Had Chevy Cruze 2012 Engine Fire recall done rant

[FADEC]

Need to vent a little here. I've got a 2012 Chevy Cruze with around 8500 miles on it been a great car so far. I needed to get the tires rotated, but the price of a rotation and an oil change was cheaper that just a rotation. Normally I change my own oil but I said what the heck. I also wanted to have the AC looked at because it wasn't cooling well at idle. Had the service writer write me up for AC check and oil change with tire rotation, nothing else.

When I picked it up about three hours later, the service writer cheerfully informed me that everything was fixed and they also did the engine fire recall for me. I didn't ask for it,and was running late and wanted to get the car home.

When I got home I popped the hood, and discovered that the recall involved cutting the protective areo plastic from under the engine and tranny. Now the WHOLE underside of the engine compartment from the radiator all the way to the firewall, and side to side to both frame rails is wide open!! The oil pan and turbo are wide open, as well as the whole engine bay to stones, debris, road salt etc.

Does anybody know if this recall is mandatory or voluntary?? Can I make the dealership put the original style pan back under there?? It is a very botched job. They basically took a chop saw and went at it.

Any comments/suggestions/advice????

 

[antiqueshell]

A shop is NOT permitted to do work, even under warranty, UNLESS you authorize it!

I'd go back there and have them replace what they damaged. Don't be angry about this (even though you have a right to be)when you go back, be calm and firm request they replace that plastic panel and after they do you need to speak to the service manager and inform him that it is not legal to perform work on any vehicle (even under warranty unless the owner has authorized it.

Just to be clear this is NOT a lease car, but a car you purchased correct?

 

[FADEC]

Correct, car is not a lease and is owned by me.

 

[gathermewool]

Wow. Pics, please!

 

[sciphi]

They can't replace it since the recall involves cutting off parts of the existing shield. And they can't give you a new shield since the old one is "unsafe".

I haven't had the recall done on my Cruze yet, and it likely won't ever have it done.

I'd definitely take this up with Chevrolet themselves.

 

[Quattro Pete]

Originally Posted By: antiqueshell
A shop is NOT permitted to do work, even under warranty, UNLESS you authorize it!

Even if it's a safety recall?

 

[LeakySeals]

NEW YORK (CNNMoney) -- General Motors is recalling 413,418 Chevrolet Cruze small cars to modify an engine shield that could create a fire hazard.

The engine shield, a large plastic piece that is installed under the front of the car to protect the engine, could trap oil that is accidentally spilled or dripped during oil changes.

 

[LeakySeals]

The plastic splash guard under a car is no big deal. Until recently no car had one. Most DIYers leave them off or cut them back.

Sounds like Chevy went overboard, made it too big. Also sounds like people are confusing the splash guard with the exhaust manifold heat shield?

 

[PhillyJoe]

Dealers LOVE to bill the home office for warranty work.

But also look at their standpoint: You have your car serviced 4 or 5 times after the recall is announced, they don't do the work, your car has a fire, who is responsible?

 

[FADEC]

Originally Posted By: gathermewool
Wow. Pics, please!


Would love to post some pics but unsure how to do it. Basically if you're looking down at the engine bay from the top you see the pavement all through the engine bay and around the powertrain.

 

[FADEC]

Originally Posted By: LeakySeals
The plastic splash guard under a car is no big deal. Until recently no car had one. Most DIYers leave them off or cut them back.

Sounds like Chevy went overboard, made it too big. Also sounds like people are confusing the splash guard with the exhaust manifold heat shield?


It is not the exhaust manifold heat shield, but rather a large plastic "tray" with metal heat shielding in certain areas, that is below the engine and transmission that covers essentially the engine bay area.

 

[LeakySeals]

Originally Posted By: daddi
Originally Posted By: LeakySeals
The plastic splash guard under a car is no big deal. Until recently no car had one. Most DIYers leave them off or cut them back.

Sounds like Chevy went overboard, made it too big. Also sounds like people are confusing the splash guard with the exhaust manifold heat shield?


It is not the exhaust manifold heat shield, but rather a large plastic "tray" with metal heat shielding in certain areas, that is below the engine and transmission that covers essentially the engine bay area.


Yeah, I called it splash guard in prior post. Sounds like Chevy went farther with that idea. Have a car a few years older available? Pop the hood and look down. Its either no shield or a much smaller one. No worries, better off without it.

 

[Quattro Pete]

Originally Posted By: LeakySeals
Have a car a few years older available? Pop the hood and look down. Its either no shield or a much smaller one.

Both my '02 530i and my old '01 A4 had a fairly extensive plastic shield.

I thought that one of the reasons for a shield like this, in addition to reducing the amount of debris entering the engine bay, was to enforce a specific air flow to aid in engine cooling.

 

[Loobed]

I would guess that if it is a NHTSA recall, they (the dealer) would have to do it. Imagine what would happen if your car caught on fire and someone died? They would be liable for not fixing the problem when they had the chance.

I remember in the late 70's when catalytic converters first came out. People parked their cars in dry grassy fields, and the hot cat would start a fire. I remember reading about an incident where a catcon started a forest fire that killed one person.

 

[antiqueshell]

The dealer STILL has to let you authorize ANY work to YOUR vehicle, which is YOUR property. They did not and are in error. I would insist politely that they replace what they removed.

 

[FADEC]

Originally Posted By: Quattro Pete
Originally Posted By: LeakySeals
Have a car a few years older available? Pop the hood and look down. Its either no shield or a much smaller one.

Both my '02 530i and my old '01 A4 had a fairly extensive plastic shield.

I thought that one of the reasons for a shield like this, in addition to reducing the amount of debris entering the engine bay, was to enforce a specific air flow to aid in engine cooling.



I can only imagine driving on salted roads this winter. I'm sure the majority of the engine bay will have a nice salt coating.

 

[Duffman77]

I really don't have an answer as to whether the dealer has to ask to do a recall, I know that it is common practice that dealers just go ahead an do recalls, lots of 6.0 powerstroke owners have had there engines flashed without consent years ago.

The thing to be upset about is the belly pan is likely an aerodynamic aid. They sold you are car with a certain mpg rating and it likely no longer gets that after the recall.

 

[stephen9666]

Originally Posted By: antiqueshell
The dealer STILL has to let you authorize ANY work to YOUR vehicle, which is YOUR property. They did not and are in error. I would insist politely that they replace what they removed.


I think you're wrong about this. If it doesn't cost anything and is a safety recall, they're opening themselves up to liability if they don't do it.

No dealer is going to install an under car shield that has been recalled and needs to be modified.

There are also TSB's and software updates that are commonly performed when the car is in for another reason.

 

[NHGUY]

I betcha on new models they will redesign the shield,making a low swail to guide the dripped oil into and then have a hole to drain it off from.GM isnt about to spend the money to replace all those shields on existing cars to a new design...they are under no obligation to if cutting the old one up satisfies NHTSA.Sorta like GM and its sidesaddle tank fiasco.Instead of replacing all the tanks with plastic,they donated money to safety research and that kept the feds happy.And they dragged their feet until the statute of limitations was up on X-car braking systems.GM is not the "fuzzy feeling" carmaker you may think they are.The Cruze is another in a long line of flawed models they dont want to own up to.

 

[azjake]

This is a bad solution to the problem. GM should have replaced the shield with one that wasn't a fire hazard. I think down the road they're going to have some owners complaining about salt or stone damage to the underside and maybe mpg complaints because the shield also helped with aerodynamics.