PSA To All Aveo Owners with an Automatic

[Thymeclock]

hmmm well what I am experiancing is driving down the road at 100 KM/HR at over 4000 RPM with the transmission in D4 I am pretty sure that's second gear it's stuck in there and it happened the other morning here about minus 1 C

The torque converter lockup your talking about, this is how I would describe that, your driving down the road and fighting the car from crossing the yellow center line then without notice it switches to heading for the ditch LOL yu have to be ON GARD ALL THE TIME because you just never know which way it's going to pull.

6 times I have taken it to a dealership for this problem, oddly enough they can never duplicate the issue on the paper work orders...but they will tell me all about it verbaly.

Torque converter lockup has absolutely nothing to do with steering or pulling left or right. The torque converter works as part of the automatic transmission. The lockup acts similar to a fifth gear or overdrive on automatic transmissions. On an Aveo it doesn't enter lockup in until about 45 MPH. When it does, it actually feels like a shift: you will notice a drop in RPM to about 2000. If the engine is cold, the TC will not lockup at all until it reaches operating temperature.

[HeavyDuty]

Torque converter lockup has absolutely nothing to do with steering or pulling left or right. The torque converter works as part of the automatic transmission. The lockup acts similar to a fifth gear or overdrive on automatic transmissions. On an Aveo it doesn't enter lockup in until about 45 MPH. When it does, it actually feels like a shift: you will notice a drop in RPM to about 2000. If the engine is cold, the TC will not lockup at all until it reaches operating temperature.

I see what your saying now, I thought you were referring to a differential lockup not a converter lock. However our car "hunts" as if power is being shifted from side to side, and while doing this it changes the pull and it can be very quick and unexpected. Now under normal operation this is exactaly what happens, the tire with the least traction is the one that spins....but I should not beable to feel it happen.

So you tell me....is the torque converter lockup the reason I am driving around at 100/KM HR with the engine Rpm at around 4200 ? Can you imagine how this might impact MPG ? As far as a lawsuit goes, high paid lawyers don't go to far in a small claims action, and I have only ever lost one matter. I even removed a child from a government agency whom I only knew for 3 weeks and the court gave him to me. I know my way around a court room.



that's the paper file on my car, and I served GM in 2010 by way of registered mail that a suit was forth coming.

[Thymeclock]

What year is your Aveo?

[HeavyDuty]

it's a 2009, I bought it brand new in Oct 08, it hasn't shifted properly since Dec. 2009....shifts fine if temp is say plus 4 Celsius or higher...anything below that, it doesn't. And this "hunting" it does is when it's not shifting properly. Those issues are connected in some way. Mine looks to be the same as yours, color anyways, just mine's the TEAM CANADA EDITION, it came with all the extra special problems so I had to have it LOL

The dealerships here know what the problem is....just nobody will fix it or acknowledge there is a problem on paper, as I mentioned before if I walk in and talk to them about it they know....and when it's in this "mode" of operation I call it, your getting less than 20 mpg. There is even a mention of this problem in the owners manual...LOL I know because i faxed it to two dealerships back in 2010 when I was trying to have it repaired.

[Thymeclock]

it's a 2009, I bought it brand new in Oct 08, it hasn't shifted properly since Dec. 2009....shifts fine if temp is say plus 4 Celsius or higher...anything below that, it doesn't. And this "hunting" it does is when it's not shifting properly. Those issues are connected in some way. Mine looks to be the same as yours, color anyways, just mine's the TEAM CANADA EDITION, it came with all the extra special problems so I had to have it LOL

The dealerships here know what the problem is....just nobody will fix it or acknowledge there is a problem on paper, as I mentioned before if I walk in and talk to them about it they know....and when it's in this "mode" of operation I call it, your getting less than 20 mpg. There is even a mention of this problem in the owners manual...LOL I know because i faxed it to two dealerships back in 2010 when I was trying to have it repaired.

You may be experiencing the same problem as in this thread (click here).

Have you contacted GM directly? Even if your car is no longer under the three year bumper-to-bumper warranty, if you already have the problem documented by a dealership the warranty should still apply. Power train is covered for five years. In my personal experience, some Chevy dealerships simply don't want to do warranty work. You need to do two things: call GM and calmly describe what you have been through so far. They can (and if you handle it diplomatically they will) put pressure on a dealership to get the problem resolved. If you don't feel comfortable with that dealership or if you think they are incompetent, find another dealer in your area if possible. If you still can't get it resolved, then you can take it to the next level and demand the name of the area rep for Chevrolet. It will require patience and persistence.

There is even a mention of this problem in the owners manual.

That makes no sense to me. Please quote it and tell us what you mean by that.

As I said before, most cars will not go into TC lockup (or overdrive) until the engine reaches operating temperature. And that is not a defect; that is normal operation.

[ontarian_frog]

Just to chime in... Doesn't the 09 Aveo have a 5year 100k drivetrain warranty?

[HeavyDuty]

Yes Ontario that was what I was told when I bought it..but seems to be some confusion now around a 5yr 160,000 as it was increased shortly afterwards seems they are covering certain 09's under the 5/160.

Ok the owners manual...page 2-24. Quote. Note if the vehical seems to start up rather slowly or not shift gears when you go faster, and you continue to drive the vehical that way, you could damage the transmission. Have the vehical serviced right away.. ok well I had it in for service for this problem 6 times was never fixed.

The last time I took it in for this issue I actualy handed the service manager a photocopy of this page of the owners manual..here fix it, they had the car for 3 days told me they could not duplicate the problem. I took the car from there and left thier parking lot with the transmission stuck in second gear right out of their lot.

Interesting thread thyme on that fuel rail connection. One thing for certain is every little thing on this car effects everything else...

And I just recently found out that when they replaced my rear axle at 8500 KM they put the wrong axle in, so I am now waiting to find out what the diff is between the two axles to see if heck maybe that's why it doesn't steer. I am not sure, none of this is really suppose to be my job but what else do I do can't drive it, can't sell it LOL

[Thymeclock]

ok well I had it in for service for this problem 6 times was never fixed.

The last time I took it in for this issue I actualy handed the service manager a photocopy of this page of the owners manual..here fix it, they had the car for 3 days told me they could not duplicate the problem. I took the car from there and left thier parking lot with the transmission stuck in second gear right out of their lot.

It sounds like the dealer is blowing you off. Read this thread about my recent experience with a dealer who tried to do the same (click here). You will need to know how to complain effectively and get GM to lean on that dealer (or find another dealer) to do the warranty work.

[HeavyDuty]

that is exactly what is happening, problem is I am on dealership 5 now there aren't any more here. Your right, though I moved here from Manitoba and I as I mentioned was a long time GM customer have never seen anything like the stuff that's going on here.

When I took my Aveo in for the sparkplug recall and then realized they never actualy did the recall work, they just put the plugs in and left the old boots and springs on....I ended up taking the coil back to them to have the boots and springs changed..service manager infront of a customer and several other employees was yelling and screaming and told us three times never to come back there LOL

I said that....is not going to be a problem.

[Thymeclock]

that is exactly what is happening, problem is I am on dealership 5 now there aren't any more here. Your right, though I moved here from Manitoba and I as I mentioned was a long time GM customer have never seen anything like the stuff that's going on here.

When I took my Aveo in for the sparkplug recall and then realized they never actualy did the recall work, they just put the plugs in and left the old boots and springs on....I ended up taking the coil back to them to have the boots and springs changed..service manager infront of a customer and several other employees was yelling and screaming and told us three times never to come back there LOL

I said that....is not going to be a problem.

If you've been through 5 dealerships with no progress it shows you already have a track record of ineffectiveness in eliciting resolution of your problem. So 'the problem' remains, because you are allowing them to 'push your buttons'. Car dealers are masters at manipulation; but if you allow them to manipulate you the problem remains as being yours, not theirs.

Just remember this: knowing how to complain effectively and persistently will get your car repaired before (and perhaps without invocation of) rattling the saber and threatening a lawsuit. A lawsuit is only to be invoked as the ultimate last resort. Any lawsuit is costly in time and money, and any honest lawyer will tell you that a lawsuit is a crap shoot, at best - no matter how strong a case you think you may have built.

Are you interested in getting your car repaired or in declaring war in a lawsuit against GM? If it's the former, call their customer service line and open a case about it. If it's the latter, your primary motive may be one of retribution, not resolution.