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Big repair job done by dealer & now new knocking noise on cold starts


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Absolutely no word from the dealership since they picked up the SRX last Thursday. Guess it's not something simple or they still haven't figured it out. GM was supposed to do a followup call today and haven't received that call either. 

Really enjoying the XT5. Highly recommend it for those who liked the SRX. Great upgrade. Wish this one was a higher trim level (it's a base). I would definitely order the Premium trim level again.

Had I driven this vehicle before having to make the decision on whether to fix my SRX I may have made a different decision... 

For now I'll just keep piling miles on their XT5. Closing in at 400 miles on it already (it had 825 when they delivered it to me.

What a crazy mess this has been.

Crystal Red Tintcoat Exterior | Shale/Brownstone Interior | 32k

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UPDATE: I think the saga may FINALLY be over!

Got a call 1st thing Saturday morning from the dealership's manager saying the car is repaired and they are confident of it this time. They told me that they ended up having to 'call Detroit' (GM?) and speak to an engineer about it. He asked them if they had checked the High Pressure Fuel pump, they told him they had, and it was reading normal. He told them to check it again. It was still reading normal. He told them to replace it anyway because their are some instances where it reads normal but that it's still the root of the issues (I had actually read about this before I even brought it to them when I was trouble shooting it myself, there is even a service bulletin -  #PI0145A). So they installed a brand new High Pressure Fuel Pump and it fixed the cold start issue. They also added a bottle of ACDelco 88865595 Fuel System Treatment which was mentioned in the bulletin about the engine cleaning procedure (GM actually now recommends this at every oil change according to that bulliten). Over the past few days I've cold started it 6 times over with no issues, very consistent now. 

What bothers me is the very first time I brought it in I advised them I suspected the pump, even mentioned the service bulletin. When I brought it back the second time I mentioned it again. So how could they be sure the injectors & cats were really bad? So the manager let me talk directly to the tech who worked on it, who showed me all the graphs from all the tests on my car, and how they were abnormal before replacing the cats & injectors, and how they were normal afterwards. And of course in their defense replacing those parts did fix the majority of the original issue...so....who knows....

I guess the positive here is that I was not charged for two 'top engine cleaning' procedures (I'm seeing reports online that this typically costs ~$250 per incident) and a brand new High Pressure Fuel Pump installation (I was quoted ~$1300 to have this done to our CTS which has a similar engine/pump setup), plus the $25 magical fuel system cleaner. Wasn't charged a dime for any of it. So if we give the dealership the benefit of the doubt here and assume the other parts were indeed bad, then that makes the original $4600 spent a much better deal overall. They are also working with GM to hopefully provide a longer than normal warranty on the repairs (it's normally 12 months, unlimited miles, manager is hoping they will approve an additional 12 months), plus my GM rep said she's going to be re-activating my OnStar for free (not sure how long yet) for added piece of mind. And of course they did put me in a loaner for the better part of a month. So I guess all is well that ends well? :blink:

Crystal Red Tintcoat Exterior | Shale/Brownstone Interior | 32k

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I am glad this ended well Dave.  This was quite a learning experience for all even the service department.

It is upsetting that dealers don't listen to owners when they show up with info and service bulletins in hand.  

The aggravating thought is that the high pressure pump could have been an intermittent issue, it seemed like a new issue to you when you got your car back the first time.  Its almost as if they somehow triggered a problem with the high pressure pump, (ground or connector) who knows. 

This is the 3.6 DI, it sounds like an engine that will need specialized experience going forward.

Good hanging out with you.  

Pre-1995 - DTC codes OBD1  >>

1996 and newer - DTC codes OBD2 >> https://www.obd-codes.com/trouble_codes/gm/obd_codes.htm

How to check for codes Caddyinfo How To Technical Archive >> http://www.caddyinfo.com/wordpress/cadillac-how-to-faq/

Cadillac History & Specifications Year by Year  http://www.motorera.com/cadillac/index.htm

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Good to 'see' you again as well. 

Sadly the 2010 & 2011 SRX (I have an early run 2010) had the 3.0L DI, it wasn't until 2012 that they switched to the 3.6L that they continued to use until the end of the SRX production in 2016. By all accounts the 3.6L variant was a much more reliable engine. I've now learned that the 3.0 is prone to timing chain failure at around 100k. Hope mine isn't one of them. 

I guess we'll never know what caused what and when. Odd that the codes thrown were consistent even though the symptoms moved around some. I'm glad they gave me the beninfit of the doubt considering the situation.

While it was EXTREMELY aggravating and exhausting on my end, assuming I have smooth sailing from here on, I guess overall they did try to make it right - and that's good.

I haven't called out the specific dealer on purpose, since they continued (albeit with much pushing from me) to work towards a solution. Only if they had given up would I have done that. 

One lesson learned is if you are not getting satisfaction, call GM. They actually seem to give a flip and once they started pushing the dealer on my behalf things started progressing better. 

 

Crystal Red Tintcoat Exterior | Shale/Brownstone Interior | 32k

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I assumed it was a 3.6 DI in my head. 

I did a search on ACDelco 88865595 Fuel System Treatment and the very first result was Techron Complete Fuel System Cleaner, odd huh? 

http://www.techronclean.com/en_us/products/techron-complete-fuel-system.html?utm_source=bing&utm_term=fuel system treatment&utm_campaign=CHT-CAT-41 Phrase Fuel System Cleaner_Rebuild&utm_medium=cpc&pdv=c&mkwid=RnyC8Tbj_77034570336757_fuel system treatment_bp_c&mtid=744bv356395&slid=&product_id={ProductID

I looked for this product at AC Delco and they don't seem to have it.   I wonder if it is a new product for DI?

GM needs to keep the planned obsolescence and bean counter people away from the engines, that timing chain should be good for more than 100K.

Pre-1995 - DTC codes OBD1  >>

1996 and newer - DTC codes OBD2 >> https://www.obd-codes.com/trouble_codes/gm/obd_codes.htm

How to check for codes Caddyinfo How To Technical Archive >> http://www.caddyinfo.com/wordpress/cadillac-how-to-faq/

Cadillac History & Specifications Year by Year  http://www.motorera.com/cadillac/index.htm

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Funny you should say that. There is much talk that the AC Delco stuff is actually the Chevron stuff relabeled. Some say if you turn the bottle upside down it says Chevron on the bottom. About half the price too...

The AC Delco stuff is hard to find. Basically the options are pick it up at the dealer, eBay or AMAZON. 

Crystal Red Tintcoat Exterior | Shale/Brownstone Interior | 32k

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Same stuff.

Glad to hear you are good now.

I hope it will be a learning experience for the dealer. 

We have to learn by experience and not knowing enough about  certain engines can make troubleshooting more like parts changing.

Best of luck to you with it. Drive it hard and enjoy it. 

GM FAN FOREVER

Nice, clean, luxury= fine automobile

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Service Manager at the dealership forwarded me this email today:

Quote

General Motors Customer Assistance has APPROVED your submitted request and is now processing a Goodwill Offering of:

  • Component Coverage Letter (CCL)

He says the warranty on the repairs has now been bumped up from the regular 12 months to 24 months (36,000 miles). I should get a packet in the mail soon. GM rep called me back and apologized, she didn't realize that the extended warranty trumped he offer of OnStar (apparently they are not allowed to do both), so her request for free OnStar was declined. Oh well, I'd rather have the warranty and call the tow truck myself anyway.

I guess when it all boils down, they really did try to make it right. Car is still running perfect. 

Crystal Red Tintcoat Exterior | Shale/Brownstone Interior | 32k

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  • 2 weeks later...

Follow up:

My 'Component Coverage Letter' arrived in the mail from GM (see below).

Guys, color me impressed. Note the section I circled in the middle. That's not just the parts replaced (injectors, cats, high pressure fuel pump), that's more or less the whole engine. And the "all internally lubricated engine parts" line is great because that should cover the infamous timing chain failure these engines are known for. 

Very pleasantly surprised on how this all turned out. Almost worth the month of aggravation for this added (very generous) warranty coverage.  Car still running (and starting) great.

CCL.jpg

Crystal Red Tintcoat Exterior | Shale/Brownstone Interior | 32k

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