Thorn811

So I recently bought my first Corvette approximately 2 months ago. When I purchased the vehicle I knew there was a power steering leak. I bought a 2007, Convertible with 17200 miles, manual transmission. This being a car that I waited a long time to purchase I thought I would have all the fluids changed in the vehicle, except the clutch fluid which I was changing using the Ranger method. I figured I would take it to the local Chevy dealer thinking that would be the best place to have work done on the car.

First visit to the Dealer, they can't find the leak so they put dye into the power steering unit and tell me they need to change the Engine Drive Belt because of the amount of fliud on it.

Second visit to the Dealer, I'm told that three lines for the power steering need to be changed and that one line is back ordered.

Last week the Dealer has all the parts and I drop off my car. The Dealership has the vehicle for 3 days. I pick it up Friday and pay the $1,100.00 bill and I'm assured that the power steering issue is fixed and there will be NO MORE LEAKS. I drive the vehicle home and park it in the garage.

Next morning, back it up and there is power steering fluid on the garage floor, about the size of a half dollar. About the same size drop I had before the fix. So I think maybe the Mechanic just had dropped some on the engine and it now dropped to the floor.

I check the power steering reservoir and see it is full with the dye colored power steering fluid? Now I start to wonder, Why would you put dye colored power steering fluid in if you fixed the problem.

Needless to say over the weekend kept wiping the drips off the floor. I note they were in the same spot as before the fix and the same size.

Contacted the Dealership service department and talked to the service manger and told him about the problem, needless to say he didn't have much to say and the car is going back in tomorrow morning.

So now I have lost confidence in the Dealership because I would not think replacing 3 hoses should have been such a hard job and then also to recieve the assurance the problem was fixed after spending so much money.

So if any Forum members know good mechanics in Connecticut around Fairfield/New Haven county it would be appreciated....

Sorry this was so long and thanks for any help that is given,

Mark

Rocketmanwpb

If no fix on the second visit I would write a letter and send via certified-return receipt that you want your money back. You can then decide if you want to purse a refund through the courts, because I doubt they will do it any other way.

I would check with a local Corvette Club to find out who you can use in the local area and if no fix on the second visit get the other shop to write up what is actually wrong with the system.

Good luck-hope it gets fixed with no other drama.

Thorn811

Thanks

Thorn811

Car was back at the Chevrolet Dealer last week for two days. Was told the car was not leaking and it was the residue from the previous leak and the car should have been better cleaned off when they were done. Service Manager stated that they washed it off good this time.

Brought the car home on Friday and parked it in the garage. Moved it Saturday morning and the leak was still there. Went away Saturday and Sunday after a two hour drive parked car again in the garage.

Moved the car after 1 1/2 hrs and it leaked on the floor again and also threw fluid which must have been on the belt when it was started. Took photographs of the leak.

Went to Dealer yesterday showed service manager the pictures and told him I did not think the leaks are residual and he agreed. Car is going back into the Dealership next week now for the third time.

I am not a mechanic, but it still seems to me that changing power steering lines should not be this hard....

grandsport6

I had a customers 2009 convertible in the shop for a similar leak. The dealer could not find it but the level was low. I pointed out that the inner tie rod dust boots had fluid residue at the clamp and that the outer rack seals were bad and fluid was going into the boots. I asked the dealer to revisit the issue with GM and it ended up being a goodwill repair as the car only has 11000 miles on it.

Thorn811

Well this is the third time at the dealer has my Corvette for the power steering leak.

The car went in on Tuesday and I got the call late yesterday that it was fixed but they wanted to keep it until today to make sure the leak is fixed.

The Dealer told me that the power steering reservoir was leaking. This is the new reservoir that was suppose to have been put on at the initial visit. The Dealer stated that the new part had a defect. The funny thing is the leak that never stopped was the same from the time I brought the car in the first time till the time I brought it back this week. This makes me believe that they never changed the original power steering reservoir but charged me for it although I can't prove it.

I will be picking the car up later today and hoping that three times is a charm. Fingers crossed, I hope that I do not see a leak this weekend.

Not bad the dealer had my car for 9 days so far to fix this leak!!!!!

akriggm

I hope they finally fixed it! My 2008 coupe went in to a dealer for a PS leak about a month ago and it was a leaking hose. I've checked it several times since & everything's still dry; now I'm watching the PS level on my 2009 vert......
Enjoy,
akriggm

Huskerman

If you do get it fixed never darken that dealers door again......go find an honest mechanic, they are out there. The dealerships are the last place I want to go to get something fixed unless it a warranty deal.

Hope they finally got it......

RocketDawg

Are you sure that the dealer actually changed the hoses the first time? Apparently they didn't change the reservoir when they said they did. If either of those is true, either the dealer is shady, or they have a mechanic that's lying ... and no QC at all.

Kinda reminds me of a Chevy Caprice i bought new in 1977. I brought it home, and the next day (Saturday, when the dealer wasn't open) all the transmission fluid was laying on the garage floor. To make a long story short, I had to take it back 14 times until it was fixed! Turns out there was a small hole in the fluid pan. And the last time I took it in, they tried to charge me for the fluid. That's when I really blew my stack.

Thorn811

Well, picked up the Corvette on Friday and was told the leak is finally fixed. Checked it on Saturday and had a small drop of fluid on the floor and though this might be residual from the work that they did. To make along story short for the next three days took the Vette for a 20 minute ride and had it parked over cardboard. Each day I had a leak just like before on the cardboard.

Wednesday went back to the Dealership and showed the cardbord to the service counter guy that I have been dealing with and you could see the look on his face. He told me he would talk to the Service Manager and called today stating the Service Manager is not happy. Needless to say the Vette is going back into the shop next week for the fourth time.

I'm not a Mechanic, but is this job that hard or should a mechanic be able to locate and fix a leak given the amount of time they have been working on my vehicle? (I note they have been putting dye into the power steering)

If I had the extra money I would go somewhere else, but I still payed $1,100.00 for a job that has not been done correctly......

grandsport6

The p/s system is not that complicated. If the pressure and return lines are leak free at the joints then I would be looking at the p/s cooler or the rack itself. The inner tie rod end to rack seal where they connect to the rack. Fluid inside the boots ?

glenB

Let me be the first to say 'that's why I work on my own car' that being said......

They put dye in the system, it stays in the system for some time, it shouldn't be rocket science to figure it out. Perhaps this next visit you request that you be present when the tech (?) Looks at it again, with the service manger present.

As mentioned above, have the clamps on the boots for the inner tie rod removed and checked for fluid. Also check that they are using a black light to detect the leak.I would shop local for a pen light or similar light to take with you.

Check the p/s cooler as well.

Thorn811

Went to the dealers on July 1st telling the dealer that I would like the car back on July 3rd. Dealers response should not be a problem.....

Get a call on the 1st dealer states that he is not letting the mechanic who has been working on my car work on it anymore he is now having the A mechanic look at it. "A" mechanic finds that the power steering pump is leaking. Needless to say I do not get my car back for the Fourth and I'm told the A mechanic has taken a few days off so someone else is working on the car.

Next week Monday no car, Tuesday no car, Wednesday I go to the dealer and see that the car is on the lift. I go out to the car and look it over and see that the pump is in but they still have to hook up the reservoir. The dealer told me they were having trouble bleeding the pump...

Next problem I look at my front left tire and it is bald on the inside so that you could see the cord showing through. I ask the service manager how if I brought the car in in April and I asked them to go over the car did his mechanic not see I needed front tires and a alignment. No response to question.

Needless to say I finally got the car back on Friday. The dealership did not charge me for the power steering pump install and charged $834 for the front tires and alignment.

The dealer, not counting the original visit to change the hoses, had my car in the shop for 17 days to fix a power steeting leak.....

Drove the vehicle to PA over the weekend and so far no more leak...

I quess it's time to find a good Corvette Mechanic in the Fairfield/New Haven County area in CT. Any suggestions would be greatly appreciated.