Quote:
Originally Posted by Russell James
A dealership doesn't necessarily have to eat the cost of repairs. First of all, an oil pump replacement requires zero approval. Do work, submit claim, claim pays. Secondly if they do get their rep involved, and do the whole report the calibration/block the warranty thing... that only "blocks" unauthorized claims. Who is to say, the tech couldn't tear the engine down, do a root cause diagnosis... and if it is a factory defect - then contact the rep and request approval based on the problem is a documented defect and not modification caused.
When I was a dealer tech, we did that on several occasions. Just have to have your ducks in a row and all the facts documented. Not unheard of for a dealer to go to bat and request assistance from the rep for a situation the customer is deserving of help with. If then diagnose it as modification caused, then of course the customer is no question responsible for that bill.
Read the bulletin closely. "Unauthorized" claims under the "remaining warranty" are blocked if they do the report the modded calibration thing. Exact quoted words from the bulletin.
So then - under what circumstances would claims be "authorized". I would think a reasonable person might assume - factory defects.
First step though is to tear it down and diagnose the facts of what is really wrong. And on a modified car, probably going to need to pay out of pocket for that. Then go from there on what to do based on the facts of what is really diagnosed, parts in hand, bulletins in hand.... ask for them to review the facts with their rep.
If they've reviewed it before even a tear down/diagnosis... I'd be not so happy about that. And when the facts do come in - if it is a factory defect - pursue it further with BBB arbitration.
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You've read into it way too far.
The message from the first post from GM says the warranty is void on the powertrain, period. All claims are unauthorized. Authorized claims would be like if the power window motor craps out, or the hvac system dies.
As well the GM warranty is clear on if the car is modded, the warranty is done. Don't forget that not every car has this issue, no every oil pump failed, so for the dealer to tear things down, find out its not the issue, then charge the customer, he may balk at that and the dealer is out the money/time to diagnose/etc.
In this case being that the parts that directly drive the oil pump were replaced, there may be no way to determine if the failure was related to that or a defect. Aside from the fact if the car was never modified the defect may never have shown itself. Remember this was a TSB NOT a recall which legally theres a big difference in what the dealer/GM is required to do.
They made things very simple, the warranty is void, so you need to pay for the diagnosis/repair, and they said it upfront, if you don't want to they aren't going to diagnose your car for free, just like any other shop wouldn't either.
Finally the reason things are so simple, direct, and rigid is that for too many years dealers have likely been getting shafted by customers, GM, or both. Its the easiest way to avoid a gray area that ends up costing someone more money.