Chevrolet Aveo - Coolant Loss, Engine light, Warranty etc

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Mon 5 Oct 2015 22:47
Chevrolet Aveo - Coolant Loss, Engine light, Warranty etc - JLP123

Sorry for length of post but hoping someone can shed some light on these issues.

I bought a Chevrolet Aveo 1.2 LT new in march 2013 and noticed significant coolant loss within months

Topped it up and put it down to sloppy pre pickup check.

Noticed it again before 1st service and got dealer to check.

I found no leaks. They found no leaks and so they changed water pump as a precaution...I wasn't convinced!

It proved to make no difference. I drove on for another year topping it up - Approx a litre or so over the year. Left it to independent garage for 2nd service and got them to check coolant. They found nothing but I fear they are incompetent if not a little crooked as you'll see.

Drove the car for another few months before I noticed creamy light brown mayo under oil filler cap and the coolant tank empty.

Left it back to main dealer who said the gearbox breather was blocked which was propably causing the gunk on the oil filler cap! I was amazed at this explanation. And still they couldn't find any reason for coolant leak.

I expressed my concerns it was the head gasket. He dismissed this saying it had been pressure tested and was made of metal and never went wrong

He then informed me the oil and oil filter hadn't been changed during last service. Checked myself to find pollen filter hadn't been changed either. Sorted all that myself. So now my 5 year warranty might be in question!? Another fight for another day.

A couple of months have past since then and coolant level has dropped about a cm from fill level. Engine light is now on too. idle is erradtic. Engine has turned off completely when sat at traffic lights twice, meaning there is an issue with the start/stop too, and there is more gunk gathered under filler cap even with the gearbox breathing freely again!!!

Car going in Wednesday morning to main dealer again.

Should I refuse to take it back until sorted?

Grateful for any help

Many Thanks

John

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Mon 5 Oct 2015 23:33
Chevrolet Aveo - Coolant Loss, Engine light, Warranty etc - RobJP

Unfortunately, if you've taken it to an independent for a service while under warranty, and the work has not been carried out to manufacturer's required standards, then your warranty is invalid.

As such, you can't really refuse to take it back until fixed, as they have seen that the 'independent' service was not carried out, and thus they KNOW they can invalidate the warranty.

Realistically, this may be one of those cases where you need professional legal advice.

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Tue 6 Oct 2015 01:11
Chevrolet Aveo - Coolant Loss, Engine light, Warranty etc - JLP123

The main dealer service dept said it would only invalidate warranty if it was linked to the issue. And it cant be.

Just like a water pump that isn't leaking isn't likely to be the source of the coolant leak.

And just like a blocked breather in the gearbox isn't likely to cause gunk under filler cap.

The coolant loss can empty the expansion tank in 4 to 6 months.

Has done since new. There's gunk under filler cap. Engine light is on. Start/stop idle is playing up and theres a whirring noise that lasts about 20 - 30 seconds when starting engine. None of these things can be laid at the door of an oil change. Especially considering the car does about 8 - 9k miles a year. 19k miles in 30 months

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Tue 6 Oct 2015 07:59
Chevrolet Aveo - Coolant Loss, Engine light, Warranty etc - Bolt

I think you need to take it back and tell them to get it sorted, or take it higher, head gasket or head crack (I suspect head crack) gasket would imo have gotton worse in that time, I think thats a different engine to the 1.2 Kalos, Aveo was replacement for kalos

But that Kalos engine was a joke for problems and juicy with very poor fuel consumption/power....

it could be they really dont want to do the job, chevy were not helpful when it came to problems on Kalos, so I can understand your frustration trying to get them to sort it, what you have explained sounds like a repeat of my problems years ago just different car

Difference is mine was out of warranty and siezed up a short time after they so called sorted the problem out

good luck

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Tue 6 Oct 2015 17:34
Chevrolet Aveo - Coolant Loss, Engine light, Warranty etc - JLP123

Engine light, and Idle and whirring noise have all seemed to sort themselves out....????

The coolant level is still low but could anyone explain how the gunk under the filler cap (a good 3 - 4 mm thick) has mysteriously disappeared without a trace? And I do mean the oil filler cap is now spotlessly clean!

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Tue 6 Oct 2015 20:06
Chevrolet Aveo - Coolant Loss, Engine light, Warranty etc - Bolt

Without flushing with detergent in the oil its very difficult to shift,

If the oil has had a detergent added, I suggest getting an engine flush, oil & filter change as damage to engine will occur

not knowing whats been done I am guessing

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Wed 7 Oct 2015 09:00
Chevrolet Aveo - Coolant Loss, Engine light, Warranty etc - JLP123

Thanks for the the input Bolt.

No detergent has been added to the oil. I've been checking coolant and gunk build up every other day or so for the past few weeks waiting for a sufficent drop in coolant level and a nice build up of gunk before booking it back into the workshop. The coolant seemed to stay constant for a number of weeks and then suddenly drop away over a matter of days.

The gunk was present right up until yesterday morning when it mysteriously disappeared.

Car going in this morning, if for no other reason than to find out what the engine warning light error was....Will arrange for it to go back in for investigation regarding coolant when they have a courtousy car available...I'll ask them to detail the tests they are going to carry out

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Fri 25 Dec 2015 23:10
Chevrolet Aveo - Coolant Loss, Engine light, Warranty etc - JLP123

Garage can still find no fault. yet its still losing coolant at around a pint every three months.

Car was bought new 3 years ago fault reported at first service. Car been in and out on a number of occassions. Water pump changed, all seals checked. Heater matrix pulled, pressure tested and tested for gasses in coolant...everything clear...dealer does agree its losing coolant....So where do I stand legally with this if they cannot find the cause. And they can't

Help much appreciated...and needed

Edited by JLP123 on 25/12/2015 at 23:11

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Sat 26 Dec 2015 11:24
Chevrolet Aveo - Coolant Loss, Engine light, Warranty etc - Railroad.

'Mayo' as people call it under the oil filler cap is oil condensation, and is caused by the engine running too cool. The most likely reason for that is the car being used mainly for short local trips. It takes a minimum of 15 miles to completely warm a car up, and even more on a cold day. Predominantley short journeys will take it's toll in many ways on a modern car that will eventually lead to the engine management lamp coming on. I would suggest you use the car for longer journeys more frequently.

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