cars news 10: GM Stops Sale of 2016 Chevrolet Traverse due to Erroneous Fuel Label

Anyone attempting to buy a new 2016 Chevrolet Traverse today probably won’t be able to do so. Same goes for the 2016 Buick Enclave and the 2016 GMC Acadia. That’s because General Motors has ordered all dealers nationwide to stop selling those three-row crossover due to erroneous fuel economy labels.

According to a report by Automotive News, the affected vehicles have labels displaying fuel economy ratings that are 1 to 2 mpg higher than official EPA numbers. All three models are EPA-rated at 15/22/18 mpg city/highway/combined for front-wheel-drive versions and 15/22/17 mpg with all-wheel drive.

AN obtained a memo sent to all dealers stating that “GM is stopping sale of the affected models until a corrected label is printed and affixed.” A GM spokesman told AN the error was due to an inadvertent “data transmission” and that the EPA has been notified. The automaker is currently printing correct labels and will ship them to dealers as soon as possible.

The report says the stop-sale affects 59,823 units. However, an estimated tens of thousands of vehicles with the false labels have already been sold and delivered since last fall. GM is preparing to deal with any customer complaints and issues arising from those sold vehicles.

The error appears to be widespread. GM’s consumer websites are also displaying incorrect fuel economy figures, specifically the Traverse and the Enclave. The automaker also told dealers to double check any marketing materials to ensure the current figures are shown.

Source: Automotive News (Subscription required)