[Skoke54]

Anyone else had an experience similar to mine?

 

[TheBlueFlash]

Nope, after 25k miles, my 2016 has been flawless. Just software updates. Mine was a very early build date to boot.

 

[Norton]

Can a car be inhabited by a LEMON spirit that can not be exorcised with tools and proper troubleshooting?

There is a legal description of what a lemon car is, state by state.

 

[Jd3]

I had this problem with my 2016 ONCE about a year ago ... they took it in, changed some programming and also put in a new shifter and I have not had the problem since then.

 

[snic]

"The California Lemon Law (Civ. Code, § 1793.22) protects you when your vehicle is defective and cannot be repaired after a “reasonable” number of attempts. In such instances, the manufacturer must either replace or repurchase the vehicle—whichever you prefer.

The Lemon Law applies to most vehicles purchased or leased in California that are still under a manufacturer’s new car warranty. "

https://oag.ca.gov/consumers/general/cars

I think your question hinges on what constitutes a "reasonable" number of repair attempts. IANAL, but to this particular member of the jury pool (well, I don't live in CA, but if I did...), if the dealer has tried to fix the same problem 4 times without success, you've got a lemon and they are obligated to replace the car. How you actually go about getting the dealer to do that, I have no idea.

 

[BAZINGA]

Zero issues with my early build 2017. And after 16 months of ownership I have been to the dealer ONCE since delivery for 3 recall's and even though I only had 325 miles on my ICE I opted to change the oil to Mobil 1. I figured since I'm not using the ICE aside from EMM and the dreaded FMM I wanted the best oil I can buy.

I'd find a different dealer to address your issue.

 

[jbakerjonathan]

<snip>... I opted to change the oil to Mobil 1. I figured since I'm not using the ICE aside from EMM and the dreaded FMM I wanted the best oil I can buy.

I'd find a different dealer to address your issue.

I'm not being snide, but why didn't you buy GM's oil? It seems to me that if GM is willing to warrant the engine for 100,000 miles, they would use "the best oil money can buy". Does Mobil 1 exceed the Dexos requirements? And, if so, is it necessary for an engine that sees the kind of usage the Volt engine sees?

At least for the Gen1, I can't think of one item that could be considered "cheap". That probably goes for the Gen2, also.

 

[timoshev]

At my dealer full synthetic is an extra-cost option at the free oil change--which utilizes blended synthetic.

 

[jbakerjonathan]

At my dealer full synthetic is an extra-cost option at the free oil change--which utilizes blended synthetic.

I assumed that Bazinga either supplied his own oil to someone to use or that he changed his own oil. In either case, using oil that meets the Dexos requirements is sufficient, based on how "life treats" the ICE, IMHO. No need to use a premium priced oil.

 

[voganni]

Well I beg to disagree. One of the hardest tasks on oil is containing and neutralizing acids and moisture, both of which the Volt ICE is much more prone to produce from its style of infrequent running, stop-start, etc. Top-tier full synthetic for me. My weapon of choice is Amsoil Signature Series 5w-30. For a 2- year change interval, the price is insignificant to me.

 

[jbakerjonathan]

Well I beg to disagree. One of the hardest tasks on oil is containing and neutralizing acids and moisture, both of which the Volt ICE is much more prone to produce from its style of infrequent running, stop-start, etc. Top-tier full synthetic for me. My weapon of choice is Amsoil Signature Series 5w-30. For a 2- year change interval, the price is insignificant to me.

I'll ask again, is it necessary to buy expensive oil that meets the Dexos requirements, as opposed to the GM oil that meets the Dexos requirements? Do you have information that supports using any oil other than GM Dexos? What you have described may indeed be true. What I am asking you is why you think that GM Dexos does not protect the engine? Gm is warranting the engine for 5 years or 100,000 miles. Surely they would not expose themselves to early engine failure by specifying an inferior oil. Do you think otherwise?

 

[Volterado]

Anyone else had an experience similar to mine?

In December of 1999 I bought a MY2000 Audi S4 right off the delivery trailer, even paid over MSRP. It was silver with a silver leather interior; beautiful car.

The next weekend I took my wife out to a fancy restaurant downtown LA. After dinner we go out to the valet and several minutes go by. He comes back and says he cannot get the car out of park. He walks me over to the car and sure enough it won't come out of park. I call the dealership, who is just about to close, and they give me several suggestions which don't work. The service manager finally comes on and says "Straddle the gearshift and pull as hard as you can, you'll probably get it to move enough to at least roll the car out of the lot and onto a flatbed. If you break something, no problem, we have to fix it anyway." So that's what I did and sure enough it worked, the car got towed and we took a taxi home. Turned out to be the little solenoid. They had to swap one from another new delivery because there were no parts available yet.

I subsequently put 200K miles on that car, including MANY track days with the Audi club, and never had a serious problem. Pretty amazing for a twin turbo V6 AWD car as complex as that one was.