Every GM Secret You Never Wanted To Know

[Bill H]

Go to http://service.gm.com and I believe you'll find where your dealership gets all their latest service info... but you can't see anything worthwhile without a user name and password. How do I know? I found a kind soul at a local dealership who printed out Doc #1332172 for me, (Special policy on IP/FSD warranty replacement). At the bottom of each of the 21 pages he printed out, was the URL http://service.gm.com/servlets/blobshtml?shtmlfile=1332172&pubit=22&evc=sm . The doc should have been printed in landscape mode, because about 25% of the right side of the worksheet was cut off on the print out. The rest of the doc was OK, including the part where GM directs the dealership to smash all removed IP and FSD parts with a hammer. I'd be paranoid to think they were trying to destroy the evidence, wouldn't I?

Also plenty of Checklist items that would allow the dealership to replace unneeded stuff and do unneeded work to jack up your bill, before they finally give you a free warranty replacement IP/FSD like they should have to begin with. I wouldn't be so bitter if the first dealership I talked to (Woodard in Fairfield, CA) had given me the straight skinny, (they told me there was a $100 deductable and that the FSD wasn't included in the warrantee... they also said they couldn't give me a copy of the Special Policy on IP/FSD warranty because their shop was making $96/hour and couldn't be bothered). I haven't been burned too bad yet, except for buying a used 6.5TD that started crapping out (unexplained stalling) 1000 miles after I bought it. Hopefully GM doesn't monitor this web site, or I may never get my warranty replacement IP/FSD. In the mean time I hope readers here benefit from my experience.

[catmandoo]

smash and destroy would indicate a piece of s#*t part that shouldn't have been made in the first place.ya know i look back on different things and when all is said and done the old stuff is still better then this new crap as frank zappa said its a little bit chessy but nicely displayed.in other words they were junk to begin with but they advertize the **** out of em and people buy em cuz they think they're the greatest when in reality they know they will fail they just hope it's out of warrenty by then so they can make more money off ya.

[More Power]

I believe the destruction of DS pumps is being done because of a corporate split (a tactful understatement) between GM and Stanadyne. GM really took it on the chin (and all 6.5 owners) over the reliability of the DS4 pumps. This extended DS warranty is costing GM a ton of money. GM blames Stanadyne. Stanadyne blames GM.

My guess is that GM is getting new DS pumps from Stanadyne at far below market value, and when one is replaced, GM doesn't want that pump to go back into Stanadyne's supply chain (thereby adding to Stanadyne's economic activity).

Just my sense of it.

MP

[rjschoolcraft]

I think you've nailed it MP!

As far as new stuff vs. old stuff...

There's always somebody saying change is bad. In some cases they're right, in others they're dead wrong. People get comfortable with a level of technology and think that nothing should change. Whether it's changing from horses and buggies to automobiles or mechanical injection to electronic injection. Just my take. ;)

[MJEasly]

A long time ago, I worked in a parts department for a Mazda dealership. Destroying parts is nothing new. Mazda would send a guy to look at the warranty, excess, and otherwise surplus parts that had been ordered but not delivered to the customer for one reason or another. Well, his job was to put it all in a pile and smash it with a sledgehammer. After a time, and some sweat, he would allow anybody who was interested to pick through the trash and take what they wanted. Otherwise, the stuff was off limits. It really didn't make sense to me at the time, especially since once I had my eye on a complete crusie control unit for my 323GTX that I would have paid full retail for. Instead, I watched it get destroyed.

Mark

[jlog]

I was general manager for a steel recycling company. One of our most useful pieces of equipment was a 3000 hp auto mobile shredder. Once per month I used to supply a 40 yard container to the Chrysler parts warehouse and they would fill it with parts replaced under warranty. as well as obsolete or overstocked items. deal was I had to guarantee destruction and I got the material for free.

[Bill H]

I should have known the only part of this post that would draw a response was about smashing used parts with a hammer. Obviously there's reasons for poor little abused, victimized and misunderstood GM (oh boo hoo, you're breaking my heart) to destroy used parts.

I was really hoping somebody had the rocks to unearth a working user name and password to get onto the GM web site. Docs that members are waiting for (snail mail from Canada) would be a mouse click away.

I'm not really after GM. I'm after crooked dealerships that blatantly withhold warrantee info, lie about what the warantee covers, and basically bully us honest, hardworking, god-fearing consumers into taking whatever bull they dish out. Please see post "99 6.5 sudden DEATH"

[More Power]

I'm thinking of putting together a short tech page devoted to helping 6.5 owners deal with the DS extended warranty. Aside from including the important warranty details and vehicle coverage, highlights from member's bad experiences and good experiences could be used to illustrate what an owner should know to get the best service at the lowest possible cost.

I've heard some real doozies...

MP

[Bill H]

More power to ya, More Power !!!

One more thing I was hoping you or members could help me with... The dealership that printed out the doc for me said they had a vehicle in the shop a week or so ago with "Sudden Death Syndrome" and they had to replace the PCM, didn't touch the IP/PMD. This sounds fishy to me. Has anyone ever heard of a bad PCM causing "Sudden Death Syndrome" ???

Also I bought a OBD II code reader today. I get no codes. Could my PCM be good enough to make the truck start and run normally most times, but bad enough to be causing "Sudden Death Syndrome" and bad enough to not throw any codes when something is really wrong?

[ucdavis]

Bill,
It isn't just the stealers, I called GM @ 800-222-1020 & asked for a copy of the current doc. I have the '99 or so version from the previous owner of my rig; in them days GM mailed copies out to injured owners so we would know the issue & how to deal w/it. I was told how to submit a claim in my case, and invited to receive directions to nearest GM service, but was told flatly that GM doesn't distribute the information from corporate HQ.
I guess they feel better to hide it. I keep wondering "DMax, huh?" but then I wonder "how will I be treated under warranty?" and then I think "Toyota, huh?"

[twaddle]

Amended post

Hi MP,
If you do put together information on the warranty, repairs and any "top secret" hidden information that GM would prefer us all not to find out about,could you keep an eye open for any information that would help us overseas owners of GM products.
I was told by a dealer over here that the Suburban
I shipped in from Texas would not get the 120,000 mile warranty on the fuel pump as the truck was considered as a grey import.

This annoys me more than a little as I have owned and used American GM diesel pick ups since 1989 in a country where they are pretty rare and seen as an unusual choice of transport.
Our friends in Texas reckon I should take GM to court for a new Fuel pump the next time I'm in Texas.

Regards

Jim Twaddle
Biggar, Scotland

[jlog]

Bill H

I don't think anyone would be foolish enough to make public their user name and password. They (user name and passward)should be user specific and would lead right back to the person that made it known. If GM has any smarts the passwords would be managed and changed on a regular basis.
John

[Bill H]

jlog,

Let me put it this way, if I had somehow stumbled onto a working username/password for the GM web site, I'd be more than happy to share it with members here for everyone's education, for however long it remained working. I think the info on the GM site should be available to the public, if it helps protect consumers from getting ripped off by crooked stealerships. Why are members here being lied to and cheated by their dealerships? Why have members here hit a brick wall trying to get warrantee docs from GM (docs which simply spell out the details of what's covered, who pays, and what needs to be done to get the warrantee)? Just my humble opinion.

[jlog]

Bill H
my point is that if a gm employee or employee of a gm stealership made public their id and password they might not be employees for long.
Going against company policy is not a wise decision if you wish to remain among the ranks of the employed. wether the policy is right or wrong.
john

[More Power]

Bill H,

Please be patient... I'm working on a tech page that'll give you more useful information than is found on the GM web site. I hope to have this tech piece completed for the October updates.

twaddle,

GM's policy has always been to require US or Canada warranty coverage to be performed in the US or Canada.

One of our Canadian members was transferred to Panama a few years ago, and took his 6.5TD K1500 with him. Soon after arriving, the DS gave up, and he had no luck getting warranty coverage at a Panamanian GM dealership. GM did offer to repair his truck if he shipped back to Texas or some other US state, but that was it.

In Europe, if you buy a "made for Europe" GM diesel vehicle, you can obtain warranty coverage at your local dealer. If the vehicle was made for the US or Canadian market, and privately imported to Europe, you've got what they consider a gray market vehicle.

MP

[ucdavis]

Bill,
You asked about PCM death-
The PCM is the other thing that does not throw a code on failure (the first being the fsd). In the diagnostic flowcharts, you eliminate things one at a time, till you replace the PCM (& reprogram it as req'd) and check to see if it fixed the problem. If you do this on your own, of course, you just bought the PCM; who knows what the dealer does w/the unnecessarily replaced PCM (besides bill you for it HA HA Ha, of course I'm kidding and that would never happen). PCM's do go bad on rare occasion per a service writer I met from Kalispell, MT who's dealership sold a lotta 6.5TDs. Odds are its an FSD or IP or fuel delivery issue when you've got sudden death.

[More Power]

I agree with Jlog on whether to post the codes.

Doing so could hurt the GM employee and affect our ability to get information and help from several GM divisions.

MP

[richard7]

For the electronic fuel pump warranty policy,a user name and password is not necessary to have the information on the service.gm.com website.

Just go to the main page, than select the service information, than service information again, than the "1-2-3-? find a document by...".
You can acces the IP document either by document number or campain number. You have the access to your vehicule information too if you use the appropriate options. There is a lot of information there.

The complete information is there, for everybody to view.

[richard7]

Well, today it asked for a user name and password, don't ask me why... Sorry. :(

Maybe there is a way to access it anyway. tongue.gif

[Bill H]

Richard7,

That's what I was refering to, somehow stumbling onto access rights, not putting anybody's job at risk. Maybe there's stuff on the site that's supposed to be availaible to the general public. We don't know if we don't try, do we?

MP,

Sorry, hope I didn't incite a riot. I realize now, how wrong it is to ever question authority. hehe tongue.gif

[steve-r]

maybe there is some info here that will help.
enter year, make, model, engine, and get all the technical bulletins, wiring schematics, recalls, etc. i'm not affiliated with this - just found it. http://www.e-toolbox.com/ads/

[ucdavis]

Steve-R,
That's a helluva great site!!!
THANKS!!

[moose1]

While browsing our PAGE I dicovered the recall on 95 windsheild wipers. Called the local dealer and explained the problema and he was more than happy to book me in for an appy, but when I mentioned the recall he denied it was a recall,told me it would cost $65, I said he was wrong. He then put me on hold, came back and booked me a 10 minute appy for the replacement of the module. I just paid off my subscription to the page!