Exactly what we did :) Just said "Car won't start and unsure of where the warranty ends." So hopefully that'll work out.

 

 

Well they said the Main Power Train computer needed to be replaced which will be in tomorrow. Apparently noone told the guy about the rear hatch problem so he's looking at that today and both are being covered under warranty so all is well in HHR land :)

 

This is a fairly common problem..DIYs adding an "alarm" end-up damaging the car's existing electronics.

First, you don't need an alarm. The car already has a very good security system. The earlier comment about protecting against someone busting a window and tearing out the stereo is irrelevant. If someone is going to break the glass and grab some electronics, nothing (other than you standing next to the car holding a baseball bat) is going to prevent that. They'll do it with the alarm(s) blaring.

But... if you insist need an aftermarket alarm, I'd do two things:
1) Make sure the alarm you purchase is a top-quality product compatible with the HHR's existing system.
2) Have it installed by a professional installer familiar with alarm installations on late model cars which already have complex security systems which incorporate "networked" powertrain and body controllers.

Do that and you won't be frying engine and body controllers.

 

Interesting statement.

It wouldn't take much more to convince me that a "Moderator" on this site is condoning the idea of making unjustified warranty claims.

 

Just as you didn't know what the failure is from the original post neither did I. And just like some dealers would do, you have already made the assumption that the OP is at fault. It's the dealers job to determine whether a repair is warranty or not warranty, not to make an assumption before the diagnostics have been done.

 

I used to install car stereo's and alarm systems. I know what I'm doing and as stated before I didn't do anything that should have caused this. The only thing I can think of is that the faulty alarm brain did something but even then I didn't connect hardly any wires yet before I figured out the brain was faulty. Second! The product I was using was a DEI alarm system badged under Viper. DEI is considered one of the top alarm companies period. The only alarms I've ever considered and would install are Compustar and DEI. Third we used a bypass module that interfaces with the factory alarm and controls door locks and what not.

Point is I'm not really sure it was something I did, it could of very well been a problem that was coming anyways and it just happened to show it's face when I went to install something. They said the car passed the 130 point or whatever inspection but honestly the car was dirty and had just been traded in the day before we got it. I don't see how they could have done any sort of inspection on it other then see it was running and what not. So who knows really, I won't say it wasn't my fault because it could have been but I did everything the way it should be done but like I stated before could of been due to a faulty alarm brain. At the same time though it could of been an issue with the car.

Like I stated before the factory alarm system is not really all that great. I don't even consider it an alarm system, at best it's a Theft Deterrent Device. If you break a window on the car the alarm does not go off, if you open the door the alarm does not go off. We put in an 800 dollar head unit with many other accessories, soon to go in is a 900 dollar set of front speakers, 2 amps totaling about 900 bucks, and 2 subs that would normally sell for about 500 together. If someone broke out the rear window it wouldn't be hard to pull everything out. So maybe you feel that the factory alarm is good for you but in my experience its not for me.

 

Also I'd like to comment on what ChevyMgr said before about the less you say the better. The reason for this is that if I tell them that we were working on it regardless if it was my fault or a problem with the car it wouldn't matter they would automatically say that it was my fault and not cover it. This is how warranties always work. They will find any way possible generally not to pay. I'm sure a few things came into play with this one, one of which is that he didn't even buy the car 2 weeks ago yet. Either way I don't feel we've done anything unethical and I feel that ChevyMgr's advice is actually very good, if they asked later on if we had done something I wouldn't of lied I would of told them exactly what they needed to know.

 

I think you did the right thing.

you have the installation experience, it is up to the service dept. to determine what is the cause and if it is covered, and finally Coincidence is a mother f'er. I have seen some weird stuff working around cars for the past 30 years.

I mean what is the difference between what he is doing, or people pulling of Mods or de-tuning their cars before taking them in for service.


Absolutely no difference in my book, however this guy treated differently.

My 2 cents for what it is worth

 

Maybe you're right. I didn't realize the factory "alarm" is so poor.