04/17/07 - 29668 miles - Radio fixed - NOT !! - Other Issues

The radio was finally in at the dealer. An appointment was set up for 04/17/08. I showed up with TSB's I printed off AllData.com. I paid for a one year subscription to see if I'd have better luck figuring out what was going on with our Uplander. The new service manager didn't like it that I brought in a list of possible TSB's. I said the TSB on the radio that you found last week was issued in the summer of 2005 and we bought the van in September of 2005. The other service managers did not find a TSB that was there since before we even owned the vehicle!!

I gave him my list and he said they were not valid and that only GM TSB's were to be followed. He said there was more on my list than what was on the schedule to be looked at and fixed today. I agreed and said I was just bringing them to the dealer attention. I became upset. All I was trying to do was give him some history on our old problems and current problems, and he said to stop or he'd throw me out of the business. Another professional employee. I think he felt that I was showing him up by having the TSB's. This was nothing against him. He had found the radio problem, the DVD issue, and the dimming light problem the last time on 04/04/07.

After I picked up the van that evening (after hours) I tried the DVD player and it didn't hiss or have static anymore because it didn't work. I tried the DVD player and there is only a picture. No Sound - unless you plug in a set of head phones, not not the wireless headphones that come with the Uplander, regular wired ones. If you try to switch on the DVD player says "No Radio". Unbelievable.

04/04/07 - 28461 - Drop off for new service manger to look at.

On 04/04/07 I dropped off our Uplander to see what the new service manger could figure out and fix. The Radio issue was confirmed and a new radio was ordered. Other issues were looked at(DVD Static, dimming headlights)and parts were ordered. I do not have paper work for the 04/04/07 visit.

03/27/07 - Miles unknown - Call to dealer for followup of 12/27/06 Service

I called to check on the tires under warranty and the radio that was ordered. To my surprise there was no record of the radio being ordered or the tires. There was a new service manager and once again no record was left by the other service manager. I asked to speak to the owner. I explained that we were still waiting for parts ordered back in December of 2006. He explained that the previous service manager had health problems and left. He said give him a few days to look everything up and he's get back to me. He mentioned he doubted the tires were covered since they are a wearable item.

I had not heard anything from the dealer for over a week so I called back on 03/27/07. I called and asked to speak to the owner. He said, "Hi Lance", I'll put you through to the new service manager. He forwarded me to the new manager. His first words were "What can I help you with?" I said "The owner has filled you in on my van's problem?" and he said no, I don't know anything about your car. I lost it!!! I asked to speak to the owner again. I asked why the service manager knew nothing about my van's issues. He had over a week to work on it and never did a thing! I was so upset I hung up after saying that he had sold us a piece of crap car that has had problems since purchased it.

I immediately sent a fax to him explaining why I was so upset, everything from the poor quality of the van and poor service we have received from his dealership. The car was under 30k miles at this time and the brakes were acting up again, the moldings were coming off the doors again. Note only were we unhappy with the quality, we were very upset with the inconvenience of having to drop the car off so many times to be fixed. We are a two car family and we need this van!

I sent a list of all issues with my fax. We set up an appointment to have the car looked at on 04/04/07. The owner assured me that this new service manger is very good and he will fix our problems.

12/27/06 - 23838 miles - Rotate tires, LOF, Brake noise, Radio Sound, two wheel alignment

This was the start of a long series of poor service form the dealer we purchased the van from. I didn't receive a copy of invoice until one was requested later (april), when I started a log to keep track of everything.

1. LOF - this was the only thing actually done on this RO. (all the following were marked as done when the receipt was received in late April even though they were not performed on 12/27/06)
2. Rotate Tires - Was not done because the tire wear was too bad and the rotation would only make it handle worse according to the service manager - He would order new tires under warranty.
3. Brake Noise - Pads found worn, replaced pads and turned rotors (after receiving the invoice in April I was charged for this service. This was the first time we had been charged for brake service. All others were done under warranty. The car still only had 23838 miles on it. We did not have to pay for this in the end.
4. A bulletin was found on the radio and a new one was ordered.
5. Two wheel alignment check was done. We were charged for an alignment service when the invoice was was done April even though the service manger had said in December that it was only a check and it was found to be with-in specs.

I called the dealer in February to check on the Radio and tires. I was told that the tires were in an they were waiting for the radio.

09/08/06 - between 16847 and 19129 miles - brake clip

The reason the miles aren't known is because there was never a work order provided to me for the work done on this day. We noticed another rattle in the front. It is determined that there is a clip missing from the front brake sliders as part of the 08/08/21/06 service. The part is ordered and an appointment is set up for 09/08/06. I called to confirm the appointment and he said we were all set, I could get there a little before 8AM and it should take long. I arrived at 7:45 and expected to be out in about an hour. I left just before 11AM. The service manager didn't even bother to come out an tell me the part wasn't there when he had told me it was the day before.

08/21/06 - 16847 miles - More Brake Vibration

The brake work on 08/07/06 did not fix the vibration. It turns out that the rear brakes were now the issue. They attempted to turn the hubs on the last visit but there was now too much warpage. Rear hubs are replaced.

08/07/06 - 15951 - Tires Rotated, Brake Vibration, Continuing Horn Issue

I sent the owner of the dealer that we purchased the car from a fax on 07/25/08. (Prior to this fax I had spoken to him about the tire and brake issues. He said off the record we have had several issues with them The tires don't hold up, the brakes don't hold up. But if you tell someone I said this I'll deny it.) I had taken his advice on how to proceed with the vans several quality issues and contacted Chevrolet. Customer Service started a file on our van but said nothing could be done until all current issues were taken care of. In the fax I asked that the following issues be addressed:
1. Warping Rotors
2. Horn not working properly
3. Static in the sound system (especially DVD) when accelerating.
4. Intermittent Radio / Speaker operation (the radio/cd,dvd sound would stop, the stations would be able to be changed, the dvd would play, and the cd would advance ALL with no sound. It would then mysteriously come back on later.)

The car went in on 08/07/06.
Theses issue was added to my list above.
5. The Chevy Bow tie on the back had become tarnished. It looked like the the finish was coming off form the back.

a. The tires were rotated.
b. New rotors were ordered (previously they had only turned them).
c. The horn was looked at again "Don't Know" was the comment on the work order.
d. Nothing was done with the tarnished bow tie (how ironic, the bow tie has been visible symbol for chevrolet for decades and now this defective one is a reflection of their poor quality)