Why Chevrolet Dealership Repair Facility fixed a ton of stuff on my 2008 Chevrolet Express Van before ever doing the diagnostic for Check engine light which I told them it pulled sensor(s) codes?

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Asked by TheGentleman808 Dec 04, 2016 at 03:33 AM about the 2008 Chevrolet Express Cargo 1500 RWD

Question type: Maintenance & Repair

I brought my 2008 Chevrolet Express 1500 Cargo van to a Chevrolet Dealership on November 16th 2016, to have the check engine lights removed so that it would pass inspection. I had already had it checked at another repair facility when it was there for some other work  and I knew that it pulled some sensor codes that had to do with emissions. They repaired a ton of things on the vehicle to the tune of over $7000.00 including wheel work, Catalytic Converter, Power steering Pump, Horn, (which worked but was kind of shrill when you blew it, upper control arm, power steering pump and  lines, 3 TP Sensors to the tune of over 400 dollars the  condenser and even told me that it needed a condenser to pass inspection when I asked, because something else connected to it would keep the light on if not repaired,  which I did not believe but I figured that I would have the work done and my van would be inspected and I would be all set. Well when I picked it up that Saturday November 19, 2016, the check engine light was on and the inspection sticker had been removed and the advisor had  told me over the phone that he had given me a 10 day pass on the inspection because the van had monitors that were not ready to make a determination on the vans emission system, so I took the van and begin driving it around thinking that that is what it needed to reset and the check engine light would go out. Wrong, I drove the van for about 4- 500 miles before I realized that something was not right and I called the advisor at the dealership and told them how many miles that I had driven and I still have a check engine light on, shouldn't it have reset by now. First, he tells me that the check engine light came on, I said no, it was on when I picked it up and has been on ever since I picked up the van. He said that when he had the van pulled out the check engine light was not on, which I do not believe as it was on the moment that I started the van up. He said to bring it in and they would have it checked for why the check engine light was on. I brought it in and he had a tech use a hand held analyzer to check it and he didn't tell me anything he went into the office and was talking to the advisor and immediately left the area when I walked in, the advisor told me that It was pulling sensor codes that were not showing up before and needed to be replaced possibly because of a domino effect when they changed some of the others and 1 had to be broken out when they removed it. Which ones it was pulling and which ones were changed, I was never told, but now my van needs to have those repaired and would be another 300 dollars, (normally a 600 dollar job but he would get it done for 300 and tax), It was Tuesday November 29th now and I wanted to bring it in on Wednesday the 30th,  but he said that did not work for him and could I bring it in on Saturday. I thought that this was very uncaring seeing as though this is my company Van and I need it to deliver for my customers,  anyway I brought it in on Saturday, December 3rd, 2016, Today and was told that he would do what he needed to get the van properly inspected and I asked if I could wait for it and he said that it would not be a wait issue, so I was given a ride back home. I called them at around 3:30 pm and was told that the check engine light is off and the tech was driving the vehicle around to reset the monitors and he would call me back around 4:00pm, he called me around 4:30 pm and said that 2 sensors were on and needed to be changed as there were 7, and I believe that 3 or 2 monitors were still not ready and the system would only allow 1 to remain not ready or something very close to that I was told. Now the van is still at the shop over the weekend and on Monday December 5th, they would see about the 2 sensors and getting the monitors ready to pass the vehicle. He also was telling me about the 2 rear view mirrors needing to be changed, (they are the double mirrors with the small separate mirror at the bottom which I used to angle to the ground for parallel parking), the driver side bottom small mirror is a little shattered but you can still see very well through it and the passenger side large top mirror was broken from the housing and is held in place by clear shipping tape but can still be used for viewing to the rear, First,  they put on TP Sensors costing more than 400 dollars, (which I know that the van don't have to have),  with labor and did not replace the mirrors and are now trying to flag the vehicle for the mirrors in an inspection. They have never shown me or given me any diagnostic test on the van and keep telling me that sensors are showing up and now need to be replaced. Why are they giving me this run around and not just fix or replace all of the sensors and get my vehicle passed in the inspection? Could they have broken or damaged something in relation to the emission system and are having problems getting the sensors done now, I also look at the date of the inspection report and it was done on November 18th after 3:00pm way after he had spoken to me to get the authorization to order the parts to begin doing all of the other work, (well over 6000 dollars and it was  over 7000 with tax), I brought it in for the check engine light and told them that it would not pass any inspection because of the sensors, but this is what they worked on Friday the 18th of November, at the end of the day? Why am I getting this run around about my vehicle and why don't they just replace all of the sensors and be done with that and pass the vehicle?  Something is not right with this whole situation, there is something that I am not being told, I just don't know because I am not a mechanic but I know that he has told me lies, first about not knowing that the check engine light was still on the first time and about not knowing about these sensors in the 1st place, is it possible that they are the same 2 sensors that have not been repaired because they have damaged something and now can't repair them? I am totally frustrated after spending well over 7000 dollars to get my work van fixed and still can't get it inspected and passed and keep getting told about more sensors and monitors not ready and the like, What is going on really? I also thought that It was strange that he, (the advisor), was standing with me when I came to pick it up the 1st time and was asking me about is this a company owned vehicle or if I owned it, (it is Both, I own the company, it is a franchise and I am the owner), and if we have more than one location or not. Could he have been trying to gage the likelihood of being sued and by whom they may have to deal with, a large Corporation like the one that owns us, the Franchisor, or is it jus me? I thought that that was a strange question for him to ask especially when and how he was asking when I am at the cashier making the 7000 and change payment. never letting me see the actual bill as it was handed directly to her, while he spoke to me about this. Something is up, but What is it?

3 Answers

44,755

This is a common story with 21st Century Cars- WHY do you waste even more time writing about this?! Just get rid of the junk and get something else!! And next time, stop well short of spending THOUSANDS of dollars on this cheap, disposable trash-

1 people found this helpful.
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Honestly, I knew that my this truck needed a bit of work as it had not been done since we had it, so a lot of the work I was ok with, such as the wheel work and the power steering pump, I know that it was leaking power steering fluid. I wanted most of this stuff fixed, I just want them to fix the sensors and pass my truck for inspection now, and I would be ok with it, but to have them keep telling me that there are sensors that need to be fixed and mean while my truck doesn't pass, that I have a problem with. The 7000.00 I am not concerned about that either because we don't want a new van bill each month, the engine in this truck is still in great shape and is very strong, that is why we authorized the repairs on it.

2 people found this helpful.
44,755

808- this is my lucky number too! Anyway, to elaborate on my answer above- I get it that you have the money to spend- but if a van doesn't run, needs work, can't be registered, what good is it? This is my van, I bought it for $1700, I have replaced nothing on it, it has been back and forth to the west coast a coupla times, and it has started up and driven every day for the last 2 years- it drives like a dream, everything works, even the AC and the cruise, and i fully expect it to continue to run for the next 10 years with just routine maintenance- it had 160,000 miles on it when I got it, it has 174 on it now, and it was designed and built to be an ultra-reliable workhorse by GMC when those kind of things mattered- oh, and with TBI, the 350 engine gets an honest 25 mpg on the highway- all this for $1700 and a few oil changes- THIS IS THE WAY they used to be made- they are not anymore- so, 808, if you have the disposable income, go for it- I just wanted you to understand the root cause of why you are having all those problems with that 21st Century Van- good luck

1 people found this helpful.

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