[Z06] 2008 Z06 Engine Failure - GM voids warranty
07-28-2009, 04:34 PM
#41
Thanks.
You would simply have to go to the dealer and let them take the screen shot from the module ID info in the PCM. They can at least pull up the correct CVN lists for your VIN online and see if they match. If they do, that is a good sign, but it should be verified with GM Technical Assist Center or PQC.
You would simply have to go to the dealer and let them take the screen shot from the module ID info in the PCM. They can at least pull up the correct CVN lists for your VIN online and see if they match. If they do, that is a good sign, but it should be verified with GM Technical Assist Center or PQC.
07-28-2009, 04:36 PM
#42
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St. Jude Donor '08
I would contact the original owner and find out what if anything he had done to the car to verify that it was altered before you bought it. We had a 07 Duramax at the dealer for a trans problem.They said it had been tuned.I've serviced this truck since new for a friend of mine. It is bone stock.Come to find out it had been recalibrated in Denver for a DPF problem by a GM dealer.They took care of it under warrenty finally.
07-28-2009, 04:41 PM
#44
Burning Brakes
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IMO the tune has nothing to do with it, other than being used as an excuse to not cover your loss under the warranty.....
you bought the car with 1500 miles, you drove it for over 10000 miles before it popped, think about it logically...
Good luck...
you bought the car with 1500 miles, you drove it for over 10000 miles before it popped, think about it logically...
Good luck...
07-28-2009, 04:43 PM
#45
Knowing computers, I imagine the Corvette's ECM or whatever it's called keeps a date associated with each change in the computer. At some point, one of those changes or "updates" didn't mesh with a kosher GM tune. Did that date happen before or after the purchase documents were signed at a GM dealership? Seems pretty clear cut... now, will GM release that information if they deem your tune no good?
07-28-2009, 04:46 PM
#46
Team Owner
I'm not so sure about the programing history deal. I know the Duramax ECM have alot more feature that protects or record the integrity but, I've not heard this on other ECM...I'll do some research. I know our ECM have no re-flash counters, so my guess is that your ECM was reflashed with a stock GM tune that was not the one out of the car, hence the number no lining up -a speculation for now-
I'm sure others would also be curious about the outcome.
07-28-2009, 05:00 PM
#47
Race Director
Eliminating that word does-in lawyers. 
As much as I'd enjoy agreeing, that's a risky assumption. The date of a software change probably isn't why programming a feature to count tunes was added, I suspect.
Whatever the reason/purpose, it sounds bulletproof if not well thought out in Chevrolet's best interest(s).
One would think.
Then again that kind of change, apparently, isn't looked at/checked during a "certified preowned car" process. Wonder if "that" data's only checked against larger warranty claims.
The $64 question.
Given their financial shape, I wouldn't count on it.
Hope the OP can get some satisfaction, a new LS7 ain't cheap by any measure.
Whatever the reason/purpose, it sounds bulletproof if not well thought out in Chevrolet's best interest(s).
Then again that kind of change, apparently, isn't looked at/checked during a "certified preowned car" process. Wonder if "that" data's only checked against larger warranty claims.
Hope the OP can get some satisfaction, a new LS7 ain't cheap by any measure.
07-28-2009, 05:01 PM
#48
Team Owner
Any clue why the valve decided to pop now, after you've driven the car around 10,000 miles? Any clue what the freeze-frame data may have shown? As always, there can be more to this story, but . . . the automatic warranty denial because of a telltale from a past (or current) reprogram has been something that GM has made clear in the last year or so - certainly readers of this Forum know all about it. We can debate whether GM can really tell in all cases, or whether the policy is "fair," but it is what it is. I pity the poor soul who reprogrammed just to get rid of the skip shift, for example . . . 
. . . or even worse, as may be the case here, buys a used Z without knowledge of prior reprograms.
. . . or even worse, as may be the case here, buys a used Z without knowledge of prior reprograms.If you are planning to sell your vehicle and have not tuned it, it might be a good selling strategy to have your dealer run a scan and have them confirm that the car has a stock tune and has never has had an aftermaket tune, then you have the paperwork in hand to show a potential buyer. You will also have proof that you have not tuned the car in case something like what the OP has had happened to him, and his lawyer wants to come after you. CYA
07-28-2009, 05:07 PM
#49
Burning Brakes
No one has discussed the ramifications of purchasing a car/truck new and then selling it later on. As this subject becomes more widely known, potential buyers will be leery of purchasing used performance vehicles if they believe there may be a future problem with the warranty due to the previous owner possibly putting a tune on the car and then removing it.
If you are planning to sell your vehicle and have not tuned it, it might be a good selling strategy to have your dealer run a scan and have them confirm that the car has a stock tune and has never has had an aftermaket tune, then you have the paperwork in hand to show a potential buyer. You will also have proof that you have not tuned the car in case something like what the OP has had happened to him, and his lawyer wants to come after you. CYA
If you are planning to sell your vehicle and have not tuned it, it might be a good selling strategy to have your dealer run a scan and have them confirm that the car has a stock tune and has never has had an aftermaket tune, then you have the paperwork in hand to show a potential buyer. You will also have proof that you have not tuned the car in case something like what the OP has had happened to him, and his lawyer wants to come after you. CYA
07-28-2009, 05:17 PM
#51
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Great. Sorry to hear your troubles 
I'm a day or two away from getting a GM certified w/ extended warranty and now this pops up on a used car... a mystery tune from before. I've been down the road before with a European car that lost its motor and had an aftermarket tune on it.
How can the dealership verify a stock, never-been-flashed tune?
EDIT - If you bought it with 1500 miles on it at a GM DEALERSHIP, shouldn't their 117 point inspection figure this out? Otherwise they gave you a false certification, especially if you can prove the tune happened PRIOR to your purchase of the car!
I'm a day or two away from getting a GM certified w/ extended warranty and now this pops up on a used car... a mystery tune from before. I've been down the road before with a European car that lost its motor and had an aftermarket tune on it.
How can the dealership verify a stock, never-been-flashed tune?
EDIT - If you bought it with 1500 miles on it at a GM DEALERSHIP, shouldn't their 117 point inspection figure this out? Otherwise they gave you a false certification, especially if you can prove the tune happened PRIOR to your purchase of the car!
Last edited by Whirls; 07-28-2009 at 05:24 PM.
07-28-2009, 05:19 PM
#52
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07-28-2009, 05:26 PM
#54
Melting Slicks
Tell your dealer to contact the original owner, and ask them about this. If the owner lies and says he did not do nothing, then it fall unto the responsibility of the dealership to have checked if it was COMPLETELY stock.
Problem solved. Go get you a brand new viper. . .
Problem solved. Go get you a brand new viper. . .
07-28-2009, 05:41 PM
#56
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Another clarification - the Chevy dealership that said I needed a software update didn't do it in December, they said they expect the software update to be out in March or something, but the light never came back on so I didn't bring it in.... I just thought that if they were in the cpu saying I needed a update, they would have noticed that the cpu wasn't stock and blamed the check engine light on that... I gave the Chevy dealer that has my car documents/receipts from when my car was in and they said I needed a software update, but apparently it didn't matter.
If you do a performance tune, wouldn't more than one number on the print out be off? I really need to find out what that one number was and what it relates to as far as engine operation. I also need to see if there is a way to find out when the tune was done. If a shop did it, wouldn't they have record of the VIN? The dealership where my car is said they couldn't tell when it was done, but there has to be some way to figure it out. Maybe GM could tell because they told me it wasn't their fault and I need to go after the dealer that sold me the car, otherwise they would have told me it was my because I had it tuned, don't you think?
If you do a performance tune, wouldn't more than one number on the print out be off? I really need to find out what that one number was and what it relates to as far as engine operation. I also need to see if there is a way to find out when the tune was done. If a shop did it, wouldn't they have record of the VIN? The dealership where my car is said they couldn't tell when it was done, but there has to be some way to figure it out. Maybe GM could tell because they told me it wasn't their fault and I need to go after the dealer that sold me the car, otherwise they would have told me it was my because I had it tuned, don't you think?
07-28-2009, 05:42 PM
#57
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St. Jude Donor '08
Rich, does it tell you the date on which the tune was altered from stock? I can see this being a nasty legal issue for people who buy certified inspected GM cars from a Chevy dealership and then find out their "stock, warranteed" car is in fact not due to actions taken before the purchase.
07-28-2009, 05:45 PM
#58
_"SCOTT"_
Tell your dealer to contact the original owner, and ask them about this. If the owner lies and says he did not do nothing, then it fall unto the responsibility of the dealership to have checked if it was COMPLETELY stock.
Problem solved. Go get you a brand new viper. . .
Problem solved. Go get you a brand new viper. . .
07-28-2009, 05:50 PM
#60
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Tell your dealer to contact the original owner, and ask them about this. If the owner lies and says he did not do nothing, then it fall unto the responsibility of the dealership to have checked if it was COMPLETELY stock.
Problem solved. Go get you a brand new viper. . .
Problem solved. Go get you a brand new viper. . .