GM recalls small SUVs for rearview cameras that may show a blank or distorted image

Here’s the short version: if you back out of your driveway using the screen instead of turning around, GM just told the government that screen might go blank on you. General Motors is recalling more than 306,000 small SUVs because the rearview camera image can show up blank or distorted right when you need it.

That’s not a cosmetic glitch. It’s the difference between seeing the kid or the mailbox behind you and not.

What actually fails

The problem is with the rearview camera display. On the affected vehicles, the image you’re supposed to see when you shift into reverse can come up blank, or it can show up distorted enough that you can’t trust what you’re looking at.

Federal law has required a functioning backup camera on new vehicles for years now, and a lot of drivers have gotten used to leaning on it. Tight parking spots, trailers, crossover blind zones behind the bumper — the camera fills in what your mirrors and your neck can’t. When that screen goes dark or garbles the picture, your rearward view drops, and the risk of hitting something (or someone) while you’re reversing goes up. That’s the safety concern GM flagged in the filing.

You may not get any warning that it’s coming, either. A blank screen the moment you drop it into reverse doesn’t give you time to plan around it.

What the filing says

This is NHTSA campaign number 26V539, listed among the new recalls reported September 21, 2026.

The recall population is 306,511 vehicles. The models covered:

• 2024 Buick Encore GX (the filing covers 2024–2026 model years of the Encore GX)
• 2024 Buick Envista (filing covers 2024–2025)
• 2024 Chevrolet Trailblazer (filing covers 2024–2026)
• 2025 Chevrolet Trax

So even though the headline names 2024 and 2025 vehicles, the underlying filing sweeps in later model years of some of these SUVs too. If you own any of these, don’t assume the year on your title excludes you — check the VIN.

The defect and the risk are straightforward, and I’ll keep them straight: the camera display may show a blank or distorted image, which reduces rearward visibility and increases crash risk when backing up. That’s what’s in the filing. I’m not going to guess at a root cause or a specific fix that isn’t stated.

What this means if you own one

1. Run your VIN. This is the only way to know for sure whether your specific vehicle is included. Go to NHTSA’s recall lookup, punch in your 17-digit VIN, and see if 26V539 shows up. A model-year match alone doesn’t confirm it — the VIN does.

2. Don’t rely on the camera as your only mirror. Until yours is fixed, treat the backup camera like a bonus, not the main event. Turn around and look. Use your side mirrors. Go slow in reverse, especially anywhere kids, pets, or foot traffic might be. If the screen ever comes up blank or scrambled, stop trusting it that second.

3. Watch for the symptom and note when it happens. A blank screen or a distorted image on reverse is exactly what this recall describes. Keep a simple record — date, what you saw, whether it cleared up. If you end up needing anything from the dealer or GM, that paper trail helps.

4. The repair is free. It’s a recall. A safety recall repair doesn’t cost you anything. You do not pay for parts or labor on 26V539. If a dealer tries to charge you for the recall work, that’s not right — push back and, if you have to, report it to NHTSA.

5. Wait for GM’s notification, then book it. Owners get mailed a recall letter with instructions once remedy details are finalized. When yours comes, schedule the fix. If you think your vehicle qualifies but you haven’t heard anything, your dealer’s service department can check by VIN.

You can dig into your specific model here: 2024 Buick Encore GX, 2024 Buick Envista, 2024 Chevrolet Trailblazer, and 2025 Chevrolet Trax.

My honest take

This isn’t an engine grenading or brakes fading, and I don’t want to make it sound like your SUV is going to leave you stranded. It won’t. But a backup camera that quits at the wrong moment is a real-world safety issue, not a screen annoyance, and the numbers here aren’t small — over 306,000 vehicles across four nameplates.

The good news is the remedy is free and the fix for a camera display is usually a quick appointment, not a week in the shop. The right move is simple: check your VIN against 26V539, drive like the camera might lie to you until it’s repaired, and get it handled when GM sends the letter. No drama, just don’t ignore it.

Source: WBIW’s NHTSA recall roundup, September 21, 2026.