Chevy Sonic - Any GM parts experts out there?

Status
Not open for further replies.
Joined
Jul 7, 2014
Messages
5,131
Location
Winnipeg MB CA
Hello all. I'm hoping to change out struts on a friend's 2012 Chevy Sonic. He was told at Midas that they are on the way out. I had a look, and they're starting to weep, although not badly yet. The car has just over 100K km on it. He was quoted c. C$1000 at Midas. That was with AC Delco struts, but I'm not sure whether that included the strut mount, isolating rubber bushings, or bellows. (The rubber bushings and bellows look good. I plan to reuse them.)

It doesn't look like there are a lot of choices - I've only found KYB as an aftermarket manufacturer, and local parts stores are having trouble finding them. One of the fellows at a trustworthy local parts store told me that parts are a real pain for the Aveo, Sonic, and Trax. (The Sonic, although I believe a Daewoo/Korean GM design, was built in the US, so I thought maybe parts wouldn't be too much of an issue.) KYBs are out of stock at Rock Auto.

The dealer is asking C$265 (L) and C$190 (R) for genuine AC Delco struts. (That's pretty expensive, and quite a discrepancy between the sides.) Sales taxes of 13% would be additional, and would push the total up to around C$500.
crazy.gif


Rock Auto is much more affordable (< C$100 per side for AC Delco struts) even with shipping being extra. So, that's our first choice. (I have had mixed results with aftermarket struts, and so am happy to use AC Delco parts.)

So here's the issue - the two sets of in-stock AC Delco struts are differentiated only by "TIRE(Q1H)" vs. "TIRE(QLG), TIRE(RKJ)". Of course I don't want to get the wrong pair for the car! Rock Auto's help people so far just keep referring me back to the on-line catalogue, which has only the "Q1H" vs "QLG RKJ" references. Here's a bit more information: My friend's car is a base model, with 15" steel wheels. There were higher trim levels available with 16" or 17" alloy wheels. I suspect one set of struts is for the alloys, and one set is for the steelies. Further, I suspect that the 15" wheels are the Q1Hs, and the 16" and 17" alloys are QLGs and RKJs respectively. (But don't want to guess.)

So, do any of you BITOGers speak GM? Can you translate Q1H, QLG, and RKJ for me? Many thanks in advance!

Rock Auto 2.png


Rock Auto 3.png


Rock Auto 4.png
 
There will be a sticker either on the inside of the glove box or in the trunk near the spare tire with the suspension code. Check to see which one is on that sticker.
 
Has the ride changed???
Just because the parts replacer at Midas wrote it up means nothing. They will not make you walk. Run it another 20,000 and have a look. I bet your not walking then either.
 
Originally Posted by P10crew
Has the ride changed???
Just because the parts replacer at Midas wrote it up means nothing. They will not make you walk. Run it another 20,000 and have a look. I bet your not walking then either.


Knowing Midas...+1
 
Originally Posted by P10crew
Has the ride changed???
Just because the parts replacer at Midas wrote it up means nothing. They will not make you walk. Run it another 20,000 and have a look. I bet your not walking then either.

This is good advice.

Also, can you not get the part number of the struts from a dealer?
 
Last time I changed struts was on a Hyundai with over 250,000 miles. I couldn't imagine struts wearing out before 100K unless driven in a pothole scared city. Weeping is normal. Midas just wants to make a sale.
 
Originally Posted by mattd
There will be a sticker either on the inside of the glove box or in the trunk near the spare tire with the suspension code. Check to see which one is on that sticker.
Great advice, thanks! Will ask my friend to bring the car over and we'll check.

Originally Posted by Rolla07
Originally Posted by P10crew
Has the ride changed??? Just because the parts replacer at Midas wrote it up means nothing. They will not make you walk. Run it another 20,000 and have a look. I bet your not walking then either.
Knowing Midas...+1
Agreed, which is why I confirmed. In my opinion that they're just starting to weep but are not bad yet, and could likely go another year or two. But my friend wants to change them out now. He's concerned that they might fail completely in the winter, which would mean the big bucks at Midas, rather than the parts-only cost of changing them out at my place. I'm OK with this, as the earlier we do this the less rust we'll have to fight. As far as the ride, I'm not sure as it's not my car. But, when I changed out the struts on another friend's car ('07 Pontiac G6) a year ago, they were completely shot - very wet, and very easy to compress by hand. And yet, he could not detect a difference in the ride afterwards.

Originally Posted by WobblyElvis
This is good advice. Also, can you not get the part number of the struts from a dealer?
Perhaps, but I don't feel right about that if I have no intention of buying parts from them. I think Rock Auto should revise their on-line catalogue to make it clear which struts go with which wheel sizes.
 
Struts have huge strong bolts and rust won't be a problem. The only possible one would be accessories like sway bar links or ABS wire guide thingies that use tiny fasteners.

I anticipate the aftermarket will only make one stiffness strut that's a compromise. Surprised Chevy OE has multiples, frankly.

The 3-digit letter-numbers are "RPO codes" and as mentioned will be on a sticker with a bunch of others. Reads "Service parts info" or similar.
 
Originally Posted by Number_35
I think Rock Auto should revise their on-line catalogue to make it clear which struts go with which wheel sizes.


Rock Auto just uses the information the manufacturer/supplier provided them.
 
Originally Posted by P10crew
Has the ride changed???

Just because the parts replacer at Midas wrote it up means nothing ...



THIS ^

Every car I have owned that has had 100 000 km's on has had shocks / struts recommended by a shop. Shops LOVE struts ... nice mark up on parts and a nice chunk of labour as well.

Have your friend drive the car on a freeway, and get beside him in a different car and watch how each corner reacts to bumps / expansion strips at high speeds. If the wheel bumps up and down stops moving immediately, the struts are still working fine. If the wheel goes up and down repeatedly at high frequency over a few seconds, and the car body seems to be moving up and down at a low frequency over and over, then yes, you NEED struts. Watch other cars on the road. You will see a car that looks like the wheel is going to fly off ... !

Weeping struts can still work for a long time, just keep an eye on them ... a blown strut will be wet and not dampen wheel movement at all .
 
Ain't it funny. When you run into an older mechanic they will tell you stuff like ... you'll be ok just keep an eye on it or check it at the next oil change. New bbee service manager ... ohhh it's not safe and your car could explode in flames with your grand kids in it on the freeway during rush hour! Buyer beware
 
I've seen plenty of struts that were worn enough at 70k miles to start causing tire cupping. Just because it isn't obviously blown out doesn't mean that he won't benefit from replacing them. Also something to say about Korean struts - I've seen plenty on their bargain cars go completely out at lower mileage, so it's not out of the realm of reason that his may fail soon.
 
Originally Posted by atikovi
Last time I changed struts was on a Hyundai with over 250,000 miles. I couldn't imagine struts wearing out before 100K unless driven in a pothole scared city. Weeping is normal. Midas just wants to make a sale.
Ah, you haven't seen our roads. A 75 C+ swing in seasonal temperatures leads to horrible road deterioration due to the freeze-thaw cycles. Water gets into the cracks, freezes, expands, and opens up the crack more, allowing more water in, and so on. My wife blew a tire and a rear shock hitting a pothole a few years ago. (We hit -40 C this past January, and will almost certainly break +30 C several times this summer. During my lifetime It's been as low as -45 C here, and as hot as +38 C.) A bit of driving on our potholed roads at -30 C can see a weepy strut go to very leaky quickly.

Originally Posted by P10crew
Ain't it funny. When you run into an older mechanic they will tell you stuff like ... you'll be ok just keep an eye on it or check it at the next oil change. New bbee service manager ... ohhh it's not safe and your car could explode in flames with your grand kids in it on the freeway during rush hour! Buyer beware
Well Sir, it could last a day, it could last a month, it could last a year ... I'd just hate to see anything happen to those lovely children if it let go on the highway ... but if you want to drive out of here I can't stop you ...
lol.gif


Originally Posted by The_Eric
I've seen plenty of struts that were worn enough at 70k miles to start causing tire cupping. Just because it isn't obviously blown out doesn't mean that he won't benefit from replacing them. Also something to say about Korean struts - I've seen plenty on their bargain cars go completely out at lower mileage, so it's not out of the realm of reason that his may fail soon.
Exactly ... if they need to be done soon anyway, might as well get them before the tires and front end get beaten up.
 
I sold them new in 2015/2016 when I worked at a chevy dealer and boy were they JUNK NO POWER


Same thing for the "tiny clown car" Spark


Always tried to "switch" folks to a Cruze and most were happy i did lol


Dave
 
Originally Posted by GMguy84
I sold them new in 2015/2016 when I worked at a chevy dealer and boy were they JUNK NO POWER

Same thing for the "tiny clown car" Spark

Always tried to "switch" folks to a Cruze and most were happy i did lol

Dave
My friend's car has been good so far. He really likes it. I find it fine as a passenger, but haven't driven it. He had an Aveo at one time, and it was a blast. Great fun to drive, sort of like a go-kart. Remember too that gas mileage is big deal up here - we pay a lot more for fuel than most (all?) Americans do. The Sonic's pretty good on gas.
 
Those are GM RPO (Regular production option) codes. GM makes this stuff easy as long as no one peels the sticker off or it isn't damaged. It may be on the spare tire cover, glove box, trunk lid...

Possibly:

Q1H : TIRE ALL P195/65R15 SL 89H BW AL2

QLG : TIRE ALL, P205/55R16/N BL R/PE ST TL AL3

RKJ : TIRE ALL P205/50R17 SL 88H BW AL3
 
Originally Posted by mattd
There will be a sticker either on the inside of the glove box or in the trunk near the spare tire with the suspension code. Check to see which one is on that sticker.


Same here. Find the sticker.
 
A little bit of a weep leaking from the strut is fine as long as the ride is ok to the driver. So I would not replace on that alone.

And KYB makes a good strut but the AC Delco are not badly priced at RA.
 
Status
Not open for further replies.
Back
Top