I received an email from my dealer today regarding service for my '17 Volt. The maintenance it says it needs is "Check Engine, Electronics and Battery Pack Coolant and Check Sealant and Compressor Kit Expiration" Well....what in the world does 'Check Engine' entail? I can check the oil and battery pack coolant and I'm pretty sure all electronics work because, the car works! Do I need to do this service to stay under warranty??
Service Vehicle Email
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You have 3 coolant systems under the hood. HV Battery, HV Electronics, and the Engine. The service they are referring to is to open the hood and visually check the fluid levels of all 3 systems. There is a tank for each one.
The service department is fishing for business. I've had the same message at regular intervals. The fluid checks required are things you can and should be doing yourself, and the sealant and compressor kit are good until 2022 on your 2017 car. 'Electronics' refers to the cooling system involved, not the whole car.
Just FYI, my 2017 Volt came with 2 free dealer services that are supposed to be done in the first 6 mos or 6000 miles, whichever comes first. We will do this in order to meet the requirements of the "Lifetime Limited Powertrain Warranty"...which certainly seems like a good deal....though I hope we don't ever have to use it!
Do you know what service is supposed to be done in the 6 months or 6000 miles? I don't see anything listed on the '17 Volt Maintenance Schedule https://my.chevrolet.com/content/dam/gmownercenter/gmna/dynamic/manuals/2017/Chevrolet/Volt/Maintenance%20Schedule.pdf
The paperwork I have says it is my responsibility to assure that the engine oil and filter are changed at a minimum of every 6 mos or 6000 miles whichever occurs first. I am assuming this is an additional protection warranty that some dealers offer as an added incentive (rolled into the price I paid). The first two services are free and who knows what all they really do. I have looked at the 2017 Owners Manual and reviewed the chart for "Normal" duty and it doesn't call for anything at the 6000 mile period.
Some Volt owners may have very few hours of actual engine use @ 6000 miles. The last few vehicles I have owned I did my own basic service and I only changed filters and oil on an annual basis.....but I used full synthetic oil (Amsoil). But I am going to let my dealer do all the work on the Volt in order to stick with their program.
Some Volt owners may have very few hours of actual engine use @ 6000 miles. The last few vehicles I have owned I did my own basic service and I only changed filters and oil on an annual basis.....but I used full synthetic oil (Amsoil). But I am going to let my dealer do all the work on the Volt in order to stick with their program.
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Sounds like something leftover from internal combustion engine days. Some dealers give you a lifetime warranty, but read the fine print. Odd are it's a marketing this to give you peace of mind when you buynthe car, but most people trade their cars in or forget they even have this warranty. So some insurance company made $50 from the dealership and good luck making that claim - odds are nothing catastrophic will happen to your car... or you forget to bring the car in for these services, thus voiding the warranty. It's pure profit for the insurance companies.
My first oil change on the volt came at 22.5k miles. Changing sooner is just a waste of dino juice.
What some of us forget is that, in addition to rotating the tires every 7,500 miles, there are several checks to be performed at the same time. The owners manual calls them Required Services. It seems to me the maintenance section text of the 2017 manual has not changed at all from that in my 2012 manual, wherein it say that in addition to rotating the tires every 7,500 miles, you should perform the following services:
"Check engine oil level and oil life percentage. Check engine coolant level. Check windshield washer fluid level. Visually inspect windshield wiper blades for wear, cracking, or contamination. Check tire inflation pressures. Inspect tire wear. Visually check for fluid leaks. Inspect engine air cleaner filter. Inspect brake system. Visually inspect steering, suspension, and chassis components for damaged, loose, or missing parts or signs of wear. Check restraint system components. Visually inspect fuel system for damage or leaks. Visually inspect exhaust system and nearby heat shields for loose or damaged parts. Lubricate body components. Check electrical drive unit shift lock control function. Check parking brake and automatic transmission park mechanism. Check accelerator pedal for damage, high effort, or binding. Visually inspect gas strut for signs of wear, cracks, or other damage. Check the hold open ability of the strut. Check tire sealant expiration date, if equipped."
"Check engine oil level and oil life percentage. Check engine coolant level. Check windshield washer fluid level. Visually inspect windshield wiper blades for wear, cracking, or contamination. Check tire inflation pressures. Inspect tire wear. Visually check for fluid leaks. Inspect engine air cleaner filter. Inspect brake system. Visually inspect steering, suspension, and chassis components for damaged, loose, or missing parts or signs of wear. Check restraint system components. Visually inspect fuel system for damage or leaks. Visually inspect exhaust system and nearby heat shields for loose or damaged parts. Lubricate body components. Check electrical drive unit shift lock control function. Check parking brake and automatic transmission park mechanism. Check accelerator pedal for damage, high effort, or binding. Visually inspect gas strut for signs of wear, cracks, or other damage. Check the hold open ability of the strut. Check tire sealant expiration date, if equipped."
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The two services are at 12 months/12,000 miles each. Just make sure you do the second service prior to the end of the 24th month and before 24,000 miles on the odometer. Use your owners manual to determine what services are needed when. If your service department is telling you 6,000 miles / 6 months then they are using the wrong service schedule for the Volt.
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When I had my Volt, I regularly got email from the dealer saying to change the oil every 3,000 miles. Even though the car has a pretty decent oil life indicator. It's marketing to sell parts and service.
I changed the oil once and traded the car.
The ELR, since I plan to keep it, I changed the oil early the first time. (It was sitting on the lot for a year before I bought it.) The dealer automatically did it the second time even though the oil life indicator was above 50%. I probably won't need the oil changed again for another year. It's sitting at 76% right now.
I changed the oil once and traded the car.
The ELR, since I plan to keep it, I changed the oil early the first time. (It was sitting on the lot for a year before I bought it.) The dealer automatically did it the second time even though the oil life indicator was above 50%. I probably won't need the oil changed again for another year. It's sitting at 76% right now.
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