Escalde cluster and GMPP

[obyone]

This is a warning to owners that may decide to upgrade their clusters for their Silverados. Last year I had upgraded the cluster to one for an Escalade. I had installed the cluster and placed the label that GMPartsDirect had sent to me.

 

Last week my a/c went on the blink so I took it into the dealer. I get called the next day with the service manager telling me that GMPP has denied my claim for warranty services due to the fact that I had changed my cluster. They didnt care about the sticker on the door nor the fact that I would be able to produce the old cluster which you could plug in to get the previous mileage.

 

The battle has just begun with GMPP but I'd thought I'd warn anyone thinking of upgrading their cluster and having an extended warranty. Altering the mileage voids the warranty and is stated in the contract. Though the interpretation of altering is very vague.

 

I've already filed a complaint with the BBB and the FTC against GMPP. The dealer wasnt any help either and had charged me $100 for unauthorized work. I filed with the BBB against them too. Not to mention the $270 for the rental car for the 9 days that this has been going on. Pissed? yep you bet. Nothing like having to do battle with a company or companies that dont really give a **** about anything you have to say.

[gmonkey]

obyone,

 

Please keep me updated on this situation.  I was seriously considering changing my 03 cluster to the SS Silverado from jpcustoms.

 

And you have an AC problem? How is that related to the gauge cluster?

 

Good luck and hope you get it resolved.

 

BTW, I wonder if they would have noticed if you didn't mention it and had the mileage from the old cluster transferred to the new one?

 

Anybody know who does this sort of mileage transfer?

[chevy4x4trucks]

And you have an AC problem? How is that related to the gauge cluster?

What they are probably doing is saying that he could be out of warranty since he swapped clusters.

 

I thought they could check your mielage another way?  I thought it was stored on a computer in the truck as well as the cluster.  You could try asking them about it, but I don't blame you for fighting this, it sounds like a total load of  

[Shaners]

Good luck with your problem with the extended warranty company.  It sounds like a lame excuse on their part to not have to pay what they rightfully should.

 

Gmonkey, there are speedo shops that are authorized to transfer milage.  If you don't have one locally, you have to send them both your old and new clusters for them to transfer it.

 

I was under the impression that the sticker was the equivelent of having the milage transfered electronically.

[MarkD]

I went round and round with GMPP and their extended warranty as well.

 

I have been left with the impression that they (GMPP) dont give a @#$% about providing the service they sell you.

 

I know they want to limit their downside and scrutinize claims, but they seem to really go overboard.

 

I cancelled my extended warranty 45 days (I traded the truck) after having a warranty repair done.  GMPP denied the claim to the dealer!!!  Aparently, the claim was being processed when I cancelled the policy.  

 

The dealer called me and said that GMPP denied the claim and they needed me to pay the additional (not including the $100 deductible I paid) $350!  I told him it would be a cold day in, well, everywhere before he got a cent out of me.

 

I had him call my lawyer.  He dropped it.

[RyanbabZ71]

good luck obyone.  Dont give up the fight

[Speide]

Sounds like a load of crap to me.  I love the other clusters but not worth the hassle.  I did these on my 2001 Suburban and 2000 Silverado.  Pain in the arse when I went to get the 03's.  

 

Not doing again unless I can get the mileage transferred correctly.

[HillHound]

That's a lousy break.  I hope you get them to come around.

 

I had installed a 2500/3500 cluster (with trans temp guage) on my 1500 and never transferred the mileage to the new cluster.  When I traded it in at the Ford dealership, I flat out told them the mileage was wrong and that I'd swapped clusters.   The sales mgr told me no problem, they would "pug it up" and reprogram the cluster with actual mileage prior to re-selling it and he appreciated that I'd told him.

 

So there has to be a way for someone with the proper electronics to verify the actual miles. I think it sounds like the shop is just using it as an excuse too.

[Tucson_02Silverado]

I have a Denali cluster.  I've had only one warranty issue since I got my truck June 2002.  No problems.  Then again I had the mileage transfered to the Denali cluster by a licensed speedo shop.  I didn't want to take any chances with the sticker.

[CMNTMXR81]

That is more of just the dealer itself, NOT GMPP saying that.  They need to prove that the IP caused your HVAC failure.

 

If you were to come in to our dealer, we probably wouldn't even notice!

[MarkD]

That is more of just the dealer itself, NOT GMPP saying that.  They need to prove that the IP caused your HVAC failure.

Unless I am mistaking the complaint.  GMMP is disputing the mileage, not the failure.

[obyone]

I've had the truck in previously for an a/c repair back in November 2002 and to replace the rack and pinion in December 2002. Both times, I had told the service writer to adjust the mileage in accordance with the sticker. No problem. This time, I had forgotten to mention it to the service writer so of course he took the mileage off the cluster and sent it to GMPP which upon inspection raised a flag.

 

GMPP had sent an inspector down to look at the tag...guess what. The permanent ink isnt permanent and the tag was pretty much blank. I did have the old cluster in the truck but the inspector wasnt interested in hooking it up and verifying the old mileage. So I'm off to a speedo shop to have the cluster reprogrammed. Then I'll probably go to another GMC dealer to have another swipe at GMPP.

 

I own a Silverado but my Chevy dealer just changed service managers and the new one is a total a$$ so I went to the dealership that I bought my '00 Denali from who also recently changed service managers. And from the looks of this one...well let's just say he could be twins with the one at my Chevy dealership. So looks like I'll be trying the dealership where I bought my '02 Denali.

 

Here's and interesting twist. I asked the service advisor if anyone has upgraded their clusters. He said yes and they install and document it and place a sticker on the door...LMAO!! How much do they charge? $500 for the cluster plus 1 labor hour @ $95 to install the cluster and fill out the sticker. I showed him the receipt from GM Parts Direct that I had bought it from for $230 and he was like whoa....what a bunch of crooks.

 

As far as why the cluster change affect the warranty. In bold letters in the contract, it states that any tampering with the odometer will void the contract for the Major Guard.

 

I'm hoping that this speedo shop can do it cause they are the last of a dying breed. No other speedo shops in town and by the looks of it the dealerships are using the labels as they claim reprogramming is not an option.

[CMNTMXR81]

The dealer however is the duely appointed party representing GM/GMPP.  Hence they are the ones that make or break the decision.  Unless it is a bizarre case, no actual representative from the GMPP entity within GM comes and makes a decision.

 

The only difference between the standard GM warranty and the GMPP is that the customer has to pay a deductible.  From there, the process for warrantying claims and getting re-imbursed from GM is exactly the same as if you went and took your brand new GM vehicle in for warranty service.

 

Here is a little explanation of how GM warranty works long after you've driven away with your warrantied part in summary.  

 

1) The dealer essentially foots the cost of the warrantied part up front.

2) They sumbit to GM, a claim based on your faulty part.

3) Usually somewhere within the dealer (usually in back in parts somewhere) is the warranty cage/bin where all claims are held WITH the faulty part.

4) At some point in time, those faulty parts are picked up by GM and claimed and as such completes the process.  Usually it's 14 - 15 days after initial claim is issued.

5) After pickup, GM will issue a payment to the dealer (usually one lump sum for all parts covered in a given month) to re-imburse them

 

Now this process can take up to three months.  In some cases where it has been questionable, it's taken longer for the dealer to get money back and in some cases, they do get denied.  As such, the DEALER EATS THAT COST!  If after 14-15 days, said warranty parts are not picked up, we get to keep them.  We'd wait a month, and then scavenge all the B&W T56's and other re-buildable items, fix them, and sell them.  

 

GMPP uses the same process sans for some different paperwork and of course the customer paying a deductible.  Otherwise, the dealer is the appointed GMPP rep.  Remember, I used to do this for a living!

[RyanbabZ71]

As far as why the cluster change affect the warranty. In bold letters in the contract, it states that any tampering with the odometer will void the contract for the Major Guard.

 

But isnt tampering malicious?  You just changed clusters and even kept the old one.  You werent trying to cover anything up.

[TarheelZ]

When I bought my Denali cluster from JP Customs, I went to the dealership to see about having the mileage 'transferred' to the new cluster.  The service manager said they'd have to send both clusters to a shop in Charlotte to have it done since there was no one here in Greensboro who could do it.  He also told me that it really wasn't necessary to do that because the mileage is stored in 6 different places (PCM, BCM, etc.).  He said just record the mileage on the sticker and everything would be cool.

 

The dealership can get the actual mileage without any problem...sounds like they're just trying to weasle out of covering the repair.

 

Good luck!