BREAKING NEWS! GM issues immediate "Stop Sale" on Acadia/Outlook

[ragingfish]

Quote, originally posted by Jalopnik.com »Breaking! GM Issues "Stop Sale" To Dealers On Saturn Outlook And GMC AcadiaDealers received an immediate stop-action communique over the weekend from the home office at the RenCen of the General's decision to immediately halt sales of the two models in its threesome of Lambda-platform CUV's already on the market, the GMC Acadia and the Saturn Outlook. The communique, which appears to have been so hastily written it misspells "Attention," claims the need to stop sales "...in order to maintain our momentum and successful launch of these products, we are evaluating potential enhancement and inventory upgrade to the vehicles."Because nothing says "maintaining momentum" like a complete halt. Full copy of the alert below. – Ray WertAttnntion ALL Saturn Retailers and GMC Dealers This is to advise Saturn Retailers and GMC Dealers that we are issuing an immediate stop sale on all Saturn OUTLOOK models and GMC Acadia models in dealer inventory as well as in transit to the dealer. In order to maintain our momentum and successful launch of these prodects, we are evaluating potential enhancement and inventory upgrade to the vehicles. More details will be forthcoming on Monday, December 11, 2006. Message also communicated in GM Messenger Message # VSD20060627 Thank you for your immediate attention and cooperation in this matter.Source: http://www.jalopnik.com/cars/n...4.phpQuote, originally posted by Jalopnik.com »GM's Momentum Maintenance: More On The Lambda Platform "Stop Sale"I just got off of the phone with a PR staffer from the General, who provided me with a little bit more detail, but by no means the full story, on the General's decision to put a "stop sale" on the GMC Acadia and Saturn Outlook. According to Lynda Messina, the PR-anista in charge of manufacturing issues for GM's lambda-platformed crossover triplets, the "stop sale" occurred because "a couple of issues cropped up over the past few days...in a test fleet of vehicles." She also claimed the issues are "not safety-related" and "to our knowledge no one has received a vehicle yet...they are only on dealer lots...but I've no idea when they'll be able to start selling." Messina wasn't able to provide any detail on what the specific issues were, but we're told we'll have more information from the General when they see fit to provide it. One assumes it must have been important enough to require them to "maintain momentum" via a halt to sales. – Ray WertSource: http://www.jalopnik.com/cars/n...9.php

[scherry2]

"a couple of issues cropped up over the past few days...in a test fleet of vehicles." been there, done that. I understand why they say:"...in order to maintain our momentum and successful launch of these products, we are evaluating potential enhancement and inventory upgrade to the vehicles."its a new vehicle launch so problems and/or "better Ideas" crop up during fleet audits.

[ragingfish]

Quote, originally posted by scherry2 » "a couple of issues cropped up over the past few days...in a test fleet of vehicles." been there, done that. I understand why they say:"...in order to maintain our momentum and successful launch of these products, we are evaluating potential enhancement and inventory upgrade to the vehicles."its a new vehicle launch so problems and/or "better Ideas" crop up during fleet audits.Which is a good thing.But I'm pretty sure I've read that some HAVE been delivered to customers.And how does a dealer - or GM even - explain to a customer who comes in and wants one, and is told "sorry, can't have it."Just seems like maybe they shouldn't have shipped until all testing was completed...

[tnpartsguy]

Sadly, and others that work at dealerships can back me up on this, it's not a new thing. The Trailblazer had a Stop-Sale ordered, and so did the Equinox. The Trailblazer was due to bad lower control arm bolts. They didn't know how weak they were until they tied them down in a few rail cars, just to have them break during the trip. How does a dealer say "I can't sell it"? easy, you either hide them, or tell them they are presold, can I order you one?

[scherry2]

Quote, originally posted by ragingfish »Just seems like maybe they shouldn't have shipped until all testing was completed...what works on paper and a computer does not necessarily transfer to real life. (just look at the paint on our vibes )microsoft calls them updates. and its not testing its auditing. I remember GM had a stop order on all cavaliers back in the 1980's all aluminum rims were suspect to cracking thousands were parked at the local Airport cause that was the only place big and flat enough to hold them till new "approved" rims where made.

[ColonelPanic]

The QA process is absolutely miserable. Our company develops their own POS system for use in our stores. And no matter how much the QA guys try to break the crap, nothing happens until it goes into live stores and having the employees there doing god knows what. So many variables there that aren't present in the development environment. But you fix the crap and move on, and probably breaking something else with the next release. At any rate, onto other software vendors - if a certain rather large one who ironically makes a product named the same as one of these vehicles can push stuff out the door broken and get away with it, well, anybody can - that goes for you too, GM. lol! GM having to do this isn't good for their reputation, OTOH it's good that they're at least trying to fix whatever the heck is broken on those before they get out to too many people. Remember the Focus and it's many, many recalls there at the beginning? I rest my case. It must have been something serious, perhaps vital to the vehicle's safety or reliability for this to happen. Hopefully it isn't something that has no fix.I'm sure GM these days is doing a lot more digging on what makes their new cars tick... With the Aura, (according to AutoWeek) Saturn wanted to get everything right the first try - so they would kick things back that were questionable, thus delaying the development instead of just continuing on with what they had. That was before it ever hit the lots. Sounds good to me.

[Jahntassa]

I'm right there with Colonel. It's the way of the world, there's only so much you can do in 'testing' because you just can't think of all the ways that something will go wrong. The only test is the 'real' test, which is release..

[ragingfish]

Interesting perspectives guys...You raise good points. No amount of testing can account for "real world" discovery of issues...Guess I was kinda rooting for a relatively flawless launch, similar to the AURA...

[ragingfish]

UPDATEQuote, originally posted by Reuters » DETROIT, Dec 12 (Reuters) - General Motors Corp. has delayed initial sales of its new Acadia and Outlook vehicles by several days because of a cold-weather problem linked to excess engine vibration, the automaker said on Tuesday.The problem affects the engine mounts on the first 550 of the new vehicles that have already been shipped to dealers, GM spokeswoman Lynda Messina said.The Lansing, Michigan-area GM plant that produces the Outlook and Acadia has fixed vehicles awaiting shipment to dealers and addressed the problem for its upcoming production, Messina said."In a rare circumstance, water can accumulate in the (engine) mount and in a cold-weather climate that can freeze," Messina said, adding that GM had discovered that the resulting ice was liable to cause "undesirable engine vibration."GM is sending a service bulletin to GMC and Saturn dealers on Tuesday to advise them that they need to add drainage holes to the engine mounts before selling the new vehicles.Dealers had been advised late Friday to hold initial sales of the new "crossover" vehicles, which seat up to eight passengers, until the problem could be addressed, Messina said."It's a pretty straightforward fix," she said.© Reuters 2006. All Rights Reserved.Full story at -Source: http://today.reuters.com/news/...=qcna

[ColonelPanic]

I had missed your post, Mike. Just the other day when I saw an Outlook, I was like "well, I guess they fixed whatever it was that needed fixin'!"Thanks for the explanation on what was going on. (a couple months late.)