NHTSA Complaint #10639020 — 2008 GMC ACADIA

WHILE ON VACATION THE WEEKEND OF AUGUST 15-17, OUR VEHICLE'S CHECK ENGINE LIGHT CAME ON. WE TOOK IT TO THE GARAGE ON 8-26-14. AFTER 2 1/2 DAYS OF DIAGNOSING THE VEHICLE, THE DEALERSHIP ADVISED US WE HAD 2 BENT RODS IN CYLINDER 3 AND 4. WE CONTACTED GM TO OPEN A CASE STUDY. THE DEALERSHIP CALLED US AND ASKED US WHAT WE WERE LOOKING FOR AS A RESOLUTION. WE FELT THAT WITH ONLY 43,000 MILES ON IT, OUR VEHICLE SHOULD NOT BE HAVING SUCH DRASTIC ENGINE ISSUES. FURTHERMORE, THE ENGINE/TIMING COVER WAS ALREADY REPLACED AT 23,118 MILES. THE DEALERSHIP ASKED US TO VERIFY THAT THE VEHICLE HAD NO FLOOD HISTORY, GET DETAILS OF THE WARRANTY PROVIDED BY THE DEALER FROM WHOM WE PURCHASED IT, AND PROVIDE MAINTENANCE RECORDS. WE DID THAT. THE DEALERSHIP FIRST TOLD US THEY WOULD GIVE US $1,000 OFF A NEW VEHICLE (REALLY?). WE SAID WE STILL HAD A LOAN AND PAYMENT. THEY ADVISED US THEY WOULD BE ABLE TO COME CLOSE TO OUR CURRENT PAYMENT. WHEN WE SPOKE WITH THEM NEXT, THEY ADVISED THAT GM WOULD NOT BE PROVIDING ANY ASSISTANCE AND THAT THEY THINK NOW IT IS JUST A VALVE ISSUE. HOW CAN YOU GO FROM 2 BENT RODS TO A VALVE ISSUE? WE TOLD THE DEALERSHIP TO PUT THE VEHICLE BACK TOGETHER; WE WERE COMING TO GET IT. WE TOWED IT HOME. WE CONTACTED GM AGAIN TO LET THEM KNOW WHAT A BAD EXPERIENCE WE HAD WITH A DEALERSHIP THAT KEPT CHANGING THEIR STORY ABOUT WHAT GM WAS GOING TO DO TO HELP AND WHAT OUR PROBLEMS WERE. THEY ADVISED US WE COULD TAKE IT TO ANOTHER GARAGE AND HAVE ALL THE DIAGNOSTICS DONE AGAIN (AT OUR EXPENSE). THEN THE DEALERSHIP COULD CONTACT THEM TO SEE IF THERE IS ANY COST ASSISTANCE AVAILABLE. THEY SAID THAT SINCE WE DIDN'T BUY OUR VEHICLE FROM A GM DEALER AND DIDN'T SERVICE IT AT A GM DEALER (WE NEVER HAD AN ISSUE PRIOR TO THIS), WE WOULDN'T SCORE HIGH FOR COST ASSISTANCE FROM GM. WE AREN'T THE ONLY ONE IN THIS SITUATION ACCORDING TO RESEARCH. HELP! *TR