2014 C7 Engine Damage
Racer
Joined: Jul 2014
Posts: 281
Likes: 0
It would be my mission to dump the car under the lemon law. I'd try another one though. I agree with the person who stated issues are inevitable with a certain percentage of merchandise produced. Id want a fresh new vette. Best of luck to the op.
Melting Slicks
Joined: Dec 2009
Posts: 3,213
Likes: 17
I was asked to repost my final resolution because everyone got out of hand on the original post. Not trying to stir things up. Just informing others (hopefully not needed) if they land in my position.
Before I say all of this I love my car. This is my second Corvette and I saved over 3 years to trade my old one in for this one. It was a great car. It kills me to even write this one.
Aug 18th:
I was driving my new 2014 C7 convertible to work and I heard a squeal and a large pop. I was on the interstate with the engine turning less than 1800 RPMs. The engine went dead and the car left me stranded on the side of the road. The car was broke in properly. This car was only 3 months old with 3,645 miles. It was never tracked or run hard. For that matter it never was parked outside.
Aug 25th: The reason for the motor failure was due to one or maybe two spun rod bearings. The dealer called me and says that they are replacing the crankshaft, #6 rod, and all of the bearings. There should be no reason to have this type of heart transplant on a new car. I really did not know how they will clear out all of contamination from the motor and pumps.
Sept 15th:
Dealer got all of the parts and started to tear down the motor. Found #5 cylinder was damaged due to rod bearing issue. Dealer was told to replace the engine.
Sept 22:
GM Tech is getting the motor back for analysis. Said they had to find out the cause. They told the dealer to replace all parts that carry or hold oil. All lines, housings, pumps etc..
Should have a complete new engine from the factory. Thank goodness. I was very uncomfortable with them rebuilding the bottom of the motor and the possible debris in the pump or other parts of the motor.
My actions:
Called the 1-800 GM service and I was told someone would call in 72 hours. That did not happen.
After a week, I wrote an email to GM VP of operations and 5 days latter finally got a response. I got a case number. 1-1355983944.
Called back but they did not back down from rebuilding the bottom of my motor in a car with 3,600 miles. Really was not comfortable with it.
Got lucky with the cylinder damage. Getting complete new motor. GM finally stepped up.
My mistake:
I took the car to a dealer that was close thinking it was simple issue. My original dealer I purchased the parts was not interested in helping with someone else's service work. The new dealer service center was going to fix only what GM said to. Nobody was fighting for me or addressing my contamination concerns. I was lucky there was cylinder wall damage and GM finally told them to replace everything.
I would take it back to my purchasing dealer if I had it to do over. I just thought it would be something simple. I think I would have got more support from that dealer to GM. GM was listening to dealer service but not listening to me.
Car is going to be done for about 45 days or more. But at least I will have a new motor. I can only hope I do not have residual installation issues. I wonder if it can be a collector being assembled in Memphis.
Hopefully I will have some top down weather left this season.
Hope no one else has to go through this but if you do maybe it will help another Vette owner.
Before I say all of this I love my car. This is my second Corvette and I saved over 3 years to trade my old one in for this one. It was a great car. It kills me to even write this one.
Aug 18th:
I was driving my new 2014 C7 convertible to work and I heard a squeal and a large pop. I was on the interstate with the engine turning less than 1800 RPMs. The engine went dead and the car left me stranded on the side of the road. The car was broke in properly. This car was only 3 months old with 3,645 miles. It was never tracked or run hard. For that matter it never was parked outside.
Aug 25th: The reason for the motor failure was due to one or maybe two spun rod bearings. The dealer called me and says that they are replacing the crankshaft, #6 rod, and all of the bearings. There should be no reason to have this type of heart transplant on a new car. I really did not know how they will clear out all of contamination from the motor and pumps.
Sept 15th:
Dealer got all of the parts and started to tear down the motor. Found #5 cylinder was damaged due to rod bearing issue. Dealer was told to replace the engine.
Sept 22:
GM Tech is getting the motor back for analysis. Said they had to find out the cause. They told the dealer to replace all parts that carry or hold oil. All lines, housings, pumps etc..
Should have a complete new engine from the factory. Thank goodness. I was very uncomfortable with them rebuilding the bottom of the motor and the possible debris in the pump or other parts of the motor.
My actions:
Called the 1-800 GM service and I was told someone would call in 72 hours. That did not happen.
After a week, I wrote an email to GM VP of operations and 5 days latter finally got a response. I got a case number. 1-1355983944.
Called back but they did not back down from rebuilding the bottom of my motor in a car with 3,600 miles. Really was not comfortable with it.
Got lucky with the cylinder damage. Getting complete new motor. GM finally stepped up.
My mistake:
I took the car to a dealer that was close thinking it was simple issue. My original dealer I purchased the parts was not interested in helping with someone else's service work. The new dealer service center was going to fix only what GM said to. Nobody was fighting for me or addressing my contamination concerns. I was lucky there was cylinder wall damage and GM finally told them to replace everything.
I would take it back to my purchasing dealer if I had it to do over. I just thought it would be something simple. I think I would have got more support from that dealer to GM. GM was listening to dealer service but not listening to me.
Car is going to be done for about 45 days or more. But at least I will have a new motor. I can only hope I do not have residual installation issues. I wonder if it can be a collector being assembled in Memphis.
Hopefully I will have some top down weather left this season. Hope no one else has to go through this but if you do maybe it will help another Vette owner.
good luck with it 
Instructor
Joined: Aug 2005
Posts: 111
Likes: 2
Did I read this right -- it's going to take ANOTHER 45 days to fix your car?
GM should give you a new car, IMHO. A car that blows up and is out of commission for 2.5+ months is a lemon in my book.
My profession is in manufacturing (not automobile-related), with a focus on quality and reliability. There will always be defects and escapes from the factory, and based on what I've read here in the forum, the C7 has a generally high level of quality for a new and complex product, such that it is. But when the inevitable happens and an unlucky customer receives a bad unit, the company should not punish the customer by depriving him use of the product for which he has paid. The product should be replaced and the defective product taken back for failure analysis and future corrective action.
Disclosure: I've been a Corvette owner for all of 3 weeks and 650 miles, and I'm loving every minute of it! I would be livid if my new car, which I'd saved for years to purchase, blew up and I couldn't drive it for months and months because it was clearly defective from the factory.
I am not a GM hater, but I am certainly hating the way GM is treating OP in this unfortunate circumstance.
GM should give you a new car, IMHO. A car that blows up and is out of commission for 2.5+ months is a lemon in my book.
My profession is in manufacturing (not automobile-related), with a focus on quality and reliability. There will always be defects and escapes from the factory, and based on what I've read here in the forum, the C7 has a generally high level of quality for a new and complex product, such that it is. But when the inevitable happens and an unlucky customer receives a bad unit, the company should not punish the customer by depriving him use of the product for which he has paid. The product should be replaced and the defective product taken back for failure analysis and future corrective action.
Disclosure: I've been a Corvette owner for all of 3 weeks and 650 miles, and I'm loving every minute of it!
I would be livid if my new car, which I'd saved for years to purchase, blew up and I couldn't drive it for months and months because it was clearly defective from the factory.I am not a GM hater, but I am certainly hating the way GM is treating OP in this unfortunate circumstance.
Burning Brakes
Joined: Jul 2013
Posts: 988
Likes: 81
From: Danville California
Sorry OP, nobody wants to have to endure what you are going through. I hope your problem is resolved and you are trouble-free going forward.
IMO, these cars are tough. Chevy has sold 40,000 of these and ahwile there have been a few problems (some some serious than others), generally the reports are of trouble-free cars. Having just returned from Ron Fellows/Spring Mountain, I know that these cars are built to be driven hard and keep on delivering. We were told there that they generally keep the cars for 10-12,000 miles then sell them to a SoCal dealer for resale. Full disclosure. And I asked them if they had experienced any problems with the cars, and the answer was that these new C7s were/are extremely reliable. As hard as we pushed those cars, I am convinced any design defect would manifest at the driving school, but none have.
Again, OP - I feel for you and wish you success in getting resolution.
IMO, these cars are tough. Chevy has sold 40,000 of these and ahwile there have been a few problems (some some serious than others), generally the reports are of trouble-free cars. Having just returned from Ron Fellows/Spring Mountain, I know that these cars are built to be driven hard and keep on delivering. We were told there that they generally keep the cars for 10-12,000 miles then sell them to a SoCal dealer for resale. Full disclosure. And I asked them if they had experienced any problems with the cars, and the answer was that these new C7s were/are extremely reliable. As hard as we pushed those cars, I am convinced any design defect would manifest at the driving school, but none have.
Again, OP - I feel for you and wish you success in getting resolution.
Burning Brakes
Joined: Aug 2006
Posts: 919
Likes: 30
From: ST.PETE BEACH FL.
Pro
Joined: Apr 2013
Posts: 602
Likes: 58
From: Detroit area and Nashville area What day is it? Between MI & TN
I am glad that it's not a replace and repair on existing engine and you are getting a new one. Short of a buy back or a replacement car, this is the best option available to give you peace of mind going forward.
Given the total number of days the car is out of service, I would think there is some sort of offset that you should be getting there also to make you 'whole' again. The new engine was not a 'gift', it was the cheapest way to complete the required warranty work.
It would be hard to not press upon the lemon law avenue and push for a buy back or replacement. In the end, I guess you just want what you thought you were buying in the first place and that's what is most important to you, however that is achieved.
Best of luck.
Mine gets built next week.
Given the total number of days the car is out of service, I would think there is some sort of offset that you should be getting there also to make you 'whole' again. The new engine was not a 'gift', it was the cheapest way to complete the required warranty work.
It would be hard to not press upon the lemon law avenue and push for a buy back or replacement. In the end, I guess you just want what you thought you were buying in the first place and that's what is most important to you, however that is achieved.
Best of luck.
Mine gets built next week.
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Thread Starter
Heel & Toe
Joined: Jun 2012
Posts: 23
Likes: 0
From: TN
My car is a Z51, automatic (only way I could get my wife to approve it) convertible.
Drifting
Joined: Jul 2008
Posts: 1,784
Likes: 433
From: FEMA Region 4
Can you PM me the dealer's name who's making the repairs?
I hope the new engine is perfect and I'm thinking there will be some nice top-down days left here.
Instructor
Joined: Jun 2014
Posts: 200
Likes: 1
From: Winterville NC
Race Director
Joined: Jan 2005
Posts: 13,934
Likes: 4,257
From: NC
What???!!! GM is (finally) doing what's right with him and replacing the entire motor, oil lines, etc. and you think he should fight them for a new car? That makes zero sense.
Most lemon laws require multiple failures and trips for repair. One failure that's fixed doesn't invoke a lemon law, that's what warranties are for.
Most lemon laws require multiple failures and trips for repair. One failure that's fixed doesn't invoke a lemon law, that's what warranties are for.
I would lemon law this car so fast it would make your head spin. GM needs to stop saying they are the "New" GM and start acting like it. The OP's car should already be back on the road...(GM's foot dragging SHOULD cost them the lemon law buy back).
Jimmy
Last edited by jimmyb; Sep 23, 2014 at 07:33 PM.
Melting Slicks
Joined: Mar 2006
Posts: 3,249
Likes: 545
From: Land of the free, home of the brave...
I am glad that it's not a replace and repair on existing engine and you are getting a new one. Short of a buy back or a replacement car, this is the best option available to give you peace of mind going forward.
Given the total number of days the car is out of service, I would think there is some sort of offset that you should be getting there also to make you 'whole' again. The new engine was not a 'gift', it was the cheapest way to complete the required warranty work.
It would be hard to not press upon the lemon law avenue and push for a buy back or replacement. In the end, I guess you just want what you thought you were buying in the first place and that's what is most important to you, however that is achieved.
Best of luck.
Given the total number of days the car is out of service, I would think there is some sort of offset that you should be getting there also to make you 'whole' again. The new engine was not a 'gift', it was the cheapest way to complete the required warranty work.
It would be hard to not press upon the lemon law avenue and push for a buy back or replacement. In the end, I guess you just want what you thought you were buying in the first place and that's what is most important to you, however that is achieved.
Best of luck.
Safety Car
Joined: Aug 2000
Posts: 3,510
Likes: 43
From: Tulsa OK
A guy I work with purchased a 2014 Stingray shortly after they came out. He recently had to have the motor replaced replaced also. There were some other issues he had with the car and last week traded it on a 2014 Porsche 911. He said they gave him fair money for the Vet and took $20K off the sticker of the 911 which listed at $123K.
The sad thing for him is that he has owned several Corvettes and thought he was a lifetime Vet owner. He said too many problems for him and went another direction. Not bashing, I'm guessing less than 1% have had problems, just relating why GM lost another customer.
The sad thing for him is that he has owned several Corvettes and thought he was a lifetime Vet owner. He said too many problems for him and went another direction. Not bashing, I'm guessing less than 1% have had problems, just relating why GM lost another customer.
Instructor
Joined: Jul 2011
Posts: 218
Likes: 0
From: Boston/Cape Cod MA
No way in hell I'd accept such a new low mileage car with a replaced engine. Resale will be destroyed it's not a numbers matching car anymore not to mention you will be back and forth to dealer many many times I guarantee it.
If the engine in my Shelby grenaded that would be the end of the car for me. I would never trust GM and their unreliable vehicles. Good luck op.
If the engine in my Shelby grenaded that would be the end of the car for me. I would never trust GM and their unreliable vehicles. Good luck op.
Race Director
Joined: Nov 2005
Posts: 14,553
Likes: 1,548
From: Supporting the Corvette Community at Abel Chevrolet in Rio Vista, CA 707-374-6317 Ext.123
St. Jude Donor '08
We had an early C7 crap an engine and the car was in and out with a brand new engine in 3 weeks. That was 4 months ago, when parts were much harder to get.
Racer
Joined: Mar 2009
Posts: 482
Likes: 4
Seriously? I would be embarassed if I took that long to replace a customer's engine. Typically we do not have cars for more than 10-15 days to perform a warranty engine replacement.
We had an early C7 crap an engine and the car was in and out with a brand new engine in 3 weeks. That was 4 months ago, when parts were much harder to get.
We had an early C7 crap an engine and the car was in and out with a brand new engine in 3 weeks. That was 4 months ago, when parts were much harder to get.
Last edited by Dan12; Sep 24, 2014 at 11:08 AM.
Drifting
Joined: Jun 2012
Posts: 1,315
Likes: 230
From: McDonough, Georgia
Seriously? I would be embarassed if I took that long to replace a customer's engine. Typically we do not have cars for more than 10-15 days to perform a warranty engine replacement.
We had an early C7 crap an engine and the car was in and out with a brand new engine in 3 weeks. That was 4 months ago, when parts were much harder to get.
We had an early C7 crap an engine and the car was in and out with a brand new engine in 3 weeks. That was 4 months ago, when parts were much harder to get.
It sounds like they plan to work on the car in spare time... keep the OP waiting while other customers get prompt service. Otherwise, assuming they could get all the necessary parts, it should be done in 5 work days---if they put a mechanic on it full time instead of part time.