# P0171 cel



## spacedout (Dec 7, 2010)

P0171 is the typical code set by a bad PCV/valve cover, if this is the case its covered by the powertrain warranty. What year and how many miles on your cruze?


----------



## Robby (Mar 1, 2013)

^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^

What he said......5yr 100k powertrain warranty......not related to your previous repair in any way.

Rob


----------



## iedgar10 (Sep 25, 2014)

2013 Chevy cruze 1.4t engine sound: http://youtu.be/svOVRcbfadQ

It is a 2013 2lt 1.4t with 50.5k miles. 
I took the video above because I also noticed that the clicks the engine makes sounded much louder than usual. It could also be my paranoia...


----------



## Robby (Mar 1, 2013)

Not parinoia, unhappy engine sounds.

If it isn't yet it will begin to run poorly with a very unstable idle.....all related.
Your powertrain warranty will cover......the cover......the pcv is built into the cam cover......the black cover under the ECOTEC cover.

Rob


----------



## iedgar10 (Sep 25, 2014)

I took my car to the dealership this morning. I also told the rep about the consistent engine oil overfill when I get my oil changed there and this tech seemed more concerned about it than the first one I complained to last oil change. So they said they would diagnose the CEL and adjust the oil level.


----------



## iedgar10 (Sep 25, 2014)

I got my car back today and it's worst then before!!! 
While parked the engine was stuttering, then while driving back to dealership the stabilitrack light came on and stayed on then the cel light started flashing. I came to the dealership and when I turned the engine back on to show the service rep everything was off. Luckily I took video of it all. The car is at the dealership now. Anybody have any ideas? 
They said they replaced the valve cover earlier today.
How likely is it that they did a botched job and it's causing the stabilitrack to turn on, cel light to flash, and the car to stutter?
Edit : service traction control also appeared in DIC


----------



## obermd (Mar 3, 2012)

I bet the tech didn't get it secured properly.


----------



## iedgar10 (Sep 25, 2014)

obermd said:


> I bet the tech didn't get it secured properly.


Sigh I saw the post that shows you how to diy so I don't understand how a professional tech can do such a terrible job...this kind of stuff is precisely why I don't do stuff on my car myself... Had I known the Chevy techs are this bad I might have done it myself... Oh and the service rep told me the tech assured her that the cruze engines were DESIGNED to be able to run with up 3/4 of an Extra quart of oil. Is this even true?? 
:endrant


----------



## Robby (Mar 1, 2013)

iedgar10 said:


> Sigh I saw the post that shows you how to diy so I don't understand how a professional tech can do such a terrible job...this kind of stuff is precisely why I don't do stuff on my car myself... Had I known the Chevy techs are this bad I might have done it myself... Oh and the service rep told me the tech assured her that the cruze engines were DESIGNED to be able to run with up 3/4 of an Extra quart of oil. Is this even true??
> :endrant


Nope.....not true....why bother with a specification if thats the case.

For the record, any engine will tolerate a slightly low oil level....thats why there is a operating range on the dipstick.

Note there are no hash marks considered operating range above full.

Sounds like the shop is off kilter......the 'overfilled oil is OK by design' guy is a dipsnit.

Rob


----------



## iedgar10 (Sep 25, 2014)

Robby said:


> iedgar10 said:
> 
> 
> > Sigh I saw the post that shows you how to diy so I don't understand how a professional tech can do such a terrible job...this kind of stuff is precisely why I don't do stuff on my car myself... Had I known the Chevy techs are this bad I might have done it myself... Oh and the service rep told me the tech assured her that the cruze engines were DESIGNED to be able to run with up 3/4 of an Extra quart of oil. Is this even true??
> ...


I just got a call from Chevy. I am livid. They said I need a new coil thus spark plugs aren't firing. I told her the car didn't show those symptoms before I took it there. I also told her I knew the spark plugs are near the valve cover and that they probably did something wrong the first time. She said she would check if it was possible for it to be related. Someone with more knowledge please please give me a second opinion.


----------



## obermd (Mar 3, 2012)

I bet they tore a coil boot when removing it to get to the camshaft cover. This would be a dealership repair - neither you nor GM should have to pay for this type of damage.


----------



## iedgar10 (Sep 25, 2014)

obermd said:


> I bet they tore a coil boot when removing it to get to the camshaft cover. This would be a dealership repair - neither you nor GM should have to pay for this type of damage.


Thank you so much for pointing me in the right direction! for anybody else that has this issue, this is a great thread that explains Obermd's words with pictures! 
http://www.cruzetalk.com/forum/129-...-replace-valve-camshaft-cover-1-4l-turbo.html
If i'm not mistaking the atrocity probably happened around picture 6/7, correct? I would assume the coils are attached to the coil bar...?

edit: sorry, i forgot to add link to thread.


----------



## iedgar10 (Sep 25, 2014)

I got a call from the dealership rep and she said 
"it maybe possibly could have happened... maybe it was already going bad and nudging it probably finished it off. I spoke to my manager and he said we can offer you a partial discount on replacing the coil if that seems fair to you." 
I told her that I looked up the diagrams for it and it didn't seem something that could break with a "nudge" and that the vehicle showed absolutely not sign of failure before it was taken to them. She said that she'll go back and look at it again to see if they can find visible damage. 

To me it sounds like I'm getting the runaround. It seems that now they're trying to cut their losses and aren't being completely honest with me about it... They can't seem to get their stories right no matter what. I'm honestly afraid to keep pushing the issue because I'm afraid they'll break something else just to have me come back and have them make up their money.

edit: ALSO, wouldn't they have already noticed whether or not visible damage was present when they vehemently stated i needed a new coil? Are they just going to go find a coil in the dumpster with no visible damage and claim it was mine?? 

CHEVY!!! HOW FRUSTRATED I AM WITH THEE.


----------



## obermd (Mar 3, 2012)

iedgar10 said:


> I got a call from the dealership rep and she said
> "it maybe possibly could have happened... maybe it was already going bad and nudging it probably finished it off. I spoke to my manager and he said we can offer you a partial discount on replacing the coil if that seems fair to you."
> I told her that I looked up the diagrams for it and it didn't seem something that could break with a "nudge" and that the vehicle showed absolutely not sign of failure before it was taken to them. She said that she'll go back and look at it again to see if they can find visible damage.
> 
> ...


Call your local BBB and complain. Once you get your car back find another dealership.


----------



## obermd (Mar 3, 2012)

iedgar10 said:


> Thank you so much for pointing me in the right direction! for anybody else that has this issue, this is a great thread that explains Obermd's words with pictures!
> http://www.cruzetalk.com/forum/129-...-replace-valve-camshaft-cover-1-4l-turbo.html
> If i'm not mistaking the atrocity probably happened around picture 6/7, correct? I would assume the coils are attached to the coil bar...?
> 
> edit: sorry, i forgot to add link to thread.


Yes. That light tan bar is the ignition rail. The coils are in rubber boots on the underside of that bar. These boots can be very easy to tear and when they do there is nothing to prevent the electrical discharge from going from the springs inside the boots to the cylinder walls vs. into the spark plugs.


----------



## iedgar10 (Sep 25, 2014)

obermd said:


> Call your local BBB and complain. Once you get your car back find another dealership.


I started by PM'ing Chevrolet Customer Service and linking this thread. 
Steve Rayond Chevrolet in Smyrna, Georgia will no longer have my maintenance business or any other for that matter. The other dealerships are a bit far from me but if these headaches are avoidable, then it'll be worth it.


----------



## iedgar10 (Sep 25, 2014)

So i got another phone call. I was told that they didn't have a chance to go and take a look at the coil yet but that since they wanted me to have the best customer experience possible they'd replace it free of charge.

So Sebastian (my car) is getting a new coil and hopefully it'll all be good this time and nothing was broken on purpose to make up for it. They don't know if the part is in stock but I would be further advised tomorrow. The service rep has been nice throughout, I think it's the techs that actually fix the cars that are terrible...


----------



## Robby (Mar 1, 2013)

iedgar10 said:


> So i got another phone call. I was told that they didn't have a chance to go and take a look at the coil yet but that since they wanted me to have the best customer experience possible they'd replace it free of charge.
> 
> So Sebastian (my car) is getting a new coil and hopefully it'll all be good this time and nothing was broken on purpose to make up for it. They don't know if the part is in stock but I would be further advised tomorrow. The service rep has been nice throughout, I think it's the techs that actually fix the cars that are terrible...


I would speculate a ham handed tech. is lieing to a service writer in an attempt to cover his/her royal tush.

Just a WAG......but I'll bet I'm close.

Rob


----------



## iedgar10 (Sep 25, 2014)

Got sebastian back today. Everything seems to be running smoothly now. I only noticed the clicking coming from the engine is louder and they put in a different(new?) Ecotec cover on the engine. This one has a "made in poland" sticker. The service manager was nice and apologized and said the clicking was just fuel injector noises and it was normal. I still think it's louder than before but then again I could just be scrutinizing it more. Cruze fuel injector clicking?: http://youtu.be/6fYGiwju2TQ


----------



## Robby (Mar 1, 2013)

All fuel injectors have a rather pronounced 'Tick' with each open/close event.
You are hearing the tiny pintle slam back down and reseat......sound a bit like excessive valve clearance.

Will be louder on a cold start (injector opens further) and gets quieter but never disappears once fully warmed.

Yes, most likely you're noticing everything because of the somewhat fouled up repair event.

Rob


----------



## KaP10 (Mar 18, 2015)

The p0171 code is usually caused by the PCV valve going bad in the valve cover. Here's a video which shows the removal and installation process, Spark plugs and coil block have to be removed so its more likely that the dealership damaged them when they replaced your cover.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=U_gnM53dY1o


----------



## chevrasaki (May 1, 2015)

A friend of mine has a 2015 LTZ with the 1.4L engine and it is throwing the P0171 code. We checked under the spark plug cover and found that the PCV valve is making a whistling noise. I believe this is the common PCV failure. Is there any recommendations with this failure other than getting the entire valve cover gasket replaced? Any input is appreciated.

-Ian


----------

