# scary coolant exploding in vehicle today



## erincanada (Apr 24, 2014)

Hi All-

First I have to say with the thanks of this forum I was able to diagnose my 2011 1.4L Turbo cruze with a heatercore problem. I took it into my local dealership, and it "was fixed"

I purchased my vehicle used Oct 31, with 20,000kms on it. By Mid Nov I was having major fog issues, coolant smell and film on windows. Took it in, they wouldn't fix it, continued to badger and it was eventually fixed while still under manufacture warranty. 

After it was fixed i still was not convinced it was completely fixed, continued to take it in but because they could not replicate the fog issue they wouldn't do anything about it.

Flash forward to today, driving home from work, took a highway about 20kms, about 2 kms from home my engine suddenly starts overheating, suddenly i hear a burst of air at my feet & passenger seat, suddenly coolant is shooting out all around me, hit my legs, pooling on the floor, car starts smoking..I drove about 100m before pulling into a gas station.

I wasn't sure it was coolant until I looked under the hood, it was bone dry. so it must have dropped very suddenly and very quickly. Not to mention really dangerous for me- i was lucky i got out with just a mild burn.

I'm wondering how to go about fighting this with the dealership- i dont feel I should have to pay my deductible with my extended warranty- I'm quite convinced the issue wasn't fixed in the first place.. 

Any advice, or thoughts would be sooo appreciated. I'm quite stressed, this is the first vehicle that I purchased, and having the heater core replaced 3 months ago- i cant see how it would brake that quickly..unless there is some serious problems with GM's parts.


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## Jim Frye (Mar 16, 2011)

Let's see.
1. You had the heater core repaired/replaced.
2. The heater core sits at the front end of the center console area.
3. The coolant hoses for the heater core run right next to the driver's right leg.
4. My guess is that one of the heater hose coolant connectors let go. 
Why? Perhaps it wasn't done correctly? I'd contact the Chevy Customer Care people here and ask them for assistance with your dealer (or another one).


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## erincanada (Apr 24, 2014)

Jim Frye said:


> Let's see.
> 1. You had the heater core repaired/replaced.
> 2. The heater core sits at the front end of the center console area.
> 3. The coolant hoses for the heater core run right next to the driver's right leg.
> ...



Hi Jim, Thanks for the response. Yes heater core was replaced Late last year. Do you think it will still be covered under manufacture warranty seeing as how i brought this problem too them long before it was up? 

I must find one of those people and msg them- will they actually help though?


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## Jim Frye (Mar 16, 2011)

http://www.cruzetalk.com/forum/105-...media-customer-assistance-representative.html


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## Blue Angel (Feb 18, 2011)

I'm going to assume erincanada is located in Canada.  I don't think Chevy Customer Care can help directly, but they can certainly direct you to the correct people in Canada who can.

My feeling is, unless you can prove the failure was due to neglect on the part of the dealer who fixed the issue you may end up paying your deductible. Since they installed a new heater core and it held up for a year they will likely be able to say it wasn't due to poor workmanship, but a defective part.

It will be interesting to see what the cause of the problem was... whether the heater core came apart, a seal between the hose/line and core gave out, or one of the hoses/lines ruptured. Whatever it was it sounds like it failed in spectacular fashion!

Make sure a full interior trim/carpet teardown is part of the repair procedure, as well as a thorough shampooing of the carpets and floor mats. Any sound deadening below the carpet that got wet should be discarded and replaced. You don't want ANY trace of coolant left behind or your interior will smell for a long, long time.

One thing you may want to look into as well is documenting that the failure happened while the engine was running, and because you were on a road when it happened you had to keep the car running for a short time afterward to get safely off the road. If any heat related damage was done to the engine as a result you want to be covered. It's not likely in that short amount of time, but it never hurts to CYA.

Let us know how it turns out.


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## obermd (Mar 3, 2012)

Was your heater core replaced less than 12 months or 12,000 US miles ago? If so the repair should be covered completely if it is actually a hose connector failure. This would be an improper repair.


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## erincanada (Apr 24, 2014)

Blue Angel said:


> I'm going to assume erincanada is located in Canada.  I don't think Chevy Customer Care can help directly, but they can certainly direct you to the correct people in Canada who can.
> 
> My feeling is, unless you can prove the failure was due to neglect on the part of the dealer who fixed the issue you may end up paying your deductible. Since they installed a new heater core and it held up for a year they will likely be able to say it wasn't due to poor workmanship, but a defective part.
> 
> ...



Hi Blue Angel, my heater core was replaced months ago, not a year. I believe end Nov,early Dec. So it has not been even 6 months since replacement. 

Darn I contacted the GM folks..maybe they'll be able to help? I really hope so. Over the few months since they "fixed it" I never fully was convinced it was fixed, i still got coolant smell, and still had fog issues. But they wouldn't budge they just kept saying nothing else we could find...


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## erincanada (Apr 24, 2014)

obermd said:


> Was your heater core replaced less than 12 months or 12,000 US miles ago? If so the repair should be covered completely if it is actually a hose connector failure. This would be an improper repair.


Hi Obermd, heater core replaced end Nov/early Dec. We're now only April. Have put on maybe 5-6km..not sure how that compares to miles LOL. 

The whole situation is scary because once it happened i had to safely exit the street and get out of my vehicle so i drove 100m to the nearest gas station, and i've just heard horror stories they will blame it on me. I spoke with a neighbour who thinks it has to have been an improper repair because it was probably the hose. Also, the electrical was messed with, I rolled down my windows once in the parking lot because of all the smoke inside my vehicle...and after car was shut off and it was being towed, car would not turn on to roll up windows, and locking wouldn't work. I'm just very concerned there is majour damage here..luckily my deductible is only $200..but then I"m worried they will charge to detail and shampoo everything (it was on carpet, matt, seat, middle console, doors..it went EVERYWHERE.) and my car undoubtedly will stink for a long, long time unless shampooed properly


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## Jim Frye (Mar 16, 2011)

Good Grief! I hadn't thought about the coolant spraying all over the inside of the dash center stack. Could be the equivalent of a flood car now. Remediation may well be a very time consuming effort. I'm envisioning a complete dash tear down to clean things up.


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## obermd (Mar 3, 2012)

12,000 miles is 19,312 KM. As for the shampooing - this should all be covered as part of the repair, assuming Jim isn't right and GM "totals" the car under a flood protocol. Push for this to be a covered warranty repair based on the short amount of time and distance driven since the heater core was replaced. Unfortunately in Canada you may have to get a lawyer involved because from what I've seen here Canadians simply don't have some of the protections Americans have when it comes to crappy dealership service. Try without one first however.

Also, report this to https://wwwapps.tc.gc.ca/Saf-Sec-Sur/7/PCDB-BDPP/fc-cp.aspx?lang=eng as this is a serious failure of your car.


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## jblackburn (Apr 14, 2012)

Generally these heater core connectors are a quick-release snap-together type of tube...yes, I believe something let go under pressure.

I've actually had the coupler explode on another car I owned (under the hood on that one). Hose blew out and shot coolant/steam everywhere - I would sure hate for it to fail in that manner inside the car, and am glad you're OK after that.

I agree - I think they should cover their work on this and make sure they do it right this time. They may need to look at a water pump as well, since it sounds like the car started overheating before the connection failed.


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## erincanada (Apr 24, 2014)

obermd said:


> 12,000 miles is 19,312 KM. As for the shampooing - this should all be covered as part of the repair, assuming Jim isn't right and GM "totals" the car under a flood protocol. Push for this to be a covered warranty repair based on the short amount of time and distance driven since the heater core was replaced. Unfortunately in Canada you may have to get a lawyer involved because from what I've seen here Canadians simply don't have some of the protections Americans have when it comes to crappy dealership service. Try without one first however.
> 
> Also, report this to https://wwwapps.tc.gc.ca/Saf-Sec-Sur/7/PCDB-BDPP/fc-cp.aspx?lang=eng as this is a serious failure of your car.


Just heard from my dealership, they stated the heater core "failed again" and a clip on it had broken and was a faulty part. So they are replacing it under warranty and detailing my car compeltely. When i asked if they were replacing with new models of the parts she said no, that wasn't an option. Should i expect for this to continue to happen again?? Its a mess! She made it seem like faulty part rather than faulty mechanic. Guess I'll have to wait and see...just a shame, it could have been SO much more dangerous.


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## Blue Angel (Feb 18, 2011)

erincanada said:


> When i asked if they were replacing with new models of the parts she said no, that wasn't an option. Should i expect for this to continue to happen again?? Its a mess!


As long as you get the proper parts installed everything should be fine. There are hundreds of thousands of Cruzen running around without heater core failures.

MAKE SURE THE DEALER CHECKS YOUR *SURGE TANK CAP* to ensure it's working properly. With the number of cooling system failures you've had the system may be operating at higher than normal pressure.


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## obermd (Mar 3, 2012)

Once you get your car back I'd still report it to Transport Canada (link in a previous post).


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## Chevy Customer Care (Oct 29, 2011)

erincanada said:


> Hi Jim, Thanks for the response. Yes heater core was replaced Late last year. Do you think it will still be covered under manufacture warranty seeing as how i brought this problem too them long before it was up?
> 
> I must find one of those people and msg them- will they actually help though?


Hello Erin,

I see that Erica responded to your message earlier today. Please keep us updated once you speak to GM of Canada. Please don’t hesitate to reach out to us further if there is anything that we can do on our end. Thank you for taking the time to reach out to us. We will be sure to be on the lookout for your future updates or messages.

Gregory W. (Assisting)
Chevrolet Customer Care


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## erincanada (Apr 24, 2014)

Blue Angel said:


> As long as you get the proper parts installed everything should be fine. There are hundreds of thousands of Cruzen running around without heater core failures.
> 
> MAKE SURE THE DEALER CHECKS YOUR *SURGE TANK CAP* to ensure it's working properly. With the number of cooling system failures you've had the system may be operating at higher than normal pressure.


Thank you, I meantioned this to them to check


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## erincanada (Apr 24, 2014)

obermd said:


> Once you get your car back I'd still report it to Transport Canada (link in a previous post).


What will reporting it do, just out of curiosity?? Its not like GM will buy back my car, but im doubting it will ever be fixed if they are replacing with same model of part


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## erincanada (Apr 24, 2014)

Chevy Customer Care said:


> Hello Erin,
> 
> I see that Erica responded to your message earlier today. Please keep us updated once you speak to GM of Canada. Please don’t hesitate to reach out to us further if there is anything that we can do on our end. Thank you for taking the time to reach out to us. We will be sure to be on the lookout for your future updates or messages.
> 
> ...


Ggregory- I sent a msg back.


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## Eddy Cruze (Jan 10, 2014)

erincanada said:


> What will reporting it do, just out of curiosity?? Its not like GM will buy back my car, but im doubting it will ever be fixed if they are replacing with same model of part


It is not like G.M will craft a special replacement part for you? It will be the original part for your model. In fact many warranty parts can be reconditioned or remanufactured


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## obermd (Mar 3, 2012)

erincanada said:


> What will reporting it do, just out of curiosity?? Its not like GM will buy back my car, but im doubting it will ever be fixed if they are replacing with same model of part


It puts on a formal record that there was an issue that had potential safety implications. In this case scalding. Enough of these and Transport Canada will start investigating if there should be a recall.


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## Jim Frye (Mar 16, 2011)

I'll be surprised if this one doesn't smell of Dexcool for a long time to come.


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## jsusanka (Jan 31, 2011)

Definitely sounds like they didn't fix it right. No way I would pay the deductible or anything it is way to close to when you got the same problem fixed. Good luck.


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## Blue Angel (Feb 18, 2011)

Eddy Cruze said:


> In fact many warranty parts can be reconditioned or remanufactured


?

Care to give some examples?


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## Erastimus (Feb 9, 2012)

OMG, imagine a person from Mars just landed and is shopping for a car. They find this forum and spend a half hour on it. The Cruze is a piece of junk, they would say. Thousands with a coolant smell in the cabin and how an exploding one (inside the freaking car, OMG), an automatic transmission that is the pits, axle half shafts that break, single shot trunk relays that spuriously open the trunk, a 15 gallon gas tank that only allows a 12.6 gallon fill up, engine fires from sloppy oil changes with a free "cutaway" hack job as the solution which ruins the aerodynamics and allows rainwater splash all over the engine, the list goes on. So glad I am just leasing mine - $149/month for 39 months and 12,000 miles/year allowance. Plenty of mileage allowance for this old retired fart. So far, I just have the hack job cut out on the chin guard and I got the dealer to install a two shot trunk relay under warranty. At the end of 39 months I am going to offer GM two thousand dollars less than the residual to buy it because of all these problems and if they don't take that offer, I'll just walk away.


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## obermd (Mar 3, 2012)

Erastimus said:


> OMG, imagine a person from Mars just landed and is shopping for a car. They find this forum and spend a half hour on it. The Cruze is a piece of junk, they would say. Thousands with a coolant smell in the cabin and how an exploding one (inside the freaking car, OMG), an automatic transmission that is the pits, axle half shafts that break, single shot trunk relays that spuriously open the trunk, a 15 gallon gas tank that only allows a 12.6 gallon fill up, engine fires from sloppy oil changes with a free "cutaway" hack job as the solution which ruins the aerodynamics and allows rainwater splash all over the engine, the list goes on. So glad I am just leasing mine - $149/month for 39 months and 12,000 miles/year allowance. Plenty of mileage allowance for this old retired fart. So far, I just have the hack job cut out on the chin guard and I got the dealer to install a two shot trunk relay under warranty. At the end of 39 months I am going to offer GM two thousand dollars less than the residual to buy it because of all these problems and if they don't take that offer, I'll just walk away.


If you go onto any car forum you will get the same impression. The Martian needs to understand that car forums attract people with problems. That said, you just gave a good list of the major issues with the Cruze.


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## Blue Angel (Feb 18, 2011)

obermd said:


> The Martian needs to understand that car forums attract people with problems.


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## Eddy Cruze (Jan 10, 2014)

Blue Angel said:


> ?
> 
> Care to give some examples?


Generally 3rd party service contracts say this. Many Warranties, all kinds provide for a replacement part yet there is nothing to say a brand new part will be provided, just a replacement part. Let me ask you this? I had a rattle in my right wheel well, still do! My G.M. Shop foreman took an extended ride and heard the problem when I didn't, oh no. The next thing I know an entire Rear trailing arm was overnighted, and a perfectly good one was sent back to G.M. Do you think they just scrap it?


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## Jim Frye (Mar 16, 2011)

Blue Angel said:


> ?
> 
> Care to give some examples?


As I've stated before, my Son works for a Tier 1 supplier in R&D. When they get axles and drive trains back from warranty work, the items are inspected, torn down, and analyzed for whatever defect made them bad. Then they are scrapped. It costs too much money to repair them and put them back in the supply chain. Of course, their fail rate is really low, so they don't have that many to work with. There have been situations where post production runs have been repaired on the assembly shipping lot prior to the vehicles beng shipped to the dealers.


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## obermd (Mar 3, 2012)

Eddy Cruze said:


> Generally 3rd party service contracts say this. Many Warranties, all kinds provide for a replacement part yet there is nothing to say a brand new part will be provided, just a replacement part. Let me ask you this? I had a rattle in my right wheel well, still do! My G.M. Shop foreman took an extended ride and heard the problem when I didn't, oh no. The next thing I know an entire Rear trailing arm was overnighted, and a perfectly good one was sent back to G.M. Do you think they just scrap it?





Jim Frye said:


> As I've stated before, my Son works for a Tier 1 supplier in R&D. When they get axles and drive trains back from warranty work, the items are inspected, torn down, and analyzed for whatever defect made them bad. Then they are scrapped. It costs too much money to repair them and put them back in the supply chain. Of course, their fail rate is really low, so they don't have that many to work with. There have been situations where post production runs have been repaired on the assembly shipping lot prior to the vehicles beng shipped to the dealers.


I suspect the truth is somewhere in between these two extremes. Sometimes a part is still good and just needs to be cleaned up and it can then be reused. Other times it's simply too expensive or not even possible to do do this.


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## ChuzCruze (Feb 9, 2012)

I am a former GM Warranty Administrator for a Chevy dealership, so I have experience with how the process works. I can tell you that all "defective" parts that were removed during a warranty repair are kept in storage at the dealership until the warranty repair claim has been paid. About 5% of the time GM actually requested the part be shipped back to them for further analysis. The other 95% of the time the parts get thrown in the dumpster. I highly doubt that the 5% ever get back into the system.


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## erincanada (Apr 24, 2014)

So I have my car back, new heater core replaced, & car was shampooed...whoooey does thing smell!!!! It is unbearable. I took it out for a lengthier drive today and had a migraine, felt SO SICK. Took out the mats yesterday and haven't even put them back in as I am hoping they will air out better.

They replaced it with the same heater core model though...and didn't promise it wouldn't happen again, simply stated "we made sure the parts were screwed on tight" .....I am very fearful. Not only that I now cannot spend more than 15 minutes in my vehicle without being gassed out by coolant smell. It has been outside all day with windows & doors opened hoping for some relief- as my daily drive to work is 1 hr each way.. Still am stuck with this pesky migraine though.

I did check the coolant tank today,it has dropped from the top line above the pointing arrow to somewhere in between the top line & line underneath. Unsure if that means it has lost enough coolant to worry, or just that is natural to lose some. 

I did email the GM of my dealership expressing my concern with the vehicle- and the fact I can no longer enjoy it as the smell is overwhelming, and the worry of this issue occuring every 5000kms is a headache in itself.

They have a 2012 model on the lot now that I don't even know if I would consider...I really do love the car, just not this part of it.

Here's hoping for a positive outcome and that I can get rid of the smell. It's just too much!!


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## obermd (Mar 3, 2012)

Did they take apart the dash and clean and replace all the insulation? If not your car will always smell. With a coolant explosion like you had every single piece of absorbent material in the dash and front half of the car needs to be replaced. There is sound deadening insulation in the dash that will absorb coolant.

For the surge tank drop just keep an eye on it. As long as it stays at least an inch above the top of the large hose on the bottom side of the tank you have enough coolant.


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## erincanada (Apr 24, 2014)

obermd said:


> Did they take apart the dash and clean and replace all the insulation? If not your car will always smell. With a coolant explosion like you had every single piece of absorbent material in the dash and front half of the car needs to be replaced. There is sound deadening insulation in the dash that will absorb coolant.
> 
> For the surge tank drop just keep an eye on it. As long as it stays at least an inch above the top of the large hose on the bottom side of the tank you have enough coolant.



All my invoice says is interior shampooed.. they never mentioned taking apart the dash. Can I request this from them? I emailed the general mgr of the dealership to express my concern...... I'm just waiting to see if A) The smell will get better and B) the coolant level drops again.


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## Eddy Cruze (Jan 10, 2014)

Think of the Mold too! I had this happen on a Toyota although it was carpet less and easy to clean, never smelled with the Green stuff and didn't spread to anything except the floor. It did not burn nor scald me, more like I was getting peed on.


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## Jim Frye (Mar 16, 2011)

I have a question for the more knowledgeable folks here. Earlier, I compared this situation to a "flood" car. I was thinking more about electricals than absorbent materials. It is not my intention to frighten the OP or rub salt into the wound, but I ponder this: What effect would DexCool have on the wiring and electronics in the dash? I know antifreeze has corrosion inhibitors in it, but what effect does it have on copper wire, and circuit boards. Is it possible that the audio, or Nav system could be harmed in the future by DexCool intrusion?


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## obermd (Mar 3, 2012)

Unknown. If the dash had been taken apart and cleaned the answer would be no long term impact. Since it wasn't I really don't know. What we don't know is if there is some sort of "shield" above where the connector came apart to prevent coolant from spraying up into the dash.


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## Blue Angel (Feb 18, 2011)

This was my initial concern, that the sound deadening and other materials would have "sucked up" some coolant and will continue to smell for a long time afterward. The smell will diminish with time, but it may take a LONG time. I would speak with the service manager and ask them to come for a ride with you so they can experience the odor. You may get a much more comprehensive cleaning effort after that.


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## Blue Angel (Feb 18, 2011)

ChuzCruze said:


> ...all "defective" parts that were removed during a warranty repair are kept in storage at the dealership until the warranty repair claim has been paid.


This is exactly what I've been told by several different people over the years. Personal experience with a Saturn that had the hood replaced under the corrosion perforation warranty; the Service Advisor told me they had to send pictures of the hood on the car, then the hood off the car, then the hood "destroyed" and in the dumpster for them to get paid for the repair work. Standard procedure he said. I had asked if I could keep the old hood.


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## Eddy Cruze (Jan 10, 2014)

Why so many Internet experts here who basically will say anything? Most everything you have under warranty can use recycled parts. I can't see how this is news to anyone, jeez?
http://www.gmc.com/owners/warranty.html

*Bumper-to-Bumper*

*Covered for 3 years/36,000 miles[SUP]2[/SUP]*

GMC backs your new vehicle with its no-deductible, Bumper-to-Bumper Limited Warranty. The entire vehicle is warranted for repairs, including parts and labor, to correct any defect in materials or workmanship, for 3 years or 36,000 miles, whichever comes first (except normal maintenance). Needed repairs will be performed using new, remanufactured, or refurbished parts. The warranty covers towing to the nearest GMC dealership, and there is no deductible for warranty repairs during the warranty period. The warranty transfers automatically with vehicle ownership during the warranty period.


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## obermd (Mar 3, 2012)

Eddy Cruze said:


> Why so many Internet experts here who basically will say anything? Most everything you have under warranty can use recycled parts. I can't see how this is news to anyone, jeez?
> GMC Owners | Warranty Coverage and Information | GMC
> 
> *Bumper-to-Bumper*
> ...


What is stated and what really happens can be very different. The statement basically says that GM can reuse parts and you can't complain about it. The reality is that the cost of shipping and storage, especially in this day and age of just in time logistics, means that very few parts will actually be reused unless done at the same dealership. It's this "just in time" logistics that is the reason behind the delay in getting the right front axle half-shafts replaced.


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## Eddy Cruze (Jan 10, 2014)

Look I went to Google to find a better way to explain how refurbished parts are about the norm in most electronic repairs. I did not expect to find the actual G.M. policy. Truthfully all major Auto makers recycle parts, stuff like replacement radios & batteries and everything else. Didn't believe that dumpster story for a second!


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## Blue Angel (Feb 18, 2011)

Eddy Cruze said:


> Truthfully all major Auto makers recycle parts, stuff like replacement radios & batteries and everything else. Didn't believe that dumpster story for a second!


Certain parts require special disposal procedures, especially electronics and batteries where they are definitely "recycled". In this case they are destroyed and their precious and/or hazardous contents are separated and sent back to manufacturing facilities to be melted down and re-used as new raw materials. Heck, a brand new car has a high content of "recycled" parts in it if you want to look at it that way.

A heater core costs GM a few dollars. It's not worth it to pay someone to inspect and pressure test it just so it can be reused. I guarantee you GM is not using "remanufactured" or "refurbished" heater cores, or any other relatively inexpensive parts for that matter, which covers most parts in the car.

The "remanufactured" or "refurbished" inclusions in that statement will cover things like a rebuilt engine or transmission. It's quite common for a dealer to have a machine shop overbore a block and then rebuild the bottom end if there was oil consumption issues. I had it done on one car, and that would fit directly into the "remanufactured" or "refurbished" part of that statement. If I as a customer was not happy that they weren't simply installing a brand new engine, they would refer to that verbiage to justify their actions.

No need to go spreading fear.


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## jblackburn (Apr 14, 2012)

Blue Angel said:


> Certain parts require special disposal procedures, especially electronics and batteries where they are definitely "recycled". In this case they are destroyed and their precious and/or hazardous contents are separated and sent back to manufacturing facilities to be melted down and re-used as new raw materials. Heck, a brand new car has a high content of "recycled" parts in it if you want to look at it that way.
> 
> A heater core costs GM a few dollars. It's not worth it to pay someone to inspect and pressure test it just so it can be reused. I guarantee you GM is not using "remanufactured" or "refurbished" heater cores, or any other relatively inexpensive parts for that matter, which covers most parts in the car.
> 
> ...


Yes, my dad's car has a rebuilt transfer case under warranty. It has worked just fine for the past 7 years.

Smaller parts though, AFAIK, are typically new, taken off the shelf or sourced from the same manufacturer used for production parts. Things such as a heater core, suspension parts, fans, seats, body panels, etc. Things like an alternator, engine, or transmission may be rebuilt, and as far as I see it, that's fine.


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## Eddy Cruze (Jan 10, 2014)

Blue Angel said:


> The "remanufactured" or "refurbished" inclusions in that statement will cover things like a rebuilt engine or transmission. It's quite common for a dealer to have a machine shop overbore a block and then rebuild the bottom end if there was oil consumption issues. I had it done on one car, and that would fit directly into the "remanufactured" or "refurbished" part of that statement. If I as a customer was not happy that they weren't simply installing a brand new engine, they would refer to that verbiage to justify their actions.
> 
> No need to go spreading fear.


No fear here, and the Battery was a bad example although they do get recycled! I have a buggy rear view camera. If I get it replaced I have no reasonable expectation that the part will be Factory fresh? It will be a replacement part under full warranty but I will not know, nor am I necessarily due a new part.


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## spacedout (Dec 7, 2010)

Eddy Cruze said:


> No fear here, and the Battery was a bad example although they do get recycled! I have a buggy rear view camera. If I get it replaced I have no reasonable expectation that the part will be Factory fresh? It will be a replacement part under full warranty but I will not know, nor am I necessarily due a new part.


They will not put old electronics or refurbished electronics in your new car under warranty, period. The wording in that warranty info you posted is just so you don't expect a new engine when they can machine, rebuild & re-manufacture the block and head in most instances.

Recycled parts is more than likely just talking about reusing some of your existing good parts, no they do not go to the salvage yard and procure parts for your new car.


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## erincanada (Apr 24, 2014)

Hi all-

So i have been driving the car more, today when I got in, the light on the dash was glowing red- never seen this before. The only time I have seen this, is blinking, once my car is locked, and i believe only at night. My entire drive to work (40kms) it was glowing. As well it seems my gas gage is stuck as well...anyone had experience with these?? Concerned the coolant messed with the electric, they stated they checked it but I have my fears.


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## Blue Angel (Feb 18, 2011)

Monitor the situation closely for the next few days (and top up your tank to avoid running out of fuel!), make a list of everything you notice and get back in touch with the service manager. If there is any collateral damage from the coolant rupture it should all be fixed under warranty. Your dealer may have some trouble billing this work to GM since it will count as a second repair for the same failure, but that's not your problem.


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## Zach.K (Apr 17, 2014)

Eddy Cruze said:


> Why so many Internet experts here who basically will say anything? Most everything you have under warranty can use recycled parts. I can't see how this is news to anyone, jeez?
> http://www.gmc.com/owners/warranty.html
> 
> *Bumper-to-Bumper*
> ...


No one appreciates the attitude guy.were trying to help the OP.

I would consider coolant soaked carpet and matting a defect in workmanship. If the smell remains after the so called "shampoo" then it remains defective workmanship. 

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## blk88verde (Apr 30, 2011)

> suddenly coolant is shooting out all around me, hit my legs, pooling on the floor,


 This reminds me of the problems I had with a 1980 SAAB 900 Turbo. The heater control valve in the dash failed (multiple times) and I had a bout an inch or so of hot coolant in the drivers foot area. After about three failures, I decided, during the warmer months to just bypass the heater under the hood with an elbow and some hose clamps.


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## jblackburn (Apr 14, 2012)

blk88verde said:


> This reminds me of the problems I had with a 1980 SAAB 900 Turbo. The heater control valve in the dash failed (multiple times) and I had a bout an inch or so of hot coolant in the drivers foot area. After about three failures, I decided, during the warmer months to just bypass the heater under the hood with an elbow and some hose clamps.


LOL my 1985 did that too...4 times in its life.


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## Eddy Cruze (Jan 10, 2014)

spacedout said:


> They will not put old electronics or refurbished electronics in your new car under warranty, period. The wording in that warranty info you posted is just so you don't expect a new engine when they can machine, rebuild & re-manufacture the block and head in most instances.
> 
> Recycled parts is more than likely just talking about reusing some of your existing good parts, no they do not go to the salvage yard and procure parts for your new car.


 They ABSOLUTELY, let me repeat absolutely can & do use reconditioned electrical parts when available? You seem to mistakenly think you are *entitled* to receive new replacement parts and components under warranty coverage, that is why I posted the GM page. This goes for Hyundai, Ford, and every other Auto manufacturer on the Planet. Notice our Chevy Manager isn't telling me how incorrect I am?


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## erincanada (Apr 24, 2014)

Took it in, after further inspection today I found a hanging wire of some sort, and loose plastic in my dash.

I took it up with the dealership manager, and they are apprasing my vehicle as we speak. There is the same model of my car on the lot but 2012. I don't know what they will do...I doubt they will buy back- I have put 10,000kms on it since I bought it. I'm just confused on what my option is. Obviously if they are even looking into it they realize its not a good vehicle. Anyone know common issues with 2012's?? I do really love the car..I do. Its the type of vehicle I need...and I realize this won't happen with each and every Cruze, I just want to know what my options are...By them looking at my options, do they realize I have a dead end?


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## jblackburn (Apr 14, 2012)

If the car has otherwise been good to you, I wouldn't bother losing the money on a trade. Just tell them you want the work done, and done right. That means drying out and cleaning the insulation under the carpet - that holds a crap ton of water - and fixing the dash and wiring they took apart. Sounds like the mechanic rushed through the job. 

As far as 2012 - they have the common problems all the rest of em do. 


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## erincanada (Apr 24, 2014)

jblackburn said:


> If the car has otherwise been good to you, I wouldn't bother losing the money on a trade. Just tell them you want the work done, and done right. That means drying out and cleaning the insulation under the carpet - that holds a crap ton of water - and fixing the dash and wiring they took apart. Sounds like the mechanic rushed through the job.
> 
> As far as 2012 - they have the common problems all the rest of em do.
> 
> ...


But then what would you suggest for if the heater core busts again after another 5,000kms..I can't predict that at this point and thats the part that worries me. If they didn't fix it last time, and replaced the heater core so short ago, how do I know it won't happen again? I agree- they probably can spend the time making it right. But how do I know it won't happen moving forward?


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## jblackburn (Apr 14, 2012)

Heater cores themselves are designed so that they will leak slowly (your window fogging issue) rather than explode. While this small leakage and window fogging has been heard of on some Cruzen, typically once replaced, I haven't seen those owners come back with issues, so I suspect that was an initial build parts quality failure that has since been addressed with the parts supplier. 

It is also uncommon, though not unheard of, for the junction couplers to let go catastrophically - those hoses are under tons of pressure and need to be secured very well. Done right, secured well, that shouldn't let loose again. 

When the heater hose let go on my old car, that was expected - the rubber hoses under the hood were 10+ years old. I made the mistake of not replacing the 10-year-old brittle plastic clips in the coupler, and that hose shot back out again at a later date. 

From the junction box under the hood to the heater core inside the car are typically high-temp plastic or aluminum pipes to reduce the risk of hot coolant inside the car. 

If the dealer mechanics have done their job properly, the coupling to the heater core should not fail like that again and personally,I wouldn't bother moving to another Cruze, especially if the "deal" they cut you loses money for you in the meantime. However, they should absolutely fix the dash wiring and seal on the dash tunnel that it sounds like they messed up when reassembling. 

Continue to keep an eye on the coolant level in the tank - it should settle somewhere between the top of the arrow and the bottom of the arrow once all the air is burped out of the system. If it continues to drop and/or the car starts overheating at any point again, take it back immediately - there may be a leak at the water pump or other area that has been causing excess.cooling system pressure in the first place. 


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## Erastimus (Feb 9, 2012)

Geez, don't scare the girl - "tons of pressure"??? I thought it was 20 psig, not 2000+ psig. Erin - the scientific definition of an explosion is "a sudden equilibration of a high pressure gas with the environment; the equilibration must take so fast that the energy is dissipated in the form of a shock wave." The lawyer's definition is "it make a noise and it hurt her." Maybe you should get a lawyer.


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## Blue Angel (Feb 18, 2011)

Erastimus said:


> Geez, don't scare the girl... ...Maybe you should get a lawyer.


Who's scaring who?

Regarding pressure, at 20 psi there's roughly 6 lbs of force acting on a 5/8" ID heater hose trying to pull it off the heater core. That 6 lbs of force is TONS of (relative) force when you consider the hose clasp letting go and the only thing left resisting that 6 lbs of force is the inertia of the coolant's mass. That coolant will come FLYING out of there very quickly, especially if the drop in cooling system pressure allows the coolant in the cylinder head to boil generating steam and causing further expansion. Just ask the OP... I'm sure it wasn't a pleasant experience.

All that said, the cooling system is not under "dangerous" levels of pressure. Harm done by escaping coolant has a lot more to do with its temperature than its escape energy. Nothing to be worried about... all cars on the road operate the same way give or take a few PSI.


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## erincanada (Apr 24, 2014)

Oh no ones scaring me here- thats why I came here- for help. And I hope with solving these issues I will be able to keep my car, and eventually, it will work as a new car should.

Yes it was an unpleasent experience- I think they realize it could have been a lawsuit against them had I have been injured further, a minor burn, although not ideal, is not the end of the world. Would have been a way different situation if I was driving faster, and not able to control my vehicle. They realize that.

I sent an email back today requesting that they please just clean my dash properly to help eliminate any further smells, and, just fix the car right. I don't want to trade it in, I realize if I get rid of it chances of me getting the vehicle with all the ugrades this has, I'll be paying. And I spent 18k cash on it..I don't exactly have a ton of money laying around to upgrade. So, hopefully the General Manager will simply have the mechanics do the job correctly and actually take the time. And probably, I will shop around to another dealership in the area for future fixes, oil changes, etc. I think we can all agree this was a service technician lack of attention while fixing the vehicle. I was disgusted yesterday, seeing another random wire just hanging...how can they take such a lack of care, after they could have had a MUCH more serious incident in their hands...its beyond me. So we will see what they do, hopefully they fix the rest of these issues, my thought is they will come back now and say these new issues (security light being on, wire hanging, gas gage) are not caused by this event and i'll have to pay. In that case, I'll be contacting GM Canada to file a formal complaint against the dealership.

Again, I really appreciate all the insight. I am a young female, and when dealing with a mostly male dealership I don't want to have them thinking they can treat me however because I'm a female who doesn't have a TON of knowledge about cars.


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## Erastimus (Feb 9, 2012)

Erin, if I can learn to sew, you can learn about cars if you have the time and the desire. Start by taking an adult education class at your local high school on auto repair. There is one offered here in my town in the U.S. but not sure if such things exist in your country. Then start with the small stuff by searching YouTube for "how to" videos. There is an incredible amount of easy to follow video instruction on car maintenance and repair on YouTube. Like the guys that have responded to you (some with over 10,000 posts on this forum), I am a high end DIY guy when it comes to car maintenance and repair. Here is just one example of the power of YouTube on this topic - I decided to replace the in-cabin air filter on my 2013 Taurus. The owner's manual said "It is located in front of the windshield, under the air intake cowl. See your authorized dealer for replacement." I consider that last statement a challenge. So I removed all the fasteners that hold the air intake cowl to the firewall, removed it and then started a search for the in cabin air filter. No could find. Went in the house and did a YouTube search. First video I found was how to do this on a 2004 Taurus. Sure enough, under the cowl it was. So I searched some more on YouTube and found the holy grail - a video on how to change the filter on a 2013 Taurus. Just as I suspected, the filter is located behind the glove compartment. Removing the glove compartment is a piece of cake and then there is a plastic cover to unsnap that reveals the filter. The dealer gets about $50 for this service! The filter costs about $18 at Canadian Tire or other auto parts stores in your country. I have written to Ford to tell them of their error - they never changed the Owner's Manual when the new Taurus came out in 2010. We had a guy down here who once said "a penny saved is a penny earned" back when a penny was worth something. Learning about how to do basic maintenance and basic repairs on a car is a great way to save a whole bunch of pennies. Take care and happy motoring.


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## obermd (Mar 3, 2012)

I'd like to add to Erastimus' comments that there are multiple how-to threads here on CruzeTalk. The difficulty of these DIYs range from very easy and safe to do to threads that require specialized tools and carry both risk to the car and to the DIYer if not done properly and with appropriate safety precautions.


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## erincanada (Apr 24, 2014)

sooo. updates.

My car was at the dealership for 2 weeks. Got it back last tuesday. They replaced the box around the heatercore, fixed the wiring, ripped out the carpets & replaced them, fixed the electrical....the list is so long.

I have never been SO unhappy with a dealership.

I go to pick up my car, and the Service Manager tries to put blame on me, tells me this is a lot of paperwork, over $2000 they've put into it and I'm lucky. I find this digesting and so disrespectful. But fine, I take my car and attempt to get back to normal life.

This week it rains, and is the first wet morning since winter.

Its 15 degrees so very warm. And guess what- fogging issues is still here. Absolutely zero visability again, unless the defrost is turned up to max heat & blasting power. Unacceptable. I really fear as though this will never be fixed..I took it to the dealership and all they could say was "well its not the heatercore" and that they can't do anything until they see it.

I provided them with photos of my vehicle. My drive to work is 1 hr, imagine a 15 degree day, having to have heat blasting...completely uncomfortable. I am just SO unahappy with all this- the salesman who sold me the car actually told me that my car is cursed...WTF is this?!?! Where do i go from here??


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## obermd (Mar 3, 2012)

If you didn't have any odor it isn't the heater core. Has the odor been eliminated? My ECO MT is the easiest fogging car I've ever driven.


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## erincanada (Apr 24, 2014)

Inside the cab is scent free  But that morning when I got out to look under the hood i could smell coolant. Its hard to judge though because I've only had it back a small amount of time..I'm not sure exactly how long i should be smelling the coolant before it shouldn't be smelling anymore. They claimed they "weren't smelling it outside the car" 

But regardless my point is- Based on my initial bringing it too them with the fogging issue-they deamed it heater core and fixed it under manufacture warranty. Now its still happening and the heater core is fixed and they're basically saying i'll have to pay my deductible. And won't do anything at all really. He basically just brushed me off and said "no nothing wrong' even with photo proof. Its unbelievable and I am so at a loss with what to do. Especially considering my sales guy tells me my car is doomed!!


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## obermd (Mar 3, 2012)

Have you contacted GM Canada?


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## erincanada (Apr 24, 2014)

I think that might be my next step. I wanted to give the dealership the benefit of the doubt before going straight to the top. Give them a chance because they have a good reputation in my area.


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## Chevy Customer Care (Oct 29, 2011)

erincanada said:


> I think that might be my next step. I wanted to give the dealership the benefit of the doubt before going straight to the top. Give them a chance because they have a good reputation in my area.


Hello erincanada,

If you would like the GM Customer Care of Canada's number, here it is for your convenience; 800-263-3777. They should be able to assist you with any concern you may be experiencing with your vehicle. Have a great day!

Patsy G
Chevrolet Customer Care


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## spacedout (Dec 7, 2010)

obermd said:


> My ECO MT is the easiest fogging car I've ever driven.


My thought on this are the HVAC system is poorly designed. I have never had a car that the air vent temperature on a 60F(15C) day is 75F. Because the air is heated it causes fogging since the temperature is not warm enough to clear the windows, but warmer than the outside temperature. This fogging is even worse if you live in a hilly area with temperature drops in the valleys. I have had 60-80% of my windshield fog over in a matter of 30 seconds driving down onto a valley. 

I bought weathertech window visors for my car, this has eliminated all my fogging issues. Was a downpour a few days back and with all 4 windows cracked and HVAC off, I got no fogging. Dead of winter before the tiny engine builds heat, it was also great to crack a couple windows & be able to leave the heat on floor to warm me and not need to use the practically useless defroster.


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## ChuzCruze (Feb 9, 2012)

Eddy Cruze - I was referring to parts like the trailing arm that you were speaking about. Relatively inexpensive parts are not reused because the cost of remanufacture are prohibitive. You are absolutely correct that remanufactured parts are used. Things like: engines, transmissions, transfer cases, HVAC boxes and even radios (yup, even electronics...because they are expensive to manufacture). Remanufactured parts go through rigorous testing, actually more tests than new parts. I am sure all manufacturers do this, not just GM. Even electronic companies do this...do you own an HP computer? I heard from a HP tech that they use remanufactured parts in their computers, not sure if this is true or not, but I wouldn't be surprised.

I agree that the HVAC system is a very poor design in the Cruze. I never liked that there was always warm air coming from the vents. Poor design, very poor design indeed.


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## Blue Angel (Feb 18, 2011)

I'm not sure if the fogging is a problem with your specific car, or a "feature" of the Cruze in general. As others have mentioned, the Cruze seems to suffer from this as much or more than other cars. You should try using your AC and see if that clears things up. The AC should come on automatically when the weather is warmer than 4C and the vent selector is set to full windshield defrost, regardless of the temperature knob position.

Another thing to make sure of is that the inside of the windshield is perfectly clean. Any film or residue will accelerate fogging issues.

Can you elaborate further on your coolant smell? You can smell it under the hood but not in the car?


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## diesel (Jun 8, 2013)

erincanada said:


> sooo. updates.
> 
> My car was at the dealership for 2 weeks. Got it back last tuesday. They replaced the box around the heatercore, fixed the wiring, ripped out the carpets & replaced them, fixed the electrical....the list is so long.
> 
> ...


Sorry for the obvious suggestion, but please confirm that your recirc is off, and letting fresh air from outside in.


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## erincanada (Apr 24, 2014)

diesel said:


> Sorry for the obvious suggestion, but please confirm that your recirc is off, and letting fresh air from outside in.



I will check that actually!! Obvious or not I've never really paid attention.


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## erincanada (Apr 24, 2014)

Blue Angel said:


> I'm not sure if the fogging is a problem with your specific car, or a "feature" of the Cruze in general. As others have mentioned, the Cruze seems to suffer from this as much or more than other cars. You should try using your AC and see if that clears things up. The AC should come on automatically when the weather is warmer than 4C and the vent selector is set to full windshield defrost, regardless of the temperature knob position.
> 
> Another thing to make sure of is that the inside of the windshield is perfectly clean. Any film or residue will accelerate fogging issues.
> 
> Can you elaborate further on your coolant smell? You can smell it under the hood but not in the car?


Windshield is definitely clean. I wash my car just about once per week, including windexing the interior and exterior of the windows with a high grade car window cleaning windex. Went out and bought it after the coolant was filmed on my interior windows...now I make sure to watch it all the time. 

Yes i could smell strong coolant under the hood, but it was still new car smelling in the car.


*The AC should come on automatically when the weather is warmer than 4C and the vent selector is set to full windshield defrost, regardless of the temperature knob position. *I have never had this happen in my car. I have always had to turn the AC button on myself. The mornings are still quite cool so sometimes I have to use heat for the first couple of minutes on my drive...then I generally just turn it off. I will try the AC in the future though, thanks for that suggestion.


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## obermd (Mar 3, 2012)

erincanada said:


> Windshield is definitely clean. I wash my car just about once per week, including windexing the interior and exterior of the windows with a high grade car window cleaning windex. Went out and bought it after the coolant was filmed on my interior windows...now I make sure to watch it all the time.
> 
> Yes i could smell strong coolant under the hood, but it was still new car smelling in the car.
> 
> ...


Check your coolant level. I wonder if it's been overfilled. Anything above the top of the arrow (top rib) is definitely too much and anything above halfway between the top two ribs (top and bottom of arrow) is questionable.


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## erincanada (Apr 24, 2014)

obermd said:


> Check your coolant level. I wonder if it's been overfilled. Anything above the top of the arrow (top rib) is definitely too much and anything above halfway between the top two ribs (top and bottom of arrow) is questionable.



Checked. When cold it is just above the cold arrow. (first one)


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## obermd (Mar 3, 2012)

erincanada said:


> Checked. When cold it is just above the cold arrow. (first one)


Top or bottom of the arrow? I'm not sure what "cold" arrow means in this context.


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## Blue Angel (Feb 18, 2011)

There's only one arrow AFAIK, and it points to the top "rib" or fill line. That rib is the "Full Cold" mark.

Make sure your car is parked on a relatively level surface when checking your coolant level. Because the tank is relatively shallow and is longer front to rear than it is wide side to side, even the incline of the average driveway will affect the reading quite a bit. If you're parked facing up an incline the tank will read lower than it actually is, and higher than actual if parked down an incline.


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## erincanada (Apr 24, 2014)

Hi All- I'm back again. My car has still had constant problems of the same issue. I've started the process with CAMVAP at this point. After my last post- the issue was still not fixed. The issues were still justas bad so I went to GM to speak to them. Had to FIGHT them to not charge me for the repairs as when I originally brought it to the dealership it was still under manufacture warranty. That has been my fight the entire time..is that I brought it well before the manufacture warranty was up- its not my problem the dealership isn't completing the work properly. So GM finally agreed I would not have to pay..and I took it to a different dealership down the road. Gus Brown in Whitby on. They "fixed" it as well. Basically they said they rebooted the computer system. This was November 2014. It was significantly better, but still no where near normal. And the coolant smell was strong again. I take it to Gus Brown today for its regular oil change and get this- I get a call saying they have found a coolant leak near the engine!!! I lost it... not at them luckily I kept my cool but my god!!!! How can this be STILL happening?? They said it "may" be covered under power train. At this point I don't care about if its covered or not..this car has been in the dealership more than I'vehad it! They tell me they don't have the part- I can't drive it as it is not safe and the coolant COULD explode in my vehicle enough- but they can't cover a rental because they "don't know" if its covered. COME ON!!!! I contacted GM again and have officially filed a report with CAMVAP- at this point I have spent hours, weeks, days, without my vehicle waiting for this issue to be fixed. I'm looking for some thoughts... am I out of line? Has anyone filed through CAMVAP yet? as there isn't an official "lemon law" in ontario... I just have a ton of documentation, i think i have a decent case here. Any insight would be helpful.


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## Blue Angel (Feb 18, 2011)

erincanada said:


> They "fixed" it as well. Basically they said they rebooted the computer system. This was November 2014. It was significantly better, but still no where near normal.


I would be interested in knowing a lot more about this. Can you ask them specifically what was done with the system "re-boot"? Sounds to me like they may have installed an upgraded software or something of that nature... ?



erincanada said:


> And the coolant smell was strong again. I take it to Gus Brown today for its regular oil change and get this- I get a call saying they have found a coolant leak near the engine!!! I lost it... not at them luckily I kept my cool but my god!!!! How can this be STILL happening?? *They said it "may" be covered under power train.*


It's absolutely unacceptable for a dealership to call you back and offer up that they "don't know" if something is covered or not. What a steaming pile... and gives the customer little confidence in them. Customer/dealer relations is something GM has struggled with for eternity, and continues to do so. They just don't get it.



erincanada said:


> At this point I don't care about if its covered or not..this car has been in the dealership more than I've had it! They tell me they don't have the part- I can't drive it as it is not safe and the coolant COULD explode in my vehicle enough- but they can't cover a rental because they "don't know" if its covered. COME ON!!!! I contacted GM again and have officially filed a report with CAMVAP- at this point I have spent hours, weeks, days, without my vehicle waiting for this issue to be fixed. I'm looking for some thoughts... am I out of line? Has anyone filed through CAMVAP yet? as there isn't an official "lemon law" in ontario... I just have a ton of documentation, i think i have a decent case here. Any insight would be helpful.


You're not out of line at all. They dropped the ball by not getting your car fixed properly the first time and making you jump through hoops. File your claim and put the screws to them, I think you've been patient enough.

Cruze coolant leaks are common enough, but not so much that they should be out of stock on parts. And they "don't know" so they can't cover a rental? Sounds like a crappy way to deal with a customer to me.

It's funny that they haven't figured it out yet. I bought a '96 Saturn from Motorcity Saturn just up the street (now a Mitsubishi dealer). That Saturn dealer absolutely knew how to treat a customer right when their vehicle had issues. I loved that car, but it had a few issues that needed to be dealt with. The difference was that the dealer was an absolute pleasure to deal with, and any time my car was in for something unscheduled they ALWAYS put me in a loaner or a rental no questions asked. I never hesitated to take my car in because I knew it would be as painless as possible.

Lo and behold, I returned and bought an '01 years later.

All you're expecting is proper and courteous treatment. "We don't know" doesn't fit that description, in my opinion. Do what you need to do and don't feel bad about it. If something you're doing is unreasonable the folks at CAMVAP will advise you on what direction to take. Keep us posted, and good luck.


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## iKermit (Dec 13, 2010)

erincanada said:


> Hi All- I'm back again. My car has still had constant problems of the same issue. I've started the process with CAMVAP at this point.


I think we all would agree with you that this is the best route currently. Sorry to hear about all this mess.


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## erincanada (Apr 24, 2014)

Thanks for the support. I'm a little nervous about the process..again I am a young female and I don't want that to be used against me. From the time I bought the car in Oct 2013 to now- the car has been in for this "coolant" (heater core, coolant explosion, etc) this will be its 7th time now? I think they've had ample time to "get it right" I'm just so upset. The amount of time and stress I have put into this- is insane. The service guy who called said it was a seal that was broken but it wasn't their fault. I again said-listen you were supposed to check this when you "fixed" it. I kept my cool with him but the guy turned into a complete JERK when I went to approach him to ask him more about this. He shut me down and did not want to help me in any way, had no answers, all because the "mechanic" or the "manager" wasn't there to tell him if it was covered or not. All he said was I can't drive it because it may explode in my vehicle again if i do so. GREAT! SO you're letting me drive away with an unsafe car and can't help me. But all he could say is they will "need it for a while". 


When it comes to the computer- the guy just said it needed "upgrades" in order to circulate the air properly, and that was the only problem as to why my car would not defrost. And I'm the first to admit it helped- But i told him a week after it still wasn't perfect. And I did advise him that my vents started squeaking, they made sounds like a duck- and that started AFTER they did this "fix". But again , i was told if they can't hear it they don't know.. but its probably unrelated. Ya right- thats all this company has done is spew me crap to try and get me to pay. I'm just SOOO fed up. Sorry for ranting. I was incredibly upset when I heard it yesterday.


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## Blue Angel (Feb 18, 2011)

Good luck, and let us know how things work out. The fact you have consulted a mediator should wipe out any doubts of this being handled in a biased fashion because you're female. That service guy sounds like a real piece of work...

Man, if I could fly I'd love to be there to hear the explanation of all this as it happened to you, then feed them a line or two right back. If you can't tell, I've had a few "off" dealings with dealer service folk in the past.


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## obermd (Mar 3, 2012)

erincanada said:


> Thanks for the support. I'm a little nervous about the process..again I am a young female and I don't want that to be used against me. From the time I bought the car in Oct 2013 to now- the car has been in for this "coolant" (heater core, coolant explosion, etc) this will be its 7th time now? I think they've had ample time to "get it right" I'm just so upset. The amount of time and stress I have put into this- is insane. The service guy who called said it was a seal that was broken but it wasn't their fault. I again said-listen you were supposed to check this when you "fixed" it. I kept my cool with him but the guy turned into a complete JERK when I went to approach him to ask him more about this. He shut me down and did not want to help me in any way, had no answers, all because the "mechanic" or the "manager" wasn't there to tell him if it was covered or not. All he said was I can't drive it because it may explode in my vehicle again if i do so. GREAT! SO you're letting me drive away with an unsafe car and can't help me. But all he could say is they will "need it for a while".
> 
> 
> When it comes to the computer- the guy just said it needed "upgrades" in order to circulate the air properly, and that was the only problem as to why my car would not defrost. And I'm the first to admit it helped- But i told him a week after it still wasn't perfect. And I did advise him that my vents started squeaking, they made sounds like a duck- and that started AFTER they did this "fix". But again , i was told if they can't hear it they don't know.. but its probably unrelated. Ya right- thats all this company has done is spew me crap to try and get me to pay. I'm just SOOO fed up. Sorry for ranting. I was incredibly upset when I heard it yesterday.


Get a lawyer. Also, is there a different Chevy dealership you can go to. The one you've been trying do deal with is staffed by a bunch of buffoons (I'd say monkeys but that's an insult to primates everywhere.


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## erincanada (Apr 24, 2014)

I can't afford a lawyer right now sadly. I've had other financial situations happening that make me completely unable to afford a lawyer.


And this is the second dealership i've been too in my area, which is why I've had enough. I purchased from Mary Nurse Chevrolet, and then when I took it to GM Management- they allowed me to have the second service (completed Nov 2014- the computer reboot I was referring too) was done at Gus Brown - so I've been to two different dealerships...


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## erincanada (Apr 24, 2014)

So the dealership contacted me and said it is fixed under power train. Great. But they are fighting me saying they are all unrelated and this leak is "minor" although the car isn't driveable. i'm still moving forward with my camvap application- I'm just worried that they are going to tell me nothing is wrong and everything is non related. I said to the manager- Look- for someone who doesnt know an extreme amount of cars, when all I hear is "coolant" this, and coolant that, heatercore, etc...it all sounds the same to me! They must all be related! I'm not that dumb. But bright side is i don't have to pay, and it wasn't a fight for once.


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## Blue Angel (Feb 18, 2011)

Well, you are correct in that they are all related. There is only one coolant system on the car. But, and it's a big BUT, the cooling system includes dozens of parts, any of which could fail, and any of those failures could result in symptoms either related or non-related to what you've experienced in the past. This will back up the dealer's case. What you know is coolant has leaked/is leaking and caused issues. They are going to say, "Yeah, but it leaked from different places each time."

Hopefully you will get some good advice from the mediator. I'm pretty sure Lemon Laws require the exact same failure condition repeatedly, I'm not sure how CAMVAP works. Please let us know what they say.

Did they describe this new coolant leak or tell you exactly what it was? If not, please share the details of your invoice after getting it repaired. Too bad they got your feathers ruffled for absolutely no reason by being "not sure" about your coverage. That kind of stuff is not necessary. It will be interesting to see what they decided was an "unsafe to drive" coolant leak also.


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## obermd (Mar 3, 2012)

erincanada said:


> Blue Angel,
> 
> This was the dealerships response:
> 
> ...


The engine coolant system runs a line through the cabin heater core and is not technically part of the engine, but a leak there can impact the engine. In fact the 2011 model year had significant issues with the cabin heater core leaking. The fact that you went to CAMVAP may be part of why you are no longer getting the runaround.


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## Blue Angel (Feb 18, 2011)

So do they still have your car captive, or have they determined the leak isn't actually that severe?

Obermd is probably right. That, or the guy got a talking to from someone higher up.


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## erincanada (Apr 24, 2014)

No they told me my car could be driven short distances, which for me means basically non drive able because my main use is to get to and from work which Is a two hour commute. So in my case, not usable. So it sits in the driveway until they call me. 

I never actually told the dealership I contacted camvap- I only told him I have gone back to GM management.. Which by theway they were "supposed" to be in touch today but conveniently never contacted me...


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## spacedout (Dec 7, 2010)

Sure the heater core is feed by coolant but that does not mean it has anything to do with the current coolant leak, GM is right in this case. I suspect if you looked what line is leaking on the car now it is no where near the lines that feed your heater core. 

There is a coolant line in the drivers side of engine that has been redesigned because a seal will sometimes develop a leak, I wonder if this is where your current issue lay.


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