Sadface: Aveo bombs in Consumer Reports 2011 owner satisfaction survey

[Matmax]

Would like to share my GM experience.

Back in 1993 purchased 2 Daewoo Racer which were Pontiac Le Mans rebadged versions made by Daewoo Heavy Industries car division in Korea. Were simple single point OHC injected engines. Sold both near mint condition last year, both serviced at recommended factory intervals. Right before selling them was offered a second hand Aveo with 30 K kilometrs in mint cond, but asking price was not that attractive, so went for a new light grey 2000 sedan LT model. I'm lucky to count locally with a well trained GM tech that has fully serviced both Racers through their years and now servicing my mint cond 2000 Aveo.

So far has travelled 25 K Km, mext month will be 4 years old, tires are original and still with 50 % life expectancy left over due to checking tire pressures when cold each 15 days. Receives a complete maintenance each 10 K Km, due to travellling short distances and heavy slow traffic at peak hours. The car is confortable and fun to drive, has good vision all around car.

The key is to have IAC and TPD inyector valves immaculate clean and well lubed to have a very long lasting duration compared to extending maintenances more than factory recommended. The car uses unleaded E8 95 octane gasoline which keeps my engine very clean, with less carbon build ups and nice engine response. I'm a outboard tech and belong to a boating forum in which members states that using E fuels can lower as much as 2 posted octanes at pump, does somebody knows something about this ?

The Aveo imported down here are 1.4 Ecotec versions, probably price issues. The car has a good millage as long you don't step on the throttle pedal. This engine has been designed for good millage, not fast drag response. Find has a bit slow response under 3K rpm when you need to pass oher cars at one way highways. Has good 160-170 Km hour top speed on flat no windy highways.

Was about to bite the bullet and purchase a Sonic hatchback 1.6 Ecotec version as a week end sport car, the only visual issue that dissappointed from buying it was the horrible pannel board odometer with so many color lights horrible distributed. Read that has down issues regarding 4-5 gear up shifts to optimize fuel consumtions at speed. Instead went for a MG 1.6 hatchback sedan with electronic gear case, fun to drive and with fast response to 5-6 K rpm near isntantly.

Bottomline, will definitely buy a new Aveo, it's affordable, good looking and cheap to maintain including spare parts compared to other car brands.

Happy Ride

[Guy de Loimbard]

They didn't interview me, but it bombs in my satisfaction survey too. After a couple of months of trying to get the dealer to look at it (had a slight stumble at 60mph, felt like a misfire to me) it finally blew up tonight. Started bucking and jerking and the check engine light started flashing. At that point I was only a couple of miles from the dealer so I finished the drive there. I'll bet they could smell the rotten eggs coming while I was still half a mile away. They said to drive it home and bring it back in the morning. I did not think it would make it, but I did get home. We'll see if it gets in in the morning, under its own power.

These are the kind of problems my wife and I expect from our other car (98 nissan, 180k miles). Not from a 4 year old car with only 68k miles on it.

[camopaint0707]

I mean you get what you pay for buying a cheap korean hatchback.

[gone.r2]

They didn't interview me, but it bombs in my satisfaction survey too. After a couple of months of trying to get the dealer to look at it (had a slight stumble at 60mph, felt like a misfire to me) it finally blew up tonight. Started bucking and jerking and the check engine light started flashing. At that point I was only a couple of miles from the dealer so I finished the drive there. I'll bet they could smell the rotten eggs coming while I was still half a mile away. They said to drive it home and bring it back in the morning. I did not think it would make it, but I did get home. We'll see if it gets in in the morning, under its own power.

These are the kind of problems my wife and I expect from our other car (98 nissan, 180k miles). Not from a 4 year old car with only 68k miles on it.

My 2011 Aveo5 LT automatic with 58k miles on it does the same thing. Is a stable speeds from 40,50,60mph around 2k rpm, has a stumble/hesitation feels like a misfire but i changed the spark plugs, all filters, gas treatment, still does it. No check engine lights. Does your Aveo ever got diagnosed???? Thanks.

[Thymeclock]

They didn't interview me, but it bombs in my satisfaction survey too. After a couple of months of trying to get the dealer to look at it (had a slight stumble at 60mph, felt like a misfire to me) it finally blew up tonight. Started bucking and jerking and the check engine light started flashing. At that point I was only a couple of miles from the dealer so I finished the drive there. I'll bet they could smell the rotten eggs coming while I was still half a mile away. They said to drive it home and bring it back in the morning. I did not think it would make it, but I did get home. We'll see if it gets in in the morning, under its own power.

These are the kind of problems my wife and I expect from our other car (98 nissan, 180k miles). Not from a 4 year old car with only 68k miles on it.

The problems you are experiencing are not entirely with the car as much as they are with the incompetence and/or attitude of the dealership. I can't say my Aveo is bad; but I can certainly say that there are Chevy dealerships that are rotten. My local dealership is incompetent and also tries to avoid doing warranty work. I have to drive 20 miles further to go to another dealership that is competent.

[Thymeclock]

My 2011 Aveo5 LT automatic with 58k miles on it does the same thing. Is a stable speeds from 40,50,60mph around 2k rpm, has a stumble/hesitation feels like a misfire but i changed the spark plugs, all filters, gas treatment, still does it. No check engine lights. Does your Aveo ever got diagnosed???? Thanks.

Your 2011 should still be under warranty. Why are you trying to diagnose it yourself rather than taking it to a dealer if it's under warranty?

[thankful_ragamuffin]

Originally Posted by Guy de Loimbard
They didn't interview me, but it bombs in my satisfaction survey too. After a couple of months of trying to get the dealer to look at it (had a slight stumble at 60mph, felt like a misfire to me) it finally blew up tonight. Started bucking and jerking and the check engine light started flashing. At that point I was only a couple of miles from the dealer so I finished the drive there. I'll bet they could smell the rotten eggs coming while I was still half a mile away. They said to drive it home and bring it back in the morning. I did not think it would make it, but I did get home. We'll see if it gets in in the morning, under its own power.

These are the kind of problems my wife and I expect from our other car (98 nissan, 180k miles). Not from a 4 year old car with only 68k miles on it.
The problems you are experiencing are not entirely with the car as much as they are with the incompetence and/or attitude of the dealership. I can't say my Aveo is bad; but I can certainly say that there are Chevy dealerships that are rotten. My local dealership is incompetent and also tries to avoid doing warranty work. I have to drive 20 miles further to go to another dealership that is competent.

Absolutely right on. This is why the shop I'm at is so busy. I noticed that after being posted for almost 24 hour the "Chevy Customer Service" girls have not commented or offered help.

[thankful_ragamuffin]

When I copied the quote, it dropped Thymeclock's name from the excellent response. He was right on in his response.

[Guy de Loimbard]

My 2011 Aveo5 LT automatic with 58k miles on it does the same thing. Is a stable speeds from 40,50,60mph around 2k rpm, has a stumble/hesitation feels like a misfire but i changed the spark plugs, all filters, gas treatment, still does it. No check engine lights. Does your Aveo ever got diagnosed???? Thanks.

They did "diagnose" it but not fix it. They replaced the coil pack. That took care of the flashing check engine light and the rotten egg smell but not the misfire. Somehow they also managed to screw up the radio in the process, as the tweeters in the a-pillars cut in and out now. With the air (which barely works, and we've never been able to get that fixed either) on I had to floor it to make it over an overpass today. This is the wife's car and she needs it 5 days a week (schoolteacher) so getting it looked at means I have to get up an hour early to take her to work for however long it is in the shop. I am NOT happy.

The last day of school is Wednesday, we will be taking it to a different dealership to see if we can get this fixed.

[avguy]

They did "diagnose" it but not fix it. They replaced the coil pack. That took care of the flashing check engine light and the rotten egg smell but not the misfire. Somehow they also managed to screw up the radio in the process, as the tweeters in the a-pillars cut in and out now. With the air (which barely works, and we've never been able to get that fixed either) on I had to floor it to make it over an overpass today. This is the wife's car and she needs it 5 days a week (schoolteacher) so getting it looked at means I have to get up an hour early to take her to work for however long it is in the shop. I am NOT happy.

The last day of school is Wednesday, we will be taking it to a different dealership to see if we can get this fixed.

There's a good chance the misfire for an extended period of time has plugged up the cat, and the smell would tend to support that as well. The cat will still be under warranty so make them focus on that, instead of allowing them hang on a bunch of other parts first.