GM Customer Care? Really?

[therink]

Hi

I have patiently been working with GM customer care to fix an ongoing problem with my 2012 3500HD (Vibration/Shaking at Highway Speeds) My ongoing Thread is here: http://www.gm-trucks.com/forums/index.php?showtopic=145706.

 

I feel the need to post my rant regarding GM Customer Care as a separate issue. As 3 different GM dealers have been unable to resolve the vibration issue with my truck, GM customer care stepped in via this forum and opened up a case for me back on 7/31/12. Keep in mind that my truck is one year old and I have been in and out of dealers this whole time working to resolve the issue with, with no avail. This includes many hours of my time going to/from dealers, loaner vehicles, phone calls, etc. GM customer case asked me to give them one more chance to make this right before I take the NYS Lemon Law route. I agreed.

I was set up with a customer care agent named "Cynthia". First, I need to say that it is frustrating that I have to deal with someone with such a a heavy foreign accent, that I constantly have to ask her to repeat herself so I can understand what she is saying. It is apparent to me that GM has outsourced their customer care department to another country. This in itself is appalling for a company that just last year was bailed out by US taxpayers (me and you) and touts itself today as striving to make the customer #1. Don't get me wrong, "Cynthia" has been very nice to me and appears to be vary well trained in dealing with customer complaint issues.

My problem, is this:

On 8/15, Cynthia informed me that a GM engineer was coming to my dealer during the week of 8/27 to look at my vehicle. I thought this was good. Well, the week of 8/27 came and went and the engineer never came to my dealer. Cynthia informed me that the engineer was on vacation and/or in training ans we would need to reschedule. Frustrated and at a loss at this point, I made it clear that I was not happy.

On 9/1 Cynthia then informed me that the engineer has rescheduled to be at my dealer on 9/19, and that I need to drop my truck at the dealer the night before. I made it clear that I was not dropping off my truck and that I need to be present when the GM engineer looks at and drives my truck. Keep in mind that that I told GM that they were done taking my truck apart to try fix a problem that they cant even diagnose (3 times). GM knows all about this problem and the thousands of other complaints they have had with this issue.

At this point, I asked for Cynthia to arrange for GM to give me a specific time (appointment) that I can bring my truck to the dealer on 9/19 to meet with the engineer. She said she would contact me on 9/17 to confirm the appointment time.

This brings me to today. Cynthia calls me today as she said she would. She informs me that the engineer is still set for 9/19 but that the engineers do not provide times they will be a dealers or to meet with a customer. At this point, I let her know how unacceptable this is for me. I made it clear that I needed a specific time and that it is either this or the lemon law. She told me there was nothing that she could do. I asked her to let me speak to someone who could do something about this, so she passed me on to her supervisor named "Polly". By the way, Polly had the same accent as Cynthia. I am sensing a pattern here. I really thought that GM was concerned enough about my issue that they would go out of their way to make it right. Boy was I wrong. The customer care representatives have no authority to make decisions or commitments. They simply read off of a cue card and appear to be trained drag things out and pass the buck. I have had it. If GM, doesn't call me tomorrow with a time on Weds 9/19 that the engineer will meet me with my truck, then they will be hearing from my attorney. This isn't a threat. I have had it with this issue and GM's weak attempts at "taking care of the customer". If I ran my business this way, my competition would gobble up my clients before I knew it. Doesn't GM get it?

Sorry for my rant, but I feel I needed to do this.

Steve

[Z45]

I am willing to bet that if you do not leave your truck there for them to look at, it will be a negtive for in the lemon law case. I am sure they have everything documented and your unwillingness to let them proceed could be used against you.

[therink]

I am willing to bet that if you do not leave your truck there for them to look at, it will be a negtive for in the lemon law case. I am sure they have everything documented and your unwillingness to let them proceed could be used against you.

 

 

I'm willing to leave it, as long as I am there with it. GM has had 3 documented attempts to diagnose and repair the issue. I am allowing this final attempt, however I will not authorize anu further repairs without my first hand knowledge of the proposed repair. This is not a wheel or tire problem, more of a driveline or design flaw. What I won't allow if for them to throw on a new set of tires and call it good, hoping to please me, without actually fixing the underlying cause.

Steve

[Doug_Scott]

If they will not give a time, get there when they open, and spend the day there. Take a laptop with you, talk to your salesman about getting access to the WiFi, and work from the lounge. I would waste the day there, just to make the point that I did all I could to meet their needs.

[ATMINF]

Here is my 2 cents. I had a problem with my 2010 Chevy Traverse. Took it to the dealer and they tried to fix the problem, but could not. I called GM like you several times, and it took about 10 times, but at the end GM put me in a new 2011 Chevy Traverse and counted all my payments (12 total) toward the new 2011 so I did not lose a thing. You have to be firm, but fair, and let the GM

Bureaucracy work. Its not fun, but it will work out.

[therink]

My tenacity has paid off. The regional service manager for GM contacted me directly today to let me know the GM engineer is meeting me tomorrow morning at 0900am at my dealer. I am very pleased, however the hoops I had to go through and the noise I had to make with Customer Care to get a time specific appointment were completely unnecessary.

I will update once the engineer has inspected my truck and verified the vibration at highway speed issue.

Steve

[therink]

I want to follow up and say that I met with the GM engineer today. My visit with him went well and I was impressed with his concern for my issue. I still say that I do not care for GM's customer service department, the poor communication and the length of time and manner in which my issue was dealt with (way too many phone calls). I think that a company that depends on taxpayer funding to stay in business should not be outsourcing the first line of contact that an American consumer has with an American supported company. Enough said.

Steve

[Coolmaker]

I want to follow up and say that I met with the GM engineer today. My visit with him went well and I was impressed with his concern for my issue. I still say that I do not care for GM's customer service department, the poor communication and the length of time and manner in which my issue was dealt with (way too many phone calls). I think that a company that depends on taxpayer funding to stay in business should not be outsourcing the first line of contact that an American consumer has with an American supported company. Enough said.

Steve

 

 

I hear your pain and disgust, sounds like it is well warranted. With that said, I have a friend that is getting worse from Ford, and another that is threating to sue Dodge over the same kind of issues. All I am saying is that they all are hard as hell to deal with at times. Keep the faith it will pay off in the end...........

[exgmguy]

I'm bummed but not surprised to hear Coolmaker's comments about Ford and Dodge. I was a GM guy my whole life until TODAY. The GM reps I dealt with sounded American and were as helpful as they could have been but in the end I still got screwed.

 

I've got a 98 K2500 Silverado. I love the truck and when the engine died the truck had 176,000 on it. So I figured instead of spending 30-40k on a new truck, I'd spend around 10k and have an entire "new" powertrain installed. Engine (350), tranny (4L60E) and transfer case. All brand new in the big black suitcases from GM and installed by GM. 36month/36k warranty.

 

That was 38.5 months ago and I've only put 8500 miles on the truck. I've had so much trouble. After only 5k miles the transfer case was slipping badly, the engine was leaking oil and the tranny was hunting between 3rd and OD when it shouldn't. GM repaired the transfer case and somewhat fixed the oil leaks. The tranny however was just getting started.

 

A few months before my warranty ran out the tranny would occassionally act like it was stuck in OD and even in neutral the truck would move forward, in Park you could tell it was still wanting to move forward and in reverse it lurched. I took it to GM twice with this complaint but of course they didn't believe me because it would stop doing it when it saw the dealership sign. They loaded firmware and did their checks but...

 

Last week it finally went and there was no doubt the tranny was jacked up. My truck is currently on the rack waiting for the next "new" tranny to show up. GM assistance has graciously offered to pay half the cost since my warranty expired a mere 2 months ago and I had complained about the tranny. I think that is unacceptable and did my best over the last week to convince GM of that.

 

SO.. I put 8500 miles on a new tranny. 8500 freakin miles! And I have to pay 1800.00 to have it replaced because they can't repair it due to the failed parts have been discontinued. Hmm, I wonder why.. I am so po'd to get ripped off like this. Under 10k total miles and all three parts were crap out of the box. The rep told me that due to the age and mileage of my truck, she was surprised they even offered to pay 1/2. I told her that GM had just lost a lifetime customer and they have. I will never buy another GM product new or used. I am no longer a GM guy and I don't bleed hot dogs, apple pie or Chevrolet anymore.

 

Like they care, it's like screaming into a hurricane. I feel for you man. Buy a Toyota....I think they make them in the states. Good luck.

 

[Daryl LBZ]

I'm bummed but not surprised to hear Coolmaker's comments about Ford and Dodge. I was a GM guy my whole life until TODAY. The GM reps I dealt with sounded American and were as helpful as they could have been but in the end I still got screwed.

 

I've got a 98 K2500 Silverado. I love the truck and when the engine died the truck had 176,000 on it. So I figured instead of spending 30-40k on a new truck, I'd spend around 10k and have an entire "new" powertrain installed. Engine (350), tranny (4L60E) and transfer case. All brand new in the big black suitcases from GM and installed by GM. 36month/36k warranty.

 

That was 38.5 months ago and I've only put 8500 miles on the truck. I've had so much trouble. After only 5k miles the transfer case was slipping badly, the engine was leaking oil and the tranny was hunting between 3rd and OD when it shouldn't. GM repaired the transfer case and somewhat fixed the oil leaks. The tranny however was just getting started.

 

A few months before my warranty ran out the tranny would occassionally act like it was stuck in OD and even in neutral the truck would move forward, in Park you could tell it was still wanting to move forward and in reverse it lurched. I took it to GM twice with this complaint but of course they didn't believe me because it would stop doing it when it saw the dealership sign. They loaded firmware and did their checks but...

 

Last week it finally went and there was no doubt the tranny was jacked up. My truck is currently on the rack waiting for the next "new" tranny to show up. GM assistance has graciously offered to pay half the cost since my warranty expired a mere 2 months ago and I had complained about the tranny. I think that is unacceptable and did my best over the last week to convince GM of that.

 

SO.. I put 8500 miles on a new tranny. 8500 freakin miles! And I have to pay 1800.00 to have it replaced because they can't repair it due to the failed parts have been discontinued. Hmm, I wonder why.. I am so po'd to get ripped off like this. Under 10k total miles and all three parts were crap out of the box. The rep told me that due to the age and mileage of my truck, she was surprised they even offered to pay 1/2. I told her that GM had just lost a lifetime customer and they have. I will never buy another GM product new or used. I am no longer a GM guy and I don't bleed hot dogs, apple pie or Chevrolet anymore.

 

Like they care, it's like screaming into a hurricane. I feel for you man. Buy a Toyota....I think they make them in the states. Good luck.

 

 

 

They assemble them in the US. Theres a big difference. Just because it's brought over here and a US worker "assembles" it that doesn't make it an American product. Just go drink some more of the Toyota Kool-Aid, and go bash GM on a Toyota forum we don't need it here.

[jdelrizzle]

I'm bummed but not surprised to hear Coolmaker's comments about Ford and Dodge. I was a GM guy my whole life until TODAY. The GM reps I dealt with sounded American and were as helpful as they could have been but in the end I still got screwed.

 

I've got a 98 K2500 Silverado. I love the truck and when the engine died the truck had 176,000 on it. So I figured instead of spending 30-40k on a new truck, I'd spend around 10k and have an entire "new" powertrain installed. Engine (350), tranny (4L60E) and transfer case. All brand new in the big black suitcases from GM and installed by GM. 36month/36k warranty.

 

That was 38.5 months ago and I've only put 8500 miles on the truck. I've had so much trouble. After only 5k miles the transfer case was slipping badly, the engine was leaking oil and the tranny was hunting between 3rd and OD when it shouldn't. GM repaired the transfer case and somewhat fixed the oil leaks. The tranny however was just getting started.

 

A few months before my warranty ran out the tranny would occassionally act like it was stuck in OD and even in neutral the truck would move forward, in Park you could tell it was still wanting to move forward and in reverse it lurched. I took it to GM twice with this complaint but of course they didn't believe me because it would stop doing it when it saw the dealership sign. They loaded firmware and did their checks but...

 

Last week it finally went and there was no doubt the tranny was jacked up. My truck is currently on the rack waiting for the next "new" tranny to show up. GM assistance has graciously offered to pay half the cost since my warranty expired a mere 2 months ago and I had complained about the tranny. I think that is unacceptable and did my best over the last week to convince GM of that.

 

SO.. I put 8500 miles on a new tranny. 8500 freakin miles! And I have to pay 1800.00 to have it replaced because they can't repair it due to the failed parts have been discontinued. Hmm, I wonder why.. I am so po'd to get ripped off like this. Under 10k total miles and all three parts were crap out of the box. The rep told me that due to the age and mileage of my truck, she was surprised they even offered to pay 1/2. I told her that GM had just lost a lifetime customer and they have. I will never buy another GM product new or used. I am no longer a GM guy and I don't bleed hot dogs, apple pie or Chevrolet anymore.

 

Like they care, it's like screaming into a hurricane. I feel for you man. Buy a Toyota....I think they make them in the states. Good luck.

 

 

 

They assemble them in the US. Theres a big difference. Just because it's brought over here and a US worker "assembles" it that doesn't make it an American product. Just go drink some more of the Toyota Kool-Aid, and go bash GM on a Toyota forum we don't need it here.

 

 

they are assembled in San Antonio TX, I agree if your on here trying to be heard in hopes of the GM rep responding and helping you out fine, but bashing just to bash is a no go, take that crying else where!

[berteras]

I had endless problems with a 09 Sierra that I purchased new. Dealt with the same type of people that you are referring to in your first post. I couldnt drive my truck for more than two hours on the highway without the ac going out. After several failed attempts at fixing the problem with no success, I was left with the only option I had which was to trade the truck in. Now I have a 2008 Z71 that I have a few small problems with also, like door panels rattling and when it rains water leaks in through the door seals and wets the headliner and runs down to the carpet and sets that also. In the end there is no such thing as customer care, at least not with my experiences with them. I am loyal to GM and I have no plans on buying anything other than a Gm but the thought has crossed my mind at times. Good luck with your truck and hopefully it works out for you