NHTSA Complaint #10663442 — 2011 GMC ACADIA

HVAC SYSTEM FAILURE FOR THE SECOND TIME IN LESS THAN A YEAR THAT LEAD TO FREON LEAKING INTO THE PASSENGER CABIN OF OUR 2011 GMC ACADIA THAT HAS LESS THAN 44,000 MILES. IT WAS MAKING AN EXTREME HISSING SOUND, FOLLOWED BY A MISTY CLOUD OF FREON GAS, AND NOW LETS OFF AN ACRID, PLASTIC/ELECTRICAL BURNING SMELL THAT FILLS THE CABIN FOLLOWED BY STEAM RISING FROM THE ENGINE COMPARTMENT AND THE VENTS IN THE CAR'S HOOD. THE CAR STARTS TO SMELL LIKE IT IS ON FIRE, ONLY WE CAN'T FIND THE SOURCE SINCE IT IS OBSCURED BY THE DASHBOARD. WE HAVE HAD TO THE DEALER SEVERAL TIMES FOR THE SAME ISSUE, YET ALL THEY DO IS UPGRADE THE SOFTWARE AND RECHARGE THE FREON UNIT. IT EVENTUALLY LEAKS AND SHOOTS OUT FREON INTO THE FACES OF THE PASSENGERS, WHICH IS NOT SAFE! NOW THE BURNING SMELL HAS US CONCERNED THAT WE ARE DRIVING A VEHICLE THAT IS GOING TO CATCH FIRE AT ANYTIME.WE INITIALLY HAD GM AND GMC REPAIR THIS PROBLEM IN OCTOBER 2013, BUT THE UNIT FAILED AGAIN EXACTLY A YEAR LATER IN OCTOBER 2014. THERE ARE DOZENS UPON DOZENS OF OWNERS ONLINE THAT HAVE WELL-DOCUMENTED CASES WITH THE SAME HVAC UNIT. SOMETHING NEEDS TO BE DONE BEFORE THE CAR CATCHES FIRE, AND HEAVEN FORBID, KILLS SOMEONE. *TR