Thousands of vehicles recalled in Canada over camera defect

Close-up of the exterior nameplate and front wheel of a Chevrolet Malibu, parked on a tree-lined street in Reliez Valley, Contra Costa County, Calif., May 6, 2024. (Smith Collection/Gado/Getty Images)

More than a quarter of a million Chevrolet Malibu vehicles have been recalled in Canada and the U.S. due to potentially defective rear-view cameras, Chevy owner General Motors (GM) announced this week.

The recall impacts certain Malibu models made between 2023 and 2025. The number of impacted vehicles in Canada is 10,098, a Chevrolet spokesperson confirmed to CTVNews.ca in an emailed statement.

“The safety of our customers is the highest priority for the entire GM team, and we’re working to resolve this matter as quickly as possible,” it read.

According to a letter from the U.S. National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) seen by The Associated Press (AP), the rearview camera on certain Malibu vehicles may display a distorted or blank image when vehicles are in reverse, increasing the risk of a crash.

More than 270,000 Malibu models in the U.S. have been recalled, GM said.

A NHTSA report identified an issue with the bonding process during the assembly of impacted vehicles, which may have weakened the adhesive bonds where the rear-view camera is housed, the AP reported.

The way certain cameras were mounted could expose the weakened bonds to moisture and possibly breach them, causing the camera to malfunction, according to the news service.

The AP noted that GM is not aware of any crashes or injuries related to the recall in the U.S.

Other carmakers including Volvo and Toyota have also issued recalls this year for potential rear-view camera issues, impacting tens of thousands of vehicles in Canada.

A Chevrolet spokesperson told CTVNews.ca that impacted Canadian Malibu owners will be required to take their vehicle to a GM dealership to have the issue resolved.

Registered vehicle owners for whom the recall applies will be contacted by mail, they said.