2014 Silverado paint peeling off door

waterdog · November 11, 2015

_{Our 2014 Silverado was roughly 16 months old with 10,000 miles when we first noticed a chunk of paint missing from the bottom of the passenger door (roughly the size of a nickel or dime). At first I thought something had hit it to chip the paint off but close inspection showed all the primer was perfectly intact and there was no door ding or dent in the area.}

_{We have side steps which help protect from rocks and there is the “anti-chip” paint treatment just below it this area (isn’t that odd, the paint chips away from the “anti-chip” area). After observing things for awhile, the area was getting larger and larger and about the only thing I can think of is just normal car washes and drying it off is causing more little chips of paint to fall off. This vehicle doesn’t go off-road or travel any dirt/gravel roads.}

_{I did some research and found out about PIT5313A (although the latest version is now PIT5313C). So I go to the dealership where we purchased the truck and to the body shop manager. He comes out, takes a look at it and states that he’s seen a few trucks with the same issue and they repainted roughly the bottom 1/3 of the door. I asked if it was always the passenger front door and he said no and went on to mention that he did one truck and the guy was back about 3-4 months later with the same issue on a door on the other side.}

_{I continue walking him down this road. Do you know what was causing this problem on his truck? Nope, just repaint the lower portion of the door and sent him on his way. Do you have any theory on why the primer is perfect but the paint is chipping away? Nope, maybe it is just getting sprayed too thin (which, as a side note, I’d agree with because the thickness of the paint/clearcoat is really thin). I express my concerns that just painting the lower portion of my door doesn’t mean I won’t be coming back several more times as other doors start peeling. I didn’t spend ~$42k for a truck that needs it’s panels repainted on a regular basis and what am I supposed to do when I get beyond the standard 3yr/36k warranty? Heck, I’m having too many problems getting this door fixed and it is within warranty!}

_{I fill him in on PIT5313, he looks it up and says that they are supposed to run 2” masking tape just above the “anti-chip” area and then pull it off quickly to see if the paint pulls off any of the other panels. Did he do that with the other truck which was in twice for repainting? Nope. He goes out to do this test on our truck and the other three doors don’t peel any paint. He and I agree about not being sure of the validity of this test without cleaning the area of all the stuff which may affect the masking tape from sticking (wax, grease, dirt, silicon, etc). He says they will degrease those areas and retest when the vehicle comes in to get the warranty work done. He agrees that PIT5313 calls for a full repaint of the door which would require blending into the fender/rear door. He says GM doesn’t specify that and isn’t compensating him to do that. With him knowing we plan on keeping the truck 8-10yrs, he’s concerned about his shops “Lifetime ownership warranty” on all their paint/body work. Since he doesn’t know the root cause, how far do they have to strip it down to ensure a quality repaint (all the way to the metal?).}

_{I explain that my concern is with the adhesion between the base coat and primer and that I’m concerned it isn’t limited to the just the small area above the “anti-chip” treatment (since I’ve seen how easily the rest of the vehicle gets rock chips compared to our previous Silverado). I also stated that since they require a full door repaint – this too indicates agreement that the paint integrity of the entire door is in question. I’ve seen no explanation to the official underlying cause and why/how the paint to primer adhesion issue is related to the “anti-chip” area and not the rest of the vehicle? My suspicion is that with time, a rock chip or a deep scratch and the paint will start peeling on any panel of the truck. He says there is nothing he can do/suggest and that I should have to call Chevrolet.}

_{Time to call a Chevrolet rep and you know this is a painful process. First call taker hits me with lots of useless questions before agreeing to transfer me to a Senior Representative. After holding on the phone for 20 minutes, she promises to call me back when she can get a Sr. Rep on the line because they are experiencing very high call volume (that’s not a good sign! A company makes the most money when its’ call center people have NOTHING to do). About 1.5hrs later, I get a call back and am connected to the Sr. Rep.}

_{He gets a basic run down of the situation and asks why I’m not satisfied with the dealerships offer to repaint the door under warranty? I indicate that I can’t explain or negotiate what will make me a “happy customer” without talking to someone who understands the underlying cause of the paint peeling. Without knowing the cause, I can’t know whether it’s been fixed or if the repaint won’t stick any better than the factory paint – i.e. I’m only getting a temporary fix until it starts peeling again (which I’m sure they’re hoping is after warranty runs out). He doesn’t understand my concern and I ask him if he knows when my truck was built – yes, he does Dec ’13. I ask him if he knows where it was built – no he doesn’t. He wasn’t able to correlate the Z designation in my VIN to Ft. Wayne, so I provided that info. I ask if that helps him any with understanding my problem and it doesn’t. I tell him to look up PIT5313C and he can’t find anything in his system! Apparently, the onus is on the customer to research problems with their vehicle, capture that data, bring that data with them to the dealership and/or when they call Chevrolet/GM and educate their representatives on known issues with their product.}

_{I can’t believe GM’s Customer Service Reps don’t automatically have access to all recalls, bulletins, service notes related to each VIN for a call case they are working. When they open a case #, the VIN should be used to populate tabs which would allow them to quickly and easily assist the customer with information from their knowledge base. Whether they are organized by recalls, bulletins, service notes <or> brakes, engine, interior, paint, etc is an implementation decision.}

_{He’s going to give a call to the dealership’s Customer Experience Mgr and have him get in touch with me to see what we can work out for a resolution. I honestly have no expectation of satisfaction or being a happy Chevrolet customer again.}

_{We’ve been diehard Chevy NASCAR fans for 30 yrs. A few months ago I got rid of our 35^th Anniversary 2002 Camaro T-Top which had the bad welding paste which seeps through the roof paint – for almost 14 years that paint wept and wept. You could wash/detail this car and a day later it is weeping oily spots along the roof welds. The Chevrolet dealer where she bought it never wanted to fix it, didn’t accept responsibility for it – so she gave up, stopped driving it, traded her S-10 for a Silverado, made that her daily vehicle and the Camaro sat and sat and sat. I didn’t come into the picture until the vehicle was almost 5yrs old (garage kept and only 12k miles) – Chevy/GM played the “out of warranty” card even though they now knew this was a documented manufacturing defect. Her 2006 Silverado was a good truck but considering two of the last three we bought had major paint issues … I thinks this Silverado may be on our last Chevrolet. I recently traded our Camaro (14 yrs old with 35k miles) for a Toyota Avalon Limited (instead of a loaded Lumina).}

_{Sorry, back on topic … if they only paint one door panel, then, at a minimum, I need an extended warranty just for “paint peeling” to protect us past the basic 3yr/36k miles. I’m pretty sure that this thin paint will peel away from the primer on any/every panel of the truck. The wife thought she’d love this Silverado as much as her last one, for 8yrs/65k miles but it isn’t looking good.}

_{I was promised either the Chevrolet Customer Rep or the Customer Experience Manager from the dealer that sold us the Silverado would be in touch by Wednesday, 11/4. Nope, didn’t happen – evidently, we as the customer have to initiate, follow up and drive the process for resolution of their known defects under warranty.}

_{Called Chevrolet Customer Service on 10/30 to create case #.}

_{Called back on 11/4 – haven’t heard anything back.}

_{Called back again on 11/5 – haven’t heard anything back.}

_{Still haven’t heard anything and it is 11/10.}

_{Does anyone think GM, Chevrolet or the Dealership even care?}

_{I’ve seen GM reps jump in on other threads regarding this same issue … sure could use some help from someone who understands how this “paint peeling at the ‘anti-chip’ area” phenomenon, how it is affecting customer satisfaction and loyalty. I’m having flashbacks to the paint peeling of the 80’s/90’s L Unfortunately, my hunch is no GM or Cheverolet rep will care or try to help their customer.}

Edited November 11, 2015 by waterdog

jamin87ss · November 11, 2015

Eekers

waterdog · November 13, 2015

3 weeks since I sat down with the Dealership Body Shop manager ... haven't heard a word since.

2 weeks since I called and opened up a case # with Chevrolet ... haven't heard a word since.

Anybody have any suggestions on how to escalate this to get a warranty repair for a known/documented manufacturing defect?

I honestly can't recall the last time a company just flat out ignored their customers for a warranty claim/repair. Guess I'm going to have the wife get rid of her GM Mastercard because, the way this is going, we'll never buy Chevy again after getting ripped off on a $42k truck!

mrbadwrench · November 13, 2015

See my response in the other thread.

ErickW · November 13, 2015

I tell you what I'd do. I'd take it to the dealership and park it right in front of the service door, tell them to fix it or its theirs. No reason for you to be jerked around like this. Take control of the situation.

waterdog · November 18, 2015

So Chevrolet had told me on both of my calls in to them that they had contacted the Dealership Customer Experience Manager and that I was to contact him. Not sure why he wasn't calling me but ... so I drive the over to visit the dealership, ask for him, the service rep goes back, comes back to me and asks a few more questions. She goes back to the Manager then comes back again with a post-it having a phone number on it saying I need to leave and call back later!?

So we're three weeks into this and told to leave and call back (like they can inspect the truck over the phone or test any of the other panels or look at the blotchy paint that way) - argh!

Ok, so I pull up in front of two of their service lines and block them from processing vehicles coming in for service. Tell them I'll move when someone is willing to help me with a relatively new truck that has paint peeling off of it. One of the members of the owners family comes out and I move the vehicle and discuss the situation. He claims to have returned calls and sent emails despite the fact I've heard nada. When I go to check that information - there were no calls to our house as he stated he made and the other calls were to the wifes work desk number (not her cell or home number or my cell) ... of course, she is on 3 week vacation which is why I had the time/flexibility to bring her truck in as necessary to get this issue addressed. Now, threee weeks go by - no progress and it will be a lot more difficult on us to get it in/out of the dealership to be evaluated.

The co-owner (btw, one of their other dealerships is VW, ouch) is listening to every option I put on the table and just killing it on the spot. Not interested in contacting Chevrolet or GM to pursue the alternatives (extended warranty applicable to just PIT5313, spray chip guard to the first body line, etc). He says they will only paint the lower portion of the door with color and then blend the clear coat into the full door and fender/rear door panels - that's it, done, nothing else to discuss. He says if the tape test doesn't show any issue with the other panels and they fail within the 3yr/36k - then bring it back and we'll fix them too. If it happens after 3yr/36k, then I'm screwed (even though it is a documented manufacturing process defect). He's not willing to have someone degrease, clean and tape test the vehicle now and won't do that until I'm ready to bring it in and drop it off for the paint repair. My position is that I won't drop it off until all negotiations and the extent of the repair/warranty is agreed upon (the owner states that the Lifetime Paint/Body shop warranty only applies if I pay for the work - if Chevrolet pays for the work under warranty - then their work is only covered under the original warranty terms).

In order to get the entire truck inspected for the Silver Ice Metallic having blotchy spots, streaks, primer showing through - he says they can't do it that day because the Truck isn't clean (it was a drizzle rain day) and that I'll need to have it cleaned when I bring it in (guess he didn't feel that having one of his guys run it through their automatic car wash like they do for EVERY car that gets serviced was something he could offer).

So the quality, professionalism and way a Dealership treats its' customers surely does come from the top management or the direct owner in this case. I can't see that we'll ever buy another vehicle from them and seriously doubt now whether they will even be the dealership we use to get any service or warranty work done. Guess it is time to move on to the next dealership and start the process over again.

The Sr. Service Reps at Chevrolet have been useless. They haven't returned a single call and essentially, as best I can tell, have done nothing. The request was made to escalate this case, but nothing has happened to that end.

jamin87ss · November 18, 2015

Wow, please post that dealership everywhere u can, I seen a guy once go to a vinyl shop and post something in the back window, I don't know this is a real shame, I would really have a hey day with this,

ErickW · November 18, 2015

You are a much better person than I. There is no way I would let them talk to me that way after spending all the money we do on these trucks!

fondupot · November 18, 2015

I just got GM to pay for refinishing my front bumper. At first I brought the issue up to my dealer and they said they could not help it. Then I went direclty to GMC, got a service adviser involved and eventually they agreed to repaint the bumper. I had nickel sized chips in the paint.

I will be adding a clear bra to it as soon as the paint is cured. Knock on wood I don't get any chips in the 3 months that takes.....

Edited November 18, 2015 by fondupot

jrob56 · November 18, 2015

Really sucks to see and I hope you get it taken care of. Only spot Id say my chipping is excessive is behind rear wheels and have mud guards on the way. At 41k miles though I really dont have options, just gong to prevent more and touch up what is there.

Edited November 18, 2015 by jrob56

waterdog · November 19, 2015

FYI ... it appears that the paint peeling on the doors is NOT LIMITED TO THE 2014 model year, it is happening on the 2015's as well. Take a look at this forum discussion:

http://www.gm-trucks.com/forums/topic/164553-2015-sierra-2500-duramax-paint-peeling/

Even if the most ridiculous offer was made by Chevy/GM to replace our truck with a brand new 2015 or 2016 - I don't know that the known issues with these models would make it worth taking them up on that deal. That's sad.

waterdog · November 19, 2015

Wow, please post that dealership everywhere u can, I seen a guy once go to a vinyl shop and post something in the back window, I don't know this is a real shame, I would really have a hey day with this,

It actually crossed my mind about getting some vinyl decals made that say "Don Hewlett Chevrolet sucks" ... but this may really be Chevrolet's fault and I can't put "Chevy sucks" on there ... I'm a diehard NASCAR Chevy fan of 40 years, argh.

jamin87ss · November 19, 2015

Sorry, but dealership needs to step up, bottom line, for then to paint that is not a big deal to salvage a customer, last year today we got blasted in Buffalo over 3 days, 7 ft of snow, my truck had some damage from snow broom and what not, they fixed it, last month they touched up another spot that chipped,

waterdog · November 19, 2015

This is a hilarious new low for Chevrolet. Mike Hewlett (Don Hewlett Chevrolet dealership part owner) is taking the position that they will only deal with the wife on any/all warranty repairs, phone calls, conversations and meetings because she is the owner in their database. I guess they figure that they can out-talk, out-wit and take advantage of a woman. Never heard of that before. Wow.

jrob56 · November 20, 2015

This is a hilarious new low for Chevrolet. Mike Hewlett (Don Hewlett Chevrolet dealership part owner) is taking the position that they will only deal with the wife on any/all warranty repairs, phone calls, conversations and meetings because she is the owner in their database. I guess they figure that they can out-talk, out-wit and take advantage of a woman. Never heard of that before. Wow.

F that, Id head to BMV and get my name on that registration and title and show back up.