Getting too old for this [you guessed it]!

[robharrisva]

My Chevy dealer and GM both stated that they will not even attempt to troubleshoot an intermittent problem they cannot reproduce when I bring my vehicle in. Apparently, this is what the domestic industry has come to. Why don't they just close up the rest of their plants and save the consumer both time and money?

I am have purchased my last domestic vehicle. Now that my kids are adults and reasonably self-sufficient, my 38" inseam and my money will be going into an import with plenty of legroom and a better record of reliability.

[Brian R.]

Originally Posted by robharrisva

My Chevy dealer and GM both stated that they will not even attempt to troubleshoot an intermittent problem they cannot reproduce when I bring my vehicle in. Apparently, this is what the domestic industry has come to.

Actually, I haven't found any dealer for any brand (in my limited experience) that will spend any time on a problem they can't reproduce, unless it is an obvious and common one.

[robharrisva]

Originally Posted by Brian R.

Actually, I haven't found any dealer for any brand (in my limited experience) that will spend any time on a problem they can't reproduce, unless it is an obvious and common one.

That being the case Brian, it then behooves me the consumer to purchase the most reliable vehicle I can afford to give me the best odds against this kind of service nightmare. For me, it means shelling out more money for a flagship Toyota or Honda product that my 38" inseam can fit into.

Thinking back just twenty years ago, GM would actually take the time to inspect and replace components that are likely to cause the repeatedly reported intermittent problem. That represented genuine concern for customer satisfaction. Today, they actually use more of their resources promoting such an image rather than earning it. Looking at ads for auto manufactuers and one will see that the domestic car makers focus more on promoting the idea of quality and customer satisfaction than their foreign counterparts. There is a reason for this.

[Brian R.]

I agree.

[gremlin96]

I must be there too. I keep taking my truck in thay let it sit for a few hours befor looking at it. I keep telling them it must be driven untill its hot to find the problem. thay just plug the computer in and say well the computer cant find it we cant fix it. thay run it around the block a few times then plug the computer back in and say well there is no problem your abs is working fine.

I leave the shop put 50 miles on the truck and bring it right back and tell them thay did not fix it. come on and drive it now. the guy comes back white as a ghost and plugs the reader back in and looks me dead in the eye. you have a problem we can not fix it till the computer says its broken. we cant find it.

[MT-2500]

Intermittent problem
Are very hard to find and are just a flustrating to the tech/mechanic trying to find it as to the car owner.
The good repair book says if it is not doing it several times a day not to try to repair it bcause it is to hard to find.
I have run across one that would only do it one time every 30 days on the money. It done that for over 6 mo.
A real hair puller that finaly got worse and I was able to find it.
But unless it gets worse or starts doing it several times a day it is going to be hard to find.
A got of dealers and repair shops that can not get a code do not even know what to look for or even try to find the problem.
A good factory trained tech will try to find the problem or have a good idea what it is from the symtoms.
But a lot of shops and or customers will not pay him for the time he has to spend on it to find it.
Are you willing to pay him a days wages to find a lose wire or a defective sensor so on?
Some dealer have a recordng machine they can hook up to your car and when he problem happens you can push a button and it will record the problem in the machine.
Ask your dealer for one of them it may help you find it.
MT

[robharrisva]

Hello MT:

One of the intermittent problems I am having involves the rear-view mirror system. Sometimes, the reading lamps fail to turn on upon entering or exiting the vehicle. Banging on the mirror a few times typically turns them on. Also, the auto-dimmer feature fails to engage during nighttime driving and the green status light does not illuminate. Therefore, I am inclined to believe that either the rear-view mirror system is defective or there is an issue with getting power to the internal components of the lamp (i.e. faulty connector). How difficult can it be?

[jveik]

lol my truck doesnt even have a dome light... or a/c... power windows or locks either... i love it lol... i guess there will always be nitpickers... by the way, hondas have the same problems, my accord will periodically not recognize that the transmission gear selector is in park so it wont let me start the car, also, the headlights decided to stop working randomly one day and a few days later decided to start working again... the transmission is going out and the car only has 90000 miles on it. every place has lemons, and dealers that dont give half a damn... i hit a curb one time and needed some sway bars that only the honda dealer had and they forgot to order some of the parts after i waited a week and a half and, well, i was kinda annoyed lol...

the point of all this... every car maker produces lemons, and every car maker has dealerships that dont really care, its a given...

[TexasF355F1]

All our trucks and cars have problems no matter make or model or brand. I'm sure you are aware though that going to a foreign company parts/labor can be more expensive. Anyways, I feel you though. That's why my next car is going to be the new BMW E92 coupe.

[VortecWes]

It's all about the dealer. Some will be more helpful than others. My truck was taking off in 2nd and only shifting to 3rd...basically making my 4L60E a 2 speed auto.

I took it to my local dealer where a "tech" got in the truck, powerbraked and gassed it. Since it didn't burn the rubber off my rims, he suggested that I needed a $2500 NEW transmission. Right.

After more research and a mild teardown, it was the shifting solenoid...about $100. I wanted to kick that guy at the dealer in the nads...

Find a good mechanic that you trust and you'll be set. As for your problem, you might need an electrician. Electrical problems make me pull out my hair...which is probably why I'm bald!

[gremlin96]

I would love to have a Intermittent problem. insted of the abs going nuts on every long drive.