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GM will compensate SUV owners for fuel-economy error [UPDATE]

General Motors will offer debit cards to owners of some of its crossover SUVs after it was discovered that GM overstated the vehicles' fuel economy on window stickers, Automotive News says. GM will offer reimbursements to about 135,000 customers that are worth between $450 and $1,500 each. Some owners will also have the option of being provided with an extended warranty free of charge instead of the debit card. GM overstated fuel economy on about 170,000 vehicles by one to two miles per gallon because of what it has said was an inadvertent error stemming from not factoring the impact of emissions-related hardware into the EPA window-sticker figures. As a result, GM put a temporary stop-sale on the Chevy Traverse, GMC Acadia, and Buick Enclave before switching out the window stickers on about 60,000 vehicles. Automotive News says letters and debit cards will be sent out next week, and Reuters is estimating that the reimbursement program will cost GM about $100 million. With automakers ranging from Hyundai/Kia to Ford to, more recently, Volkswagen and Mitsubishi being ensnared by emissions or fuel-economy-rating issues, GM is working quickly to address the problem. For those curious, the reimbursement totals, factoring in current gas prices, the SUVs' combined fuel economy, and typical driving of about 12,000 miles a year, will provide between three and 12 months worth of free gas for those drivers (the models get either 17 or 18 miles per gallon combined, depending on front- or four-wheel-drive configuration). While about 135,000 customers will be reimbursed, Automotive News says the fleet buyers of about 35,000 crossovers haven't been addressed yet. UPDATE: GM spokesman James Cain, in an e-mail to Autoblog on Sunday, confirmed that the company will reimburse about 135,000 customers. Purchase customers will be given the option of a pre-paid debit card or a 48-month/60,000-mile protection plan, while lease customers will be offered the pre-paid debit cards. Most of the cards will have a value of between $450 and $900 on them. "We want all of our customers to have a great ownership experience, so we designed this reimbursement program to provide full and fair compensation in a simple, flexible, and timely manner," he wrote.

GM tells owners not to use SUV wipers due to fire risk

General Motors is recalling 31,685 examples of the 2016 Buick Enclave, Chevrolet Traverse, and GMC Acadia because a short circuit in the windshield wiper motor can potentially lead to a fire. Due to the danger, the company is asking owners not to use the wipers until the problem is fixed, according to The Detroit Free Press citing the Associated Press. A manufacturing defect in the wiper motor cover means that the electrical terminals can come into contact and cause a short. The part could "melt, smoke, or catch fire," according to a statement from GM. The company will get them fixed immediately, and dealers will replace the cover. If there's bad weather at the time the owner specifies to get the recall work completed, the automaker will come pick up the crossovers. Depending on parts availability, the automaker will supply a rental car for customers, as well. The issue was discovered at the factory. According to the company's statement, only 6,405 actually made it to customers, and they were notified immediately by overnight letter. The rest were in dealer stock. The affected crossovers carry build dates between August 18, 2015 and September 24, 2015. Of those, there are 29,295 in the US and 1,073 in Canada. GM Statement: General Motors has told the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration that it will recall approximately 29,295 2016 model year Chevrolet Traverse, Buick Enclave and GMC Acadia SUVs in the U.S. because the front windshield wiper motor may overheat when in use because of a manufacturing defect. In some cases, the front windshield wiper motor cover may melt, smoke or catch fire. The approximately 6,405 customers who have taken delivery of these vehicles were notified by overnight letter and are urged to contact a GM dealer as soon as possible to arrange a service appointment. These customers should not use the front windshield wipers until they have been repaired. If weather conditions prevent driving the vehicle without using the windshield wipers, GM will arrange to pick up the vehicle for servicing. If repair parts are unavailable, GM will provide a rental car at no cost until parts become available. The total population, including Canada, Mexico and exports, is approximately 31,685. About 25,280 of these vehicles are in dealer stock and will not be sold until repairs are made.

2018 GMC Terrain loses the V6 and gains a diesel for an all-turbo lineup

You may have noticed that compact crossovers are kind of a big deal these days. After eight years on sale, GMC is finally getting a new version of its littlest ute, the Terrain, for 2018. And it can't arrive a moment too soon. The 2018 GMC Terrain made its debut tonight on the eve of the 2017 Detroit Auto Show. The 2018 Terrain looks to be completely new, and is now built on GM's D2XX platform. It again shares a platform and major components with the Chevrolet Equinox; like the 2018 Equinox, the Terrain will offer three engines, including two turbocharged gas four-cylinders and a turbodiesel four. The base 1.5-liter gas four makes 170 horsepower and 203 pound-feet of torque, while the 2.0-liter inline-four puts out 252 hp and 262 lb-ft. (The 2.0 basically takes the place of the 3.6-liter V6 offered in the outgoing Terrain.) GM's 1.6-liter diesel four will also be available, making 137 hp and 240 lb-ft of torque in this application. Both gas engines will be paired with nine-speed automatic transmissions, while the diesel gets a six-speed auto. No fuel-economy claims have been made, but we expect the new models to outdo the current versions, with the diesel reaching around 40 mpg on the EPA highway cycle. View 14 Photos The new Terrain's design is equally fresh and does a good job of differentiating it from the related Equinox, with details very reminiscent of the new GMC Acadia. The lighting elements are even more intricate here, with LEDs used for the daytime running lights and taillamps. GMC designers gave it the floating-roof look, which is successful aside from the odd placement of a trim badge at the base of the D-pillar. Terrains will again be available in SL, SLE, SLT, and range-topping Denali trim, with the latter featuring the signature satin chrome grille, chrome accents, and monochrome paint scheme GMC uses on all of its top-trim models. The interior sees an upgrade in materials and a more-thoughtful layout, with a new version of GM's Electronic Precision Shift gear selector using buttons and switches instead of a lever to open up more space on the center console. Both front- and all-wheel-drive models get a Traction Select system that will tune the shift points and throttle points for specific driving conditions via a knob at the rear of the console. On models equipped with all-wheel drive, a front-drive mode disconnects the rear axle to improve fuel economy.