[Bob Vreeke]

My name is Bob Vreeke and I have owned a Volt since August of 2010. When I purchased the vehicle I was told that it was the 5th Volt built. I have had 2 issues with the Volt since it was new. Number one: One of the keys I was given did not work in the Volt and was not recognized by the vehicle thus we were unable to use that key. I repeatedly complained to the dealership (Britain Chevrolet Greenville TX) and was told that there was nothing they could do about it. Number two: My mode button worked for about 6 months and then stopped working at all. I once again brought this to there attention and nothing was done to fix the problem. I wrote a letter to the corporate office in Detroit MI. which evidently was intercepted and I was called by the service manager at the Chevy dealership asking why I complained about them. Now that the car is no longer under warranty they are more than happy to fix the problem at an outrageous amount of money. Once again I wrote a letter to GM corporate and once again it was intercepted. Am I the only one having problems like this? Or is this the norm for Chevrolet? I brought my Wife's Camaro in for service recently and was treated like crap. Normally they wash the cars after service but this time they didn't. They didn't even clean out all there trash from inside the car. It seems these days Chevrolet only cares about the almighty dollar and not their customers like they did in the old days.

 

[Barry]

The dealership is an independent business and some are better than others. That is a problem with many Chevrolet dealerships, as well as dealerships of other manufacturers. Sounds like you need a different dealership.

At a different dealership, show them your service records of having complained about the items during the warranty period. They should still honor the warranty due to that.

Some other people with the mode button problem found that it was resolved by simply replacing the switch. Not a major repair.

 

[Paulacton84]

wow, congratulations on keeping your car for 7 years, I've had my '13 since aug 13 and have had 75,000 mostly trouble free miles. (excessive brake wear on one rear pad is the only issue that I consider a "trouble")

your questions is more philosophical than practical, and you have given us a few clues:- Service is very dealer dependant, my local servicing dealer (not where I bought the car) took great care of my requests during he warranty , even though they were for minor concerns of mine that were not operational problems, I got a new centerconsole cover (its a $250. part I think) because of a sharp edge on the chrome trim. I got a new water pump in the heater loop because I thought the old one too loud, and I got a new EVSE when the PVC jacket on the cord started to split. All with no cost, delay or hassle. But I would not expect them to fix today, well out of warranty, a problem that I find today but may have been there for a while. That's not how car warranties work. When the warranty is over, you have to pay for everything except recalls....

You should not expect that your 7 year old car will get the same "clean and shine" that a new car in for service would get: I still laugh when they put down the seat covers and floor covers to drive my 4 year old car during service, since my floor mats are dirtier than their shoes for sure. Still even this is dealer dependent but many dealerships provide extra no charge (low cost) services for cars within the first 2 years.
Remember that most car owners move through a car every 3 years or so, lacking your patience, so those are the people who generate the most revenue at dealerships and the people who they target their service practices to.

a few years ago I was still getting great dealer care on an 11 year old car (since gone), but this is as I said, dealer dependant.

I have a "sticky" mode button now, which was a risk I took when I had the console face replaced, but It is out of warranty, so rather than pay to change it, I am working it to free up the interference, something that a few hundred pushes and some silicone spray ought to fix it, if yours is sticky, you might try this.
For keys, you might try to reprogram your keys yourself, the instructions are in the manual, you need to have all your keys together at the same time, and I suggest putting new batteries in them first. I bought a 3rd key when my car was fairly new and the dealer programmed it, (along with the other 2) for me in about 15 minutes.

 

[TheBlueFlash]

So instead of going to a different dealer to have your issues addressed, you ignored it for 7 years and now you're upset they won't fix it out of warranty?

Sorry, no disrespect, I guess I don't understand, perhaps you did go to other dealers for service but you forgot to include that in the post?

 

[Steverino]

My name is Bob Vreeke and I have owned a Volt since August of 2010. When I purchased the vehicle I was told that it was the 5th Volt built. I have had 2 issues with the Volt since it was new. Number one: One of the keys I was given did not work in the Volt and was not recognized by the vehicle thus we were unable to use that key. I repeatedly complained to the dealership (Britain Chevrolet Greenville TX) and was told that there was nothing they could do about it.

The car keys did not work except by inserting the key and the dealer said they could not fix. That's B.S. You should have escalated the issue with the Volt customer care people that were around at the time. Or went to a better dealer. Now, it will be tougher to get fixed for free but show them all the repair requests you have in writing and demand they fix what should have been fixed under the 36 month B2B warranty. Just don't hold your breath.

Number two: My mode button worked for about 6 months and then stopped working at all. I once again brought this to there attention and nothing was done to fix the problem. I wrote a letter to the corporate office in Detroit MI. which evidently was intercepted and I was called by the service manager at the Chevy dealership asking why I complained about them.

And? You stopped there?

Now that the car is no longer under warranty they are more than happy to fix the problem at an outrageous amount of money. Once again I wrote a letter to GM corporate and once again it was intercepted.

It wasn't intercepted. It was referred to the dealer to resolve.

Am I the only one having problems like this? Or is this the norm for this Chevrolet dealer?

(Fixed your sentence for you) Apparently so. Why do you keep using them? My dealer is great, never had warranty repair issues like yours.

I brought my Wife's Camaro in for service recently and was treated like crap. Normally they wash the cars after service but this time they didn't. They didn't even clean out all there trash from inside the car. It seems these days this Chevrolet dealer only cares about the almighty dollar and not their customers like they did in the old days.

(Fixed this sentence too) Why do you keep giving this dealer your business? They are obviously terrible.

 

[AZ EV Driver]

My name is Bob Vreeke and I have owned a Volt since August of 2010. When I purchased the vehicle I was told that it was the 5th Volt built.

Are you sure? The first production Volts were delivered in December of 2010. I think the first Volts were delivered in California. Not sure if TX was in the first wave of 10 states to get the Volt.

VIN # B0985

 

[ItsNotAboutTheMoney]

Sounds like a bad dealer.

Nearest Chevy dealer outside Greenville, TX appears to be in Commerce, TX. Not far.

 

[El Dobro]

Every little thing I brought up about my car, the dealer took care of, no questions. If they didn't, I would have moved on.

 

[Jim I]

I have had a completely different experience with my 2012 Volt (It will be six years old in two weeks) from my local Chevy dealer - Sweeney Chevrolet, Boardman, Ohio.

For the minimal services it has required, they have been completely professional, did everything correctly, and gave me a free loaner car when I needed one.

Now where will I spend my money when I need a new car????

Maybe that is why they have been selling cars here for 95 years!

Jim - C-5277

 

[BAZINGA]

You had more than enough time to find another dealer. Doing the same thing over and over and expecting a different result is........goofy. And for the record my local dealer - Jack Schmitt Chevy in O'Fallon IL are the shining example of what a deal should be. So not every dealer experience is similar to yours. That's why you should have found another dealer.

 

[Nuclearboy]

Miller Brothers Chevrolet in Ellicott City Maryland has treated me very well with the Volt. Always professional and helpful.

Obviously problems like yours are dealer dependent. Luckily Chevy dealers are scattered around all over and you can freely move from one to another.

 

[ewiggins]

Gerry Lane in Baton Rouge, LA has been excellent. The only complaint about having my car repaired is that it took Gerry Lane several weeks to receive a new wire harness and I blame that on Chevrolet and NOT Gerry Lane.

After having the major wire harness replaced, I expected to have some type of issue, but I had absolutely none. They did an excellent job.

 

[kmac7800]

He is a troll. TX did not get the first Volts, as mentioned before the first ones were not out until December of 2010, and no one would have stopped when he did at complaining and waited another 7 years before bringing it up again.

Nice try.

//KMac

 

[Steverino]

He is a troll. TX did not get the first Volts, as mentioned before the first ones were not out until December of 2010, and no one would have stopped when he did at complaining and waited another 7 years before bringing it up again.

Nice try.

//KMac

He could simply be clueless and believes whatever the dealer tells him, including his was the 5th car. He may have tried ordering it in October, dealer took his money and imported one from CA. He does seem to be an outlier to wait 6 years for a bumper to bumper warranty claim complaint, but like I said he could simply be clueless.

 

[wizard_of-ahs]

Or maybe he had the 5th one in Texas

 

[JC Volt]

they put down the seat covers and floor covers to drive my 4 year old car during service

Is this Colonial Chevrolet on 2A in Acton?

 

[TripleTrucker]

No comment on OP post, but I agree about Sweeney in Boardman.
Bought my used 2012 out of town, but Sweeney service and Volt tech have been awesome. Anything possibly in warranty has been addressed and loaner car always available.
100% satisfied with this dealer's service dept. and will absolutely deal with them if I ever upgrade to new.

I have had a completely different experience with my 2012 Volt (It will be six years old in two weeks) from my local Chevy dealer - Sweeney Chevrolet, Boardman, Ohio.

For the minimal services it has required, they have been completely professional, did everything correctly, and gave me a free loaner car when I needed one.

Now where will I spend my money when I need a new car????

Maybe that is why they have been selling cars here for 95 years!

Jim - C-5277

 

[sduck]

I have to agree that the timing issues on this post are highly suspicious. There seems to be a another chevy dealership in Farmersville, not far from Greenville - see if they might be able to help you.

 

[bartin]

There are only 2 Chevy dealers near me, and they are both horrible. Zero communication, zero advocacy on getting things like the EVSE fixed under warranty. They've sat on my car for days without touching it and without updating me on how things were going (apparently because they didn't think it necessary to tell me they weren't doing anything with my car). No loaner. No apologies for anything.
These dealers have turned me off of Chevy completely. Which sucks because I love the volt and there is nothing comparable out there.