GM product barely out of warranty and can't get parts...

[Alex_V]

I've been a small town, solo mechanic since 2016. Work on a little bit of everything, lots of semi-new and some old.

The other day a repeat customer dropped off their 2017 Buick Encore because the wipers (that had only worked on high for several months) quit altogether. Looked up the wiring diagram, checked for voltage at the appropriate terminals for the corresponding wiper modes and all was good, then applied voltage to the motor contacts which pretty much confirmed the motor was bad. 7 years, barely over 100K mi. and the wiper motor has failed. Not real impressive, but nothing happens.

Then I proceeded to call the 4 different parts houses in town - same story from all, they can't even get said part for said vehicle. Called the local dealer and THEY didn't have one, couldn't get one through the normal channels, the only option was to put out a request for any other dealers holding one to send it over. (He did say qty. 36 shown in the whole system nationwide.) I googled several keywords and not even a no-name part from some web-only supplier appears available.

I could have more sympathy if it was some non-consumable part for a very low-production model, but the same part fits Trax and Encore for 8 model years.

I'm keeping all the old rigs in my sig... that probably all have the original wiper motors, to boot.

 

[CKN]

Made in South Korea-not a volume seller. You are actually wrong about how well it sold. So-you can get the part and have the option of the customer paying for air freight-via the dealer.

 

[JTK]

That is crazy. I've seen some south main auto channel videos in regards to rear wiper motor issues on these IIRC.

In fact, Eric O recently did a video on a 2017 Chevy Impala that had a parasitic draw that he traced to a bad radio module, and guess what.. The radio module is no longer available anywhere. He was able to track down a used unit and have it programmed to the VIN of the 2017 he was working on. This is the future we're heading into.

 

[Alex_V]

Made in South Korea-not a volume seller. You are actually wrong about how well it sold. So-you can get the part and have the option of the customer paying for air freight-via the dealer.

I know Trax/Encore aren't one of GM's best sellers, but it's far from a truly rare model.

 

[Alex_V]

That is crazy. I've seen some south main auto channel videos in regards to rear wiper motor issues on these IIRC.

In fact, Eric O recently did a video on a 2017 Chevy Impala that had a parasitic draw that he traced to a bad radio module, and guess what.. The radio module is no longer available anywhere. He was able to track down a used unit and have it programmed to the VIN of the 2017 he was working on. This is the future we're heading into.

I think this "evolving precedent", if you will, for durability of original parts and availability/quality of their replacements is evidence to support my opinion that we, the consumer, are being taken advantage of to a perpetually greater degree by the manufacturers.

 

[SeaJay]

Made in South Korea-not a volume seller. You are actually wrong about how well it sold. So-you can get the part and have the option of the customer paying for air freight-via the dealer.

If IRRC, 40+ years ago parts for Japanese made cars were far more expensive than similar parts for Detroit cars. I think it was pretty much for that same reason, availability and shipping.

 

[JTK]

I think this "evolving precedent", if you will, for durability of original parts and availability/quality of their replacements is evidence to support my opinion that we, the consumer, are being taken advantage of to a perpetually greater degree by the manufacturers.

Absolutely. It's planned obsolescence. All we can hope for is the market remains where someone will harvest good used wiper motors, computer modules, etc..etc. for resale.

 

[CKN]

Absolutely. It's planned obsolescence. All we can hope for is the market remains where someone will harvest good used wiper motors, computer modules, etc..etc. for resale.

Respectfully-when vehicles can go 200,000 miles-and back in the 50's through 70's they were in the junkyard (generally) at 100,000 miles, I just don't know if I buy "planned obsolesce." Parts fail-if you think about - it's remarkable that more parts don't fail.

 

[dishdude]

So it is available, just not in stock locally. I'd try a junkyard.

 

[JTK]

Respectfully-when vehicles can go 200,000 miles-and back in the 50's through 70's they were in the junkyard (generally) at 100,000 miles, I just don't know if I buy "planned obsolesce." Parts fail-if you think about - it's remarkable that more parts don't fail.

It certainly is remarkable, but was there any part on a ~7yr/old domestic vehicle that you couldn't get OEM or aftermarket replacement parts for back then?

Ultra reliable or not, obsolete electronics will send otherwise good vehicles to the crusher more and more as time goes on.

 

[GMBoy]

Wow I just checked my AZ account and it says please call for availabilty so it is not available. I checked Rockauto and they sell several brands all are out of stock. This is the FRONT wiper motor I searched but the rear is all sold out as well.

 

[GMBoy]

Made in South Korea-not a volume seller. You are actually wrong about how well it sold. So-you can get the part and have the option of the customer paying for air freight-via the dealer.

They sold plenty:
(avg 100k+ units per year NOT including the Chevy twin with a total of 994,091 Encores made 2013-2023 again not with the Chevy in the counts)

Buick Encore - Wikipedia

en.wikipedia.org

 

[Alex_V]

Respectfully-when vehicles can go 200,000 miles-and back in the 50's through 70's they were in the junkyard (generally) at 100,000 miles, I just don't know if I buy "planned obsolesce." Parts fail-if you think about - it's remarkable that more parts don't fail.

Basic technology involving the primary components was a major factor then. Metallurgy, lubrication, etc. There were a few exceptions - Mercedes, for one, was achieving modern-day longevity from a majority of their powertrains designed in the 70's. That's a tiny fraction of the limitation to modern manufacturers it was 50+ years ago. I have a '13 Silverado sitting at the shop right now with a snapped timing chain at 140K. The truck's not had the best life, but far from the worst it could've been and it's just an OHV V-8, not some rube-goldberg OHC chain system. Ford got sued for the known-trash transmission they put in some of their best selling models, Kia tried to claim "sub-par cleaning process after machining leaving metal shavings behind" for the Theta (II?) bottom end problems that would crop up at any mileage. Recently I hear the Chevy 6.2's can just, munch the crank bearings at random low mileage.

Speaking of the worldwide auto mfg. scene, aka Japan and Germany included, there have been more than a few choices for consumer-grade cars with realistic longevity over 200K for going on 40 years. But only the same can be said for brand new cars - if you don't chose carefully, 150-200K can be the limit before it gets hard to justify spending whatever it takes to keep it in good repair.

 

[ripcord]

I ran into the same thing looking for an ABS module for an 06 Escape. The only place I could find one was from junk yards.

 

[GMBoy]

The most recent example, for me personally, that I could not source a part from any vendor be it GM or aftermarket was for the Corvette C6 fuel crossover pipe between the 2 gas tanks. Not available anywhere and 0 showing in the dealer network. This is something that a salvage yard part is not a preferable option. Another example is my very own Buick GN - I cannot get a Powermaster brake master cylinder and rebuild kits are nowhere to be found anymore. I do not want to convert to vac brakes as many have done for originality purposes. I have replaced the entire unit back in 1998 with a lifetime warranty but since none are available NAPA can't warranty it. I still have the old original along with misc spare parts that if I can match up o-rings I should be able to rebuild it. It is just starting to act up so it's not critical yet but still want to get on it. Car has 67k miles.

 

[c502cid]

They sold plenty:
(avg 100k+ units per year NOT including the Chevy twin with a total of 994,091 Encores made 2013-2023 again not with the Chevy in the counts)

Buick Encore - Wikipedia

en.wikipedia.org

Plus it's a worldwide vehicle for GM, not just a North America model.

 

[Alex_V]

The most recent example, for me personally, that I could not source a part from any vendor be it GM or aftermarket was for the Corvette C6 fuel crossover pipe between the 2 gas tanks. Not available anywhere and 0 showing in the dealer network. This is something that a salvage yard part is not a preferable option. Another example is my very own Buick GN - I cannot get a Powermaster brake master cylinder and rebuild kits are nowhere to be found anymore. I do not want to convert to vac brakes as many have done for originality purposes. I have replaced the entire unit back in 1998 with a lifetime warranty but since none are available NAPA can't warranty it. I still have the old original along with misc spare parts that if I can match up o-rings I should be able to rebuild it. It is just starting to act up so it's not critical yet but still want to get on it. Car has 67k miles.

Especially with something like the Grand National, the only thing keeping any GN-specific parts available at this age is enthusiast demand. It's predictable/understandable that the majority of support for a car like that would move to aftermarket if not niche specialist - I'm heavy in those circles with 70's-80's Mercedes diesels. However, over just the last 3-5 years the number of different parts that are shifting to drastically worse quality or just being discontinued altogether is accelerating. But when situations like above^ present themselves with cars that are nearly-new and produced in higher numbers than your C6 or GN ever were to begin with, it undermines any argument that older stuff is fundamentally "harder to get parts for".

 

[dogememe]

Yeah, hatch lift supports for my 2017 Bolt seem to be unobtanium through my local dealer and we don’t carry aftermarket for them at work. Only options seem to be generic ones on eBay/Amazon. Surprising for such a new mainstream car.

 

[Passport1]

Had something like that happen to me with a GE clothes dryer. Bought it new and ~six months later the heating element crapped out. Called GE customer service and they told me because it was a new model all the spares were being used at the production line. It was winter and I told her that drying clothes outside was not an option. Suggested I call an indy repair service and they would reimburse me. I did, they had a suitable substitution part and the dryer was fixed. They never did reimburse me.

Never ever bought a GE product again. Not even a light bulb.

 

[AutoMechanic]

Seems to be a common thing especially for GM. Once I lost a special GM specific screw in the dash of a car. Couldn’t locate one anywhere even in the junkyard. We had to end up retapping the hole and getting a regular screw to put in it. I don’t remember what it was on seems a GMC Terrain I think but I can’t remember that was in 2019 when I first got into the field.

Nowadays my Toyota dealership doesn’t have anything in stock hardly because Toyota bases what your allowed to have in stock based on the size of the building the dealership is in which is dumb. I can’t tell you how many times we have to get aftermarket spark plugs or brake pads or rotors because they don’t let us have many in stock. As a technician it’s very frustrating when you get something apart and have it all diagnosed then it gets approved but can’t get a part so then you’re stuck. Nowadays the excuses we get from the 5 parts stores (Napa, O’Reilly, Advance, Auto Zone and Federated) is oh well we don’t have it it’s still on back order because of the pandemic. Like I’m so tired of hearing that excuse and just overall frustrated with the parts system these days. I just wish they would stop using that excuse and just tell us whether they have it or not. According to my friend who works at O’Reilly is they are instructed to say that by their corporate office. It’s just annoying to still hear that excuse 4 or 5 years after the fact.