Chevy Over-Promised and Under-Delivered on MPGs
Key Points
- GM made inflated claims about MPG numbers for the 2016 Traverse.
- A stop-sale was ordered in May of 2016 until the window stickers could be updated.
- Existing owners were offered gift cards or an extended warranty as compensation.
General Motors admits their estimated gas mileage for certain 2016 SUVs was a bit too optimistic. To make up for the snafu, the automaker will pay up or offer warranty extensions to 135,000 owners, including those with a Traverse.
In May of 2016, GM told its dealers to stop selling 60,000 vehicles after discovering the discrepency while working on the labels for the 2017 model year. The window stickers show estimates 1-2 miles per gallon higher than they should.
The Compensation Offer ∞
GM plans to handle compensation to 2016 Traverse owners in one of two ways:
- They will offer owners debit cards of $450–$900, or
- Owners can opt out of the debit cards and choose a warranty extension instead. The extension is a boost from 36 monhts / 36,000 miles to 48 months / 60,000 miles.
The compensation was calculated using the estimated cost of gas ($3/gallon) and the average mileage driven (15,000 miles/year).
Problem Timeline
Generations Where This Problem Has Been Reported
This problem has popped up in the following Chevrolet generations.
Most years within a generation share the same parts and manufacturing process. You can also expect them to share the same problems. So while it may not be a problem in every year yet, it's worth looking out for.
