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. A lawsuit has been filed on behalf of certain 2010-2013 GM owners with 5.3L V8 Vortec 5300 engines.

    According to the plaintiffs, changes to the engine design allow oil to enter the combustion chamber, leading to excessive oil consumption and premature engine failure.

    The lawsuit says GM 5.3L oil consumption problems are caused by defective piston rings, PVC systems and "active fuel management" (AFM) systems that cause the spark plugs to wear out prematurely and the engines to experience all kinds of malfunctions.

    The problem may be due to low-tension oil rings and a new PVC system, both of which are allowing too much oil to enter the combustion chambers to burn off early.…

    keep reading article "Excessive Oil Consumption in the 5.3-L V8 Vortec 5300 Engine?"

  2. Back in May GM admitted that they overstated the fuel economy on some 2016 SUVs

    and offered a compensation program as a sorry 'bout that. Owners received somewhere between $450 to $1500, based on a few factors, for their troubles. But that wasn't enough for some.

    A new lawsuit wants GM to pony up more cash for the decreased resale value of the 2016 Chevy Traverse, Buick Enclave, and GMC Acadia.

    "The GM lawsuit says consumers who purchased those SUVs believed the vehicles were EPA-rated at 17 miles per gallon in city driving and 24 miles per gallon on the highway, resulting in a combined rating of 19 mpg. However, the plaintiffs say the Traverse, Enclave and Acadia are in fact rated at 15 mpg in city driving and 22 mpg on the highway, resulting in a combined rating of 17 mpg."

    Listen, I get it – GM advertised one thing and produced another. That's no good. But if someone is looking to buy a large used SUV, then I'm not convinced that 2 MPGs are a deal breaker.

    keep reading article "Has Acadia Lost Value Because of MPG?"

  3. On September 13, 2015, Rayven Barfield parked her 2001 GMC Yukon in a driveway. She turned the ignition switch off, but left the keys in the ignition.

    Later she heard someone screaming as the the SUV rolled away with a child in the driver's seat. What happens next is unimaginable.

    "The plaintiff says she was running toward the Yukon and saw the driver's side door open as the SUV rolled down the driveway. Joseph Jr. fell or jumped out of the SUV, causing the front tire of the large SUV to run over the 3-year-old who was pronounced dead at a local hospital about an hour later."

    The parents of the boy have filed a lawsuit saying defects in the gear shifting and ignition/park interlock systems. Let's hope something good comes out of this horrible tragedy.

    keep reading article "Yukon Lawsuit Filed After Death of 3-Year-Old"

  5. GM manufactured cargo vans that are either missing mirrors, or have improperly shaped mirrors.

    Both are violations of federal safety laws.The 2016-2017 Chevrolet Express and 2016 GMC Savana were manufactured without inside rear-view mirrors and with right-hand convex exterior rear-view mirrors. That's a problem because federal safety regulations say the vans are required to have either inside rear-view mirrors or both left- and right-hand flat exterior rear-view mirrors.

    The recall only affects 40 vans, but still the GM design team should take a long, hard look in the ... well, you know.

    keep reading article "GM Should Look in the Convex Mirror"

  6. The modules that help control the airbags and seat belt pretensioners in a crash aren't working in 4 million GM vehicles, prompting a massive recall

    that includes the GMC Sierra 1500/2500/3500, and Yukon. GM received an internal report in May relating to the crash of a 2014 Chevrolet Silverado where the driver’s frontal airbag and seatbelt pretensioners were alleged not to have deployed.

    GM opened an investigation into the issue in June and contacted Delphi, the supplier of the sensing and diagnostic module. The automaker gathered additional electronic data recorder records from other incidents where the same crash symptoms occurred.

    The modules will need to be reprogrammed, GM just doesn't know when yet.

    keep reading article "GMC Part of a Massive Recall for Failing Airbag and Seat Belt Sensors"

  8. GM isn't arguing against claims that the 2014-2015 GMC Sierra has some terrible headlights

    , just that the lawsuits against them don't prove it. GM argues truck owners don't allege the lights malfunction in any way, so the case should be dismissed because other lawsuits have been dismissed because of similar claims.

    The plaintiffs are worried ineffective lights will lead to more nighttime crashes, but GM says they have no data to back it up. If the automaker actually needs data for that, then I'm not sure which is dimmer --- the headlights or GM itself.

    keep reading article "GM Wants Sierra Headlight Lawsuits Dropped"

  10. General Motors' Technical Service Bulletin (TSB 15285C)

    could be of great interest to 2011 Terrain owners who've been complaining about excessive oil consumption.

    _Chevy and GMC dealers were told in previous technical service bulletins to install updated engine control module calibration and perform an oil consumption test. This time dealers are told to diagnose the problem and replace the pistons ... General Motors says repairs will be made free of charge based on warranty coverage extended to 7.5 years or 120,000 miles, whichever comes first. The coverage begins from the date of sale of the SUV.

    This is great news for Terrain owners.

    keep reading article "TSB Could Help Terrain Owners with Excessive Oil Consumption"

  11. GM is recalling nearly 4,800 new trucks and SUVs

    , and telling their owners to stop driving until their front upper control arms can be repaired. The automaker blames the problem on a bad weld near the control arm bushing, a problem the automaker discovered on a GMC Yukon XL Denali. The faulty weld can cause the control arm to change shape and eventually separate.

    If you own a 2016 GMC Sierra, Yukon, or Yukon XL you should call your local service center right away. While you're on the phone, ask them about getting a tow for repairs and how to get a loaner vehicle in the meantime.…

    keep reading article "Some GMC Owners Asked to Stop Driving Until Suspension Can Be Repaired"

Having car trouble?

Tell Us What's Wrong With Your GMC

The best way to find out what's wrong with a vehicle is from the people who drive them. Not only do owner complaints help us rank vehicles by reliability, but they're often used to spark class-action lawsuits and warranty extensions. Plus, they're a great way to vent.

Add a complaint