GM warrantee advice wanted

[KVacek]

In summer 2024 we purchased a 2020 Yukon XL Denali from a dealer in California - we're in the Chicago area, where vehicles rust. Worrying about the engine issues, I wanted warrantee coverage for as long as I could get. The truck was already one-owner, GM CPO. They sold me a GM Platinum warrantee covering 4 years and up to just over 100,000 miles.

We had it shipped in, and the truck driver told me he had to jump it to load it and then unload it. Not impressive. Wanting everything to go smoothly, I installed a new Interstate AGM battery.

Still had discharging issues along with a 4WD light, so I took it to the closest Buick/GMC dealer. They allegedly fixed the 4WD issue and noted no battery drain issues.

Soon thereafter, the battery died again. I took it in to Costco for warrantee replacement Note- don't buy Interstate batteries from Costco anymore because the warrantee isn't Interstate but rather Costco - I paid about $60 to warrantee exchange a 3-month old, $170 battery.

Battery died a few more times so I finally took the truck back to the dealer last Monday. They wanted me to agree to cover $200 of diagnosis in case "my warrantee" didn't cover the repair. I argued that it was a GM Platinum warrantee, but finally agreed, sure that it would be covered. Tuesday night they called and told me that it was the On Star module and the diagnosis might run over $400. I asked why it wasn't warranteed, and they said they'd submitted it but no answer yet.

Wednesday morning I called GM Protection and received an email of the authorization form they'd already sent to the dealer, allowing $1005.94, zero deductible.

Dealer then called me and demanded something over $400 because GM didn't pay enough.

After waiting for a call back from GM that finally came today, it appears that I'm hung out to dry by GM Customer Care, who advised me that I had to satisfy the dealer by authorizing the repair, which means giving them over $400 on top of what GM already paid. And the dealer hasn't ordered the part yet either.

Still have a call in to a supervisor at GM Protection, but the man I spoke at length with this afternoon wasn't hopeful. He said he's never heard of such a thing, but had no advice.

I'm inclined to just wait till they try to sell it for storage, and let them and the loan company fight it out. We're old, no other debts, we own our house, enough assets to buy a few new trucks if we wanted, my credit score is 850, and I accept losing the $10,000 I put down. What can happen?

Merry Christmas !!!

 

[Doubeleive]

I would get those "warranty" people on the phone live while sitting in the service managers office at the same time, put them on speakerphone and get to the bottom of it.
I suspect this would then be resolved in some fashion.

if not, then you need to learn how to be a angry old fart, it's not hard to do

 

[OR VietVet]

They would be paying me to please leave the office and have it all fixed in short order. I am old, 73 on 24th, and I do not care about being polite.

 

[KVacek]

Oh so easy - NOT

I'm a nasty old man but the alleged service reps at the dealership just know that they have the vehicle and want more money before proceeding. Thugs. Getting nastier will get me knifed. I carry, but I really didn't want to get into that situation.

GM really doesn't seem to have a policy to deal with this fraud, and the minimum wage people on the phone are powerless.

GM used to have Zone Offices that handled local issues like this. No more. These warrantee and customer satisfaction reps are young kids, not lifelong automotive people, just answering a phone. No knowledge, no authority, told me it's up to the dealer and once the vehicle is repaired they'll consider my appeal. Dealer won't even order the part he's already been paid for by GM.

Thanks, GM.

 

[Doubeleive]

Oh so easy - NOT

I'm a nasty old man but the alleged service reps at the dealership just know that they have the vehicle and want more money before proceeding. Thugs. Getting nastier will get me knifed. I carry, but I really didn't want to get into that situation.

GM really doesn't seem to have a policy to deal with this fraud, and the minimum wage people on the phone are powerless.

GM used to have Zone Offices that handled local issues like this. No more. These warrantee and customer satisfaction reps are young kids, not lifelong automotive people, just answering a phone. No knowledge, no authority, told me it's up to the dealer and once the vehicle is repaired they'll consider my appeal. Dealer won't even order the part he's already been paid for by GM.

Thanks, GM.

bypass the counter monkeys, ask for service manager, if no go then ask for general manager, if no go ask for owner.
just work your way up the ladder.

 

[ReaperHWK]

Lucky it’s only $400. I’d probably just pay the $400 on my Amex, take the truck after it’s repaired, and then dispute the charge.

 

[two_3_two]

this right here is why i wouldnt even wipe my ass with warranty paper. i would ask for the bill, itemized, and labor charges already incurred. since they have done nothing but diagnostics it should be under what GM sent them. tell them that you are taking your truck, today, dont touch one more thing, grab the truck and the "bill" then call GM and let them know they should be asking for a refund from the dealer since the work wasnt performed and let them fight it out.

or, amex and reverse the charge. or have your favorite lawyer send them a nastygram on their letterhead and see what happens

 

[KVacek]

Any idea how expensive it is to hire a lawyer these days? Unless it's a "slip and fall" case, it's so $$$ that there's no way to hire one for a $400 dispute. Or $4,000 either, for that matter. I have a $20,000 case and another $15,000 case, but a lawyer wants $5,000 up front to even read either case and then I pay for every moment he says he spends - no contingency fees any more. They're just lost to me unless I try to do pro se.

And these Tren de Aragua monkeys at the dealership have my truck - I can't just go tell them to give it to me. If GM is of no help, I have to bend over and give them $400 or let them keep the truck and see what they do. At the moment, letting them keep it is running in first. We have two other cars...

 

[Sundancer]

I am going to quickly tell you about my experience with GM and Chevrolet Customer Care. They are totally FULL of SHIFT and the reps are trained in the art of stroking people, conversation after conversation, from the Advisor at the dealership to Corporate. I am a previous owner of new 1999 Chevy Suburban, 2003 Chevy Tahoe LT, 2011 Chevy Tahoe LTZ and in 2020, I purchased a 2020 Chevrolet Tahoe RST with every bell and whistle imaginable (Pearl Black) in May of 2020 here in NY. Besides the regular maintenance, I had no issues with it. In June of this year (2025) I drove to Clearwater Beach, Florida with 48K miles. Spent 2 weeks there and on the way back, while parked across a Chevrolet dealership in Chester, Va my check engine light went on in 95 degree weather. It had never happened before but after checking everything, I walked over to Chevy and they asked me to take the car in across the street. After Checking only because I begged that I was on my way home with my dog, did they tell me it was a fuel injection issue. I waited in a local hotel 2 1/2 days for a final diagnose to tell me that all 8 of my fuel injectors and my fuel rails were shot. They showed me the injectors and they looked like a giant beaver had chomped through them. Although my 3 year warranty was done and over with, my truck was under the 60K or 5 year warranty for engine/transmission issues. I had to agree upfront to pay and I filed a claim with Chevy Care who assured me initially that it was covered. I had to rent a car to drive home as the parts were not available. 11 days later, the parts came in and the truck was fixed after I paid close to 5K. They did deliver the car to me to my garage at no charge so they said. REAL long story short from the end of June until this November Customer Care had been jacking me off with lie after lie. I wrote cooperate with just another barge of lies and then finally I was told by GM Customer Care that my car was not under warranty as the date of manufacture was March 2020 and I took possession of it May 2020, therefore the warranty was covered only until MARCH of 2025. It took Chevy Customer Care 5 months to finally tell me this and needless to say I used every expletive known to mankind, of course with no results except I had to eat the entire thing. The turck has been running fine and currently has 55K on it. Although I keep it in mint condition and get complimented all the time, I will be trading this truck in by September for a NON GM product.

 

[OR VietVet]

If your purchase paperwork says warranty started in March instead of May, it is what it is. If says starts in May, like it should, then depends on the day in May. BUT, GM should have went at least 1/2 with you.

 

[Marky Dissod]

GM warrantee advice wanted

In summer 2024 we purchased a 2020 Yukon XL Denali from a dealer in California - we're in the Chicago area, where vehicles rust. Worrying about the engine issues, I wanted warrantee coverage for as long as I could get. The truck was already one-owner, GM CPO. They sold me a GM Platinum...

www.tahoeyukonforum.com

This makes it seem like buying new is not worth the gamble.

 

[ReaperHWK]

Any idea how expensive it is to hire a lawyer these days? Unless it's a "slip and fall" case, it's so $$$ that there's no way to hire one for a $400 dispute. Or $4,000 either, for that matter. I have a $20,000 case and another $15,000 case, but a lawyer wants $5,000 up front to even read either case and then I pay for every moment he says he spends - no contingency fees any more. They're just lost to me unless I try to do pro se.

And these Tren de Aragua monkeys at the dealership have my truck - I can't just go tell them to give it to me. If GM is of no help, I have to bend over and give them $400 or let them keep the truck and see what they do. At the moment, letting them keep it is running in first. We have two other cars...

Small claims court. Easy to do. Depends on your state but the max damages is either going to be 5k or 10k. If it’s over that you need to file a suit in district court which you can also do as an individual if you read the instructions on the district court website.

I’ve filed suit with district court before as soon as the company gets served papers they settle 99% of the time because it costs more for them to pay lawyers than just to pay you. Seems like they will fight suits over 20k but anything less you’ll get a settlement offer.

I had to learn this process because I sued USAA for 15k for a diminished value claim. They settled and paid me in full once they were served.

So you can use the costs of lawyers to your advantage as long as you read up the process and get as far as serving them papers.



I’ve had a body shop to shotty work on my bumper once and I said I’m not going to pay them. I paid with Amex and opened a dispute. Soon as they saw that we worked out a deal. If they didn’t deal I was prepared to sue them in small claims.


Back to your issue pay with Amex, then dispute. Then small claims if Amex doesn’t side with you. Be prepared to make a case with the judge as they are reasonable if you have evidence.

 

[Geotrash]

I’ve had good luck with opening a case with the Better Business Bureau after events like this, fwiw.

 

[Sundancer]

If your purchase paperwork says warranty started in March instead of May, it is what it is. If says starts in May, like it should, then depends on the day in May. BUT, GM should have went at least 1/2 with you.

The warranty on a new car starts on the day the vehicle leaves the assembly line as per Chevrolet and GM Corporate. If it sits at the dealer lot for 4 months, the warranty is already ticking before you sign the paperwork.

 

[Sundancer]

Small claims court. Easy to do. Depends on your state but the max damages is either going to be 5k or 10k. If it’s over that you need to file a suit in district court which you can also do as an individual if you read the instructions on the district court website.

I’ve filed suit with district court before as soon as the company gets served papers they settle 99% of the time because it costs more for them to pay lawyers than just to pay you. Seems like they will fight suits over 20k but anything less you’ll get a settlement offer.

I had to learn this process because I sued USAA for 15k for a diminished value claim. They settled and paid me in full once they were served.

So you can use the costs of lawyers to your advantage as long as you read up the process and get as far as serving them papers.



I’ve had a body shop to shotty work on my bumper once and I said I’m not going to pay them. I paid with Amex and opened a dispute. Soon as they saw that we worked out a deal. If they didn’t deal I was prepared to sue them in small claims.


Back to your issue pay with Amex, then dispute. Then small claims if Amex doesn’t side with you. Be prepared to make a case with the judge as they are reasonable if you have evidence.

this seems like a good idea to me to try but I purchased the truck in NJ, it is registered in my home state of NY and the car was repaired by a chevy dealer in Virginia. Talk about a cluster, I have no idea where to start ?

 

[OR VietVet]

The warranty on a new car starts on the day the vehicle leaves the assembly line as per Chevrolet and GM Corporate. If it sits at the dealer lot for 4 months, the warranty is already ticking before you sign the paperwork.

Yet, another reason I would not buy a new vehicle. IMO, the warranty, to me, starts the day I buy it and would be a full warranty. Are all new warranties like that, for all manufacturers?

 

[tom3]

I purchased a 2020 Chevrolet Tahoe ) in May of 2020 here in NY. ------ I waited in a local hotel 2 1/2 days for a final diagnose to tell me that all 8 of my fuel injectors and my fuel rails were shot. They showed me the injectors and they looked like a giant beaver had chomped through them.

After 5 years and 48k miles? How did this happen?

 

[Sundancer]

this seems like a good idea to me to try but I purchased the truck in NJ, it is registered in my home state of NY and the car was repaired by a chevy dealer in Virginia. Talk about a cluster, I have no idea where to start ?

I spoke to a friend who is a criminal defense lawyer and he suggested to go full speed in Small Claims and file in my county here in NY. I will tackle this as my January 2026 project and let you know what happens. THank you .

 

[Sundancer]

After 5 years and 48k miles? How did this happen?

I was coming back from Florida to NY and the check engine light just lit up as I was getting gas in Va. I always use premium as recommended and I had not had any indication anything was wrong ever, not even a stall.

 

[OR VietVet]

Premium fuel Top Tier or other?