Car or Mockery: GAC GS8 Owners Massively Complain About Electronics Failures, False Consumption, and Flooded Units

The second-generation GAC GS8 is positioned as a premium seven-seater crossover that should compete with the Toyota Highlander and Kia Telluride. In reality, hundreds of owners in Russia call it "raw," "unfinished," and even "dangerous." Reviews on Auto.ru paint a picture of systemic problems that turn everyday use into a lottery.

The most high-profile story is from owner Alexander from Novosibirsk. At 32,000 km mileage, his GS8 suddenly showed +51 °C on the dashboard when it was actually zero, displayed an "Emergency Call" message, and stopped responding to the central screen. At the same time, the climate control started blowing ice-cold air, and the car lost most of its functions. Diagnostics at the official dealer "Siberian Motors" revealed the cause: a leak from the washer tank flooded the electronic control units under the front passenger seat. The liquid had been seeping for months until it caused a short circuit. Before that, there was: a whistling heater motor (replaced after four visits and a lot of video evidence), the wipers stopping on the highway due to the motor overheating, spontaneous activation of the sill lighting until the morning, and a complete failure of the turn signals.

The problem is widespread: in GS8 owner chats, photos of flooded electronic control units number in the dozens. People write that the washer tank cracks at the seam, the tubes wear out, and the liquid itself turns into an aggressive electrolyte at negative temperatures, which corrodes the connectors. There is a warranty, but dealers refuse to acknowledge the problem until the owner provides a video "here and now." As a result, repairs at the expense of the service are a rare success, more often at your own expense for 80–150 thousand rubles.

The second problem is deceptive fuel consumption. The on-board computer chronically lies. When driving calmly on the highway, it underestimates by 2–3 liters, when driving actively — by up to 50%. Owner unicum writes: "On the M-12 at night, I was driving 150+ km/h, the on-board computer showed 12.5 l/100 km, in fact — 17+. I almost stopped in the middle of the highway with zero in the tank, although the range showed 90 km." The problem has not been resolved even on the latest V3 firmware. Many refuel "with a margin" of 5–7 liters, fearing to run out of fuel on toll roads.

Climate control is a separate pain. The Auto mode works unpredictably: it either blows heat on the feet or frost on the face. Fogging of windows even at -5 °C is normal. Multimedia periodically "falls" into a black screen, reboots for 5–7 minutes. The projection on the windshield is visible only to people up to 185 cm tall. Adaptive cruise control turns off after 130 km/h, although according to the instructions it should work up to 180. There is no built-in navigation, although it is stated in the specifications.

Small but annoying flaws complete the picture: dirty sills after the first puddle, uncomfortable seats (you have to buy spacers), the speedometer lies by 5–7 km/h, the car sometimes does not close when moving away from the key. Dealers throw up their hands: "Strict warranty conditions from GAC, we can't just change units."

There are also positive reviews. Mikhail Sukhorukov praises the huge interior, the third row for adults, confident behavior in winter, and the power reserve of the 2.0T (238 hp). But even he admits: the trunk is tiny, maintenance is expensive (25–30 thousand for 15,000 km), the loss of value per year is up to 35%, there is no official service in Crimea.

The GAC GS8 is a prime example of when a beautiful body, rich equipment, and a low price (from 3.8 million rubles) hide raw electronics and design flaws. Owners are divided into two camps: those who are "lucky" and the car runs without serious problems, and those who have already spent tens of thousands on repairs "under warranty" or are preparing to sell the car at a loss of 1–1.5 million rubles. If you are planning long trips with your family or live outside Moscow and St. Petersburg — think thrice.