicles that started shipping to dealers Monday. The automaker expects the pause on sales, which affected about 15,000 vehicles, to lift soon.

In a statement, GM spokesperson Sean Poppitt said the company is "disappointed when we choose to pause sales, but we are committed to quality and the customer experience, therefore software updates will continue to be part of the process as our vehicles become more and more technologically advanced."

He added that GM, which in May 2023 hired former Apple executive Mike Abbott to lead its new software team, has "put in place a world-class software leadership team that is urgently working to overcome any issues in the short term, while building for the long term, including revamping the software development process and more importantly the validation process."The stop sale on the pickups comes as the automaker is battling software problems on its Blazer EV, which has been under a stop sale since late December. GM confirmed the software issues on the pickups and Blazer EV are different.

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On GM's earnings call in late January, CEO Mary Barra told analysts the software team was "in the process of resolving the stability issues some customers have experienced with the Chevrolet Blazer EV that impacted their screens and charging experience, and they are working with a huge sense of urgency to lift the stop sale soon. We disappointed these customers, and we know it. We are determined to get the software right, and we will."

khall@detroitnews.com

@bykaleahall