Owners report a cluster of electrical and ignition problems. The ignition switch is the most common failure: keys stick in the ignition, won't turn, or won't release; in one case, the engine stayed running even with the key off, requiring battery disconnect. Recall repairs (NHTSA 14V047000 and 14V171000) have been delayed months due to parts unavailability, leaving owners stranded.
Electrical gremlins appear in cold weather—radio cutting out, all gauges dropping to zero, service lights illuminating randomly. One technician applied dielectric grease to fuse box connections with temporary success. A separate issue involves dashboard lights and headlights cutting out entirely during driving, unresolved after 10 shop visits.
Door locks and handles fail repeatedly: key fobs won't unlock doors, power locks malfunction, rear door latches won't catch, and driver-side handles break on opening. One owner reported a rear door popping open while driving.
Safety warnings light up without clear cause: service air bag lights, ESC (electronic stability control) warnings, and traction control lights trigger speed reduction and hesitation. One vehicle stalled five times, causing two crashes with injuries. Dealers often cannot diagnose these failures or replicate them during test drives.
Other reported issues include purge vent valve ground wires breaking in the harness, onboard computer malfunctions affecting power steering and speedometer, and a coolant leak causing burns.
Failure modes owners describe
Ignition switch failure
Key sticks in ignition, won't turn, won't release, or engine won't shut off even with key in off position. Recall repairs have been applied but some owners report continued issues.
When: Varies; some at lower mileage (10,000-36,000), others at higher (65,000+)
Symptoms owners cite: Key stuck in ignition; Key won't turn; Engine won't shut off with key in off position; Engine shuts off unexpectedly while driving (pothole impact noted in one case); Battery must be disconnected to turn off engine
Repairs/costs cited: Recall repairs (NHTSA 14V047000, 14V171000) attempted; parts unavailable for months on waiting lists. One owner had switch replaced twice with continued problems.
Recalls/TSBs owners mention: NHTSA campaign 14V047000 (air bags, electrical system) and 14V171000 (electrical system); parts on back-order; waiting lists exceeded 222 vehicles at one dealer.
Cold-weather electrical malfunction
In cold temperatures, gauges go to zero, radio cuts out, various service lights illuminate (different lights each time), RPMs fluctuate erratically, and engine sputters. Temporary fix with dielectric grease on fuse box connections; issue recurs annually.
When: Winter temperatures; repeated 2013–2015 in one owner's report
Symptoms owners cite: Sputtering acceleration in cold weather; RPM needle jumping 2–3 and back down; Radio shuts off; All dash gauges (fuel, speed, RPM) drop to zero; Multiple service lights illuminate (different lights each incident); Everything resets to normal after time
Codes mentioned: 20 unidentified codes reported by dealership diagnostic in 2013
Repairs/costs cited: Independent shop applied dielectric grease to all electronic connections in fuse box; technician stated continued driving would 'destroy the electrical system.' Owner repeated treatment in 2014; issue restarted in 2015.
Recalls/TSBs owners mention: GM customer service contacted but unable to determine cause.
Power lock and key fob failure
Key fob won't unlock front passenger and rear doors; power locks malfunction requiring manual unlock. Rear door latches won't catch or stay closed; doors pop open. Issues recur multiple times.
When: Reported between 10,000–80,000 miles
Symptoms owners cite: Key fob fails to unlock doors; Power locks non-functional; Rear door latch won't catch; Rear door pops open while closed; Doors require manual unlock
Repairs/costs cited: One rear door required latch/actuator diagnosis; driver-side door handle broke on opening (separate event). No repairs completed for locking issues in narratives.
Recalls/TSBs owners mention: Dealer notified but unable to diagnose cause; manufacturer stated no recalls for these failures.
Service air bag light illumination
Service air bag warning light comes on, often intermittently or after minor road bumps. Owners fear airbags won't deploy in a crash. Light persists even after ignition switch recall repairs.
When: Unpredictable; noted at various mileages
Symptoms owners cite: Service air bag light illuminates; Light comes on after hitting slight road bump; Light goes off when vehicle restarted; Intermittent illumination
Repairs/costs cited: Dealers quote $89–several hundred dollars for diagnostics. One owner reports front driver and passenger airbags need replacement (73,818 miles); repair not completed.
Recalls/TSBs owners mention: None documented in narratives; one owner outside of recall 14V047000.
ESC (Electronic Stability Control) and traction control light failures
ESC and service traction control lights illuminate or flash randomly, triggering vehicle speed reduction and hesitation. No consistent diagnostic code. Accelerator may not respond. Dealers unable to replicate or diagnose.
When: Unpredictable; noted around 20,000–80,000 miles
Symptoms owners cite: ESC indicator illuminates; Service traction control light flashes; Vehicle drastically reduces speed when lights illuminate; Engine hesitates as if about to stall; Accelerator pedal unresponsive; Violent jerking and speed reduction; Abnormal noise accompanying light illumination
Repairs/costs cited: Vehicle test-driven by dealer with no failures found. Computer resets and warning lights dim when vehicle restarted, but failure recurs.
Recalls/TSBs owners mention: Manufacturer notified with no remedy provided.
Engine stall during driving
Vehicle stalls multiple times while driving. One owner experienced five stalls resulting in two crashes—one into another vehicle and one into a tree. Brakes did not stop vehicle properly during first stall. Vehicle restarts after each stall.
When: Mileage unknown; crashes resulted in police reports
Symptoms owners cite: Engine stalls while driving (multiple occurrences); Vehicle loses power steering and braking responsiveness during stall; Abnormal noise preceding stall
Repairs/costs cited: Vehicle repaired after both crash incidents. Owner received recall notice 14E021000 (electrical system), but parts unavailable.
Recalls/TSBs owners mention: Recall NHTSA 14E021000 (electrical system); parts unavailable for repair.
Instrument cluster intermittent failure
Gauges (speedometer, fuel, RPM) flicker or go out entirely while driving. Instrument panel functions work on and off during operation. Issue prevents proper transmission shifting.
When: Unpredictable while vehicle running
Symptoms owners cite: Speedometer stops functioning while driving; Instrument panel flashes on and off; Fuel gauge intermittent; Transmission difficulty shifting into gear; Safety concern due to loss of speed indication
Repairs/costs cited: Diagnostic computer fails to identify error code or problem.
Headlight and dash light dropout
Headlights and dash lights cut out during driving. Owner reports 10 shop visits without resolution.
When: Intermittent while driving
Symptoms owners cite: Headlights shut off; Dashboard lights shut off
Repairs/costs cited: Unresolved after 10 separate shop visits.
Purge vent valve ground wire corrosion
Purge vent valve ground wire breaks off in wiring harness due to inadequate protection from elements. Causes check engine light and fuel odor inside vehicle. Issue recurred for same owner.
When: Recurring issue over time
Symptoms owners cite: Check engine light illumination; Gasoline odor in vehicle; Ground wire breaks/corrodes in harness
Codes mentioned: P0449 (Purge Vent Valve Circuit Malfunction)
Repairs/costs cited: Owner reports this is the second occurrence of this failure.
Coolant leak with thermal burn hazard
Hot air and liquid leak from under dashboard at front and rear of vehicle, causing burns to occupant. Abnormal swoosh noise made when turning; hot mist created inside vehicle.
When: Reported at 132,000 miles
Symptoms owners cite: Hot air/liquid leak under dashboard; Occupant burned from hot water leakage; Abnormal swoosh noise when turning; Hot mist inside vehicle during turns
Repairs/costs cited: Vehicle not diagnosed or repaired.
Recalls/TSBs owners mention: Manufacturer not notified.
Ignition key stuck in off position with electrical cascade
Key left in off position causes dashboard lights to flash, loud clicking noises, all doors to lock, and service air bag light to illuminate. Problem resolves when vehicle is restarted. Ignition switch already replaced twice under recall.
When: Ongoing after recall repairs
Symptoms owners cite: All dashboard lights flash when key in off position; Loud clicking noises; All doors lock automatically; Service air bag light illuminates; Lights and noise stop when vehicle restarted
Repairs/costs cited: Ignition switch replaced twice; dealer refused further investigation without service fee of several hundred dollars.
Recalls/TSBs owners mention: Recall repairs applied but insufficient; parts availability issues.
Door handle mechanical failure
Driver-side door handle breaks when opening door. Separate complaint about passenger door latch assembly.
When: Varies; one report indicates sudden failure upon opening
Symptoms owners cite: Door handle breaks when opened; Door latch mechanism fails
Repairs/costs cited: One owner requests discount for replacement; issue reported as 'faulty or defective part.'
Synthesized from 29 NHTSA owner complaints — unverified consumer
allegations, summarized for patterns. The verbatim filings appear below.