GM Halts Sale of Three-Row SUVs Over Mileage Discrepancy
CARS.COM — GM has temporarily stopped selling model-year 2016 versions of its large three-row SUVs because the company overstated the vehicles’ fuel-economy ratings by 1 to 2 mpg. The 2016 Chevrolet Traverse, GMC Acadia and Buick Enclave will remain parked on dealer lots until their window stickers are replaced by ones showing the correct lower mileage ratings, according to GM spokesman Tom Wilkinson.
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Wilkinson said GM discovered the error and reported it to the EPA. He said the error occurred in data transmission “internally” within GM. GM is stopping sale of the models until the correct labels can be printed and attached. Wilkinson said the company shows 59,823 vehicles in inventory that will need to be fixed.
All three now will carry ratings of 15/22/18 mpg city/highway/combined for front-wheel drive models and 15/22/17 mpg with all-wheel drive, with ratings down 1 to 2 mpg from the old incorrect labels. The ratings listed on the government’s fueleconomy.gov web site have been updated, and GM is in the process of correcting its consumer sites, according to Wilkinson.
The automaker also is notifying owners who bought 2016 models about the error and “to address this situation,” according to a GM statement. Through April this year, GM has sold 39,105 of the Traverse, 25,575 of the Acadia and 17,457 of the Enclave. No word yet on if GM plans to compensate owners for the mistake.
