It definitely seems like the new-car smell these days comes with a side order of government recall notice. Takata airbag debacle aside, General Motors->ke1024’ customers have been the hardest hit over the past year or so, and the hits just keep on coming.

This time, owners of brand-new 2015 Cadillac ATS and 2015 Cadillac CTS models will soon be getting that dreaded red-and-white “Safety Recall Notice” due to a potentially serious part failure that could prevent the driver from applying the brakes.

At fault is a brake pedal assembly that could break under normal use, leaving the driver without any braking ability. A total of 2,163 ATS->ke3619 and CTS->ke1200 models are affected by the recall, which consists of dealerships inspecting the brake pedal assembly bracket with a borescope. Of the recall population, an estimated two percent (about 43 cars) were fitted with a defective bracket, and will need to have the entire assembly replaced, which appears to be a major undertaking as the recall states 8.1 hours of labor time.

With more than 10,000 ATS and CTS models sold during the first quarter of this year, the odds are in favor of most owners not needing this fix, but it still sounds a little too much like a dangerous game of Russian roulette. The relatively small batch of cars was built between January 27 and March 24, and while the official recall notices aren’t being sent until August 1, owners can contact Cadillac->ke18 customer service department at 1-800-458-8006 or the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration’s vehicle safety hotline at 1-888-327-4236.

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Why it matters

While no recall is good, it goes without saying that any problem with the brake system is a severe one, and a potential condition where the brakes completely fail is downright horrifying. From the first detection of the problem (March 24), it took a little more than two months for the investigation to find proper cause for a full recall including a stop-sale issued earlier this month for affected 2015 Cadillac ATS and 2015 Cadillac CTS models still in dealer inventory. Neither GM nor the NHTSA recall documents revealed how many of these cars are already in customer hands.

2015 Cadillac ATS

Read our full review here.

2015 Cadillac CTS

Read our full review here.