Hi, im new here and trying to keep my calm. I am an ASE GM Master Certified Technician at a local dealership. I cannot believe how many people on this forum trash their dealership and General Motors as if they are bad, an enemy, want to make your life hell. Customer Satisfaction is very important to us and with out YOU our customers, we are out of a job. Im going to tell it to you like this. A dealership has (should have) the most professional technicians and more resources than any other auto repair facility to fix your vehicle right. What gets me is how you people think that we should automatically be able to diagnose and repair an intermittent
problem with out being able to duplicate it as if we have unthinkable powers!We strive to prevent unnecessary part replacement, and customer comeback. Your vehicles are complex in more ways then you can imagine, multiple modules, very complex connections. Diag is more critical then ever and sometimes takes time to insure the problem is found and properly repaired.
We are people too. We too have families to support and bills to pay. We are not out to rip customers off, say "no problem found, o well?" or do hack repairs, if this were the case we would not be employess at a General Motors Dealership. You should have trust in a dealership. A dealership would never, NEVER send your family in a car that was unsafe for the road unless the customer insisted. It is AGAINST the law! If your advisor insists that its ok to drive then it damn sure better be safe to drive otherwise hes putting his job and the dealer at risk. If you have issues with any of that I would not be complaining to GM of a vehicle problem instead of a dealership problem. If you have issues with the dealer your at now then leave them and go elsewhere, there are many dealers out there that will be more than willing to service your needs.

Bottom line is guys, you have to trust your dealer, we are not just some sh*t shop dirty garage trying make a buck. If you dont trust a dealer leave..thats all I can say. It just really hurts me to see so many people on this forum upset with gm and or their dealership because of one pesky problem that is trying to be resolved!

This comment really bit my bubble!

Wow, so sorry to hear about your problems with your brakes, glad I live in FL.
I have a question, you stated that the Dealer cut and repaired your electrical wiring, why did you accept this instead of having them order a new line? That could have cause additional problems. That Dealer should be reported, I would think. Again sorry about your problems, I have not had any.
RJJ, I really had no say in replacing the harness. GM seems to think that the repair was all they that was needed. Trust me I was not happy with this and I did not approve this repair. I have talked to the NHTSA and filed a complaint reporting my brake problems


So you think that, for an example removing one trim piece, folding back carpet, making one PROPER wiring repair (which should last the life time of the vehicle) will cause more problems than removing your entire interior, your dashboard, and replacing a very expensive wiring harness with multiple connections that you now have disturbed which needs to be routed as originally from the factory, your car which could have been repaired in.....I dont know, an hour or two depending on the actual wiring repair now has taken one full day or more. Now you complain that there is a rattle that was not present prior to the repair which leads to yet another interior trim tear down which means your vehicle is down more time, you are now yelling at the service manager, making your advisor and technician feel like they have failed which results in a huge inconvenience for everyone because you wanted the entire harness replaced and not just a simple wiring repair!!! RJJ, YOU DIDNT APPROVE OF THE REPAIR!? WHO IS THE PROFESSIONAL? WHY DIDNT YOU DIAGNOSE AT MAKE THE REPAIR YOURSELF?

Sorry if I come off a little harsh, but come one people!! Give us a break. The vehicles that I see come in with a weird problems that has take time to figure out, car has been down a couple of days to insure it doesnt leave with the problem etc....the customers that listen to there advisor, are courteous and cooporative and try to understand what there advisor is telling them always come out on top. We appericate those customers. We love servicing their vehicles. Offer free oil changes, discounts etc...... Then you have the customers that demand, demand, complain complain, so yea..........the demanding and complaining is getting what you want because we dont want to lose a customer because thats our job, but do you really think that we want to service those customers? Do you really think we care if we lose you as a customer..my boss would say yes, because one person is a thousand words which could branch off on other potential customers, but honestly? No one really cares if the complaining, demanding, and never happy no matter what you do customer returns!


Im done venting, I have to be at work tommorow at 7:30am ET, unlock my tool box and service my customers vehicles to the best of my ability! Good night.

http://i2.photobucket.com/albums/y41/blackwelsh13/Smileys/bf54f4bf.gif to the site!! Glad you got your venting out!! We all need that from time to time. The truth is there are good dealerships and there are bad dealerships. If you would search through all the posts you will find positive comments from people on their service and their dealership. You would hope every GM employee thought like you but not all do. And that goes for all Manufacturers. My last car, a 2004 Chrysler Crossfire, came with a Premiere Customer Service Package that was suppose to give you a free loaner for any kind of service done on it. This was one of the reasons why we picked this particular car over others because time is valuable. After moving from one city to another the new dealership we were going to have it serviced at said they would not honor this. Well, let me just say 2 months later we know longer owned this car! If you can't make the customer happy they will go elsewhere.

Well hey there Mr Technician
I must tell you that you must not take everything to Heart. We the owners of the HHr and I am only speaking about HHr's are getting a bad Rap. So here is my Question to you as a Professional, Why is it that the HHr has so many problem with the Brakes and Rotors. I am very lucky, My good friends at Shepard Chevrolet in Lake Forest Illinois is a very good Dealership and like you they are also Professionals, They have repaired my Brakes and Rotors 3 - 4 time in one year. I put on over 38,000 miles a year and it seems the one of the biggest problems with the HHr's are the Brakes and Rotors. I have never been given a problem when I have taken my HHr in for Service, Now just to let you know the Dealership were I purchased my vehicles is OK but not as Great as my friends in Lake Forrest.

So Mr Technician what is your Professional Opinon on the Brakes & Rotors

awaiting reply and welcome to the Site

Rudy (Z-Man) aka LLB

Your Dealership must be wonderful to work for. NOT all Dealerships are great to visit.

Parts that take over three weeks, wrong part ordered, problems not fixed well because they do not know what has caused it. Water leaks that come only when it rains, and yet the car goes back to the same Dealer, for the same reason, to be told Okay it is fixed now, till the next rain, and the process starts all over again.

There are good Dealers and there are bad ones.
Let me give you mine:

I went in knowing what I wanted. The found one 300 miles away, but the interior was grey, Okay. The next day I rec a call, sorry can not get that one. So the lookwas on again, The next day they had located another one. So they go to get it, well the Dealers son liked the wheels and took them off and put 15 on the HHR. Would not replace the wheels. So did not get this one. Then they found another one on the east coast, went to get it.
The next day it can in, I was so happy, went to see the HHR.

The detailer was working on it in front of the show room, took out a knife and cut to the bare metal a quarter size area where the other dealer had their sticker. I watched in horror as this happened. So now my new car needed to be painted not just the area but a lot more according to the owner of the Dealership. In addition, the HHR had damage on the right panel above the wheel area, where the pieces go together, it was bowed out and bright orange pait was plainly seen, so of course the hood was not on straight. This was noted in paper at that time as were other minor problems.

I brought the HHR back in to have the paint work done,I thought that the wheel area was to be fixed as well. Car was ready 4 days later and 150 miles later. The body shop was on the dealers lot. Now the front bumber has paint missing and the wheel area was not fixed, I inquired about this. I was told that I had hit something and was trying to pull a fast one on them but they were to smart. WRONG THING TO SAY!

Three weeks later and a different Dealer took care of the problem.

The Dealer were it came from was the one pulling a fast one, I drove over to the East Coast to find out info. Talked to the owner and with research, yes they did do some repairs there, in fact the Owner was quite mad cause it was done in this way.

A new Dealer has been found, even thu they would prefer that the HHR would go to the Dealer I bought it from for all of the warranty work. I WILL NEVER GO THERE again

This the kind of bad stuff that does go on, at least in other than your Dealership.

Question for you, how can the wheels be rotated when they have locks on them and I have the key in my purse? This has also happened to me a the New Dealer I am not looking for an honest Dealer.

Welcome ASE GM Master Certified Technician. I am sure that most Technicians as very, very compentent and honest and hope my local Technicians are as truthful as you are.

But, IMO, it is not from the Technician where the issues come from. It is often from the Service Advisors and/or the Service Manager, in most cases, that we, customers, get the most problems from. I have been lied to, treated very poorly, and left stranded by a particular service dealership. This was from the same dealership I bought the HHR from. In fact, between the Sales dept and Service dept, is the difference between black and white. And you are correct. The answer is to go somewhere else that really wants your business.

But another point I would like to make. Yes, I agree that you, as a Technician are the professional. But, we as customers, are in the vehicle day and night, and are the best source of understanding what is wrong with the vehicle. But most Technicians do not get the opportunity to get to talk to the customers. Occasionally, the Service Manager will come out, and that is usually after he and the Advisor had talked.

But anyway, OK, I have vented, and I am still looking for another dealer ship to service my HHR. I only know that I will never go back to the where it was bought. They burned me twice already. But I am still happy with the HHR!!!!

I've gotta say, I'm batting .500.

The dealer I bought my HHR from, the service manager was horrible!(Feld Chevrolet)

The dealer I bought my wife's HHR, Weber Chevrolet, is the best!!

I think it starts at the top. Owners and upper managers determine the tone of the dealership. Regardless of how well trained and professional the techs may be, and to be honest, all of them are not very professional, its the service manager and the advisors who make or break the customer service experience.
:2cents:

F'n awesome post Technician. :beer:

Well, I am about 50/50 with my local dealer. The replaced my rear drums fine no question, replaced my rotors at 8,000 miles, with no problem. BUT THEY WILL DO NOTHING about my grinding going into and out of third. This only happens in really COLD weather. I first thought I didn't have the clutch pushed in far enough. They told me to let my HHR warm up for 15-20 minutes before I drive it, and it will be fine. They then tell me that they can not reproduce the symptoms, but I took the service manager on a road trip, and physically showed him, and he agreed it was not correct.... but they will do NOTHING to further check the problem. Their response it to let it warm up... for in my opinion longer than I should have to.

So what you are saying is, when we get bad service, we should just accept the screwing we are getting, accept poor service and workmanship, and never complain? Just take our business elsewhere? What the hell is that? Whatever happened to customer service. Where are the "Can Do Attitudes" that we (your customers) deserve. When I read something like that post, I get the feeling that you think we should be thankful for poor service. I think you have it all wrong! You (the dealership) MUST earn the right to call us your customer! NUF SAID!

I agree with the Technician also.
ALL veh. have problems at some time. We, on this forum, just have a venue to voice our grievances and it makes it appear to be an isolated/major issue.
Try to remember that this is (mid scale at best) not the finest, top of the line veh. that GM produces. Trading up is always a possibility.
And those cars have problems too.

I have to say that all dealerships are not the same. The small dealership I bought my HHR from has 1 technician. Although he may be competent and great at his job, it just takes too long to get anything done. Our other local chevy dealer is giant for our area and is fantastic with service. I had to have a rear main seal replaced in our 04 venture. Called one dealership, was told it would take over a week for a job that large. Called the other dealership, they got me in in 2 days and took 1 day to do the work.
BTW, Welcome to the site, be prepared to be hammered with questions!

:welcome: :welcome:

Welcome Tech!! I will bow to you being the professional that you are.:bow:

I have no complaints about the service dept. of my dealership, just some complaints about the sales dept when they sent me off in my HHR. I'm sure it's not your job to make sure the vechicles are filled w/ gas or to give the customer a voucher for said gas, nor is it your job to make sure that the floor mats listed on the sticker are in said vehicle.

So will I have any issues with having my HHR serviced by this dealer, no. However, I will never purchase any car from this dealer again, as well as keeping family and friends far away from them when they are in the market.

Great post Technician!

My brother is a certified Mechanic and has worked at VW, Chrysler, and Ford dealerships. The level of service you receive is DIRECTLY linked to the guys at the top.

The Ford dealership he worked at was owned by a second generation owner - spoiled brat type - who had his exotic vehicles lined up behind the shop. An impressive array of Porsches, Benzes, and Harleys. He only cared about the bottom line and hired "yes men" in all key positions. The Service Manager was a total idiot - you would think that the guy in charge of the shop should know something about cars, wouldn't you? The only saving grace for that shop was the fact that they did have some really good techs! Usually, working for idiots drive the good ones away, but as this dealer was so busy -one of only a few new car dealers serving an area with a population of ~70,000 - the techs made some good coin.

There are good dealerships. The Chrysler dealer (now they sell Hyundais) was/is owned by a second generation owner as well. However, this guy is also a certified mechanic. When he worked at Daddy's dealership as a kid he worked as a mechanic, then went on to work as the Service Manager, and now he runs the place. The Service Manager at the dealer now used to work for Cosworth Engineering before immigrating to Canada. That was the best dealer my brother EVER worked for.

So there you go, even in my limited experience and knowledge of dealerships you have a wide range of expertise. You have to do your homework and try and find a good dealer. Sometimes a good dealer can be just as much a buying decision as the car itself!:thumb:

F'n awesome post Technician. :beer:

Definitely........what he said. And make sure you stick around. All opinions are valuable here.

I live in a small town with a small Chevy, Buick, Pontiac, GMC combo dealer, I also live with a former ASE certified technician (Mr. Goodwrench). Now my personal GM technician was injured seriously on the job (not an auto business) and can't do mechanics for a living anymore (totally destroyed left arm, 3 steel plates etc.). Our local dealer doesn't sell in the volume it takes to get a really good selection or to be able to offer the prices bigger ones can so I went to one farther away and got a great deal on my HHR with 7300 miles on it. Shortly after getting it I noticed the clear coat coming off one of the wheels so I went to my local dealer to see if I could get my warranty work done there rather than driving 50 miles. They have a new service manager since my other half worked there and he with a nice smile on his face went into the computer put in my information and said all done. He ordered the new wheel and I was a happy camper. Then I had the water leak problem when it rained (it was raining hard when I bought the car and no leaks then) and it took three visits to get it fixed but they DID get it fixed.
I have had nothing but good service from them and am happy to take my car back. I would have driven the 50 miles back to where I purchased the car if necessary but it wasn't. My only question at all is the fact that they still want you to do the oil changes at 3000 miles but don't argue with me over doing it when the DIC tells me to and my personal GM tech agrees that GM wouldn't tell you in the owner's manual to change the oil when the DIC tells you to if it would hurt the engine.
Crown Motors in Dayton TN has an excellent service manager and service department. Having grown up in a large Chevy dealership and living with technicians and a mother who worked in the office and did dealer trade driving on the side I know that all dealerships aren't created equal. There are good ones and not so good ones and I feel fortunate to have a good one nearby.

Wow! Way to ease in here with all of the grace of a bulldozer. Individuals like you are the reason that I bailed from your vocation very early. You are obviously very intelligent and articulate but you are making a couple of false assumptions:

1) That you accurately represent every technician out there - there are plenty of shady and uncaring technicians at dealerships. It sounds like you may be one of the good ones and I applaud you.

2) That the dealership is infallible and working in our best interest. This is absurd. Simply making something illegal doesn't prevent it from happening. I wish that I could believe that every car released from every dealer in the U.S. was safe. Dealerships have personalities just like people. Some are wonderful and caring. Some are jerks that will cut every corner chasing a dollar.

3) You assume that we care what you think of us as customers. My priorities are elsewhere - I do not care what you think of me. I try to work with the service advisor/writer as a team to resolve the problem. I am respectful to everyone that I deal with until they create a situation where I have to change my approach. However, at the end of the day it is my car and my hard earned money. If I am not happy and I am not being unreasonable, then SOMEBODY at the dealership let me down. I honestly don't care if it was you, the technician, the service writer, your parts department the folks in ParTech at GM or the person who makes coffee for the dealership. I simply want an earnest attempt to resolve my issues.

Rather than continuing down this track with your rant how about taking the time to educate? Education and the sharing of knowledge are the best paths to understanding. I acknowledge that you made some valid points but they were mostly lost to the noise of the complaints. It's up to you how you proceed here. If you choose to continue ranting, I'll simply set you to ignore and possibly miss out on some nuggets of wisdom. If you choose the path of dialogue and education, I'll be right there with you. Next time, please consider your audience when you write. It makes your message more effective. Welcome to the site. Any pictures of your HHR yet?

3) You assume that we care what you think of us as customers. My priorities are elsewhere - I do not care what you think of me.


:thumb: AMEN!

Wow! Way to ease in here with all of the grace of a bulldozer. Individuals like you are the reason that I bailed from your vocation very early. You are obviously very intelligent and articulate but you are making a couple of false assumptions:

Rather than continuing down this track with your rant how about taking the time to educate? Education and the sharing of knowledge are the best paths to understanding. I acknowledge that you made some valid points but they were mostly lost to the noise of the complaints. It's up to you how you proceed here. If you choose to continue ranting, I'll simply set you to ignore and possibly miss out on some nuggets of wisdom. If you choose the path of dialogue and education, I'll be right there with you. Next time, please consider your audience when you write. It makes your message more effective. Welcome to the site. Any pictures of your HHR yet?

:bow: Thank You bdubsee and very well put.:bow:

Dear Technician,

Personally I don't care if you have to replace 45 pieces of trim to correct a problem. I paid top dollar for my brand new HHR and I expect to get what I paid for. 100% quality product. If in fact the car develops problems after the initial repair well then that is your responsibility to correct that problem also. The dealership had NO problem taking my money and I have no problem asking for a quality vehicle. If in fact the repair is more time consuming and can cause more and other problems to occur, well then it is the responsibility of the dealership to convey this to General Motors and suggest a buy back. As of today the dealership still has my car for a total of 36 days.
Let me tell you a little history with this particular dealership. This is the second vehicle I purchased with abs brake problems. The first was a 2001 Silverado where the abs brake were defective. This was proven with a test drive with the service manager.The dealership kept saying could not be duplicated. Guess what I had an accident because of this, luckily it was in a parking lot and there was no personal injury only damage to my truck. I then called NHTSA and this turned into a wheel speed sensor recall. With that said do you think I will accept putting my wife and children behind the wheel of this HHR? WHAT DO YOU HAVE TO SAY ABOUT THIS Mr Technician?

I put the majority of the blame on the assembly line and the parts they are given to work with. I had a 2004 Saturn Vue with the Honda 3.5L engine in it. The engine was the only thing right with the vehicle. The techs at the Saturn dealership almost had to rebuild the Vue for me piece by piece. Which they pretty much did...great dealership...HORRIBLE product they they had to fix on a weekly basis...always something different to boot! I understand his position but he alos has to understand that the dealer is the lightning rod if the maker (GM in this case) puts out a shoddy product

Cars are such a crapshoot anyways...as bad as my Vue was my wifes is still going at 90K miles with nothing other than tires and front brakes...go figure

Goose

bdubsee.....

Well stated....I congratulate and concure !!!

Observation from me then a few questions for you....

While not trying to degrade the certification "SAE Certified Master Technician", I will say it does not make you an expert on any specific line or model of vehicle. It certainly is worthy of noting and those with the credential should be commended. But, frankly it is general training in many things and then specialized training and certification of specific area (generally, not related to a specific vehicle), i.e., A/C, fuel injection, etc. Many technicians have this credential to work in dealerships. And, this is where a good amount of the service problems evolve, IMO.

Years ago, dealerships were required to have technicians attend training sessions conducted by GM Corporate personal. The cost was split between GM and the dealership. As an example, when GM was preparing to introduce the "throttle body injection system, each dealer had a few technicians participate in training at the GM Service Training Centers. Those tech's would return and "tutor" their associates. Thus, it would provide a better prepared tech, for the dealer, than "Joe's Auto Service" down the street.

Another example....if the Chevrolet dealership wished to sell Corvettes, they were required to have Certified Corvette technicians in a ratio proportion to the number of Corvettes. This training was also provided by GM. I'm not sure any of this item specific-model specific training is done any longer (Corporate budget cuts, etc.)

Afterall, now even the neighborhood auto repair could have the same skill level as the dealership. I have a friend who has about 25 Goodyear Stores in Arizona (they provide other services than just tires) and he hires only SAE Certified Tech's. The more training/levels/credential, the more pay.

Now the questions....

Do you remember this GM specific training?? Do any of the members who are ex-GM technicians remember it...and can you provide info???

Do you believe this difference is affecting the quality of service from the dealer?

Hello Technician!
You won't find any complaints from me here! I LOVE my HHR, and I LOVE GM! As a matter of fact, I will never buy a car, nor even consider one, from another car company! I am sorry to hear that so many people have had problems with their HHR. A couple of minor issues for me, the service was AWESOME, and I grow to love my HHR more & more EACH DAY!:nuts:

Snoopy,

Just a few tidbits you might find interesting - again, stories from my brother (certified Mechanic).

When he worked at our local Chrysler dealer there was only a single tech allowed to work on the Viper. I don't know if that was due to specific training, or if he was the only one they would trust :lol:

At the Ford dealer, there were A LOT of courses! They were short sessions that involved videos, texts, and online testing. He worked there only a few short years ago so I imagine manufacturers still have on going training to get their techs as well trained as possible.

Thanks, Kris......how long ago for either of the 2 dealerships.

Also, GM's training was conducted at THEIR training centers, around the country. So, transportation and lodging costs were considerations.

You know, now that you mention it, I believe i saw a Ford Training Center next to one of our freeways. I might check and see what it is for.

The Chrysler dealer....jeez...must be at least 10 years ago...

He left the Ford dealer around 2 years ago.

The training that he was on was generally conducted at the dealership. Sometimes it was done solely with videos/computers, and other times a couple of guys would show up at the dealer to conduct the training. I think when he worked for VW they had a training centre - but he never went as he only worked there a short time!

Thanks....Kris

Hello Technician!
You won't find any complaints from me here! I LOVE my HHR, and I LOVE GM! As a matter of fact, I will never buy a car, nor even consider one, from another car company! I am sorry to hear that so many people have had problems with their HHR. A couple of minor issues for me, the service was AWESOME, and I grow to love my HHR more & more EACH DAY!:nuts:

I think I am going to drive to your dealership from now on :thumb: :thumb:

It just might take me a few days of driving..:nuts: :nuts:

I wish I could say the same about my dealership...gotta keep looking.

One post from someone claiming to be a tech. does not make it so.No name,no address,and everyone is getting excited.It may be my suspicious nature,but this person could even be one of us stirring the pot so to speak.If this poster is really a tech. from the Detroit area,one of our Detroit area members should make his/her acquaintance and perhaps all of us can benefit from any knowledge he/she can share with us.Sorry if I come across as "oh,really?" but I am not a stranger to online forums and have seen similar anonymous postings to just get a rise out of the membership for the sole purpose of the poster's vicarious pleasure.Just my 2 cents.HB

bdubs:bow: amen bro.

as for the tech... being certified doesnt mean a thing to me. it only means that you took a text in which you could correctly select the right answers enough times to achieve a pass. Being certified only mean that you have a piece of paper that says you are allowed to look up the repair instructions in a book and follow steps 1 through X... You sound like one of the newb hires that have fallen for company brainwashing... "the company is good, the company is great, the company loves us, the company would never do anything to harm us, the company is always looking out for our best interests..."

i dont think so.

Dealerships are a business just like anywhere else. Their objective is to make money, not to be our best friend.

As for not being able to recreate a problem, how about not even attempting to listen to the customer troubleshooting the problem? In my ford the torque convertor was going bad and i needed new coil packs as everytime it would rain my engine would mis-fire. Dealership techs couldnt re-create problem and would not even look at what i said the problem was. How is that in my best interest? Changed the coil packs and the tc myself and wonder of wonders no more problems.

In my firebird, had a bad thermostat, valve body on the tranny, and the fly by wire accelerator was not allowing high rpms. they couldnt re-create any of it, but they did manage to cross wire the sparkplugs in the wrong firing order when they put them back on. why they took them off i dont know.

so forgive me if i dont think that the dealership and its techs sit and the right hand of the father, casting down blessings and quality parts at a resonible price upon us. your people just like us.

They could be a poll taker on service issues.

nuff said..

and, and I have a F.P.S.M.H.M behind my name..

Yeah, and the green M&M's are LSD!

Just a note for new members to this forum. This post is a great example of what happens when you stick your head up here. It becomes a giant game of Whack-A-Mole! Just lay low and try and pick out the useful content and post with caution.

TkHHR - I don't think that's a fair characterization. This person entered our community and "introduced" himself with an attack others by name. He didn't stick his head out - he showed his behind. The people here can be hard on folks but it is because of a sense of community. "Technician" violated the norms of this board and must be prepared for the consequences. This is a site dedicated to HHR enthusiasts, not disgruntled techs. Perhaps he would be more at home here: http://www.flatratetech.com/

And he found out quickley that "Homey dont play that"

Yeah, and the green M&M's are LSD!

Just a note for new members to this forum. This post is a great example of what happens when you stick your head up here. It becomes a giant game of Whack-A-Mole! Just lay low and try and pick out the useful content and post with caution.

Sorry that you feel that way, if the truth hurts it hurts. But that is not the truth here.
And by the way LSD is not in the Green M&M's it is the Purple.

And by the way LSD is not in the Green M&M's it is the Purple.

Darn! I always thought it was the tan M&M's and explained why they went away.

Sorry that you feel that way, if the truth hurts it hurts. But that is not the truth here.
And by the way LSD is not in the Green M&M's it is the Purple.

Dookie, just when I though I was safe :lol: Now the truth is out so I guess I will have to turn myself into the NA patrol and find another color M&M to abuse... :nuts:

....and service my customers vehicles to the best of my ability!...

Not everyone's abilities are the same.

Anyone notice how this was basically a hit & run??

Could be for real, could be just to stir things up! Either way we seem to be debating someone who ain't around no mo!!

Regardless of the intentions, a great discussion was had because of it.

Agreed....^^^^^^^:thumb:

Yep, what she ^ said up dere ^

Yes it was and might still be.

I know that I enjoyed myself. I won't call Technician a hit & run yet. His original post was at 11 pm last night so let's give him a few more hours. It may be that he was just tired and irritable last night but he'll be fresh as a daisy today and ready to play nice.

Brian out in 3...2...1...

Good night y'all

Snoopy; The GM training was STG {Service Technology group} It was at GM training centers all over the US. I have over 2500hr at the centers in Mass. & FL.not counting videos & in house how to's and take home read/test send to STG. I am a GM Master Tech in OBD 2,drivability & avanced Eletronics dignostics, service programming with chevrolet 19 yr with chevy 10yr with AMC:D


I have worked with very good tech's,so so tech's & hackers!
lucky I was at dealers that would let the cust. talk to the tech's, that made my job a lot easer letting the cust. talk to the tech and the tech asking ? about the when, where, hows let me do a better job.

I'm retired now and do some work at home. mostly CK ENG LIGHTS.
I read the post on this site and find some very funny and some that the cust. has all the right to ***** The elec. ones are the best. Alot of the tech don't know how the system works so they don't know how to fix it!

I could feel for the tech that posted but if he wants to stay in this field he better get thicker skin

Thanks for answering OneTon......

I thought I remembered you, specifically, and someone else mentioned being retired GM tech's.

My hat is off to you....I firmly believe the technicians (and that, IMO, is the correct name) of a number of years ago, who was FACTORY trained were the best and displayed it, in most cases. They were able to diagnose better than most "wrench pullers" (my title for those who think they are technicians) of today.

I'm retired salary GM and I was writing most of the previous from memory, because I had very little association with it. But, a couple final questions for your opinion..... Do you believe the training was better when GM conducted it? Did the dealers pay for the "away from home training"???

Lastly....to my knowledge, some very slight training is still done by GM, particularly on new "mechanisms". They send representatives, who are contracted to GM, around to dealerships to explain the workings and ideas. My nephew does the mechanics, my niece (the one Henry says he knows) does the marketing approach to the sales people.

Man, this company has really slimmed down from when I joined.

Again, my hat is off to you....

snoopy; they were cutting back just when I was retiring. Yes I think that it was better, you were working on & with all the new things and what to look for and HOW IT WORKED!!. The dealer payed you at your flat rate for the time you were at school and if it was a two or three day or week class plus travle time and meals. The new in house is good if you have a good person that is there doing it. Alot of the new & some old dealers have live SAT. class but they have to use it.I go back to the dealer now and see very little certificate on the tool box like when I was there. some of the guys that I worked with still have them and the sew on patch. we LOL when we look at some of the dates. Alot of the new guys look at it as just a job not a proftion.

Im not some fake that came to pick a fight with you guys. Yes, I have spoken for alot more then just myself, which I apologize for. ONETON, and I believe someone else mentioned that some techs are soso, hacks or just really dont care. Yea, there out there and should not be working for a dealer. The fact that dealerships employ such individuals makes me sick.

I do not own a Chevorlet HHR. I came to this forum because I am having an issue with a customers HHR, the customers concern is that the key is sticking. This customer is trying to get the vehicle bought back. I have had the car several times and inspected and checked everything that could cause this concern. A common key sticking concern is present on the Cobalt as well as the HHR which I am aware of and had fixed in the past, bullitiens have been issued. I have performed all the necessary inspections and procedures as stated in the bullitiens to correct the concern. I have not yet been able to duplicate or verify the customers concern. I have spoken with the customer and have had the customer try to duplicate the concern with me present, yet no avail.
At this point I am now curious to if a key sticking concern really exsists. So last attempt I came to you guys, the HHR owners, to see if anyone is having this issue that cannot be corrected. I ended up straying off the path of looking for key sticking related posts by being interested in other peoples problems which led me to post what I did last night. I was a little heated due to some of the posts I have read.

Someone had also posted that we (the dealership) should earn the right to service a customer. You are absoultely right.
I also stated that you should complain about poor service before switching to another dealer. I know that If I went to a dealership and had poor service multiple times, I would complain and definetly take my buisness elsewere.


Some one had commented on Training and being an expert on certain areas or vehicles. Our dealer stresses that we be certified in all areas. GM is constantly training employees and many classes are a requirement. I have to constantly keep up with new vehicle updates and issues. GM techs are sent to GM training facilities for hands on training and certification assements. Training is a constant If you are a GM employee. GM techs are suppose to be experts for all there store brand models. Who else knows your vehicle better? Joe Shmo down the street? Ford? Chrysler? no, GM!


RJJ, I noticed you are from Detroit, What Dealership are you taking your vehicle to be serviced?

I would much rather not mention the dealership I work for and keep my personal information to myself. I wouldnt be able to give the amount of information that I would like to give you guys if I state my employment. Im covering my own arse, but yes, I am a real ASE GM Master Certified Technician.

Like I said in my first post we all need to vent sometimes. I'm glad to see you are back. To answer your question about keys sticking, yes there have been people here that have experienced that. Maybe someone can try to dig it up for you. Here is one to start with: http://chevyhhr.net/forums/showthread.php?t=3947&highlight=ignition

Okay thanks for being honest,
I am a member of 5 HHR Clubs/Fourms online.
All 5 have had people that have had the key stuck and that will not come out.
I thought that there was a TSB on this, might be wrong.
But the problem is real or at least real for the people who this has happened to.

http://chevyhhr.net/forums/showthread.php?t=7048&highlight=keys
Here is one thread I belive that there might be one more.
The rest as I have stated are on different fourms.
And can not be reposted on this site.

I am aware of the TSB, The gearshift assembly is the most common issue. Some customers also experience the key sticking when the wheel is locked, which is also normal. This customer insists the wheel is never locked when the key sticks. NOTE: The customer says the key sticks when turning not trying to remove.

I will look further for you and pm if I find with that type of problem

Here is one where the key would not return to the normal position: http://www.chevyhhr.net/forums/showthread.php?t=1904

Tech, no offense was meant. But ya know how it is on places like this sometimes people breeze through.

Glad to see ya back and welcome!!

Technician....

Thanks for coming back and providing an explanation. You are most welcomed to participate in ANY discussions. However........you knew that was coming....:smile:

I am going to correct you on one statement, at least the way you worded it. Technicians at dealerships are NOT GM employees.....they are employees of the dealership. It would be the dealers obligation to assure their employees are significantly and appropriately trained (sorry, that is a pet peave of mine. I even correct the niece and nephew mentioned earlier, when they say they are GM employees)

GM (Corporation) does have technicians working at a number of test facilities. And, they are experienced in general mechanics but generally specialized to a specific area. They are constantly trained and encouraged to pursue a "formal" education with one of the colleges....or they will be overlooked for promotions. Remember GM Corporation has a large amount of contract technicians. These requirements (other than some "localized" training) do not apply.

Hey, but best of luck to you. And, as I said previously join in the discussions, when you feel the need.

Technician - I'm glad that you weren't a hit and run but I am still very suspicious of your motives. You haven't apologized for your boorish entry to this community. I won't be flaming you but I won't be participating in threads with you either until I am convinced that you are sincere. Once your Cool Points get above zero, I'll join in with you.

Someone had also posted that we (the dealership) should earn the right to service a customer. You are absoultely right.
I also stated that you should complain about poor service before switching to another dealer. I know that If I went to a dealership and had poor service multiple times, I would complain and definetly take my buisness elsewere.


Time is money! If I can't get my problem resolved the first time, then I take my business elsewhere. If I find a service dept. that shows a "Can Do Attitude" and resolves the problem the first time, then I will do business with them even if I have to drive clear across town.I don't have time to complain only to be offered a free carwash or oilchange. Thats what Mr. Carwash and Jiffylube are for. I don't mind paying extra to be treated the way I deserve to be treated. I am the customer, Remember me?

I can feel the Technician's pain, I am returning from a trip where The "Customer" ( three types in my work; The end user, end user mechanic, other mechanic) is the person we (Tech Support) assist. in this case the customer, when asked over the phone, insisted he properly completed an adjustment to the Unit. Later on three different occasions he was called back to the same failure of the control adjustment.

Enter my trip, I fly to the location and rent a HHR to get there to find the "customer" did not complete the adjustment correctly, but insisted over the phone it was correct. When He was shown the proper way to make the adjustment, he replied, "darn, I did do it wrong."

So as my support to the Technician, when asked about a challenge, please recheck what you perceived as the problem. Double check how or what happens, so that when you say this is what happened is really how it happened. I myself find the unchecked mistakes with a "Customer" (see the three types above) who says it happened that way BUT, in reality it never happened.

This is where the people you expect to repair the issue, have a hard time making it repeat.

I have a couple of items with my HHR that I cannot get to repeat and cannot ask for assistance until they do. And yes I did check my fuses, three times now. One thing is my radio display seems to reset. It shuts off and then back to normal. This rental HHR turns on the mirror lights with the dimmer and mine does not. (here is a recheck again on Friday night when I get back home.)

Now, I am not saying to not have things checked by your dealer. I just wanted to explain how Technicians get frustrated to not be able to make the failure or issue do what you see happen.

:bow: Well enuff said from another stand point. and I did not intend to insult anyone or add fire to anything. Sorry It was not intended that way. :bow:

Now for another one of these trips in 2 weeks. ( I hope they have a HHR there.)

as Sindy sez.... PEACE!!

PS. Spring is comming!!!!! Time for shiney.