[Southcross]

Found a puddle under the car, no CEL (yet), hurried and took it to the nearest dealer

The car is still under the 12 month bumper to bumper, CPO warranty. The Car (2014) has about %50 gasoline miles, and I have been known to drive it like I stole it at the track... And honestly I'm not worried because I know water pumps fail, 4-cyl Volkswagens from the 90s through the 00s have been known to pop water pumps like they were balloons.

Here is my issue though.

I took it to the closest dealership due to my choice dealer being a good 1-2 hour drive away (in traffic) with a coolant leak. They apparently didn't have a water pump for the 1.4L, but shouldn't they? isn't that a common engine among the other models (cruze, sonic, Trax, etc?)?? And after over (edited) a week of sitting, it appears that they FINALLY started working on the car? (I've been using OnStar daily to check the status of my car, if they moved it, etc etc... right now OnStar can't connect to my car) They were also a pain to get a loaner vehicle as well...

Are others finding similar issues with getting warranty work done? Or am I just getting crap customer service from this dealer?

 

[Jim Fallston Md.]

I don't think that engine was used in many if any other models. A week is not a long time to wait for parts either. Give them a chance to do the work right. I bet you'll have it back real soon.

 

[DonC]

Dealers don't stock many parts like this anymore. I'm surprised it took a week. I'd have thought more like three days for something like this. However, if the technician wasn't available there might not be a reason to rush getting the part or in fact telling you the part was in.

 

[Dutch]

Dealers don't stock many parts like this anymore. I'm surprised it took a week. I'd have thought more like three days for something like this. However, if the technician wasn't available there might not be a reason to rush getting the part or in fact telling you the part was in.

Ah the double-edged sword of "JIT" (Just in time) stocking.
though my experience was also that it seemed to take a bit longer than it should to get Volt parts.

 

[saghost]

The Volt has two different water pumps for the engine - an electric one and a mechanical one (and two more electric pumps for the battery and power electronics.)

While the engine isn't exactly the same as the 1.4T in all those other cars, it shares a lot of parts, and I would have thought that the mechanical water pump is one of them but I don't know for certain. I doubt anything else shares the electric pump(s), though - maybe the Spark EV or Bolt EV.

http://gm-volt.com/2010/12/09/the-chevrolet-volt-coolingheating-systems-explained/

 

[Southcross]

woops.... small mis-wording of my original post... *Over a week of sitting, they have had it since the Thursday before Memorial Day.

it is my understanding, besides the lack of Turbo and higher compression, the engine blocks are identical between the 1.4Ls

 

[ClarksonCote]

OnStar stops connecting when the car hasn't been turned on for more than 2 days, I think. It's some calendar-based time. So the fact you can't connect to it means they haven't turned it on in at least that much time.

Hopefully it'll be fixed soon! I'd prod them about the status of the part and repair, but remain polite.

 

[Southcross]

OnStar stops connecting when the car hasn't been turned on for more than 2 days, I think. It's some calendar-based time. So the fact you can't connect to it means they haven't turned it on in at least that much time.

Hopefully it'll be fixed soon! I'd prod them about the status of the part and repair, but remain polite.

nah.... I've been able to connect to it ever day since dropping it off, particularly to check the GPS location of the car to see if it was still parked in their back lot or moved into their repair shop

 

[El Dobro]

The 1.4 Volt water pump is not the same pump used in a 1.4 Cruze.

 

[Southcross]

The 1.4 Volt water pump is not the same pump used in a 1.4 Cruze.

ahhh.... good to know, knowing this now does explain the lead time on the part

 

[viking79]

You vould ask them to rush if necessary. I don't imagine it would cost more than $50 to overnight a water pump in the continental 48 states.

 

[Steverino]

1-4 weeks is not unusual for some Volt parts. It's a low volume car.

 

[jbakerjonathan]

I'd start the clock on May 30th, due to the holiday weekend, and I'd count business days, not calendar days. Also, I'd check on the availability of their Volt-certified mechanic. All in all, your wait is not yet exorbitant IMO. Sorry for your troubles.

 

[Southcross]

got the car back last night

now another question, doesn't a dealership normally perform a complimentary inspection of the vehicle? top off air/fluids/etc? show you the fancy little sheet that says "tire wear", "pad life", etc etc?
They did zilch... how can I tell? I had two tires that were low when they got the car, still low when I picked up the car.

 

[El Dobro]

got the car back last night

now another question, doesn't a dealership normally perform a complimentary inspection of the vehicle? top off air/fluids/etc? show you the fancy little sheet that says "tire wear", "pad life", etc etc?
They did zilch... how can I tell? I had two tires that were low when they got the car, still low when I picked up the car.

Ask the service writer.