Problem with third row seats of Cadillac Vistiq
Earlier this year, the tragic death of a two-year-old child in Ohio forced Hyundai to announce a global recall for the Palisade model. The problem was quite alarming in itself: the second and third row seats could forcibly fold, even if there was an object or a child in the way. It turns out this defect is not unique to Hyundai.
General Motors (GM) has just announced a recall for Cadillac Vistiq models in the United States, having found they may also have a similar malfunction. According to the recall notice published by the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA), the third row seatbacks can fold into the stowed position when pressing a button in the cargo area or a button on the pillar next to the seat.
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As with the Palisade, the seatback does not automatically return when it encounters an obstacle. However, unlike Hyundai’s system, the Cadillac Vistiq seatback at least stops if it senses an obstruction. While this is better, a child could still become trapped under the seatback as it folds, which could lead to injury.
Scope of the recall and problem detection
In total, the recall covers 14,540 vehicles. This includes 13,629 units of the 2026 Vistiq built from November 12, 2024 to April 9, 2026, as well as 911 units of the 2027 model year produced from January 16, 2026 to June 15, 2026. GM suspended deliveries of the 2027 models on June 8, 2026, and production of the 2026 models has already ended.
How was the problem discovered?
In the recall notice, GM acknowledges that an engineer filed a report through the “Speak Up For Safety” program after evaluating the Vistiq seat following the Hyundai recall. During testing, the seatback did not return to the upright position after being folded onto a box. The automaker is aware of 6 incidents or complaints potentially related to the malfunction, but no injuries have been reported.
Action plan for owners
Dealers have been instructed to replace the third row seat folding module, although replacement parts are not yet ready. As an interim step, owners can take their vehicle to a dealer to have the third row folding function disabled. Once parts arrive, the function will be restored and updated under a separate customer service campaign. Owners can expect recall notification on August 3.
This case highlights how important thorough testing is, even for seemingly secondary vehicle features, especially those that could affect child safety. The fact that GM only discovered the problem after the Hyundai recall suggests there may be a wider industry issue with seat design that needs addressing. While the Vistiq system has the added protection of stopping when it detects an obstruction, this does not eliminate the risk entirely, and the company is taking steps to correct the situation. Owners should take the temporary disabling of the function seriously to avoid potentially dangerous situations until the final repair is performed.