GM recalling 690,000+ pickup trucks for steering issues

General Motors has recalled more than 690,000 of Chevy and GMC pickups because of a potential steering issue.

The vehicles may have a software problem that can cause them to spontaneously lose their electric power steering assistance for about one second, according to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration.

"If [the power steering] assist is lost and suddenly returned, the driver could lose temporary control of the steering wheel, increasing the risk of a crash," the NHTSA said in a public document.

The trucks are particularly vulnerable to the issue when a driver performs low-speed turns, according to the NHTSA.

More than 690,000 vehicles -- model year 2014 Chevrolet Silverados and GMC Sierra trucks -- are potentially affected by the issue.

GM is telling owners of the trucks involved in the recall to take them into a dealer, where they can receive free of charge a software update to fix the issue.

Drivers can check to see if their car is among the recalled vehicles on the NHTSA's website.

Owners can also contact Chevrolet customer service at 1-800-222-1020 or GMC customer service at 1-800-432-8782.

Cox Media Group