Quick News About GMC Problems

There's a lot of news out there, but not all of it matters.

We try to boil down it to the most important bits and pieces -- the recalls, service bulletins, and lawsuits that can help you solve you car problems. Interested in getting these quick story bits as an email? Signup over at CarComplaints.com.

  1. Acadia owners are tired of seeing a shift to park message when their gear shift lever is already in PARK.

    A new lawsuit says the problem prevents owners from shutting off or locking their vehicles. In addition to losing the ability to shut off and lock the SUVs, owners claim they must resort to all kinds of theatrics to get the SUVs to recognize they are in PARK. Drivers also say the batteries drain and GM has no clue how to fix the issues.

    We’ve seen complaints about this problem in both the 2017 and 2018 model years.

    keep reading article "Acadia Owners File Lawsuit Over “Shift to Park” Transmission Problems"

  2. A lawsuit says a failed vacuum pump in GM’s brake boosters can make the brake pedal extremely hard to push

    , leading to longer stopping distances and accidents.

    While investigating a rear-end collision involving the lead plaintiff ”GM told her she should read the manual to understand how the brakes worked.” Nothing says “we value our customers” like accusing them of not knowing how brakes work. GM promised to fix the plaintiff’s bumper in exchange for confidentiality. Obviously this didn’t go over well.

    keep reading article "Lawsuit Says GM Owners Should be Worried About Vacuum Pump Problems Creating Stiff Break Pedals"

  3. A lawsuit regarding the GMC Sierra’s “inadequate” headlights is still burning bright in a California court.

    The plaintiffs allege GM made changes in the bulbs, assemblies and operation of the headlights … GM allegedly changed to projector-style headlights with single bulbs, smaller reflectors, two lenses each and shutters to switch between high and low beams that work from a single voltage source.

    The lawsuit was filed back in 2015 after owners started questioning GM’s headlight redesign for the 2014 and 2015 model years.

    Look – if you saw one of these trucks driving in the oncoming lane at night, I wouldn’t blame you if you confused it for a pair of mopeds with weak batteries. It’s that bad.

    keep reading article "The Sierra’s Dim Headlights Are Under a Spotlight"

  5. It’s bad enough to have your truck recalled because the brake pedal might fall off.

    It gets worse when you find out there’s a good chance your truck wasn’t properly fixed … and the brake pedal still might fall off. When a 2015 Silverado that had previously been “repaired” as part of the recall was brought back in for service, it raised a big ole’ red flag.

    The automaker then learned the truck had been repaired under a February 2016 recall, something that caused the automaker to open a formal investigation. The GM investigator determined the truck had only been inspected and did not receive adhesive on the brake pivot pedal nut even though the recall procedures required it.

    GM is re-recalling 41,000 trucks to fix the problem. Maybe they’ll read the instructions this time.

    keep reading article "A Second Recall for GMC Brake Pedals Falling Off"

  7. GM says it needs to bleed the brake systems of 230,000 previously recalled cars.

    Some of the recalled vehicles have rear brake caliper pistons that have hydrogen gas trapped inside that could be released into the brake systems. ZF, the manufacturer of the brake pistons, didn't properly temper and chrome-coat the pistons, causing hydrogen gas to remain trapped in the bodies of the pistons.

    Excess gas –– we’ve all had it, no-one likes it, and the same holds true for your braking system. This problem may cause your brake pedal to feel “spongy” but it’s unclear if it affects stopping distances.

    keep reading article "Excess Gas Buildup in the Terrain's Brake Caliper Pistons"

  8. During a crash sensing diagnostic modules (SDM) detect the impact and send a signal to the airbags to deploy.

    But according to CarComplaints.com, the SDM in the 2018 Acadia might not be powering down properly when the SUV is turned off. The module may stay deactivated when the SUV is restarted, showing an airbag warning light to the driver and a message that says “service restraint system." Additionally, a driver will hear warning chimes indicating the airbags are off.

    Basically, if it doesn’t shut down properly it won’t be able to turn on properly the next time the SUV is restarted. If that sounds familiar, GMC was part of a massive recall for similar module problems last year.…

    keep reading article "2018 Acadia’s Airbags Might Not Deploy Because of Faulty Sensing Modules"

  9. Plaintiffs in the case regarding excessive oil consumption in GM's 5.3L Vortec 5300 engines have switched gears.

    The original case was tossed out by a judge last year, but the plaintiffs were given a chance to ammend their complaints. So they've switched their focus into a potentially defective oil pressure warning system that doesn't properly monitor oil levels and can lead to early engine failure.…

    keep reading article "Vortec Engine Excessive Oil Lawsuit Takes Aim At Monitoring System"

  10. The judge looking into last year's Vortec excessive oil consumption lawsuit does not seem to buying claims that the engine is defective.

    The case has been tossed out. Concerning owner-reported complaints, the judge found those owners talk about excessive oil consumption but they don't specifically say what is causing the oil consumption. As for the bulletin sent to dealerships, it doesn't say anything about the oil rings and sending the bulletin doesn't mean GM believed the Vortec engines were defective.

    So ... the judge says the plaintiffs don't specifically say what's causing the problem. But in the next breath, the judge says there's no mention of the plaintiff's claims of defective oil rings in TSBs sent by GM to dealerships.

    I feel like I'm taking crazy pills.…

    keep reading article "Vortec Engine Excessive Oil Lawsuit Shot Down by a Judge"

  11. While you're probably still digesting that extra serving of holiday cookies, here's something else to chew on

    – GM says some 2017 Cadillac XT5 and GMC Acadia SUVs will have diminished braking ability because of hydraulic fluid leaks. Engineers found an oversized front caliper piston bore had allowed the piston seal to leak hydraulic brake fluid and it was determined the oversized bore can prevent the proper compression of the caliper piston seal.

    GM says a red "BRAKE" warning light will come on when this happens. So if you see that, stop driving as soon as possible – which in these SUVs could take quite a while. The bad caliper assemblies are on Acadias built between 04/19/2016 and 04/22/2016

    keep reading article "Acadia Hydraulic Brake Fluid Leaks"

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