NHTSA Complaint #11078599 — 2011 GMC TERRAIN

VEHICLE CAUGHT ON FIRE AFTER PULLING OFF THE HIGHWAY ONTO A BUSY CITY ROAD. THE CAUSE WAS OIL SPILLING ONTO THE HOT EXHAUST AFTER CATASTROPHIC ENGINE FAILURE WHEN THE PISTON RODS WENT THROUGH THE SIDE OF THE BLOCK. A BYSTANDER HAD A FIRE EXTINGUISHER AND WAS ABLE TO PUT THE FIRE OUT IN THE ENGINE BAY, AFTER I WAS ABLE TO SAFELY GET OUT OF THE VEHICLE. THE VEHICLE WAS A TOTAL LOSS ACCORDING TO OUR INSURANCE COMPANY, BUT WE HAVE A CLAIM ON OUR RECORD WITH INSURANCE GOING UP SINCE GM WOULD NOT COVER THE CLAIM BECAUSE THE MILEAGE WAS OVER 100,000 MILES EVEN THOUGH THIS OIL CONSUMPTION ISSUE WAS PRESENT WELL BEFORE 100,000 MILES. SOMETIME PRIOR TO THIS THE DEALER PERFORMED A PISTON REBUILD FOR EXCESSIVE OIL CONSUMPTION. AFTER THE REPAIR THE VEHICLE MADE A KNOCKING NOISE ON START UP. THE DEALER PASSED THIS OFF AND WE WERE TOLD NOT TO WORRY ABOUT IT. WE PRESSED THE ISSUE A COUPLE OF TIMES AND THE ANSWER WAS THE SAME, DON'T WORRY ABOUT IT, IT WILL GO AWAY. THIS IS JUST UNACCEPTABLE AND DANGEROUS TO THE OWNERS OF THIS ENGINE.