I know that GM bought back some Canyons and Colorados for that issue, but I think they resolved that one.Didn’t these newer GM’s face battery drain issues because of OTA software updates continuously failing and restarting over and over again? Surely that wouldn’t keep happening. If that was a problem, surely they would have figured that out between all of those visits.
Neighbors rolled the dice on a manufacturer buyback vehicle... and lost.
- Thread starter mrsilv04
- Start date
Assuming that this is not a minor problem that has simply been missed, I don’t think you would be able to replace all modules and wiring harnesses, or enough to find the culprit, in an economically feasible manner. Someone will need to isolate the short that is causing this to happen through the diagnostic process. These cars are simply too complex to get there any other way. I work near a dealer that specializes in selling these buybacks. My bet is that they work out maybe a third of the time. If you buy one, you’re really betting against yourself.
This.
The lemon belongs in Detroit. GM should bring them to their technical center and have the engineers take a look at it. If they still can't fix it, then crush it.
(If you ever need to use the crush smiley from pre-XF BITOG, search for graemlin 15)
GM doesn't need it back or want it back. I'll bet this is just two cases of shops putting in minimal effort at solving or diagnosing it. If they did get it back, they'd figure it out quickly and easily, and that would embarrass both shops.
2 hours with a DVOM and maybe even a thermal camera, would have found the problem.
If the drain is large enough to deplete an 80AH 94R size battery overnight, then you have a ton of electricity being moved, and heat being made.
Since this is 100% warranty pay at warranty rates, it's most likely just cheap dealerships who don't pay for proper diagnosis rate to their staff.
If the drain is large enough to deplete an 80AH 94R size battery overnight, then you have a ton of electricity being moved, and heat being made.
Since this is 100% warranty pay at warranty rates, it's most likely just cheap dealerships who don't pay for proper diagnosis rate to their staff.
I think its a toss up between shops not wanting to put the tech time into it, and actually possibly not having anyone qualified to find it even if they wanted to spend the tech time on it.
Sometimes its just not profitable to fix these problems, sometimes they are not capable of fixing them even if they wanted to.
Its likely the only system thats complex enough to do a diag on it is at the assembly plant. I am certain that isnt going to happen. GM has a big issue with repair training and infrastructure for these complex electronic diagnostics. They have outrun their ability to support these units once they are out in the world.
if it does not show on a scanner, they have no clue what it is.
Techs dont get paid much to screw around trying to fix something or diagnose as I understand. Aint no part to throw at it, so they couldnt care less either. I'll bet South Main Auto could do it.
Those saying that the dealer or GM should have spent more on tech diagnostics seem to neglect that giving this family a 90K Suburban to drive around for a couple of months wasn't free and that buying the subject vehicle back wasn't either.
If dealer and GM could have possibly diagnosed and fixed the problem they would have.
This vehicle should be parted out, not resold.
That it will be resold means that yet another buyer will be subjected to the same problem.
Someone did have a good suggestion in that it could be sold to an exporter who could then install a battery disconnect switch.
Problem solved!
If dealer and GM could have possibly diagnosed and fixed the problem they would have.
This vehicle should be parted out, not resold.
That it will be resold means that yet another buyer will be subjected to the same problem.
Someone did have a good suggestion in that it could be sold to an exporter who could then install a battery disconnect switch.
Problem solved!
I did not see anything in the original post that indicated that it was draining the battery that fast.
And even if it was draining it fast when it drained it, it still could be doing that intermittently. Maybe it is fine for quite a few days, and then it acts up. Troubleshooting Intermittent problems can take a long time.
The dealer has to fix it "right." I'd find the offending fuse that draws down and put it on a relay that only works with the key. Yeah I might have to reset the radio every time, or the sunroof, or the driver's seat, or maybe nothing at all.
If it were a real beater, I'd put a ford starter relay inline to "everything" that switches with the key. GM's problem is they're trying to fix it right with GM parts and no "creativity."
If it were a real beater, I'd put a ford starter relay inline to "everything" that switches with the key. GM's problem is they're trying to fix it right with GM parts and no "creativity."
SammyChevelleTypeS3
$50 site donor 2023
Sorry-more of my too long winded thoughts. Just the kind that some should simply make use of the IGNORE/DELETE options if too much......
to put up with instead of the gnashing of teeth , moaning and griping.
Years ago many businesses used to really care about quality, reputation and loyalty to and from their customers and even employees.
Especially those known as The Big Three and similar large corporations , especially manufacturers. Those companies at one time , each employed their own group of "specialist." Those technicians that were trained as company/brand/division experts to travel the country to help out dealerships. Lots of those experts eventually moved on to better jobs elsewhere with the experiences they gained.
Some of them moved on to even better jobs and pay , working to make some NASCAR teams consistent winners. Those "Big Three" specialists , (troubleshooters) would be sent to dealerships who came across strange types of "brand specific" issues that their local dealership mechanics simply had not seen or could not solve. They needed this specialty help at times. I realize that auto quality and design has certainly improved by leaps and bounds the last couple decades which is great for all of us. Buyers and sellers.
According to several guys I knew over the years who were employed at dealerships , that program worked very good and was a job lots of the best skilled mechanics hoped to be promoted into if they were really good , liked the work , helping people and cared to travel.
No matter , if the info came from service managers, dealership technicians/mechanics/service writers to even salesmen that I got to know , they all agreed. They all told of very similar , positive experiences about those programs. They all have said it simply ceased to exist all of a sudden many years back. Most have said they recall that sometimes around the mid to late 90s it just up and vanished. If it is true of all , that those automakers no longer offer that kind of support to their own dealers/franchisees, that is totally sad.
Apparently they must not even care enough anymore to solve certain type issues? Did some pencil pushers someplace just talk them out of the effort? Maybe ran some cost/profit spread sheets to convince them that the money and the customers they stand to lose is not even worth the bother in this day/age?
When those type things that at times do go wrong and cant be solved locally , is it not even worth the money it takes to maintain a small pool of those very good and expert employees as support? Support kind of like all of the IT groups that nearly all corps maintain these days? At times I honestly wonder when planning on any major purchases , just how many? if any? do any companies still exist today that make customer satisfaction , consumer return businesses , brand , or even employee loyalty much if any priority in the scheme of running a consumer product industry/company?
On a modern car killing the juice altogether will have bad consequences.
Do you know what they would be?
Well I will chime in because I speak from personal experience here in California.
Lemon laws are different throughout different states so I can't speak for anything else but California.
I went through a battery issue with my brand new 2024 Mercedes. This was purchased in November of 2023 and the manufacturer bought the car back in July of 24.
I will ad that this was a brand new car purchased for the first time by me with all rights and warranties attached to the car.
I asked a lot of questions as to what happens to the car once you surrender it. The answer was that it goes up for auction and
"it is disclosed that it was a lemon buyback"
and the reasons are usually listed. Which is a huge red flag to buyer beware!
It's unfortunate, but sometimes you get what you pay for.
Lemon laws are different throughout different states so I can't speak for anything else but California.
I went through a battery issue with my brand new 2024 Mercedes. This was purchased in November of 2023 and the manufacturer bought the car back in July of 24.
I will ad that this was a brand new car purchased for the first time by me with all rights and warranties attached to the car.
I asked a lot of questions as to what happens to the car once you surrender it. The answer was that it goes up for auction and
"it is disclosed that it was a lemon buyback"
and the reasons are usually listed. Which is a huge red flag to buyer beware!
It's unfortunate, but sometimes you get what you pay for.
There was no golden age of the big three caring more than they do now, Its much the same as its always been. There are technical assistance resources available to the dealers but they have to operate within a model that GM has created that in my opinion is counter productive.
Like 64 wagon said, the manufacturer will only oblige the dealership to a certain point.
Once a car has been tagged with a lemon the manufacturer really has no obligation, it all sits on the dealers shoulders on what they offered the buyer when they sold the car.
Here in California when you buy used car even from a large dealership, they are usually tagged with a 30- limited warranty. Better read the fine print!!
The dealer has to disclose that the car was a lemon buyback with details. But like any good car salesman they will only offer information if asked. So it is on you!
The car salesman code " if the buyer doesn't ask don't tell"
Just my two cents!
Once a car has been tagged with a lemon the manufacturer really has no obligation, it all sits on the dealers shoulders on what they offered the buyer when they sold the car.
Here in California when you buy used car even from a large dealership, they are usually tagged with a 30- limited warranty. Better read the fine print!!
The dealer has to disclose that the car was a lemon buyback with details. But like any good car salesman they will only offer information if asked. So it is on you!
The car salesman code " if the buyer doesn't ask don't tell"
Just my two cents!
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What I find surprising is that people find it surprising a corporation puts profits above all else.
If a dealer can re-sell that lemon over and over, they certainly will.
If a dealer can re-sell that lemon over and over, they certainly will.
I lemon lawed a truck in 96. I had it in 17 times for seat repairs and the seat kept coming unlatched and shifting. Instead of just putting a new seat in the truck GM bought it back. I saw it a couple months later in my hometown and I would bet $100 it still had the same crap seat in it.
When i was at Toyota this is how they handled buyback. After hours 2 from corporate they would get parts guy and 1 tech to stay for 2 hours. We would go through diagnostic and repair. If we didn't find problem then it got shipped to Texas learning center to be corrected. I fixed many buyback vehicles with some that setup service bulletin. I worked with tech on Isuzu Rodeo that was having transmission problems. They told me that don't replace transmission as numerous transmissions were being replaced that they were on backorder. After diagnosis I explained to them I needed a voltage regulator. After this their was a recall issued and shops that did transmissions without fixes got billed back. Simple as a high voltage and transmission went to limp mode leaving customers stranded. Most buybacks I have found were due to techs not understanding systems.
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