NHTSA Complaint #10519931 — 2012 GMC ACADIA

AXLE ROD PULLED OUT OF GEAR BOX CAUSING THE ENTIRE WHEEL/TIRE ASSEMBLY TO FALL DOWN. ACCORDING TO DEALER THE ASSEMBLY HAD NOT BEEN "MACHINED" AT ALL AT THE FACTORY AND COULD HAVE FAILED AT ANY TIME. THE RIVETS WERE NOT PULLED OUT IS HOW THIS DETERMINATION WAS MADE. IT HAPPENED WITH NO WARNING AFTER TURNING LEFT ONTO THE HIGHWAY FROM MY DRIVEWAY AT A LOW SPEED. CAR WAS UNABLE TO BE STEERED OR STOPPED COMING TO REST ABOUT 30 YARDS AFTER FAILURE. DEALER HAS INFORMED US THAT GMC MANUFACTURE REQUESTED THE PARTS BE RETURNED TO THEM AND THIS MAY BECOME A RECALL ISSUE DUE TO THE FACT THAT THE RIVETS SHOULD HAVE BEEN FLATTENED ON THE ASSEMBLY LINE WHEN HIT BY THE MACHINE, THEY OBVIOUSLY WERE NOT AND THEY NEED TO DETERMINE HOW MANY VEHICLES MAY BE INVOLVED. THIS IS A BIG, BAD DEAL AND COULD HAVE KILLED US IF WE WERE TRAVELING AT ANY HIGHER RATE OF SPEED. OTHER LIVES ARE MOST LIKELY IN DANGER. THE CONSUMER STATED THE LEFT FRONT LOWER BALL JOINT SEPARATED FROM THE CONTROL ARM. THE RIVETS HOLDING THE LOWER BALL JOINT WERE NEVER INSTALLED CORRECTLY. *TR