Hello! (From Chevy customer service social media team)

[faithjr]

Hi Breanne,
Welcome to the forum. Wish I had met you back when I got my first Aveo. It seems the bearings in the rear wheels of the aveo were cheap and/or poorly designed. My car had this issue(wheel vibration) at about 4k when I brought it in the dealer told me it was a bent rim and wasn't covered .So I bought $600 aftermarket wheels and still had the problem. Went back to the dealer later I don't remember the mileage but was told this time it was my alignment. paid $75 or so for the alignment and you guessed it no change. Went back to dealer again and was told it would require a special alignment (never heard that one before) so Isaid ok. and no that didn't fix it either. I just kept driving the car it wasn't a horrible vibration so I just lived with it. Fast forward to 30 some thousand miles, now the vibration has turned to a shake. My wife took it for a ride and said to me you've got a bad wheel bearing. So tell me how can a dealership not know whats wrong with the car and my wife can drive it once and tell me whats wrong????(besides the fact shes an awesome mechanic)This is why we never take our cars to dealers any more. So I went in to the dealership and told them what was wrong and how they had "overlooked" the real problem. I was then told that they couldn't help me the warranty had expired and I had no prior documentation of the problem. WOW can you believe that I couldn't. Anyway I changed the bearing (here's a note to anyone that has to do this: It takes judicial application of heat and at least a 30 ton shop press, heat it or cool wrong and you'll warp it! These drums go for around 2 to 3 hundred dollars. not a job for someone who hasn't used a torch alot) out of pocket in my shop for about $60 but it was a nightmare even getting the part back then, I don't know how it is today. So you will have to understand my skepticism when it comes to GM "outreach" Well Breanna now that Ive' gotten that off my chest I'd like you to know I still love GM cars. I've got a 67 stingray,a 96 Camaro SS with the SLP package,a 93 S10 tahoe 4x4, an 89 firebird and a 92 firebird convertible and I just sold my 69 400 four speed firebird. I love the new vettes and if this economy ever picks up again I'm gonna get me a new one!!! I think I took enough of you time up now so I'll see you in the forum!! P.S. Please don't take this personally it certainly isn't meant to be an attack on you I'm glad your here...

[Thymeclock]

I think I took enough of you time up now so I'll see you in the forum!! P.S. Please don't take this personally it certainly isn't meant to be an attack on you I'm glad your here...

I wouldn't worry too much about Breanne. After all, GM is paying her to be here...

[petrified.rabbit]

faithjr, i bet you have a 04, maybe early 05? when you need drums, upgrade to the 06+ spindle set. they have a separate hub and drum.. save you lots of money in the long run, and will cost less than one original design change over.

[faithjr]

Its an 05 and I'll probably be gettin rid of it after I finish the rebuild

[whiteraven]

I am glad to see GM taking an interest in its lesser acknowledged cars. I was wondering if you saw the SEVERAL posted issues about people losing their timing belts and in effect their engines, due to the interference design of the valves. What is Chevrolet going to do about this ongoing issue in current owners cars? I only had 40,000 miles on my car and now may have to scrap it because I can't afford a rebuild.

[AveoJunk]

I am glad to see GM taking an interest in its lesser acknowledged cars. I was wondering if you saw the SEVERAL posted issues about people losing their timing belts and in effect their engines, due to the interference design of the valves. What is Chevrolet going to do about this ongoing issue in current owners cars? I only had 40,000 miles on my car and now may have to scrap it because I can't afford a rebuild.

Chevrolet has already done something....they changed the name from Aveo to Sonic. This way the bad rep doesn't follow it (wink).

One reason Honda has a "good" rep is because most of their engines use chains. If you just change the oil on a chain motor it may will last 100K+ no problem, if you just change the oil on a belt motor, boom.

[charlieb]

sorry to hear that whiteraven(about the early timing belt failure)it is widely documented especially of the 04-06 models of the early failures.i will bet your not going to get any financial help at all from gm if your out of warranty especially from (whoever on this site that could make you an appointment at the dealership)you could always check to see if any1 from this site lives close to you,maybe help out a fellow member with a rebuild(500-800 in materials)but that might still be a little high for you.in the defense of gm its not there fault of the design of the interference engine.lots of 4 cylinder engines on the road are.there timing belts and chains just dont fail that early.

[charlieb]

Chevrolet has already done something....they changed the name from Aveo to Sonic. This way the bad rep doesn't follow it (wink).

One reason Honda has a "good" rep is because most of their engines use chains. If you just change the oil on a chain motor it may will last 100K+ no problem, if you just change the oil on a belt motor, boom.

by the way aveojunk you should never put oil on your timing belt.....jus sayin

[petrified.rabbit]

Chevrolet has already done something....they changed the name from Aveo to Sonic. This way the bad rep doesn't follow it (wink).

One reason Honda has a "good" rep is because most of their engines use chains. If you just change the oil on a chain motor it may will last 100K+ no problem, if you just change the oil on a belt motor, boom.

while i agree with this, there are still high rates of engine failure in chain driven engines due to the chain guides failing.

but 100% right that the aveo was poorly renamed for "image" and that most chains go after 100k (some make it 300k)
the issue is the cost of a belt replacement at its interval is still usually cheaper than the chain replacement even if you change the belt 3-4 times in the chains life.

[AveoJunk]

Charlieb:

Maybe I wasn't clear, I didn't mean put oil on your belt, what I was saying is that most people know to change the oil as part of maint. and everything else they wait until there is a problem, like your brakes squeak from indicators, your tires will visually look bald, car idles rough, etc. There is no indicator that the belt is about to snap, only preventative maint. so a lot of people overlook this and when it snaps it is catastrophic and gives the car a bad rap. Engines that use chains don't have this problem as often and usually something else will fail far before the chain. That was my point. Again, this is most people.

Petrified.Rabbit:

I agree the cost for belt replacement is not unreasonable, it is just as i said above, most people only do what the car "appears" to need.


The saddest part is the recurring theme from GM, not just on this topic, but on support in general. Many have echoed the same frustration I had with GM, not standing behind their product. If you read the problems people have on this forum, most of them are the same. That means a design flaw, but god forbid they admit that and fix it!

OK Breanne, fill us in! Or did we scare you away.