Water leaks plague this model from year one. Owners describe water pouring into the cabin through sunroof seals, roof drain systems, door seals, and pillars—soaking floorboards on both sides, pooling three inches deep, saturating carpets, and creating mildew that spreads throughout the interior. A few owners report water dripping directly from airbag housings and seatbelt areas, raising safety concerns. Dealers have attempted fixes dozens of times: resealing sunroofs, replacing drain tubes, sealing drain holes per service bulletins, even removing and resealing headliners. None stick. Water returns within weeks or months, even after rain-triggered water tests show "no problems." One owner had four separate repair attempts in eight months; another moved overseas and can't get the vehicle fixed. Electrical damage compounds the issue—batteries killed, doors opening on their own, warning lights, engine shutdowns, headlights failing. A recall addressed roof drain tubes, and GMC issued a technical service bulletin, but owners feel the root design flaw remains unresolved. Owners report dealers blaming incline parking or refusing warranty coverage once it expires. One liftgate failure injured an owner; the gate closes unexpectedly or fails to open even after a recall software update.
Failure modes owners describe
Sunroof and roof drain water leaks
Water enters the cabin through failed sunroof seals and roof drain system, pooling on floorboards, soaking carpets, and penetrating the dash. Owners report water coming from sunroof area, front and rear roof sections, windshield column on passenger side, and overhead light fixtures. Multiple repair attempts with resealing, drain hose replacement, and drain hole sealing fail to resolve the issue permanently; water returns within weeks or months of repair.
When: Occurs within first year of ownership and recurs for years; typically triggered by heavy rain or car wash; one owner reported it at 9,000 miles
Symptoms owners cite: Water pooling on driver and passenger side floorboards; Water dripping from overhead lights and DVD player area; Water soaking through carpet and causing mildew odor; Water penetrating through windshield column; Water seeping into rear overhead light fixtures; Dash soaking wet; Interior mildew and mold smell
Repairs/costs cited: Dealer repairs include resealing sunroof, replacing roof drain tubes, sealing drain holes per bulletin, removing and resealing headliner and sunroof frame, blowing out drain hoses, and applying gasket material. One owner paid $100 for drain tube fix. Repairs provide temporary relief only; leaks resume.
Recalls/TSBs owners mention: Recall issued for bad roof drain tubes (owner #1 received recall notice, Feb 2009). Technical Service Bulletin issued for drain system (owner #2 mentions TSB issued but states GMC won't address actual problem). Warranty denial common after coverage expires. Some owners report dealership blamed incline parking or parking on slope despite water being observed leaking during vehicle washing.
Water intrusion through door seals and pillars
Water leaks into the cabin through door seals and A-pillar/C-pillar areas on both driver and passenger sides, saturating floorboards, seatbelt mechanisms, and creating pooled water with mildew formation. Occurs with light to severe rain and appears related to poor weatherstripping design.
When: Throughout vehicle ownership; one owner reported issue at 96,000 miles after regular maintenance inspection revealed three inches of standing water
Symptoms owners cite: Water leaking from seatbelt area on passenger side; Water accumulating on driver and passenger side floorboards; Three inches of water pooling on floorboard per inspection; Water penetrating from interior pillars; Mildew and mold growth on carpet and interior
Repairs/costs cited: One owner had seals and gasket material applied by dealer; repair worked temporarily then failed. Another owner paid $100 for repair. Owner #5 reports carpet removal was necessary to inspect floorboard; vehicle was not repaired under warranty.
Recalls/TSBs owners mention: Vehicle at 96,000 miles not covered under any recall per owner #5 report; manufacturer offered no assistance. Owner #6 notes reading of multiple complaints with no manufacturer action.
Electrical system damage from water intrusion
Water penetrating the cabin and contacting electrical components, including seatbelt tensioners, airbag systems, battery, DVD systems, and light fixtures, causing electrical malfunction and safety concerns. Owner #2 specifically worried about airbag functionality when water leaks directly from airbag housing.
When: Develops as water leaks progress; one owner reports battery killed by water damage
Symptoms owners cite: Battery killed; Rear door opening on its own; Heat system not responding to front controls; Warning lights coming on; Headlights blowing constantly; Engine shutting off while driving; DVD system failure; Water leaking from airbag squares; Water leaking from emergency brake area
Repairs/costs cited: No specific repairs mentioned; owner #2 concerned this electrical damage could cause fire hazard.
Recalls/TSBs owners mention: Owner #4 states if water gets into electrical system, it could cause potential electrical fire, injuries, traffic collisions, or death. Owner #2 notes GMC issued only TSB, not actual fix.
Rear liftgate inadvertent closure and failure to open
Electronic rear liftgate closes on its own after opening, or fails to open when activated. One owner sustained arm injury when liftgate closed unexpectedly. Issue persists even after recall repair in at least one case.
When: Unknown mileage for most; one owner at 70,652 miles, another at 100,000 miles
Symptoms owners cite: Liftgate closes automatically after being opened; Liftgate fails to open when activated; Problem worse in cooler weather (per owner #14); Recurring failure after repair attempts
Repairs/costs cited: Owner #10 had door actuator software updated under recall but problem persisted. Owner #7 reports part for recall repair was unavailable and manufacturer exceeded reasonable repair timeframe. Owner #14 paid $145 diagnostic fee; dealer refuses further service.
Recalls/TSBs owners mention: NHTSA Campaign 15V415000 (STRUCTURE) issued for liftgate; recall applied to these vehicles. Owner #7 received recall notification but part unavailable. Owner #10 had actuator software updated per campaign but failure recurred. Owner #14 had previous recall repair but problem returned.
Synthesized from 16 NHTSA owner complaints — unverified consumer
allegations, summarized for patterns. The verbatim filings appear below.