I think my 1LE is a LEMON - Camaro5 Chevy Camaro Forum / Camaro ZL1, SS and V6 Forums

chipset35 · 06-06-2016, 12:31 PM

If you read my past threads, back in 2014 about 6 months after I purchased my car back in October 2013, the A/C would make a loud ear piercing flute sounding noise and then the A/C would stop blowing cold air.
Was in my local dealership for service on this at least 6 times since the initial problem back in 2014.
They replaced everything from the compressor, to hoses, fitting, seals, etc.
and last year it seemed to finally be fixed.
Well, last weekend it started making the sound again worse than ever and stopped blowing cold air.
It is back in the shop now.
The dealership has a GREAT reputation in sales and service and I talk with the owners who are there every Saturday working.
I guess I need to file with the states lemon law and get GM to buy the car back?

igarut5410 · 06-06-2016, 01:21 PM

Did they replace the expansion valve?

MBaseman · 06-06-2016, 03:40 PM

Good luck, get yourself one of those pro-bono lemon law lawyers if you would like help with the paperwork and everything else that comes along with this type of claim. I think the law is written so that the lawyer can collect from the defendant, and not from you. So you could get your lemon law approved and the legal fees paid for by GM.

chipset35 · 06-07-2016, 07:56 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by MBaseman

Good luck, get yourself one of those pro-bono lemon law lawyers if you would like help with the paperwork and everything else that comes along with this type of claim. I think the law is written so that the lawyer can collect from the defendant, and not from you. So you could get your lemon law approved and the legal fees paid for by GM.

I do not know if they replaced the expansion valve or not.
I will check my service records and ask them as well.
So frustrating...the good news is that I can get a good trade as I am not upside down in my loan.
But...as much as I love Chevy...and my father was a Chevy guy....if there cannot get it fixed by fall when the weather gets cooler and then it does not matter, I will just buy a different muscle car.
But it wont be a Chevy.

Billy10mm · 06-07-2016, 08:47 AM

I have no skin in the game, but just a friendly piece of advice. You didn't buy a Pagani. This is not some hand-built special that highly trained technicians build one small piece at a time on a production floor you could eat a steak off of. There is some crack in a hose, or a leak in pressurized line, and unfortunately for all of us, your/our main recourse is to take the vehicle to an authorized dealership who can honor the factory warranty. This is unfortunate because I generally don't trust those people to wash my car, or change the oil, much less find and fix a real problem. And this isn't specific to GM, I haven't been to a single dealership in my life that was staffed entirely with highly competent people (this is partly because I cannot afford a Pagani). If you were unlucky enough to have this happen to your Ford, Mopar, BMW, Lexus, Honda, or Audi ... you'd be having the same frustrations.

Your car stands alone. There is nothing for sale out there right now, under $40K, that offers the same driving experience. Nothing. The 2017 1LE is going to be north of $50K, the GT350 is well north of $50K. And Dodge has yet to hire an engineer that understands the meaning of the word "communicative".

Point is, you have a very special car that delivers more smiles-per-gallon than anything else in its price range. I'd do what I could to get the air situation worked out first and foremost.

Why is it these guys can't blow the air with the car running, wait for the irritating noise to surface, then track it down by ear and nuke it from space? (its the only way to be sure)

RyanR3KC · 06-07-2016, 09:03 AM

This doesn't sound like a Lemon problem. Most likely came faulty off the assembly line and the problem wasn't addressed properly the first time around.

My definition of a Lemon is a car having multiple issues..in different areas.

DarthZL1 · 06-07-2016, 09:16 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by RyanR3KC

This doesn't sound like a Lemon problem. Most likely came faulty off the assembly line and the problem wasn't addressed properly the first time around.

My definition of a Lemon is a car having multiple issues..in different areas.

Only has to be one issue, and what you described IS applicable to the Lemon Law. He's in VA, so it has to meet this criteria:

Quote:

To be a lemon, your vehicle must meet one of the following qualifications:

Have unsuccessfully undergone 3 attempts at repair.
Had 1 attempt at repair of a serious safety defect.
Have been out of service for at least 30 days.

Your vehicle will legally qualify as a lemon if any of these these happened within the first 18 months of ownership by the first owner or lessee.
Manufacturers must make their vehicles conform to the warranties in place. If a lemon cannot be fixed in a reasonable amount of time, you are entitled to EITHER:

A replacement vehicle.
A refund of the purchase price, less a reasonable amount for your use of the vehicle.

http://www.dmv.org/va-virginia/autom.../lemon-law.php

gajagfan · 06-07-2016, 09:27 AM

Before I woud push it as a lemon, I would make damn sure I could get another one. As Billy10mm said, what are you going to get that could replace this amount of fun?

vinman · 06-07-2016, 10:30 AM

Just pretend it's a z28 with no AC option!

schecter7 · 06-07-2016, 10:43 AM

6 visits? way too much - LL it. AC job isn't rocket science - changed ACs couple times on different cars at local shops w/o any issue.

Mine had an annoying driver side window leak. Two dealership serv. dept. said it's normal - lol at those morons. Third one tried, after THREE drop-offs it's gone. I miss my 2010 SS every day - biggest mistake of my life was to trade her in.

chipset35 · 06-07-2016, 12:19 PM

Thanks guys for all the responses!

The dealership's service department called me and told me the tech was able to duplicate the issue, and they heard the loud flute noise albeit for a short er length of time than I experienced.
More over, they did not loose the cold air like I did.

Regardless, they had the same issue on a few other cars and after talking to GM are replacing the "Blower Motor".

In the past, it was harder to duplicate the issue, but eventually did, and as I said along the way they did leak tests, hose replacements, fitting replacements, compressor replacement, and seal replacements.

Also, I asked about the "Expansion Valve" that one of you (thank you so much), told me about, and they did an accoustic test and isolated the noise to the passenger side.

Apparently, the AC system on that car has sections isolated that techs can turn on and off and open and close or something like that, and they isolated it to the passenger side and told me the expansion valve is on the drivers side.

In the past, the sound was from the center...or at least it seemed to.
I agree what you all said about the 1LE SS being one of the best cars for the price and I agree.
Also, as vinman said regarding Z28's with no air...LOL! They actually have a no A/C Z28 they cannot sell and I joked with my wife I might as well trade up for it because I do not have a working A/C anyway!

But....I am not sure about the Z28....it is a lot more money for things I do not need like its expensive brake system.
Also, you can buy all the aerodynamic stuff from Chevy as a kit for the 1LE.
One of the nice things about Chevy is all their ZL1, Z28 and 1LE upgrade kits.

RyanR3KC · 06-07-2016, 03:14 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by DarthZL1

Only has to be one issue, and what you described IS applicable to the Lemon Law. He's in VA, so it has to meet this criteria:

http://www.dmv.org/va-virginia/autom.../lemon-law.php

Thanks for the info. I wasn't aware of the VA lemon laws

chipset35 · 06-11-2016, 02:56 PM

I am SO PISSED!
Got the car back and today drove about 3 miles to PetSmart and then a Sub Shop for a sandwich.
As I backed into the parking spot the damn noise was BACK!
I immediately called the dealership and spoke with one of the owners that is always there and talks to me.
It was so loud he actually heard it over the phone!
I am at a LOSS...no idea what to do.
Car has only 8k miles and the warranty is up in October.

CamaroDreams76 · 06-11-2016, 05:10 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by chipset35

I am SO PISSED!
Got the car back and today drove about 3 miles to PetSmart and then a Sub Shop for a sandwich.
As I backed into the parking spot the damn noise was BACK!
I immediately called the dealership and spoke with one of the owners that is always there and talks to me.
It was so loud he actually heard it over the phone!
I am at a LOSS...no idea what to do.
Car has only 8k miles and the warranty is up in October.

Good news is they can't deny working on your car due to how documented your problem is. They attempted to fix the problem under warranty and still couldn't fix it. Anything related to this problem will be under warranty

06-06-2016, 12:31 PM	#1
chipset35 Drives: 2014 Camaro 2SS/RS 1LE Join Date: Oct 2013 Location: Williamsburg VA Posts: 177	I think my 1LE is a LEMON If you read my past threads, back in 2014 about 6 months after I purchased my car back in October 2013, the A/C would make a loud ear piercing flute sounding noise and then the A/C would stop blowing cold air. Was in my local dealership for service on this at least 6 times since the initial problem back in 2014. They replaced everything from the compressor, to hoses, fitting, seals, etc. and last year it seemed to finally be fixed. Well, last weekend it started making the sound again worse than ever and stopped blowing cold air. It is back in the shop now. The dealership has a GREAT reputation in sales and service and I talk with the owners who are there every Saturday working. I guess I need to file with the states lemon law and get GM to buy the car back?

06-07-2016, 08:47 AM	#5
Billy10mm Drives: 2014 Camaro 2SS 1LE NPP Join Date: Nov 2013 Location: Hartsdale, NY Posts: 1,434	I have no skin in the game, but just a friendly piece of advice. You didn't buy a Pagani. This is not some hand-built special that highly trained technicians build one small piece at a time on a production floor you could eat a steak off of. There is some crack in a hose, or a leak in pressurized line, and unfortunately for all of us, your/our main recourse is to take the vehicle to an authorized dealership who can honor the factory warranty. This is unfortunate because I generally don't trust those people to wash my car, or change the oil, much less find and fix a real problem. And this isn't specific to GM, I haven't been to a single dealership in my life that was staffed entirely with highly competent people (this is partly because I cannot afford a Pagani). If you were unlucky enough to have this happen to your Ford, Mopar, BMW, Lexus, Honda, or Audi ... you'd be having the same frustrations. Your car stands alone. There is nothing for sale out there right now, under $40K, that offers the same driving experience. Nothing. The 2017 1LE is going to be north of $50K, the GT350 is well north of $50K. And Dodge has yet to hire an engineer that understands the meaning of the word "communicative". Point is, you have a very special car that delivers more smiles-per-gallon than anything else in its price range. I'd do what I could to get the air situation worked out first and foremost. Why is it these guys can't blow the air with the car running, wait for the irritating noise to surface, then track it down by ear and nuke it from space? (its the only way to be sure) __________________ My thoughts on some things: Driving Nannies: If I'm that far out of shape on the street, something has gone terribly wrong and by all means Mr. Computer man, come and get me. G2s: Rock throwing is like like a tramp stamp; although problematic, it's a sign of good things to come.

06-07-2016, 10:30 AM	#9
vinman The BBOMG fill-in husband Drives: 2015 2SS/RS 1LE AKA V1LE Join Date: Aug 2010 Location: Elmira, NY Posts: 4,458 View My Garage	Just pretend it's a z28 with no AC option! __________________ UPSTATE C5 MEMBER

06-06-2016, 01:21 PM	#2
igarut5410 Drives: 2015 Camaro 2ss 1LE Join Date: Aug 2015 Location: Cedar Rapids, IA Posts: 13	Did they replace the expansion valve?

06-06-2016, 03:40 PM	#3
MBaseman Drives: 2015 2SS/RS/1LE Join Date: Jun 2015 Location: South FL Posts: 213	Good luck, get yourself one of those pro-bono lemon law lawyers if you would like help with the paperwork and everything else that comes along with this type of claim. I think the law is written so that the lawyer can collect from the defendant, and not from you. So you could get your lemon law approved and the legal fees paid for by GM.

06-07-2016, 09:03 AM	#6
RyanR3KC "1/LE Rebel Alliance" Drives: 18 Black 1SS 1LE “Siouxsie Join Date: Nov 2013 Location: Johnston, Iowa Posts: 324	This doesn't sound like a Lemon problem. Most likely came faulty off the assembly line and the problem wasn't addressed properly the first time around. My definition of a Lemon is a car having multiple issues..in different areas.

06-07-2016, 09:27 AM	#8
gajagfan Drives: 2013 1SS 1LE Black - Std Exhaust Join Date: Mar 2013 Location: Brunswick, GA Posts: 3,622 View My Garage	Before I woud push it as a lemon, I would make damn sure I could get another one. As Billy10mm said, what are you going to get that could replace this amount of fun?

06-07-2016, 10:43 AM	#10
schecter7 Drives: 2013 Black 2SS 1LE Join Date: Apr 2013 Location: Austin, TX Posts: 89 View My Garage	6 visits? way too much - LL it. AC job isn't rocket science - changed ACs couple times on different cars at local shops w/o any issue. Mine had an annoying driver side window leak. Two dealership serv. dept. said it's normal - lol at those morons. Third one tried, after THREE drop-offs it's gone. I miss my 2010 SS every day - biggest mistake of my life was to trade her in.

06-07-2016, 12:19 PM	#11
chipset35 Drives: 2014 Camaro 2SS/RS 1LE Join Date: Oct 2013 Location: Williamsburg VA Posts: 177	Thanks guys for all the responses! The dealership's service department called me and told me the tech was able to duplicate the issue, and they heard the loud flute noise albeit for a short er length of time than I experienced. More over, they did not loose the cold air like I did. Regardless, they had the same issue on a few other cars and after talking to GM are replacing the "Blower Motor". In the past, it was harder to duplicate the issue, but eventually did, and as I said along the way they did leak tests, hose replacements, fitting replacements, compressor replacement, and seal replacements. Also, I asked about the "Expansion Valve" that one of you (thank you so much), told me about, and they did an accoustic test and isolated the noise to the passenger side. Apparently, the AC system on that car has sections isolated that techs can turn on and off and open and close or something like that, and they isolated it to the passenger side and told me the expansion valve is on the drivers side. In the past, the sound was from the center...or at least it seemed to. I agree what you all said about the 1LE SS being one of the best cars for the price and I agree. Also, as vinman said regarding Z28's with no air...LOL! They actually have a no A/C Z28 they cannot sell and I joked with my wife I might as well trade up for it because I do not have a working A/C anyway! But....I am not sure about the Z28....it is a lot more money for things I do not need like its expensive brake system. Also, you can buy all the aerodynamic stuff from Chevy as a kit for the 1LE. One of the nice things about Chevy is all their ZL1, Z28 and 1LE upgrade kits.

06-11-2016, 02:56 PM	#13
chipset35 Drives: 2014 Camaro 2SS/RS 1LE Join Date: Oct 2013 Location: Williamsburg VA Posts: 177	I am SO PISSED! Got the car back and today drove about 3 miles to PetSmart and then a Sub Shop for a sandwich. As I backed into the parking spot the damn noise was BACK! I immediately called the dealership and spoke with one of the owners that is always there and talks to me. It was so loud he actually heard it over the phone! I am at a LOSS...no idea what to do. Car has only 8k miles and the warranty is up in October.