2015 Tahoe/Sketchy service at Chevy dealer - your thoughts!

[tsturgis514]

I'm wondering if any members have had sketchy service at a Chevy dealer and how you handled it. I took my 2015 Tahoe LTZ in for inspection and general service in January. I dropped off the vehicle the day before the scheduled service and to my surprise they completed it that day. Among the services they completed were a check of the electrical system and tire rotation. I gave them a good review on my survey from GM. Less than a month later my battery died while I was at a store. It appeared it may have been an original battery. The Tahoe ran noticeably better as soon as the battery was changed. OK, maybe it was a fluke and was not able to be found on the system check. Later in February I took the Tahoe to the Chevy dealer where I purchased it (a two hour drive from home) for warranty work. As I'm standing at the counter one of the techs there said "Hey, do you know you're missing a lug nut?" Holy s..t. In my decades of driving I NEVER have lost a lug nut - even on tires I changed on the side of the road. I looked over and sure enough, there was a lug nut missing on the front right. The tech then found a lug nut on the OTHER front wheel that was loose! I called the local Chevy dealer on my return home and left a message for the guy listed on their website for complaints on service. I heard NOTHING for a week. I then left another message and said "Well, if you don't have the time to talk to me I guess I'll just have to contact the owner." I received a callback 15 minutes later. He said he never got my message (sure...) and then apologized. There was no offer to give me a break on what I paid for the service or even a discount on my next visit. A few weeks later I returned to the distant Chevy dealer to get the warranty work completed and I was charged for the lug nut and service to check and tighten all of the rest of the lugs. The bill wasn't much, but I would like to get the local dealer to pay up and maybe do more than a weak apology. Any thoughts? THANKS!!!

 

[Geotrash]

I'm wondering if any members have had sketchy service at a Chevy dealer and how you handled it. I took my 2015 Tahoe LTZ in for inspection and general service in January. I dropped off the vehicle the day before the scheduled service and to my surprise they completed it that day. Among the services they completed were a check of the electrical system and tire rotation. I gave them a good review on my survey from GM. Less than a month later my battery died while I was at a store. It appeared it may have been an original battery. The Tahoe ran noticeably better as soon as the battery was changed. OK, maybe it was a fluke and was not able to be found on the system check. Later in February I took the Tahoe to the Chevy dealer where I purchased it (a two hour drive from home) for warranty work. As I'm standing at the counter one of the techs there said "Hey, do you know you're missing a lug nut?" Holy s..t. In my decades of driving I NEVER have lost a lug nut - even on tires I changed on the side of the road. I looked over and sure enough, there was a lug nut missing on the front right. The tech then found a lug nut on the OTHER front wheel that was loose! I called the local Chevy dealer on my return home and left a message for the guy listed on their website for complaints on service. I heard NOTHING for a week. I then left another message and said "Well, if you don't have the time to talk to me I guess I'll just have to contact the owner." I received a callback 15 minutes later. He said he never got my message (sure...) and then apologized. There was no offer to give me a break on what I paid for the service or even a discount on my next visit. A few weeks later I returned to the distant Chevy dealer to get the warranty work completed and I was charged for the lug nut and service to check and tighten all of the rest of the lugs. The bill wasn't much, but I would like to get the local dealer to pay up and maybe do more than a weak apology. Any thoughts? THANKS!!!

Well that sucks. Sorry you had that happen. I think we all have personal stories of sketchy dealer service. In your case, if they won't refund the cost of fixing their mistakes, then your realistic options as I see them are:

1/ Walk away with a lesson learned about that dealer, vow to never use them again and either choose a good indy shop or acquire the tools and knowledge to do the work yourself so you know it's done right, every time.

2/ Write a polite letter to the dealership owner detailing your experience, and stating your reasonable requests such as a refund of the money you spent having them correct their error.

3/ If no joy from #2, update your online review.

 

[OR VietVet]

In all fairness, the battery could have tested good at the time of the test but failed at a later date. People would complain if they said it tested good but still tried to sell a battery at that point. It is also, on the vehicle's owner to know the age of the battery in their vehicle. I know I do.

The loose/missing lug nuts are another story. They have shop helpers do things like the tire rotation and they are not highly skilled. Still no excuse for the lug nuts problems.

I would approach the service manager at this point and not the owner. State your complaints and be reasonable about the battery. Post the results here of your meeting with the service manager.

 

[Geotrash]

In all fairness, the battery could have tested good at the time of the test but failed at a later date. People would complain if they said it tested good but still tried to sell a battery at that point. It is also, on the vehicle's owner to know the age of the battery in their vehicle. I know I do.

The loose/missing lug nuts are another story. They have shop helpers do things like the tire rotation and they are not highly skilled. Still no excuse for the lug nuts problems.

I would approach the service manager at this point and not the owner. State your complaints and be reasonable about the battery. Post the results here of your meeting with the service manager.

Good advice.

 

[salisburyv]

In my experience, if approached honestly and reasonably i would offer to compensate the customer with a couple free oil changes at least. Lug nuts are no joke, if they did that wrong....

 

[Miami-Dade]

Dealer sounds extremely sketchy to me.

If the lug nut was missing before you went to that dealer I am 99.9% sure you would have seen it walking around your vehicle when you were putting stuff in it or wiping it down or getting fuel. I generally walk around my Hoe before getting in it every time looking for any possible damage.

All that just IMHO.

Moved you here from the 2007-2014 section.

I'm wondering if any members have had sketchy service at a Chevy dealer and how you handled it. I took my 2015 Tahoe LTZ in for inspection and general service in January. I dropped off the vehicle the day before the scheduled service and to my surprise they completed it that day. Among the services they completed were a check of the electrical system and tire rotation. I gave them a good review on my survey from GM. Less than a month later my battery died while I was at a store. It appeared it may have been an original battery. The Tahoe ran noticeably better as soon as the battery was changed. OK, maybe it was a fluke and was not able to be found on the system check. Later in February I took the Tahoe to the Chevy dealer where I purchased it (a two hour drive from home) for warranty work. As I'm standing at the counter one of the techs there said "Hey, do you know you're missing a lug nut?" Holy s..t. In my decades of driving I NEVER have lost a lug nut - even on tires I changed on the side of the road. I looked over and sure enough, there was a lug nut missing on the front right. The tech then found a lug nut on the OTHER front wheel that was loose! I called the local Chevy dealer on my return home and left a message for the guy listed on their website for complaints on service. I heard NOTHING for a week. I then left another message and said "Well, if you don't have the time to talk to me I guess I'll just have to contact the owner." I received a callback 15 minutes later. He said he never got my message (sure...) and then apologized. There was no offer to give me a break on what I paid for the service or even a discount on my next visit. A few weeks later I returned to the distant Chevy dealer to get the warranty work completed and I was charged for the lug nut and service to check and tighten all of the rest of the lugs. The bill wasn't much, but I would like to get the local dealer to pay up and maybe do more than a weak apology. Any thoughts? THANKS!!!

 

[bill1013]

Give your vehicle a good looking over before you drive it off the lot. And don’t be in a hurry to get going as you might miss something. Even if it’s a valve cap…say something and make them make it good. Also, good dealers are hard to find. When you find one stick with them. It took me 7 years, 2 vehicles and 3 dealerships to find one I could trust. Good Luck!

 

[steiny93]

A battery failing a month after an 'electrical inspection' doesn't mean they didn't do an inspection. Which likely is a volts check and maybe (doubtful) a load test of the battery.

The lug nuts is a bad deal (totally not surprised however). That work is done by the least skilled folks and finding people is a real challenge right now.
Good deal you only lost 2.

Every dealer has had this type of stuff happen, it's common.

 

[tsturgis514]

Well that sucks. Sorry you had that happen. I think we all have personal stories of sketchy dealer service. In your case, if they won't refund the cost of fixing their mistakes, then your realistic options as I see them are:

1/ Walk away with a lesson learned about that dealer, vow to never use them again and either choose a good indy shop or acquire the tools and knowledge to do the work yourself so you know it's done right, every time.

2/ Write a polite letter to the dealership owner detailing your experience, and stating your reasonable requests such as a refund of the money you spent having them correct their error.

3/ If no joy from #2, update your online review.

Thanks all - I appreciate everyone's excellent thoughts on this! I agree that the electrical inspection may not have picked up the failing battery - it's just that the lug nuts issue made me question every other service they did on the Tahoe I may. And it was the service manager I spoke to about the problem, and he said "That's strange - it was one our most experienced technicians that worked on the car." So this dealer is definitely on my "do not use" list! I'm very happy with the dealer where I bought the Tahoe - the only issue is that they're a two hour drive from home (I bought it there after an extensive search of what I wanted in my Hoe). And being a "seasoned citizen" with mobility issues I need to rely on others for maintenance. Fortunately, there's several other nearby Chevy dealers I can use, and after the extended warranty runs out I'll be going back to a local mechanic I've used for years that's less than a mile from home! I think writing a letter to the owner is a great idea - I'll let you know if I get any joy from that. Thanks again all!!!

 

[Miami-Dade]

I'm wondering if any members have had sketchy service at a Chevy dealer and how you handled it. I took my 2015 Tahoe LTZ in for inspection and general service in January. I dropped off the vehicle the day before the scheduled service and to my surprise they completed it that day. Among the services they completed were a check of the electrical system and tire rotation. I gave them a good review on my survey from GM. Less than a month later my battery died while I was at a store. It appeared it may have been an original battery. The Tahoe ran noticeably better as soon as the battery was changed. OK, maybe it was a fluke and was not able to be found on the system check. Later in February I took the Tahoe to the Chevy dealer where I purchased it (a two hour drive from home) for warranty work. As I'm standing at the counter one of the techs there said "Hey, do you know you're missing a lug nut?" Holy s..t. In my decades of driving I NEVER have lost a lug nut - even on tires I changed on the side of the road. I looked over and sure enough, there was a lug nut missing on the front right. The tech then found a lug nut on the OTHER front wheel that was loose! I called the local Chevy dealer on my return home and left a message for the guy listed on their website for complaints on service. I heard NOTHING for a week. I then left another message and said "Well, if you don't have the time to talk to me I guess I'll just have to contact the owner." I received a callback 15 minutes later. He said he never got my message (sure...) and then apologized. There was no offer to give me a break on what I paid for the service or even a discount on my next visit. A few weeks later I returned to the distant Chevy dealer to get the warranty work completed and I was charged for the lug nut and service to check and tighten all of the rest of the lugs. The bill wasn't much, but I would like to get the local dealer to pay up and maybe do more than a weak apology. Any thoughts? THANKS!!!

Unless I missed it somewhere I do not recall seeing your location where you live. Maybe if you put that on this thread maybe another forum member [who lives in your neck of the woods] can direct you to a 5 star dealer closer to you.

I deal with GMC dealer as I do not like the Chevrolet dealers in my neck of the woods. Maybe a Cadillac dealer might work for you. They always seem to have overall better service then most places.

 

[Tahoe14]

I deal with a Cadillac, GMC, and Buick Dealer so I get the best of both worlds.

 

[pwtr02ss]

The last two batteries I've had to replace just "died" seemingly out of nowhere. Stephs accord and the Yukon. Both ran fine the day before, wouldn't start the next morning. I'm not sure what's changed but you used to get a little warning. I'm sure you experienced the same thing (as you said). The lugnuts being loose, that's very scary. I'm glad it was caught before you lost a wheel. As others have said, take it as a sign to never go back to that place again. I'd revise your review and move on. If they didn't get the lugs tight and didn't bother to return your call after the first message, I wouldn't trust them to do anything else to the vehicle.

 

[Jrschultz]

When I first got my 2010 Tahoe LTZ, i changed the plugs, wires, oil and transmission fluid. Blower motor went out so took it to local dealer to change. Had a warranty with it that covered it so didnt want to **** with that mess. They tried to tell me that I needed new plugs, oil and transmission fluid changed. I told them nice try, I just did all that about 2 weeks ago. Service writer looked pretty stupid as I looked him in the eyes! Never again will I take my vehicle to a dealer to work on

 

[WTSHARK]

I had a similar experience with a local GM dealer, I bought my 2015 Yukon from the same friend I'd bought my previous 3 trucks from (going back to 1992) and he'd moved to a GM dealer about a 45 minute drive from my house. Initially I was returning to this dealer, but when my friend left, I figured I'd try a local dealer for warranty/upgrade work. On the first visit (oil change, tire rotation, inspection, etc) they had the truck for 2 days, when I returned home with it, I suddenly had an oil leak from what looked like the rear of the pan, it could've been from the filter and it just hadn't been tightened appropriately, I called and returned the vehicle, they kept it two days (again) and tried to tell me my oil pan had suddenly developed a leak, which would cost 185.00+ to repair. I argued it was under warranty, and this seemed a bit odd so I asked to speak to the service manager. He hard-lined me with the same excuses and refusing to admit this was under warranty and they could've done something to the pan or filter.
I said, don't touch it and I'll pick it up. I drove it back to my original purchase dealer, where I explained what had happened, they went through the truck with a fine-toothed comb, finding a missing bolt from the oil pan. They also told me the lugs (all of them) were not torqued to the recommended set and would take care of everything, all under warranty of course.
I had dealt with this local dealer through work and had heard a number of complaints, but I wanted to give them the benefit of the doubt and frankly, they were a lot closer to me. When this was all said and done, I wrote a letter to the local dealer, explaining I would not return and would prefer to drive the 30+ miles to where I bought the truck for service, warranty and any potential future purchases. I received nothing, no reply, no attempt to reconcile, nothing.
As pointed out, everyone has had an issue with a dealership, and if you have the ability, choose another GM dealer to go to for your service, if you can't, just keep GM's customer service # on speed dial, you never know what they may (or may not) do to help.
I now return to my original dealer for everything and it's been there a few times for things, such as paint, (which they also helped to cover/repair) and a major electrical issue, all of which I have posted about (at length) in other threads.
Best of luck, I hope you find what you need and can trust your dealer, whoever it may wind up being. A trustworthy dealer is a fantastic asset to have.

 

[MassHoe04]

For a 7 year old truck out of warranty, I would look around for a good mom & pop repair shop that has a good reputation and has been in business for at least 10 years. Longer in business, and busier... all the better.

Any ASE-certified shop can work on the truck at this point.

 

[durfita]

I'm wondering if any members have had sketchy service at a Chevy dealer and how you handled it. I took my 2015 Tahoe LTZ in for inspection and general service in January. I dropped off the vehicle the day before the scheduled service and to my surprise they completed it that day. Among the services they completed were a check of the electrical system and tire rotation. I gave them a good review on my survey from GM. Less than a month later my battery died while I was at a store. It appeared it may have been an original battery. The Tahoe ran noticeably better as soon as the battery was changed. OK, maybe it was a fluke and was not able to be found on the system check. Later in February I took the Tahoe to the Chevy dealer where I purchased it (a two hour drive from home) for warranty work. As I'm standing at the counter one of the techs there said "Hey, do you know you're missing a lug nut?" Holy s..t. In my decades of driving I NEVER have lost a lug nut - even on tires I changed on the side of the road. I looked over and sure enough, there was a lug nut missing on the front right. The tech then found a lug nut on the OTHER front wheel that was loose! I called the local Chevy dealer on my return home and left a message for the guy listed on their website for complaints on service. I heard NOTHING for a week. I then left another message and said "Well, if you don't have the time to talk to me I guess I'll just have to contact the owner." I received a callback 15 minutes later. He said he never got my message (sure...) and then apologized. There was no offer to give me a break on what I paid for the service or even a discount on my next visit. A few weeks later I returned to the distant Chevy dealer to get the warranty work completed and I was charged for the lug nut and service to check and tighten all of the rest of the lugs. The bill wasn't much, but I would like to get the local dealer to pay up and maybe do more than a weak apology. Any thoughts? THANKS!!!

Yep!!! Boardwalk Chevrolet in Redwood City, CA is the most dishonest dealer EVER. We took our perfectly running Tahoe in for a general tuneup in advance of towing our Airstream 1000 miles. They called and told me they had to replace my rear differential because it was leaking. We parked in the driveway and there was no evidence of a leak so I told them not to do anything and I was sending my husband over after work. He got there and they had already replaced it. He demanded to see the part (CA law that they have to provide your parts if you ask) and they informed him they had already thrown it away. We had to pay $4000. Fast forward to the drive and the truck was running really roughly and it broke down at a rest stop with no cell service. Thank god we were able to sign up for OnStar. I got home, had it out with the dealership, contacted Chevy customer support... no one cared. We vowed NEVER to take our vehicles to the Chevy dealer again, and now that same truck has 260k miles with no issues. It was very clear that they use tuneups to create their own revenue stream.

 

[WanderMore]

I refuse to do any business with my local Chevrolet dealer because I caught them lying on some service work. Fortunately there is a GMC dealer in town that will work on any GM product, at a better price and far better service.

You would think a dealership would be laser focused on their service work because that is a huge chunk of their revenue.

My advise is find a dealer you can trust.

 

[OR VietVet]

Yep!!! Boardwalk Chevrolet in Redwood City, CA is the most dishonest dealer EVER. We took our perfectly running Tahoe in for a general tuneup in advance of towing our Airstream 1000 miles. They called and told me they had to replace my rear differential because it was leaking. We parked in the driveway and there was no evidence of a leak so I told them not to do anything and I was sending my husband over after work. He got there and they had already replaced it. He demanded to see the part (CA law that they have to provide your parts if you ask) and they informed him they had already thrown it away. We had to pay $4000. Fast forward to the drive and the truck was running really roughly and it broke down at a rest stop with no cell service. Thank god we were able to sign up for OnStar. I got home, had it out with the dealership, contacted Chevy customer support... no one cared. We vowed NEVER to take our vehicles to the Chevy dealer again, and now that same truck has 260k miles with no issues. It was very clear that they use tuneups to create their own revenue stream.

Hold it. You were told you needed a new rear differential, you told them don't touch it, they replaced it anyway and you paid $4k to get it? How does this happen? They would have paid me $4k to get me out of the shop, I would have been raising so much HELL!

 

[Boatguy]

I hear you on the lug nut thing.

I bought a 1 year old Yukon Denali with 3600 miles at a dealer 350 miles away. They changed the oil and rotated the tires before I flew out and picked it up. Drove it home 75-80 mph and no problems. Little did I know.

A few days later, I noticed a lug nut hanging way out, about to fall off. Turns out none of the lug nuts (on all 4 wheels) were tighter than 30 ft pounds. Most were less, way less. I gave the manager at the dealership an earful. Ya, like he cared.

 

[WillCO]

No lug nut issues, but I have had two service quality issues with my dealer:

- Dealer forget to reset the TPMS system in the truck on a tire rotation and it had the pressure readings aligned to the wrong tires for a while.
- The bash guard under my oil pan lost all but one bolt one time when I was an hour from home, had to drive it home dragging.

My dealer is quite literally on the edge of civilization in the south part of the Denver metro. You go any further south, you keep going until Colorado Springs before you get to any substantial population. I always figured this would affect the labor pool this dealer had available to it.