[Zuliman]

2011 Volt with 98k miles - Does the Voltec warranty cover the "transmission"?

Hi all,

Searched the threads and found some information alludes to our issue being covered by the Voltec warranty, but at the same time some threads mentioned it was only covered under the Powertrain warranty. I was hoping to get a general consensus on what all should be covered under the Voltec 100k / 8yr warranty vs Power Train 5yr/100k warranty. Out Volt has already burned through our powertrain warranty on time alone..

Wife's car has 98k miles and just generated two check engine codes for the transmission. Based on feedback this is most likely solenoid issue, but dealer wants to replace the entire "transmission" for $3.8K after dropping the price from $5.5k.

The Volt Advisor team is no more and GM senior advisor is stating that this is only covered under 5yr/100K PT warranty. I was told that since the PT warranty was expired that it is not going to be covered, but said she would investigate further as she was not entirely sure.

The 2011 Chevy Volt warranty booklet is somewhat confusing (to me anyway) as states 100k/5yr for power train, but then goes on to state that certain hybrid components are covered for 100k/8yrs including transmission, but this was for labeled as for the Chevy Tahoe Hybrid -- which is what confused me as this is the 2011 Chevy Volt warranty book… and not a Tahoe warranty booklet. Why the heck does it mention a Tahoe Hybrid? Anyway…

The warranty site at (http://www.chevrolet.com/owners/warranty) indicates that the Voltec warranty covers the following:
"Electric Hybrid/Drive Unit
Electric drive unit assembly electric motors, and all internal components, including the auxiliary fluid pump, auxiliary pump controller, electric motor, and 3-phase cables."

This sentence alone leads me to believe that it should be covered as the Volt does not have a traditional transmission. It is all in the central drive unit. Should GM cover this under the Voltec warranty?

Thoughts?

 

[markh21518]

The Hybrid drive is covered under the warranty, get another dealer, yours is a Stealership, or call GM corporate.

 

[Carl S]

The Volt has an electric drive unit instead of a transmission.

The electric drive unit is listed as a covered item under the 8 year/100K mile Voltec warranty, page 14 and 15 of the 2011 Chevrolet Volt Limited Warranty and Owner Assistance Information booklet.

 

[freshcut]

Agreed with the above posts. You need to get in touch with someone at GM to inform the dealership this is covered under the Voltec warranty since the Volt does not have a transmission but an electric drive unit. Although it bolts to the engine like a "transmission" it is a completely different piece of equipment that is unique to the Voltec system.

 

[Mister Dave]

Wow - looking at the 2011 warranty guide you'd think you bought a light truck. This is one of the worst copy-and-paste jobs ever for GM.

Anyway.....

What is Covered
..............
Other Electric/Hybrid Components

High Voltage Wiring, Hybrid Powertrain, and Battery Control Modules, Air Compressor Control Module (Except Malibu Hybrid), Accessory DC Power Control Module, High Voltage Battery Disconnect Control Module, Drive Motor Generator Power Invertor Module, Battery Charger Control Module.

 

[fotomoto1]

You need to inform yourself and read the fine print as each manufacture can differ on this. For instance, Toyota considers the hybrid transaxle as part of the power train and not part of the hybrid system even tho' it contains MG1 and MG2 within.

 

[Belgin]

Yes, transmission is covered 8 years 100,000 miles. GM calls it a transmission but it is part of the Voltec system. Your TCM is probably bad and your throttle body needs to be cleaned. The transmission fluid is recommended to be changed at 45,000 miles even though the manual says 97,500 miles.

As others have said, you need to go to a dealer that has a Volt tech.

 

[CCIE]

Message Deleted by Poster

 

[Zuliman]

Hi all,


I am happy to report that GM and the dealership have accepted this under a Voltec warranty claim. The car has no transmission, so technically this is covered under the Voltec warranty. The frustrating part of all of this is that GM customer service (both level 1 and level 2) argued that it was a powertrain warranty issue and insisted it would not fall under the Voltec warranty - they had notes placed on my case stating exactly that.

Fortunately a forum member and Volt GM technician provided me warranty code for this type of issue. I shared that with my service advisor along with the 2011 Volt warranty booklet text. A few hours later I received a call indicating that the claim was accepted and they would begin working on the car.

Thanks to all of you for the information and support!

 

[CCIE]

Glad to hear it worked out!

 

[2VoltFamily]

Hi all,


I am happy to report that GM and the dealership have accepted this under a Voltec warranty claim. The car has no transmission, so technically this is covered under the Voltec warranty. The frustrating part of all of this is that GM customer service (both level 1 and level 2) argued that it was a powertrain warranty issue and insisted it would not fall under the Voltec warranty - they had notes placed on my case stating exactly that.

Fortunately a forum member and Volt GM technician provided me warranty code for this type of issue. I shared that with my service advisor along with the 2011 Volt warranty booklet text. A few hours later I received a call indicating that the claim was accepted and they would begin working on the car.

Thanks to all of you for the information and support!

Care to share the warranty code with the thread?

 

[Zuliman]

Absolutely! I should have posted that as part of my last update.

"Here is the warranty labor operation they will use for the transmission repair, note the V under coverage which is for Voltec coverage and not powertrain.

8464670 Transmission Replacement

WARRANTY CODE: Coverage Code: V"

 

[Mike-o-Matic]

Fortunately a forum member and Volt GM technician provided me warranty code for this type of issue. I shared that with my service advisor along with the 2011 Volt warranty booklet text. A few hours later I received a call indicating that the claim was accepted and they would begin working on the car.

Top marks for them! Glad it's working out.

 

[pinballlooking]

Very nice. Glad it was covered.

 

[Bill Step]

Absolutely! I should have posted that as part of my last update.

"Here is the warranty labor operation they will use for the transmission repair, note the V under coverage which is for Voltec coverage and not powertrain.

8464670 Transmission Replacement

WARRANTY CODE: Coverage Code: V"

excellent news and thank you for the code.

 

[rsewill]

Absolutely! I should have posted that as part of my last update.

"Here is the warranty labor operation they will use for the transmission repair, note the V under coverage which is for Voltec coverage and not powertrain.

8464670 Transmission Replacement

WARRANTY CODE: Coverage Code: V"

Good for you, and a special thank you to the GM tech who is a member of the forum!!! This can't be the only failure of that type. Sorry to see that GM is playing these games which is one reason foreign car makers are doing so well in the USA.

 

[Aseras]

Good for you, and a special thank you to the GM tech who is a member of the forum!!! This can't be the only failure of that type. Sorry to see that GM is playing these games which is one reason foreign car makers are doing so well in the USA.

I completely agree. They need to start actually helping their customers instead of screwing them over. Especially the ones taking a gamble on their newest technology.

They need to see people as customers for life and go out of their way to help and that will bring people back in their door. Slapping a sucker sign on the customers after a sale isn't the way to do it.

 

[LivePlayLove]

May I ask who the GM tech is on the forum that provided the code? My dealer just said my 2012 volt has a transmission issued and it's out of warranty (powertrain) but it's still under the Voltec. I paid for a previous repair that they denied warranty coverage for even with a bulletin stating it was covered as their computer didn't show the V next to it like the bulletin did. Also GM denied the claim.

Thanks
Eric

 

[Total_Idiot]

Motto of story...if an issue MIGHT be covered by warranty, bring it in...then you'll have evidence that the issue was with w/i the warranty period.

Don't expect dealers to be experts on warranties. I had a Altima Hybrid that had its catalytic converter go bad at 80K. Std. warranty was up to 70K, and Calf. emissions was 100K. The dealer initially refused to have it covered under warranty and explained that the last month, he misread a warranty and allowed something covered for free that should not have been and he got in trouble.

As it ended, the car was covered by Calf. warranty (even though I was in a different state) and the 3K bill was covered by it.
It took one month of wrangling but it got sorted out. Luckily the car still was drivable.

And then my Honda Insight....oil consumption extended warranty ... ended up, after 2 months of wrangling .. got a new engine ~ 14K job under this warranty extension..but it took a lot of work on my end.

 

[JGWEIR]

Had my "transmission replaced" at 70,000 under warranty...barely

2014 Volt, 70,300 miles, purchased in Feb 2015. It just stopped running one day in late February. Had to have it towed in to dealership. I was told that they needed to replace the transmission, but that I was lucky because my 5 yr/100,000 warranty was going to expire the next week. So the dearlership was saying that this drive train item was about to be out of warranty. So, yes I was lucky it happened when it did.

I'm glad I came across this thread. They never mentioned the 8 year / 100,000 voltec coverage.