| Recently I received a letter from GMC notifying me that their might be a problem with the 2.4 liter engine in my 2012 GMC Terrain. Since this same engine is used in many different GM models across several different years I decided it would be beneficial to create a post on the topic. The letter states that the engine may “exhibit excessive engine oil consumption” which may cause an “audible rattle or knock” or the following message on the Drive Information Center “Oil Pressure Low – Stop Engine”. For more information watch the video below. Also the bottom of this post will have a full copy of the letter, a copy of the reimbursement form mentioned in the video and the address the form can be sent to. |
Letter from GMC:
As the owner of a 2012 model year GMC Terrain, your satisfaction with our product is very important to us.
This letter is intended to make you aware that some 2012 model year GMC Terrain vehicles, equipped with a 2.4L engine, may exhibit excessive engine oil consumption (less than 2,000 miles per quart of engine oil), due to piston ring wear. If this condition is present, an audible rattle or knock from the engine may be heard. The engine oil pressure telltale may illuminate on the instrument panel or the following message may appear in the Driver Information Center: “Oil Pressure Low – Stop Engine.”
Do not take your vehicle to your GMC dealer as a result of this letter unless you believe that your vehicle has the condition as described above.
What We Have Done: General Motors is providing owners with additional protection for the condition described above. If this condition occurs on your 2012 GMC Terrain within 7 years and 6 months of the date your vehicle was originally placed in service or 120,000 miles, whichever occurs first, the condition will be repaired for you at no charge. Diagnosis or repair for conditions other than the condition described above is not covered under this special coverage program.
What You Should Do: It is a good idea to check the engine oil level at each fuel fill. Your vehicle owner manual has instructions on checking engine oil in the Vehicle Care section. If you believe that your vehicle has the condition described above, repairs and adjustments qualifying under this special coverage must be performed by a GMC dealer. You may want to contact your GMC dealer to find out how long they will need to have your vehicle so that you may schedule the appointment at a time that is convenient for you. This will also allow your dealer to order parts if they are not already in stock. Keep this letter with your other important glove box literature for future reference.
Reimbursement: If you have paid for repairs for the condition described in this letter, please complete the enclosed reimbursement form and present it to your dealer with all required documents. Working with your dealer will expedite your request, however, if this is not convenient, you may mail the complete reimbursement form and all required documents to Reimbursement Department, PO Box 33170, Detroit, MI 48232-5170. The completed form and required documents must be presented to your dealer or received by the Reimbursement Department by May 31, 2018, unless state law specifies a longer reimbursement period.
The right to submit reimbursement claims is provided by GM solely in the interest of customer satisfaction and is personal to vehicle owners and lessees who previously paid for repairs referenced in this Special Coverage (“Customers”). Customers may not assign and GM does not consent to any assignment of any Customer’s right to submit reimbursement claims, or to receive reimbursement, or any other rights granted by this Special Coverage to any third party, including but not limited to service contract providers, and Special Coverage is not intended to and does no confer any third party beneficiary subrogation or contribution rights, or any other rights to reimbursement, against GM, whether in law, equity or otherwise on an any third parties.
If you have any questions or concerns that your dealer is unable to resolve, please contact the GMC Customer Assistance Center at 1.800.462.8782.
We are sorry for any inconvenience you may experience; however, we have taken this action in the interest of your continued satisfaction with our products
Terry M. Inch
Executive Director
Global Connected Customer Experience
To download the reimbursement form, CLICK HERE
The documentation you must bring with you to the dealership or you must include with your form if mailing it in is:
The mailing address is:
Reimbursements Department
PO Box 33170
Detroit, MI 48232-5170
I just bought a 2012 chevy equinox 2.4L in June, it’s now December and need a new engine. Tying to find out now if there is any legal actions I can take with the car having 150k miles on it.
Here is the skinny on this. Our vehicles are equipped with an OLM system that informs us as to when we need to change our oil. We are well aware that GM recognized very early in the life of our vehicles that there was an issue with the time between changes to the point they released a service letter advising us to bring our vehicles back to the dealer for a reprogram of our OLM systems which basically reduced the interval that we could safely operate between changes. So as a result it has already been established that GM was/is well aware of an issue with the 2.4 engine and the potential of engine damage due to the originally established and authorized oil change protocols. Now that this has progressed to a situation where a large number of owners of these vehicles are reporting excessive oil consumption, GM has implemented a “lube oil consumption test” to determine whether or not the engines qualify for repair under the GM policy. This is a total crock! All engines will consume oil; otherwise they would not last. The question is how much consumption should be considered normal. According to GM their “normal” rate of consumption for the 2.4 DI would be cosidered excessive compared to engines manufactured 40 to 50 years ago when manufacturing processes were no where near we they are today. Come on GM; you declared bankruptcy once due to your inability to manage your affairs! Do you really want to travel down that path again??
I watched your video aND yes burning or leaking a quart of oil in 2000 Mikes is a lot. The concerning part is that you said you were going to have the oil change place note how low the oI level is. Do you ever check it yourself? Yes every fuel stop is excessive but by your logic the car burns 3 quarts in a 6000 mile oIL change interval your down to one quart and your engine is already damaged maybe unrepairable. Check your oIL occasionally. Once a month would be fine unless your seeing the level go down.
Mainly I want the dealership to check the oil level and if it is low document it in the paper work they give me with the oil change since qualifying for this repair to be covered relies on the car having symptoms the letter described.
Does this also apply to HHR’s?
Had our HHR engine die a few years back because we switched to Full synth, upped the oil-change interval, and the engine apparently got low on oil (threw a code saying the valve timing solenoid was having an error, but not a low oil warning).
Spent 4-5K to have the engine rebuilt (new cam, chain, chain guides, timing solenoids,…..
Now, only a year or 2 later, the engine, yes, 2.4L, is burning about 1 qt every 1000.