Lawagz

I just picked up my '08 after waiting about a month for parts on the recall (didn't get a loaner while waiting just got one while the repair was happening today). Got 2 new keys (all worked the way they were supposed to), everything fixed. Had a personnel issue this morning when I went to drop off the car, though. I waited about 15 minutes while 4 service advisors were working on their computers, I assume doing repair orders. I WAS acknowleged and was told that someone would be with me shortly, no problem - right? So, I waited patiently when after 15 minutes of waiting someone drives in, walks up and IMMEDIATELY gets help from the advisor that acknowleged me and KNEW I was waiting. I said something to another advisor, had to wait another 10 minutes while this guy was getting helped. In the meantime, the service MANAGER was sitting in his glass-walled office with his door opened. After I was finally helped, I went to talk to him to complain. He said he had heard it yet he just sat there and did nothing. He said "I'm sorry" but was disingenuine and insincere so after I got home I called and left a detailed message for the general manager on his voice mail. Turns out he was on his way to Alabama but called the same service manager I had spoken to earlier and told him to call me. I laid it out flat on the line and told him that I had spent 45 years in executive management positions working for hotels around the country and if I had heard what he had heard I wouldn't have just sat there, I would have intervened. I went further that it seemed to me that the service department is the "bread & butter" of a dealership because when a salesman sells a car, if they're lucky, he will see the same person again in 5 to 10 years whereas they want repeat business for the service department and have a true NEED to keep those people happy, not treat them like garbage. He agreed, wanted to know what to do to make it right. I just told him that that is WHY he is the service manager and doesn't need me to tell him how to make it right (I was having about $200.00 worth of additional maintenance work done at the same time but I didn't tell him that, I wanted to see what he would do).
Went to pick up my car and it was washed, full tank (almost empty when I brought it in), recall work finished and everything worked (keys, etc) and NO CHARGE on the extra maintenance items. The service advisor that took the other guy ahead of me apologized for this morning and actually said that the guy had been waiting for a month for seat covers he ordered for his new Camaro (guy looked about 70 and wearing a Spurs tanktop! lol) and said he wanted to get him out of the way........ I think he got the message loud and clear.

TAK

I just picked up my car at Hendrick Chevy, in for the ignition switch recall. They gave me two keys, and both opened the door. This is because when you call them about the recall, they gt your VIN and order parts for your specific, and the keys are cut the same as your current keys. The service writer told me to throw away my remaining old key, which will still open the door, because if I insert it in the ignition it will cause the system to go haywire.

It is very nice to finally have an ignition that doesn't stick.

skyline26

ya just got it done today...they gave me 2 new keys, very rough putting them in and out but its ok.

Blue Beast (aka Boydie)

In my experience new keys will always turn harder then the old key. They are freshly cut.

Boydie

Snoopy

Generally, when the new keys are cut, the guy buffs them on a FINE wire wheel to remove burrs. Do you know if they did that? Makes the key considerably smoother. I've even done it myself on a few, when they are made at the "cut rate" places like WalMart and Home Depot.

whopper

Good tip Snoopy - if they aren't smoothed out like that they also tend to eat holes in your pants pockets.

firemangeorge

X2. Had 2 new house keys made a while back at Home Depot. Once back home, one was very hard to get in the lock.
A couple passes with my wire wheel smoothed down the rough burred edges.
Works fine now.

Don06

I delayed taking mine in figuring there wasn't any use until parts were available. I don't like the idea of using hastily made parts because quality usually suffers. Got the second letter from GM last month and a card last week from the dealer I purchased it from so I figured it was safe to take it in.

I went it Thursday after work and waited while the three service writers were discussing their plans for the weekend. When their discussion broke up they ignored me for a while then one of them finally asked if I was being helped. When I told him what I was there for he told me it might take a couple of weeks to get the parts so they still aren't up to speed. I scheduled it and told them I would need a car the day they did the work and he said he would see what he could do as they had limited vehicles available. I showed him the letter which seems to say that GM would provide a vehicle if I didn't feel safe driving it until parts are available. They will call me when they have the parts to set up an appointment. If they don't have a vehicle available I'll call GM.

I know people who purchased their vehicles at small town dealerships that GM has eliminated so they have to take their vehicles to a dealer 40 miles away and some of them had to argue to get a vehicle.

Richard Leininger

my 90 year old father was charged $65 to do a computer check & change a fuse. Relative to his recall for the ignition switch. ignition switch was apparently not touched.HE just got touched for $65.00. new owner of the car was told by this dealer to bring the car in for inspection ( maybe the dealer needs another $65.00 ? )
is this recall program merely a scam to make the dealers money?

Richard Leininger

my HHR was recalled due to ignition and also because the ignition locked up. tow driver "unlocked" the ignition with a screw driver & told me NOT to remove key from the ignition. dealer tells me it will be at least a month for parts to fix. so, I am supposed to just leave my HHR SITTING with the key left in the ignition??? does this make sense to anyone except a car thief??