Warning: Long rant...

I know we're ultimately going to be VERY pleased with our purchase of a new 2010 HHR SS. But it's not been a very fun ride so far. We have owned it for 11 days; it has been in the dealer's shop for 7 of those days.

We purchased the car on 9/25 and drove it home. About an hour later, I started it up to pick up a few things at the store. CEL is on. :| I leave it up to the wife to bring it to the dealer for repairs (Jeff Gordon Chevrolet, Wilmington, NC), which she does on 9/29 (first opportunity due to her work schedule and me being on the west coast for work). She also had them check the shifter mechanism, as it didn't feel quite right and it would shift into reverse without having to activate the lockout.

They call on 10/3 (Friday) and tell us that the shifter needs to be replaced, and it probably won't be ready until Monday. Oh, and the CEL was from a bad MAF which they replaced.

On Saturday, 10/4 someone calls and says the work is finished. My wife is confused, since she was expecting it to be done on Monday. She calls back, leaves a message for someone to call her and confirm that it's ready. No callback. I returned home on Sunday, and went to check on the vehicle on Monday. Yes, it's ready! I go over the paperwork with the service writer - "P0101 code, internal intermittant (sic) open in MAF. Pull codes, run diag. Diagnose and replace mass air flow sensor. clear codes. test drive. operating to GM specs."

Thanks, gimme the keys! Start up, drive out of dealership. Wind up to 4500 in 1st, watch the boost go up to 3.5psi, then to 0. Wha?!?! CEL. :|

Drive back into service lane, turn over keys and get rental. Tell service writer that one of the intercooler pipes has probably blown apart, based on the fact that I could hear the turbo spooling, but had no boost pressure. Service writer says he'll pass the information along.

Now the shop foreman is on the case. Service writer calls and says it's P0101 again. GM Performance had the foreman send data logs after test drive and determined that the problem is now a bad MAP. Wait 1 day for MAP to arrive. MAP installed, problem still not fixed.

Now GM Performance says they need a special tool to diagnose leakage in the intercooler circuit. I flipped and called the customer service manager for the service department. I told her that they could have disassembled and inspected the entire intercooler circuit in the time it took to get the tool, and could she please find out what the problem was. Get a call back from the service writer about 30 minutes after I made the call. Split pipe from the turbo to the intercooler. :| Only one replacement in the United States, and it's being shipped today.

Can anyone tell me what's behind this kind of behavior? I haven't had to make a living turning wrenches on cars in over 20 years, but I'm pretty sure I'd have found that split pipe before I ever replaced the first sensor. I would expect there to be better trained technicians, especially with the number of turbocharged GM vehicles on the road these days.

 

Welcome to the site!! That's a shame!! You haven't even had a chance to enjoy your new HHR yet. There are a lot of other posts on here about crappy dealership service. Most dealers have sold only a single HHR SS or two, so when they get one in the shop, it's the first time they've ever worked on one. The HHR SS is somewhat rare, so they don't really get a whole lot of experience working on them. But that's not really an excuse. You should be able to go to the dealership and have your car fixed in a timely manner, you know... Look at the bright side, at least you're under warranty, and you don't have to pay for their errors. Good luck with your HHR! Hope you can get things sorted out.

 

In all honesty, they probably thought they had fixed the problem. If the CEL came on, they would fix what it said was bad... I don't think they really intended for it not to get fixed...

Too bad though right when it's that new!

 

I agree with you, BUT they documented that they had test driven the vehicle after replacing the MAF and that it was operating to GM specs - when it was NOT. In the medical field, that's falsification of documentation, a terminable offense.

 

There is a desperate shortage of mechanics and I mean real mechanics capable of diagnosing problems. Many use a scan tool that tells them a sensor reading is out of normal range and instead of finding out why it is not reading as it should, they assume the sensor is bad, replace it and are certain they fixed the problem.

Diesel engines have been using intercooled turbochargers for about 40 years. Mechanics have long used compressed air and soapy water to find leaks in the system. The air blows bubbles. An old fashioned stethoscope works well too with just an open tube you can hear air leaking even with an engine running at high rpm.

Automotive dealers don't want to pay a good mechanic so most of the good ones find higher paying jobs in other industries.

 

Precisely why I rolled my toolbox into my own garage and now build and commission wind turbines. A lot cleaner, and no fussy customers or service managers. Oh, and a real paycheck :)

I should have brought it home and hunted for the leak myself, then took it back and showed them what was wrong with it.

 

The test drive probably did n ot include a full throttle pass down the back road, so the problem may not have shown itself to them...mechanic probably never realised that car screams when asked to unless he has time on them..so a quick sunday drive around the block and he thinks everything is honky dory....but then test driving a customers car isnt the same as testing a demo.....( snicker)

 

Well, here's the root cause:

 

Big FAT gaping hole. Suckage for a BRAND new Vehicle! WTF GM?

 

They should have added the $50 extra that mandrel bent steel would have cost to the sticker price. I'm willing to bet that this is going to be a warranty issue that bites them hard in the ass over the next few years.