[addxyz]

I'm curious about how a dealer would handle issues that it is not able to solve. For example, in IT, if the Tier1 guy can't figure it out, he'll escalate it to a more knowledgeable guy.

My car has been with the dealer for 3 days now regarding a tink sound coming from the rear and a brake pedal that loses pressure at low speeds (happens very rarely).

http://gm-volt.com/forum/showthread.php?250274-quot-Tink-quot-noise
http://gm-volt.com/forum/showthread.php?235306-soft-brake-pedal&highlight=soft+brake

The dealer keeps saying they can't reproduce it so it sounds like they are unable to do anything. I talked to a Volt Advisor and so far, he has not been useful in getting any help beyond the dealer.

 

[Barry]

The Volt adviser is often helpful, but as long as the dealership says they cannot duplicate the problem, that is the trump card. You have to find a way of demonstrating it to them.

 

[turboguy327]

They can't fix something they can't experience.

 

[Joe67]

I'm curious about how a dealer would handle issues that it is not able to solve. For example, in IT, if the Tier1 guy can't figure it out, he'll escalate it to a more knowledgeable guy.

My car has been with the dealer for 3 days now regarding a tink sound coming from the rear and a brake pedal that loses pressure at low speeds (happens very rarely).

http://gm-volt.com/forum/showthread.php?250274-quot-Tink-quot-noise
http://gm-volt.com/forum/showthread.php?235306-soft-brake-pedal&highlight=soft+brake

The dealer keeps saying they can't reproduce it so it sounds like they are unable to do anything. I talked to a Volt Advisor and so far, he has not been useful in getting any help beyond the dealer.

Honestly, three days isn't much time at all.

It usually goes;

1. Service Advisor
2. Service Manager
3. Dealership management
4. GM Customer Service / Volt Advisor

 

[BAZINGA]

Honestly, three days isn't much time at all.

It usually goes;

1. Service Advisor
2. Service Manager
3. Dealership management
4. GM Customer Service / Volt Advisor

and there are regional managers that they can call on. I know during my many years of GM ownership there were several times GM asked the dealer to connect the car to the ODBII port and then GM logged in remotely to look at the data and help the tech/dealer trouble shoot the problem and twice with my Corvette's GM actually sent engineers to the dealer to investigate an issue.

But remember intermittent problems are a dealers worse case scenario aside from rattles and squeaks.

So unless you were actually able to take the dealers tech for a ride and generate the problem this could get dicey.

Good luck and ask the dealer what they are doing to find and fix the issues. And FTR this topic is outlined in the Owners Manual.

 

[16513]

Yup, you'll have to determine the exact driving condition when the problem is observed/heard, then take your dealer tech for a ride. If you have a friend, preferably a fellow Volt owner, who could ride in the rear and listen up close, this may help. The hatch is #1 suspect, followed by struts. Sometimes thumping various parts in and outside with the heel of your hand can reveal a rattle, etc. Good luck.

 

[addxyz]

They can't fix something they can't experience.

I do work in IT and boy, I wish I could use that line on my users...

 

[addxyz]

Honestly, three days isn't much time at all.

It usually goes;

1. Service Advisor
2. Service Manager
3. Dealership management
4. GM Customer Service / Volt Advisor

I don't mind the time the car is at the dealer IF there is a clear path on what their approach is. So far, the feeling that I'm receiving is that if the dealer isn't able to reproduce, they won't do anything. My question is that is there an escalation path where if the dealer doesn't know the answer, they can get further assistance (with maybe more knowledgeable folks)? On the two threads I've mentioned, there are other folks experiencing the same issue. You'd think there's some kind of database of these issues that the dealer can search through right?

 

[jeffndawnw]

As a retired 35 year Master Tech, I can honestly say, some concerns customers can be very time consuming to try and duplicate.
That being said, like the previous post, sometimes the customer will have to duplicate the concern with the tech, or service writer to move forward with any corrections or repairs.

 

[Qinsp]

I don't mind the time the car is at the dealer IF there is a clear path on what their approach is. So far, the feeling that I'm receiving is that if the dealer isn't able to reproduce, they won't do anything. My question is that is there an escalation path where if the dealer doesn't know the answer, they can get further assistance (with maybe more knowledgeable folks)? On the two threads I've mentioned, there are other folks experiencing the same issue. You'd think there's some kind of database of these issues that the dealer can search through right?

Think about what tasks you must do, be it at work or home.

"Clean the dishes" - "Are there any dirty dishes?" - "I don't even know if there are any dishes, clean or dirty, just clean them please."

I've driven carbon ceramic racing brakes where the pedal goes all the way to the floor during break-in. Is there any thing wrong? Absolutely not! In fact if they DIDN'T, I'd be screwed and crash at 100+ mph. In that case it's part of the break in procedure.

Diesel pickups can have the pedal go to the floor also, DURING NORMAL OPERATION. I can tell you that at 22,500lb on the grade downhill from Vail, CO the brakes work just fine. They are not vacuum operated like normal cars, they work on the power steering fluid pressure. Because of that, the brakes pedal travels differently than vacuum brakes.

Most people think electric brake assist feels funny at first, as does the first time you experience ABS shudder. I know I did, but I'm used to driving different stuff.

Drive 35mph, nail the brakes violently. If the car has issues with the actual brakes themselves, it will appear.

EDIT - You're not running really high tire pressures are you? You should be 36 PSI cold for best traction on factory tires. Some hypermilers run 50psi for better economy, but at a loss in traction.

 

[Steverino]

So far, the feeling that I'm receiving is that if the dealer isn't able to reproduce, they won't do anything.

addxyz, sometimes I can see your posts, sometimes I can't. It happens randomly. Please fix your posts so I can see them all the time.

 

[Chevrolet Customer Svc]

I'm curious about how a dealer would handle issues that it is not able to solve. For example, in IT, if the Tier1 guy can't figure it out, he'll escalate it to a more knowledgeable guy.

My car has been with the dealer for 3 days now regarding a tink sound coming from the rear and a brake pedal that loses pressure at low speeds (happens very rarely).

http://gm-volt.com/forum/showthread.php?250274-quot-Tink-quot-noise
http://gm-volt.com/forum/showthread.php?235306-soft-brake-pedal&highlight=soft+brake

The dealer keeps saying they can't reproduce it so it sounds like they are unable to do anything. I talked to a Volt Advisor and so far, he has not been useful in getting any help beyond the dealer.

Hey addxyz!

There are a couple of ways I would suggest going about this issue. Firstly, have you attempted to go on a ride-along with your dealership? A lot of times, this helps because it shows the dealership how this issue appears under your normal driving style/technique. Additionally, I would highly recommend keeping a log of dates/times/temperatures and other details for when this happens. I can completely understand how annoying that can be, but it may also help pinpoint commonalities when this happens.

If you’d like to send me your VIN, contact information and dealership name, I can reach out to them and look into this further.

Best,

Amber G.
Chevrolet Customer Care

 

[Joe67]

I don't mind the time the car is at the dealer IF there is a clear path on what their approach is. So far, the feeling that I'm receiving is that if the dealer isn't able to reproduce, they won't do anything. My question is that is there an escalation path where if the dealer doesn't know the answer, they can get further assistance (with maybe more knowledgeable folks)? On the two threads I've mentioned, there are other folks experiencing the same issue. You'd think there's some kind of database of these issues that the dealer can search through right?

That was the question I answered above

 

[addxyz]

Think about what tasks you must do, be it at work or home.

"Clean the dishes" - "Are there any dirty dishes?" - "I don't even know if there are any dishes, clean or dirty, just clean them please."

I've driven carbon ceramic racing brakes where the pedal goes all the way to the floor during break-in. Is there any thing wrong? Absolutely not! In fact if they DIDN'T, I'd be screwed and crash at 100+ mph. In that case it's part of the break in procedure.

Diesel pickups can have the pedal go to the floor also, DURING NORMAL OPERATION. I can tell you that at 22,500lb on the grade downhill from Vail, CO the brakes work just fine. They are not vacuum operated like normal cars, they work on the power steering fluid pressure. Because of that, the brakes pedal travels differently than vacuum brakes.

Most people think electric brake assist feels funny at first, as does the first time you experience ABS shudder. I know I did, but I'm used to driving different stuff.

Drive 35mph, nail the brakes violently. If the car has issues with the actual brakes themselves, it will appear.

EDIT - You're not running really high tire pressures are you? You should be 36 PSI cold for best traction on factory tires. Some hypermilers run 50psi for better economy, but at a loss in traction.

If I end up rear-ending someone because the brake pedal goes to the floor, you think my insurance company will let me off the hook?

I'm running 37-40PSI.

 

[addxyz]

That was the question I answered above

Hopefully it follows that path.

The service manager was supposed to take a look at it today (3rd day), I have not yet received a call back.