# #PI0935: Odor from HVAC System with Temperature Control Set on High Heat and Engine a



## bodeis (Jan 28, 2012)

Subject: Odor from HVAC System with Temperature Control Set on High Heat and Engine at Operating Temperature 







Models: 2011-2013 Chevrolet Cruze Equipped with 1.4L Engine (RPOs LUJ, LUV) 
[HR][/HR]Condition/ConcernSome customer may comment on an odor from the HVAC system. This condition occurs with the engine at operating temperature and the instrument panel temperature control set on the full heat setting. This condition may be described as a coolant odor among other descriptions. 
This condition may be caused by an unpleasant odor coming from the grease used to lubricate the components inside of the heater and air conditioning evaporator case. 
Recommendation/InstructionsUse the following steps to diagnose and repair the condition:

Bring the vehicle up to operating temperature and verify the condition by closing the vehicle doors, idling the car and selecting full heat. You may wish to leave vehicle idle for several minutes with heat on high, open the driver door and verify the concern.
Follow PI0740 to ensure that the odor is not coolant, as described in the PI.

*Tip: *Using a digital camera, photograph the routing of the instrument panel wiring harness before removal. This will aid in the re-assembly process. 


With the condition verified, replace the heater and air conditioning evaporator case. Refer to Heater and Air Conditioning Evaporator Case Replacement in SI.
With the heater core removed from the case, inspect for contamination from the assembly grease. Clean as necessary.
Transfer the following items from the old assembly:
Floor air outlet cover
Temp valve actuator/screws
Mode valve actuator/gear/screws
Temp sensor(s), if equipped
Wiring harness

Parts InformationThe revised Heater and Air Conditioning Evaporator Case Assembly is not in stock at this time. Use the Warranty Parts Center (WPC) form below to obtain the assembly. The balance of the parts should be ordered through normal channels. 

Part Number
Description
Quantity
WPC 710
Heater and Air Conditioning Evaporator Case Assembly
1
13406309 
Heater and Air Conditioning Evaporator Case Gasket Kit (With RPO C67 or C68)
1
13406315
Heater and Air Conditioning Evaporator Case Gasket Kit (With RPO C42)
11514519
Steering Column Nut 
4
11611451





Sorry if someone already posted
Tether Clip






2


----------



## blackcruzelt (Dec 13, 2012)

lol, only took them 3 years to get this out... Lets see if this works.


----------



## obermd (Mar 3, 2012)

bodeis said:


> Follow PI0740 to ensure that the odor is not coolant, as described in the PI.


This is great news and it also show that GM is aware there may be multiple source of this odor. One question though to any GM Techs here, does the clip I highlighted mean apply the stupid hose or just verify and fix any unexpected leaks, either in the engine coolant system or through the firewall and into the cabin air intakes?


----------



## obermd (Mar 3, 2012)

Stickied.


----------



## ChuzCruze (Feb 9, 2012)

What is the labor time on this PI?


----------



## brian v (Dec 25, 2011)

Great to read some thing is being addressed or undressed.


----------



## carbon02 (Feb 25, 2011)

Wow- And I thought they would be developing a repair procedure that would be easier than remove the evaporator case in accordance with SI.

I'm also curious as to the labor payment for this work. Removal of the front console, instrument cluster, parts of the dash, full dash assembly and removal of electrical wiring harness is major surgery. 

And transfering parts, after all the labor involved to get it out you would think it would be a complete swap assembly.


----------



## cruze01 (Mar 25, 2011)

Great news for some of us! I wonder how much longer it will take them to figure out whats going on for those who have the smell outside the car?


----------



## XtremeRevolution (Jan 19, 2012)

blackcruzelt said:


> lol, only took them 3 years to get this out... Lets see if this works.


Considering we have identified the source of the problem without any doubt, I'd say it works. 



cruze01 said:


> Great news for some of us! I wonder how much longer it will take them to figure out whats going on for those who have the smell outside the car?


That probably won't be "fixed" because it isn't considered a "problem." I don't believe people expect cars to smell like roses and daffodils, lol. All of my cars have smelled coolant inside the engine bay and around the car on occasion. As long as you're not loosing coolant, I'd consider it normal.


----------



## cruze01 (Mar 25, 2011)

That probably won't be "fixed" because it isn't considered a "problem." I don't believe people expect cars to smell like roses and daffodils, lol. All of my cars have smelled coolant inside the engine bay and around the car on occasion. As long as you're not loosing coolant, I'd consider it normal.[/QUOTE]


Not a problem? Your kidding, right? I can't believe you would say that man! I know you're a big influence on this forum and I appreciate all you do and say but we have to agree to disagree on this one. I have been buying and driving cars for over 30 years and I've never had one that stunk of antifreeze like that car did. It's not OK to smell antifreeze every time you get out of the car or be unable to park it in the garage because it stinks up the house when you do. I'm a GM fan too and I even traded in that problem car for another Cruze but I can't dismiss the problems I had as being normal or not a problem. Many GM customers are still dealing with this issue and it needs to be figured out and corrected!


----------



## XtremeRevolution (Jan 19, 2012)

cruze01 said:


> Not a problem? Your kidding, right? I can't believe you would say that man! I know you're a big influence on this forum and I appreciate all you do and say but we have to agree to disagree on this one. I have been buying and driving cars for over 30 years and I've never had one that stunk of antifreeze like that car did. It's not OK to smell antifreeze every time you get out of the car or be unable to park it in the garage because it stinks up the house when you do. I'm a GM fan too and I even traded in that problem car for another Cruze but I can't dismiss the problems I had as being normal or not a problem. Many GM customers are still dealing with this issue and it needs to be figured out and corrected!


If it's bad enough to the point where you can't even park it in a garage (something I never smell when I park mine in the garage), then there's something your dealer isn't finding. I should have been more clear in saying that it's normal to have some smells around your car especially when it's running, but it sounds to me like you have some kind of leak somewhere. 

The biggest smell issue we've had here is a direct result of the grease GM used in the HVAC box, and I know exactly what that smells like, but I also know what antifreeze smells like and if it's unusually strong, I'd take it in to have it looked at. If you already have and the dealer couldn't find anything, then find another dealer. Do you have a case with GM?


----------



## cruze01 (Mar 25, 2011)

XtremeRevolution said:


> If it's bad enough to the point where you can't even park it in a garage (something I never smell when I park mine in the garage), then there's something your dealer isn't finding. I should have been more clear in saying that it's normal to have some smells around your car especially when it's running, but it sounds to me like you have some kind of leak somewhere.
> 
> The biggest smell issue we've had here is a direct result of the grease GM used in the HVAC box, and I know exactly what that smells like, but I also know what antifreeze smells like and if it's unusually strong, I'd take it in to have it looked at. If you already have and the dealer couldn't find anything, then find another dealer. Do you have a case with GM?


I don't have the car anymore. I traded it because of the smell. And yes, I had a case open on it and gave GM every chance in the world to fix it. I've outlined my problems on this forum a few times already so I wont explain everything again but beleive me they tried everything with no luck! And there are still many people out there with this problem.


----------



## hawkeye (Mar 31, 2012)

I'm beginning to think that I may not even bother with a fix for the smell. I'm the only one in the family that notices it, and it seems like it's only the grease giving off the odor. Unless someone determines there's a health risk, it may not be worth it. I don't seem to have any coolant leaks, and I could have sworn it was a coolant smell like many people on this forum.


----------



## CruzeDFB (Mar 3, 2013)

Wait, so this fixes the Coolant smell inside the cabin?! Or is this just one of many different fixes?


----------



## XtremeRevolution (Jan 19, 2012)

hawkeye said:


> I'm beginning to think that I may not even bother with a fix for the smell. I'm the only one in the family that notices it, and it seems like it's only the grease giving off the odor. Unless someone determines there's a health risk, it may not be worth it. I don't seem to have any coolant leaks, and I could have sworn it was a coolant smell like many people on this forum.


I'd get it fixed just in case it gets worse, while your car is under warranty. 



CruzeDFB said:


> Wait, so this fixes the Coolant smell inside the cabin?! Or is this just one of many different fixes?


It fixes the odor in the cabin that most people associate with coolant/antifreeze. It has been reported to be a very effective fix.


----------



## CruzeDFB (Mar 3, 2013)

XtremeRevolution said:


> I'd get it fixed just in case it gets worse, while your car is under warranty.
> 
> 
> 
> It fixes the odor in the cabin that most people associate with coolant/antifreeze. It has been reported to be a very effective fix.


This is WONDERFUL news!!!! Man I LOVE this site, I have everything written down so when I go in next I'm prepared. 

P.S. I called Chevy and told them about the odors and they noted my account "Will fix ANY antifreeze/coolant odors beyond Bumper to Bumper Warranty".


----------



## lhall (Dec 10, 2012)

CruzeDFB said:


> Wait, so this fixes the Coolant smell inside the cabin?! Or is this just one of many different fixes?


People who have had it done say that it fixes this smell inside the cabin. There is also PI0740 which was a first attempt to resole this problem and may be necessary in some cases too. Since it's easier to do, GM (or you) may opt for trying PI0740 first. If so, you'll need to determine whether it is enough.


----------



## 70AARCUDA (Nov 14, 2010)

...my pathetic (but ironic) humor:



70AARCUDA said:


> ...What? You don't like GM's choice of _"...in-car..." _*cologne *(wink,wink)?


----------



## XtremeRevolution (Jan 19, 2012)

CruzeDFB said:


> This is WONDERFUL news!!!! Man I LOVE this site, I have everything written down so when I go in next I'm prepared.
> 
> P.S. I called Chevy and told them about the odors and they noted my account "Will fix ANY antifreeze/coolant odors beyond Bumper to Bumper Warranty".


If you have not yet picked up on it, culture at GM has been slowly changing, and the Cruze is very important to them.


----------



## rescueswimmer (Mar 28, 2013)

How old is this TSB? Were looking to pick up a new ECO in the next few days and if this just came out would rather wait a few weeks. I'm hoping GM is smart enough to have changed this on the line already.


----------



## iKermit (Dec 13, 2010)

My suggestion is for those of you with this issue... Is to print this out and take it to the dealer, and demand that you want this done, and that it is something recognized by GM.


----------



## BigSkyMontana (Jan 5, 2013)

iKermit said:


> My suggestion is for those of you with this issue... Is to print this out and take it to the dealer, and demand that you want this done, and that it is something recognized by GM.


Agree! I understand how frustrating this was for me, but I chose to work closely with my service manager and not give up. Fortunately, I have a service manager who knows me (really well because of this issue), but it was my choice to open this door and let him know my expectations of resolving this issue and they had to make it work somehow. I had two choices--I either keep the car or get rid of it. If I am going to complain, I need to get rid of my Cruze and not have this headache. If I am going to keep it (which I am) I then need to be part of the solution. Reality is I have a car that requires some work, and I am choosing to be part of the solution and not part of the problem. My Cruze has been in the shop a few more times then anticipated, and I have always asked for a loaner and they have delivered. The last time my Cruze was in to seal the lower right/left cowl grille gaps they brought my Cruze to my work place when they completed the work. If there are service departments that are difficult to work with I would suggest that you somehow hold them accountable (by letting them know your dissatisfaction and your expectations) or seek another dealership (which I know is not always the best option due to a persons circumstances.) My GM customer and district reps are my communication resource, but my service department is where the rubber hits to road and where I expect my problem resolved as they now have two resources to help me (PI 0740/0935) to tackle this issue. PI0740 has finally worked sealing the engine compartment vapors, now I am awaiting parts for the HVAC box maintenance. I am confident that 0935 will rid of the last faint smell I have in the cabin when running my heater in the defrost/floor mode (if I chose to go that route). It is just taking some time to resolve this issue, but being persistent and working with my service manager has finally paid off.


----------



## lhall (Dec 10, 2012)

rescueswimmer said:


> How old is this TSB? Were looking to pick up a new ECO in the next few days and if this just came out would rather wait a few weeks. I'm hoping GM is smart enough to have changed this on the line already.


It's brand new. Don't know if it's already part of the production line or not or when it will be if not. But if this is a gating factor for your purchase, you should talk to your dealer about it. It will be a good test of how well they can help you with any subsequent ownership concerns and problems.


----------



## DrVette (Dec 6, 2011)

My 2012 had a "plastic" type smell only when;

Temp control on HOT
Fan speed on 1-2

Now @ 1yr & 28,000 mi I don't detect the odor.

#1- My unit may have never had the "grease" odor, just new plastic @221F
#2- It may indeed had the odor but since vaporized off.

I was a Tech @ Nissan for 4.5yr.
Units vary on construction & amounts of lube applied. 
So not every unit exhibits the symptoms described in TSB's.

In closure, unless it's "horrid" I never take my car to the dealer. Too much room for error.
Example;


> Use a digital camera to make sure you put it back the way it came


WT¥ ¿


----------



## BigSkyMontana (Jan 5, 2013)

DrVette said:


> My 2012 had a "plastic" type smell only when;
> 
> Temp control on HOT
> Fan speed on 1-2
> ...


Interesting, as I now only have the "smell" which is faint when I operate the defrost/floor mode only at fan speed 1, 2. My warranty is valid through July 2014 and I just turned over 7800 miles this week. I am awaiting the HVAC parts, and initially decided to go with the job, but I am having second thoughts for a few reasons.

1. Smell is faint and manageable at this time. Is it grease or plastic I am smelling? It is hard to determine as it is so faint.
2. I currently have low mileage and warranty time to wait it out and see the outcome through another winter.

I will be meeting with my service manager and the technician performing the work. After this meeting I will decide whether I want to pursue the HVAC box R/R or wait it out. Since PI0740 worked and sealed the engine compartment vapors I am able to buy more time to make a decision. I do understand this is quite the job and still not real comfortable having my dashboard disassembled. Obviously, if the smell was unmanageable I would have them move in and get it done. My cabin was really bad until the sealing was finally successful. Now the smell has dissipated and honestly I only think I can smell it because I am looking for it. No one else can smell anything but me at this time.


----------



## rescueswimmer (Mar 28, 2013)

Definitely will be asking about it. Not going to have a brand new cars dash taken apart if I can wait to see if its a non issue from new production. Just don't want a rattle trap after they are done.


----------



## bub (Mar 8, 2013)

Definitely glad to see this. This issue has been the most frustrating thing about my '12 Cruze. Will be checking with my dealer to get the parts ordered for this.

Thanks OP!

Alan


----------



## lhall (Dec 10, 2012)

bub said:


> Definitely glad to see this. This issue has been the most frustrating thing about my '12 Cruze. Will be checking with my dealer to get the parts ordered for this.
> 
> Thanks OP!
> 
> Alan


I just heard back from my service manager. He talked to GM about this PI. According to him, if the Heater and Air Conditioning Evaporator Case Assembly is ordered now, I'll end up with the same version as I currently have in my car. If I want the redesigned version, I have to wait until June/July when the new one becomes available. Does anyone have information that would contradict this? Obviously, anyone who's had this PI performed as part of the validation of this process, you got some limited-run redesigned part but I'm wondering if someone knows if there is a stock still around for those of us still waiting.


----------



## BigSkyMontana (Jan 5, 2013)

lhall said:


> I just heard back from my service manager. He talked to GM about this PI. According to him, if the Heater and Air Conditioning Evaporator Case Assembly is ordered now, I'll end up with the same version as I currently have in my car. If I want the redesigned version, I have to wait until June/July when the new one becomes available. Does anyone have information that would contradict this? Obviously, anyone who's had this PI performed as part of the validation of this process, you got some limited-run redesigned part but I'm wondering if someone knows if there is a stock still around for those of us still waiting.


Not sure why GM would plan a redesign. My service manager informed me a while back that boxes coming out would be refurbished and reused. Refurbishing the box makes better sense unless GM is thinking redesign for some other reason. I asked my service manager today out of curiosity if he heard anything different--nothing other than refurbishing the boxes. If it is only the lube issue it appears to me that it would be more cost effective to clean/re-lube and rebuild.


----------



## NYCruze2012 (Jan 16, 2012)

So far as long as I've been a member I have been reading about the coolant smell and now that I have 41000 miles detect no odor in my car. I never did from day one. I wonder if everyone with this problem were all in a range of specific build dates. I wonder if that is the common denominator?

Sent from AutoGuide.com App


----------



## lhall (Dec 10, 2012)

BigSkyMontana said:


> Not sure why GM would plan a redesign. My service manager informed me a while back that boxes coming out would be refurbished and reused. Refurbishing the box makes better sense unless GM is thinking redesign for some other reason. I asked my service manager today out of curiosity if he heard anything different--nothing other than refurbishing the boxes. If it is only the lube issue it appears to me that it would be more cost effective to clean/re-lube and rebuild.


Yeah, thanks for reminding me about your conversation with your service manager. Looks like I'm going to have to dig into this further. If there is a redesign that's coming out, it would be nice to know more about it. I expect I'd try to stick it out and wait for it. No sense in going through all this only to possibly end up back where I started. But if I'm going to get the same box later as I would get now, I don't want to wait for it.


----------



## lhall (Dec 10, 2012)

NYCruze2012 said:


> So far as long as I've been a member I have been reading about the coolant smell and now that I have 41000 miles detect no odor in my car. I never did from day one. I wonder if everyone with this problem were all in a range of specific build dates. I wonder if that is the common denominator?


Doesn't sound like the common denominator is build date. There have been reports of the smell from 2011s, 2012s, and 2013s. I suppose it could be related to supplier stock but I still think it would be hard to find a batch of these problematic HVAC boxes hanging around for 3 years. If they were coming from multiple suppliers, I could see one supplier potentially being the common denominator though.


----------



## BigSkyMontana (Jan 5, 2013)

lhall said:


> Yeah, thanks for reminding me about your conversation with your service manager. Looks like I'm going to have to dig into this further. If there is a redesign that's coming out, it would be nice to know more about it. I expect I'd try to stick it out and wait for it. No sense in going through all this only to possibly end up back where I started. But if I'm going to get the same box later as I would get now, I don't want to wait for it.


I think it is good that this forum is available to pass on information and what different service managers are hearing. Hopefully, we will see more consistency in what is reported by service managers in fixing this issue. I think it also gives us the latitude in our decision making process. Since I am able to wait this out due to my circumstances it is nice for me to monitor how the HVAC box R/R process is going with service departments and other owners (based on members postings on this forum.) The HVAC box process does look promising and appears to "fix" the lube issue. In my case, I have both the engine compartment and lube issue, so I am working on sealing the engine compartment issue first. It appears to have been successful and has cleared my cabin significantly of the antifreeze smell. HVAC progress, I will stay tuned..........


----------



## lhall (Dec 10, 2012)

BigSkyMontana said:


> I think it is good that this forum is available to pass on information and what different service managers are hearing. Hopefully, we will see more consistency in what is reported by service managers in fixing this issue. I think it also gives us the latitude in our decision making process. Since I am able to wait this out due to my circumstances it is nice for me to monitor how the HVAC box R/R process is going with service departments and other owners (based on members postings on this forum.) The HVAC box process does look promising and appears to "fix" the lube issue. In my case, I have both the engine compartment and lube issue, so I am working on sealing the engine compartment issue first. It appears to have been successful and has cleared my cabin significantly of the antifreeze smell. HVAC progress, I will stay tuned..........


Agreed. I'll update here if I can get more information about the redesign of the HVAC boxes.

I too have engine compartment coolant fumes but PI0740 wasn't a clear win after I had that work done. Perhaps there are still leaks like you've found. I've noticed that the smell inside seems worse right away when I switch the vent to recirculate so I'm assuming that the lion's share of the problem for me is in the HVAC box. It's hard to tell though of course. But right now, I haven't been able to get the service department to pay any attention to problems in the engine bay since they perfromed PI0740 and PI0935 appeared. But that's my own personal purgatory. :banghead:


----------



## gsahlberg (Apr 7, 2013)

*cruze odor*

I really hope this the fix, but am suspicious of grease being the main issue .the test and verification procedure is incorrect as the odor is greater at highway speeds and worse if you crack a window,I have smelled the coolant around the waterpump area and believe the odor is entering through the condisate flap and or the cowl intake. Every owner needs to file a complaint with the NHTSA as I have we need a formal recall as this odor is making people sick , I have a 2 year old riding around in this car . This has been redicolous .


----------



## lhall (Dec 10, 2012)

lhall said:


> I just heard back from my service manager. He talked to GM about this PI. According to him, if the Heater and Air Conditioning Evaporator Case Assembly is ordered now, I'll end up with the same version as I currently have in my car. If I want the redesigned version, I have to wait until June/July when the new one becomes available. Does anyone have information that would contradict this? Obviously, anyone who's had this PI performed as part of the validation of this process, you got some limited-run redesigned part but I'm wondering if someone knows if there is a stock still around for those of us still waiting.


OK, I've heard back from my district specialist on this and the story I'm getting is different now. But it is more consistent with what we've seen and head here from others. My service manager is going to order the parts specified in PI0935. There no longer is a question of which case assembly I'll get. I'll be getting the one specified in the PI. And apparently these aren't out-of-stock until summer. So I expect to get something in the next few weeks at least. It seems the problem area was that neither the service manager nor the district specialist could put their hands on this PI. So the moral to the story is, if you meet some resistance to performing this PI, make sure it's not just because they haven't seen the PI. And don't just tell them about it (like I tried). Show it to them. If they don't have to go searching for it, it will save everyone grief.

I expect this will become less of an issue in the coming months as the PI becomes more widely known. But I wanted to let those who might be waiting and wondering that this is a solution that is available now.


----------



## obermd (Mar 3, 2012)

gsahlberg said:


> I really hope this the fix, but am suspicious of grease being the main issue .the test and verification procedure is incorrect as the odor is greater at highway speeds and worse if you crack a window,I have smelled the coolant around the waterpump area and believe the odor is entering through the condisate flap and or the cowl intake. Every owner needs to file a complaint with the NHTSA as I have we need a formal recall as this odor is making people sick , I have a 2 year old riding around in this car . This has been redicolous .


This has been a very difficult problem to track down for the simple reason that DexCool and the lubricant used in the HVAC system are both glycol based, which makes them smell very similar. So far, here are the odor sources that I know of:

Leaks in the engine compartment:
- Leaky water pump and seals around the water pump - replace the water pump
- Excess pressure in the surge tank forcing coolant vapors - lower the level of coolant in the surge tank when cold
- Bad coolant pressure cap - replace the cap
- Bad seal between the coolant surge tank and pressure cap - replace the cap and if that doesn't work the surge tank itself

HVAC odor source:
- Excessive amounts of glycol based lubricant in the HVAC ducting - tear apart the dashboard and replace the HVAC ducting with the new duct per PI-0935.

Per PI-0935, GM wants the engine bay sources resolved first via PI-0740 as it's a lot cheaper to fix these issues. Unfortunately, PI-0740 doesn't properly address the cap/tank interface and seal so you will have to convince your service advisor to do this testing.

=============

In addition, some of us, including my ECO MT, have experienced dirty socks in the HVAC system. This is indicative of mold and/or mildew in the HVAC system. There is a TSB for the 2011-2013 Cruze (US/Canada) providing specific instructions for cleaning out HVAC mold and mildew.


----------



## lhall (Dec 10, 2012)

BigSkyMontana said:


> Not sure why GM would plan a redesign. My service manager informed me a while back that boxes coming out would be refurbished and reused. Refurbishing the box makes better sense unless GM is thinking redesign for some other reason. I asked my service manager today out of curiosity if he heard anything different--nothing other than refurbishing the boxes. If it is only the lube issue it appears to me that it would be more cost effective to clean/re-lube and rebuild.


OK, I talked to my District Manager about this. He says that the only difference between the old part and the new is the lubricant. Everything else about it is the same. However, he said that they would not be refurbishing the old part because of cost. His claim is that it is too expensive to collect, clean, and refurbish the seals on the box. So, according to him, every box that comes out of a car goes in the dumpster.


----------



## fastdriver (Jan 7, 2011)

lhall said:


> OK, I've heard back from my district specialist on this and the story I'm getting is different now. But it is more consistent with what we've seen and head here from others. My service manager is going to order the parts specified in PI0935. There no longer is a question of which case assembly I'll get. I'll be getting the one specified in the PI. And apparently these aren't out-of-stock until summer. So I expect to get something in the next few weeks at least. It seems the problem area was that neither the service manager nor the district specialist could put their hands on this PI. So the moral to the story is, if you meet some resistance to performing this PI, make sure it's not just because they haven't seen the PI. And don't just tell them about it (like I tried). Show it to them. If they don't have to go searching for it, it will save everyone grief.
> 
> I expect this will become less of an issue in the coming months as the PI becomes more widely known. But I wanted to let those who might be waiting and wondering that this is a solution that is available now.


Isn't it SAD that both the service manager and the district specialist could NOT "put their hands on the PI"? If you have the PI number, they can't find it in their computer OR CALL GM to find out what it entails? Seems like a major communication problem here between GM and their dealers!


----------



## obermd (Mar 3, 2012)

fastdriver said:


> Isn't it SAD that both the service manager and the district specialist could NOT "put their hands on the PI"? If you have the PI number, they can't find it in their computer OR CALL GM to find out what it entails? Seems like a major communication problem here between GM and their dealers!


Even with the PI number, it took my service advisor 30 minutes to find it in the GM system. The indexing of the GM service system is non-existent, which is why so many service departments are unable to find PIs and TSBs for our cars. It's time for GM to do a major rework/rewrite of their service support system.


----------



## fastdriver (Jan 7, 2011)

obermd said:


> Even with the PI number, it took my service advisor 30 minutes to find it in the GM system. The indexing of the GM service system is non-existent, which is why so many service departments are unable to find PIs and TSBs for our cars. It's time for GM to do a major rework/rewrite of their service support system.


IF they're reading these posts, I hope they see yours!


----------



## stormbine (Feb 29, 2012)

I have my car booked in next week for service, and to look at a shifting issue, and the smell. I just forwarded the service manager at the dealership this PI info, hopefully it gets my car repaired as well. I made sure to not clean my windshield for a bit, so they could see the film that it leaves on the window from using the defrost, since the smell part seems to be relative, and 1 tech told me that they didn't notice anything out of the ordinary, and another saying that they could notice a smell that seemed like coolant, and put the dye in my overflow tank. Third time is a charm I hope.


----------



## ChevyMgr (Oct 27, 2010)

obermd said:


> Even with the PI number, it took my service advisor 30 minutes to find it in the GM system. The indexing of the GM service system is non-existent, which is why so many service departments are unable to find PIs and TSBs for our cars. It's time for GM to do a major rework/rewrite of their service support system.


I would say anytime it takes 30 minutes to do this, there is a USER problem. With a PI number it only takes going to GM SI (one click), Clicking the link titled "Find a document by its ID, Bulletin or Campaign # in Number Search", typing in the bulletin number and it's there. If the internet is working correctly and sites load normally, this takes less than 15 seconds.


----------



## ChevyMgr (Oct 27, 2010)

fastdriver said:


> IF they're reading these posts, I hope they see yours!


Maybe it's training, common sense (lack of) or maybe it's someone is getting BS'd. I can search a 2012 Cruze for odor and any bulletin, campaign, update or special policy appears. Scanning through the titles I found this bulletin using the keyword "odor" in seconds. Again USER error or wrong keywords searched. If you type "A/C" you will get too many returns and it will take longer to find.

If I go to the HVAC section, it comes even faster because it only pulls HVAC bulletins.


----------



## obermd (Mar 3, 2012)

ChevyMgr, that is a possibility.


----------



## Chevy Man (Apr 18, 2013)

I had a problem with a 2012 Cruze Eco. I have had it in the service department 5 times. Today I traded it for a 2013 Malibu. The dealer I bought it from (Cable Dahmer) was not willing to fix the problem. I took it to another dealer who made it a pleasure to buy the Malibu. Cable Dahmer in Independence, MO. Told us it was fixed and my wife picked it up today. Before she left the lot it was smelling bad STILL. There had been no change. She drove to meet me and we traded it for the Malibu. We will never buy another car from Cable Damher. They lied too many times about the car being fixed.


----------



## fastdriver (Jan 7, 2011)

ChevyMgr said:


> Maybe it's training, common sense (lack of) or maybe it's someone is getting BS'd. I can search a 2012 Cruze for odor and any bulletin, campaign, update or special policy appears. Scanning through the titles I found this bulletin using the keyword "odor" in seconds. Again USER error or wrong keywords searched. If you type "A/C" you will get too many returns and it will take longer to find.
> 
> If I go to the HVAC section, it comes even faster because it only pulls HVAC bulletins.



So, if it's a lack of training, who is responsible to teach them- GM or the dealership owner? If it's a matter of common sense, well, that's a whole other problem! If GM is responsible for this training, what kind of support do they provide to the dealer? Do they send someone to the dealership like they did with the Infotainment systems in the newer cars?


----------



## obermd (Mar 3, 2012)

Chevy Man said:


> I had a problem with a 2012 Cruze Eco. I have had it in the service department 5 times. Today I traded it for a 2013 Malibu. The dealer I bought it from (Cable Dahmer) was not willing to fix the problem. I took it to another dealer who made it a pleasure to buy the Malibu. Cable Dahmer in Independence, MO. Told us it was fixed and my wife picked it up today. Before she left the lot it was smelling bad STILL. There had been no change. She drove to meet me and we traded it for the Malibu. We will never buy another car from Cable Damher. They lied too many times about the car being fixed.


I hope you reported this to GM corporate. Don't wait for a survey, pick up the phone and tell them.


----------



## obermd (Mar 3, 2012)

I'm closing this thread. Please continue discussion in http://www.cruzetalk.com/forum/25-s...e-cabin-odors-sources-resolution-summary.html.


----------

