in2pro

The take-away from this is:
Do contact your your local dealer service department and let them know your issue...
Do document who, when and what was discussed
Do open a case with Chevrolet Customer Service and or GM
Do work with your service adviser and if need be, go to a different dealership if you feel your current adviser is not working with you (not to be confused with beating a dead horse if GM has already said No...)

Don't be a dick, work with your dealership and Chevrolet Customer Service, they do want you to be happy with your purchase and service, show respect, and be persistent, if you don't get the results you feel are deserved, write a real letter to GM and express your dissatisfaction... name calling and saber rattling will get you nothing but chuckled at after you leave...

JayG

Update on my previous thread... I got the tahoe down to the gm dealer and my closest friend just happens to be the tech working on the truck. The diagnosis is pistons and rings due to the afm issue. Here's the problem...The rep from the extended warranty company says they wont cover it because it was due to customer negligence. They claim that the pcv valve should have been replaced and if it had been then this would have never happened. Are you effing kidding me! What a joke. Anyone out there have a number for anyone at gm that I can call.

73shark

Is the PCV on the scheduled maintenance? If not, then the extended warranty company is just blowing smoke. Not sure what data they have that shows a connection between the PCV and your problem.

Is it the GMPP warranty?

JayG

The PCV isn't a replaceable part unless you replace the valve cover. Who the hell replaces a valve cover under routine maintenance. We owners know this isn't the problem. The issue is with the afm pressure relief valve in the crankcase. The excessive spray deposits in the piston ring grooves causing carbon deposits and eventual failure. The warranty company is blowing smoke and using the whole design flaw avenue vs part failure as a means to not cover the thousands in work needed. I called gm and generated a case and appealed the warranty company decision. Next step is to draft litigation with my attorney. This is ridiculous.

Bartman

I just went to the local dealer and had the oil level checked since last oil change 1,000 miles ago, and it was full. Truck has just under 90k on it, I've put in about 3.5 qts since I bought the truck with 77k and change on it. The advisor said excessive consumption by gm standards is 1 qt per 4 thousand miles that doesn't jive with what my reading has discovered.

badway23

Is there away to do away with the AFM?

in2pro

You can get a turner that will disable the feature, but that doesn't mean the AFM lifters won't still fail... the lifters would need to be replaced with standard lifters in addition to the software removal of the function....there may also be other items like the oil redirection that activates/deactivates the lifters....
That and I don't know if the lift bores are the same for the AFM and non-AFM...
With time and money anything is possible...

bigzo66

I have an 07 suburban ltz that I bought used, no warranty. After 5months of owning the vehicle I experienced the stabli-trak, traction control and multiple lights on the dash. Went to the stealership and was told they would have to tear down the engine at my expense. As I walking to my truck to leave (wanted to go home and think) a service guy came up to me and said to change the pedal speed sensor (on the gas pedal comes with the sensor) and the throttle body sensor. He gave me a look like "trust me" so I bought both parts and changed them myself. That was over 8months ago and I haven't had an issue with any warning lights or rough idle since. I believe the some of the electrical sensors send warnings to the computers causing the truck to go into safe mode.

Dave01

Not a GM, but we just had an experience at work with a VW dealer. Code on a Passat, dealer says requires replacement parts, total would be $1,050 give or take. Local and trusted mechanic is familiar with the problem, does a disassembly, cleaning, and re-install, $190 and it's fixed. He did say the problem could return, so I guess that part of the story will be known with time.


I don't think all dealers are crooked when they take this approach, it's more that they aren't in the mode of troubleshooting carefully and fixing just part of a system. They will fix it, but they will replace every part related to the problem, not do any testing to see what is still OK to save some money. There is no question that dealers cost their customers a lot of money in the life of a vehicle that could be saved by using good local mechanics.


I have a hard time having the dealer do anything besides free oil changes or warranty work.

rkrmom07

Ok, so my Tahoe was basically a dream up until I noticed a faint tapping. Husband said lifters. I take it in and they said yes due to fact I was 2 quarts low on oil and not due for oil change. We started oil consumptions. They say that they have seen this with some cars and the trick is to update the gasket cover. Done. 1,700 miles later after this was done, I'm using more than 1 qt so far. So it is at dealership having the piston rings replaced. It has been there a week and they haven't gotten to my car yet (but hey, they gave me a loaner so who can complain, right? WRONG) My husband comes home yesterday telling me of the issues a multitude of cars with this AFM engine is having. Design flaw of the motor. So I research to find this has been going on and many others (other than this website with the forum going) are having this issue. My 5 years powertrain is up in 3 months. I did not buy extended warranty as my belief was Chevy's were built to last............ha, I'm finding out how wrong I can be. I loved my truck up to this moment. I did not spend over $45,000 for a vehicle the minute before powertrain runs out and when I pay it off a few months early to have a MAJOR component of the vehicle be of crappy design and they refused to say. I have yet to let my service people know I know of the AFM/lifters/engine design flaw. My fear is that they were going to fix the piston rings, slap it back together and let the 3 months ride out, let me have engine issues and tell me for a price they will repair. I am discouraged at the lack of morals that I thought GM had. The new Tahoe's (mind you mine has just been paid off and title isn't even in hand yet!) price is steadily climbing To get what I have in the current Tahoe is around $59,000+. I have attempted to look for the TSB's and Corporate bulletins to bring in my hand so they can not try to deny, only to be in a maddening circle at this point.


I have seen a few posts basically saying "more flies with honey than vinegar" yet I am so fed up I want them to know this just isn't right.


I have even started looking at other vehicle brands. We looked at Nissan Armada's and Toyota (which was hard for me as my first car was a Chevy, then to Saturn, back to Chevy) to see that their ratings aren't as good as Tahoe, yet the engine design is flawed. I'm totally flabbergasted at the fact there may be no real good choice here!


Anyone who can help shed light or has helpful information on how to not be the next sad statistic, anything is well.


TOTALLY FED UP!!!