GM Halts Sales of 2016 Large Crossovers; Fuel Economy Was Overstated

General Motors has told dealers not to sell about 60,000 of its top-selling 2016 large crossovers because their window stickers overstate the vehicles’ fuel economy ratings by 1-2 miles per gallon.

“GM discovered an inadvertent error which affected the fuel economy information on the fuel economy labels on the 2016 model year Acadia, Enclave and Traverse,” GM spokesman Tom Wilkinson said in an email. “The error caused the EPA estimated fuel economy to be listed on the window label as 1 to 2 miles per gallon more than it should have been. GM is stopping sale of the affected models until a corrected label is printed and affixed.”

GM will contact owners who already bought or leased the affected models to inform them of the situation. The label error, which Wilkinson attributed to a mistaken data transmission, has no effect on the safety or operation of the vehicles, the company said.

Wilkinson said dealers have 59,823 of the three models in stock. The three models are assembled at an assembly plant near Lansing, Mich. GMC, however, has redesigned the Acadia for the 2017 model year and it is now assembled in Spring Hill, Tenn.

The 2017 Acadia is not covered by this stop-sale order and will go on sale later this spring.

Wilkinson didn’t say when GM expects to have all of the stickers replaced, but said the company and dealers are working as quickly as they can.