GMC Parts Debacle on Recalled Vehicles Leads to Consumer Fury
Frustrations are mounting as owners of select recalled GMC vehicles are unable to have the necessary repairs performed and in turn, are left with unsafe and sometimes undrivable vehicles.
The General Motors Corporation has found itself in a bit of a conundrum. The vehicle giant along with the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration issued a recall on 681,509 Chevrolet Equinox and GMC Terrain SUVs from the 2014 and 2015 model years back in April because of a windshield wiper defect but get this – it's now July and GMC still doesn’t have the necessary parts to fix the problem and it doesn't know when the parts will become available.
Speaking to WAVY.com, some owners of the recalled GMC vehicles say that when they attempt to turn on their windshield wipers, all they hear is a clicking sound with no actual movement. These same owners say that although their vehicles have been recalled because of the failure of their windshield wipers to function, they’ve also been told by GMC that the company is unable to resolve the problem because of a lack of parts.
Many owners of the recalled vehicles have been left scratching their heads about how they’re supposed to safely operate their vehicle without working windshield wipers and the answer is that it's simply not possible.
According to Consumer Reports, the issue lies with the ball joints in the windshield wiper corroding and in turn, causing one or both windshield wipers to be complexly inoperable.
Clearly, having non-operational windshield wipers can lead to car accidents. Additionally, owners of the recalled GMC vehicles who are due for vehicle inspection will not pass inspection due to non-working windshield wipers so then what? What are owners of the recalled GMC vehicles to do while they wait for the company to secure the needed replacement parts?
GMC spokesperson Daniel Flores suggested to WAVY.com that owners of the recalled vehicles visit their nearest GMC dealer to find out if they qualify for the six-year/150,000-mile special coverage. However, if they don't qualify, this just puts owners back at square one.
Owners of GMC vehicles with non-operational windshield wipers who have found themselves backed into a corner are urged to contact the Better Business Bureau’s auto line. The BBB website explains that its auto line can “help consumers and businesses resolve vehicle warranty, lemon law, and class action disputes in a hassle-free, timely, and cost-effective manner.” It may or may not lead to a resolution, but it's worth a try.