C7 dies in middle of road - 2nd major problem
 

Sorry to report that I've now experienced my second major problem wiht my C7. My car is an early VIN (low 300s) and first problem was a bad fuel sending unit which had to be replaced with only 40 miles on the car and took 5 days.

This morning on way to work (670 miles on car) it just dies when coming to a stop. The RPMs just dropped down to zero and it died. Put it in park and started it again (although it didn't want to start). Did same thing at next stop light. Again, it didn't want to re-start, but it did. So I figured I would try to limp home, trying to keep the RPM up when slowing (mine is an automatic) by putting in neutral. Needless to say I didn't make it home and it died in the middle of the road and would not start. Had to get it towed to a local dealer and there it sits for now. We will see what they say.

Any thoughts or input would be appreciated. I started loooking thru the issues thread, but there are so many pages now I figured I would try a separate post. Many thanks for your time.

:lurk: I'm in ........

Probably related to the gas gauge issue you previously experienced
http://forums.corvetteforum.com/c7-g...e-problem.html
but it will be interesting to find out what it turns out to be.

How sure are you that they 'fixed the fuel sending unit'? Sounds like 'NO GAS' to me.

Wow that hurts, hope it is fixed quickly and you never encounter another issue!
Keep us posted and let us know what caused the problem and the fix.

dang we all will be living in the shop in a minute

That sucks! Fingers crossed you get it back soon and are done with these issues.

:lol: I may be the lucky one ............ Mine is so far down the list, they haven't cut the tree to lay the keel so to speak ..........:rofl:

Actually, there is no shortage of "lucky ones" who already are driving their C7s who have reported so right here at CF.

Has the OP tried to put gas in the car? Is it possible this gas gauge issue from before is misreading the amount of gas in the tank and it is empty? The symptoms would certainly follow that notion.

:iagree: or bad fuel?

Years ago I had a relatively new SUV and had exactly the same thing happen to me. It just stopped and yet looked like it had about a quarter tank of gas. I had noticed that the gauge seemed out of place a time or two before so I got a gas can and put about 3 gallons in it. Started and ran fine. Fortunately, it was under warranty and they ended up replacing the whole tank, which had the fuel sensor inside of it. Just a thought...

Pretty sure it is not out of fuel. I recently filled up and always keep an eye on the fuel range. It shouldn't be anywhere close to empty.

Also when I tried to re-start it each time it really seemed like the battery was dead or there was some electrical issue. It couldn't even try to crank. No word from dealer yet although I did give them the info on the prior problem when I dropped it off. Thanks.

Well, good luck and keep us informed.

Did you take it to the same dealership?

Same thing happened to my C5 Z06 when basically brand new. If memory serves it was my alternator that died causing the car to lose power and shut down on the highway. See experiential vs assuming he did something wrong.

Y2k, sorry to hear all is not well. I'm sort of with the others that are leaning with a fuel supply problem.

The low battery you experienced is probably the result of the repeated starting tries you needed. Just a guess.

Wondering if the the dealer actually did replace the sending unit?

Keep us informed what they find. Sorry for the frustration. :thumbs:

Well aware of that. I am on here daily as are you. Have a great day.

Easily entertained huh?

Most Corvette buyers are repeat buyers. You would not believe how much went wrong with 70 and 80s Vettes, yet we kept on coming back. Once they were fixed, they stayed fixed. That was the joy of owning a Vette. Since the 90s they have been pretty dependable. The LS engines are no good for Hot Rods or racing unless you get the cast Iron block versions.
It remains to be seen what the C7 and the new LT1 bring.
The 63, the 68 and 84 new releases were dismal. The first and second LT1s were amazing. The C5 and C6 initial releases were uneventful. The C5 was more dependable than the C6 on the race track.
We live in different times now and we are older and our expectations are higher despite the ever increasing complexities of the new cars. I've loved all Vettes till the C7, mostly because of it's looks. If it has major mechanical flaws also, I will stray.
I put a LS2 engine in my roadster and it was totally inferior to my LT4. Could not get it to run cool.
I sure hope the 3 gen LT1 holds up. We shall see this year no doubt. I think a lot of the race boys will go with a stock diff.

^ Nice car

If OP already had a problem with the fuel sending unit, my money is def on fuel delivery.

The only thing holding me back is OP stated low voltage like crank attempt. I just highly doubt he power supply problems right after having fuel delivery problems on a brand new car.

But weirder things have happened.

If he tried to crank it for along enough, he may have drained the Battery. Doesn't take that much...

That's what I mentioned in #19 above.:thumbs:

I had a similar problem on my Panamera4S last year. A few times it sputtered and died on me. The first time I was pulling into a parking garage, and it died in the parking spot. If I tried to start it it just sputtered and died. I said F it, went in to eat, and when I came out a few hours later it started right up. The 2nd time I was in rush hour traffic and it died at a light. Same thing when I tried to start it. After about 1 minutes it started and ran fine. Took it to the dealer and I believe they replaced a faulty injector.

Good luck with it.

Tell your dealer to check the crankshaft position sensor.

Hmmm...

http://forums.corvetteforum.com/c7-g...r-failure.html

There is no update there. Anyone know what it turned out being?

Sounds like the fuel pump quit.

Thanks!

Ok, I looked at the referenced post and that seems scary. Sounds like he also had the fuel sending unit replaced and then had a problem similar to mine today. I sent him a private message asking if he might have any more information.

I wish I could have taken the car back to the dealer who replaced the fuel sending unit, but they are 60-70 miles away (I went to them b/c they are supposed to have great service and I was treated very well). Because I had to get the car towed today, it just went to the local dealer. I've suggested the two talk, but we will see.

Thanks for all the info!! Keep it coming.

Had a SUV that would die if the fuel gauge was not
kept at 1/2a tank or more. Even if set on cruise going down the
interstate. Was hard to crank after but usually started. Have
no idea what the problem was since just traded it in.

Day traded didn't want to leave too much gas in the vehicle.
It die at 1/2 but started. Too go 25 miles it used a 1/4 of a
tank. Started to die again in front of the dealership but had enough
forward speed to coast into the lot and Park. Was so glad to
rid of that thing.

When I did fill at a half, it took what would be expected in
gallons. It really sucked that fuel. How is your
mileage

I am so sorry that you are experiencing another concern with your Stingray!

Please let me know if there is anything that I can do to help out. If you would like me to get a case started for you, I would be more than happy to.

Please PM, or I can monitor your thread for updates.

Thanks,

Kelly J.
Chevrolet Customer Care

Kelly:

I appreciate the offer, and would welcome any help you are able to provide. Last time I PM'd you with all the applicable info and never heard anything back until after the car had already been returned (asking what was the status – so I presume you never got involved with the dealer or anything). I will send you another PM with the info again and if you can do anything to help in the process it would be greatly appreciated. Thank you.

Dealer called and say they have opened up a case with GM. They want to start by replacing the starter - which doesn't really make sense to me, but he says that is what GM wants to do first (said something like it is drawing amps from the battery and it shouldn't be??). I'm no tech so I have to rely on them (and what I learn from the Forum).

Again, the problem just happened when I was driving down the road and slowing down for a light. The RPMs just went to zero and it died. Got it started twice after that (barely) but then it wouldn't even come close to turning over.

How embarassing have a brand new car that everyone wants to ask about and having to tell them it's in the shop again - - and then you get the cracks about Chevy quality. I still love the car and the brand, but boy do things like this take the wind out of your sails.

Always appreciate any info and insight from Forum members. Keep it coming. Thanks.

But OP worded it something like "when I tried a re-start each time...", that came off to me as when he first started attempting to turn over it seemed like low voltage, i guess i misinterpreted? I would assume repeated restarts resulting in a healthy crank sound gradually getting worse each try would be understood by OP that he was killing the battery trying to start it over and over.

Typically a possibility given the symptoms, but we could start adding all kinds of things to the list like MAF, fuel filter, injectors, etc.

:iagree:

I vote Alternator and or Fuel Pump Inlet Sox Restricted or off.

I think we're all just guessing based on what we know or have experienced. The key is to hope your dealer has a savvy and knowledgeable tech working on it in concert with the GM tech folks.

They are making a recommendation to change out the starter, allegedly because they conferred w. GM.

You, and they will see if that works. If it doesn't, so much for their diagnostic skills.

Good luck and I hope there is no Problem #3.

And then you come here for a little support and relief and have to listen to the same old BS :ack:

Golly, this one's a head scratcher. Let the parts hanging begin. I hope your new C7 is back on the road in no time. :thumbs::cheers::thumbs:

(And yes, I also know about the 'Chevy is junk' wise cracks.)

Seems like its a continuing issue from the original problem.

GM's first guess could be correct.

Same thing happened to one of my vettes, was going about 45 and all of a sudden without any warning the car just died. Had to be towed and turned out it was the starter. Replaced the starter and never happened again. The starter suddenly started drawing so much power the battery and alternator were not able to keep it going.

electrical short or grounding problem?

relative had a truck do just what yours did. had just filled up with gas. assumed it had water in the gas. would start but then stop and then nothing. took it to a mechanic, who scratched his head for a day. then i suggested that they take a look at the wiring. turns out some wiring in the body had worn thru and would ground out. made the whole care appear to be dead.

i experienced similar after working on a car and replacing the grounding wire to the ecu. it was loose. i would drive down the road and it would sputter and die just like a bad fuel pump or out of gas. when i was stopped it would start. as soon as the car started to move and vibrate, the wire would loose touch intermittently with the ecu. since i knew i had just worked on this i rewired it and it fixed the issue. if i hadnt experienced this myself i would still be scratching my head.

if the ecu isnt 'energized' i suspect the whole car would be dead, just like the battery was dead. nothing, nada.. or some systems might work but some, like the starter would not catch at all.

Hope they get you going.:thumbs:

OP - there are always 'new model issues', and it would appear you caught a few. It is never fun dealing with them and I wish no one had to. Hopefully this is a small issue, unrelated to the prior one, and they will have your car repaired in record time.

Keep the faith. Negativity just brings us down further - dismiss any you get on here, as coming from folks who's prunes haven't provided them relief yet. :thumbs:

I'll go with a clogged fuel line/filter - has all the symptoms.:thumbs:

I would ask the dealer to also check all the Major ground points in the car. Could be a ground was not tiight during the build process and is causing electrical issues. Even after replacing the starter ask them to check all the grounds, good basic trouble shooting. The dealers only want to look for codes and act based on the codes generated.
Need to get back to some basic problem determination and trouble shooting.

Just had the same or similar problem with my C6 Z, dying, not starting. Ended up with wiring harness not plugged in good and locked together at the Fuse Block. Ended up burning up Fuse Block as well as connectors and terminals all had to be replaced to correct. Took 3 trips to dealer with 5 days in shop to correct.

but how can he get it from light to light if there's no gas in it?

Fuel pump perhaps?

Sounds like the solenoid welded the tips when the bat was going away. A new starter will certainly fix that and so would a good hit with a hammer sometimes. Sounds like the fuel delivery to me is the start of it all. Most of what has been mentioned above!

Well, the speculation can stop. I just heard from dealer - worst news possible - they need to replace the engine. I am devastated.

Apparently they have been talking with GM and it has something to do with when the fuel sending unit was replaced. Because the driveline had to be removed to do that, upon reassembly the torque rod (or torque stick) needs to be aligned and/or torqued perfectly, otherwise it causes a problem with the thrush washer which apparently can then disintegrate and cause the crankshaft to have too much movement or something along those lines. At the end of the day all I know is that they need to replace my engine. I truly cannot believe this.

(I also spoke with the owner of a C7 in Colorado who also had his fuel sending unit replaced and then his car died - - he as been told the same thing - a new engine is required. This is unbelievable to me).

WOW, that is about as bad an outcome that there could be, and one that most would not even consider.

Sorry to hear the news. Good luck, hopefully it will be on the road again soon.

At least you don't have to pay for it

Torque tube perhaps?

Wow, sorry for your trouble!

Would they consider giving you a new car?

I don't think I would be happy with a new engine so early. How many miles do you have on it? If I remember, not very many at all.:ack:

Any estimate on when you can get your Vette back?

Oh man! That is bad news!

Hope the replacement goes quick and flawlessly.

:willy:

He already paid for it. :ack:

To the OP ... good luck and hope you wind up with a perfect and trouble free car when this is all over. You desereve nothing less.

:cheers:

Hard for me to believe too, but could be possible.

That would make me vomit. Then I would try and get my money back.

Thanks guys . . . . still trying to process.

So dealers are zero for two in removing/replacing drive line (apparently to replace fuel gauge sender) to the extent that they have caused the engine to blow in both instances we are aware of?

Wow, just wow.

What assurances will you have that they will, in fact, do it "perfectly" the second time around, and there won't be issues down the road? Will GM fly in an engineer to oversee the work?

I hope they will, this is insane that a fuel sending unit removal requires messing with drive line alignment. Knocking engine thrust bearing out for lack of clearance.

Maybe their short cut was to jack the assembly over to get the tank down and bent the torque tube!

Access to the fuel pump and sender on some GM cars is under the back seat through access cover so tank does not have to be removed.

If this is true, then whoever jacked with your driveline didn't know what they were doing.

That sucks. Sorry to hear.

Maybe someone with shop manual will help us understand

^^^ I hope so and also hope they are qualified to comment on the technical aspects of this.

:lurk:

:nonod:

Dont forget the dealer that is supposed to be qualified

I wonder if they put a new starter on it before they realized the motor was seized

Damn bro…that's terrible news. Sorry to hear that

I believe you had to remove the torque tube on a C6 to change the fuel sender.

If my sender acts up I may sell the car......:thumbs:

WAAAY over reaction. Just start carrying around a 5 gallon can of gasoline. Hey, maybe a vendor can come up with a fender mount for same $$$$$$ :rock: :rock: :rock:

This make me wonder if this path has been gone down before with any previous generations. I just never heard of it before and it brings back all those issues with the dealer I had on 97 C5. Such a riff between me and a well known dealer. I hope his dealer does the right thing by him!

So sorry to hear this.

This is what scares me about small problems from the factory - many Chevy dealerships don't do a great job of fixing things the first time, and often you drive away with a new problem.

I have had so many bad experiences in NY and now LA. I drive 40 miles to a qualified dealership and avoid the ones that are just a couple of miles away.

It's sad but it has always ben the worst part of the ownership experience.

I may have suffered a bit of reading whiplash here . . . . Did this Thread just go from 'they are going to start with replacing my starter' to 'they need to replace the engine' with no report from the dealer or GM in between the 2 ?????

That's quite a leap in diagnoses = "uhhhhh, we're gonna need to take out your tonsils" . . . . . . . "never mind, you need new lungs"


:confused2:

Forget it call the BBB and start buy back proceedings. Only after they refuse to replace the car first. Do not accept no for an answer. This folks is why you should never ever buy a first year Corvette. Not only do the cars tend to have bugs the Dealers have NO CLUE what they are doing when they Try fixing them. Stay away with your 70 grand until next year!

^ Outstanding advice . . . . . only if we all follow it, there will be no 2nd year car. Kind of a conundrum isn't it . . .

:confused2:

:eek:Damn...sorry to hear this!

Maybe if people suddenly started canceling there orders GM would get the message ya think?

yea but somebody has to be the so called 'sacrificial lamb'
it's unfortunate but now this mis-alignment of the torque tube causing engine to seize is now (or soon) to be a TSB to all dealers.
all those camoed test cars running around for a year or two couldn't dublicate the problem, this is a dealer R&R knowledge issue.
To the OP i agree ask/demand a replacement or full refund, good luck.

Ask for a replacement car. They won't give you one, but ask and then play along until your car is repaired. Then sue GM and the dealer for diminished value. Your car is worth alot less now with an engine replacement on its carfax, and you shouldn't have to eat that.

:iagree:

The OP has done absolutely nothing wrong, and yet if he keeps the car he'll get screwed on some level. GM and/or dealer should buy back the car -- complete refund with an apology in writing!

Why wait until the car is repaired? Why not take care of it now and get your new car order ASAP?

I am a BBB Hearing Officer. This is a no-brainer! Buyback is in order. While GM might say "no" to your informal request, they will honor it once the complaint is filed with the BBB. GM is actually very good at buying back faulty vehicles. In my opinion, the best manufacturer out there that stands behind their products!

This is how I would proceed:

1. Go to the dealer and get all of your personal items out of it including registration and insurance paperwork. Get everything that is yours as you may not have a chance later down the road.

2. Contact the dealer's Customer Service manager and advise them you are filing a BBB complaint. Be business-like and non-emotional. DO NOT APPEAR to be threatening the manager...just state the fact and then leave. They will contact you if they want to discuss this.

3. Contact GM Customer Care at: 1-800-222-1020. Tell them about the issue and that you are filing a BBB complaint. Be business-like and non-emotional. They will issue you a case number.

4. File a BBB complaint. Be brief; just state the facts. Include copies of every work order as well as all purchase paperwork, vehicle license plate registration, receipts for any add-ons (clear bra, seat covers, etc.), etc. Include the GM Customer Care case number in your complaint.

5. Refuse to accept the vehicle once the motor is replaced.

5a.

6. GM will be calling you once you open a case with GM Customer Care. Be firm; accept nothing less than a "buy-back." I suspect they will issue a buy-back at that time.

7. BBB will be contacting you. They will attempt to mediate a telephone call between you and the GM Cusomer Care represeantive. Accept nothing less than a buy-back.

8. If the mediation is not successful, continue with BBB and request a Hearing.

9. Enjoy your new C7!

Good luck!!!!

Red Lightening is always full of great advice ! LMAO

Red Lightening I think everyone should take your advice. That way with all of the cancellations I can get my car a whole lot sooner!

This would be a GREAT sticky :yesnod: :flag: :yesnod:

Be interesting to know if gm really cares right now. They are running
full. Selling all they can. A few duds get out so what. There is
still a line to buy the things.

Once the hype slows down, than they have to worry about
moving the cars. drawing customers in

This story reminds me of that old fighter pilot adage "Never fly the A model of anything!"

I cannot imagine that by the time the new power plant is installed, combined with the days out of service already, you will not meet your State's Lemmon Law requirement.

Who pays for the tax, title and license fees the OP had to pay?

I think engines are on the constraint list. LOL

No not at all. OP should pay nothing. Sometimes they charge a mileage fee on the old car but Even if they do it will be next to nothing. They will even do a substitution of collateral if he has a loan through a bank. If he chooses a new car with more options they will do an MSRP to MSRP swap with the OP paying the difference in MSRP only.

:iagree:

Wow, what a nasty turn this has all taken, and the best of luck to the OP in getting out of this nightmare! No buyer of a car that costs this much should have to go through this kind of stuff.

I spent the first month that the C7 was on sale feeling sorry for myself because I did not have one on order. I have spent the last two weeks being thankful that there is no C7 in my immediate future! Maybe a 2016 C7 for Jim - maybe. We will see how this all unfolds.

Again - best of luck with this nightmare and here's hoping that you get a fair settlement.

I'll bet you are. At this point I wouldn't even consider buying a C7 with monopoly money.

I'm really quite surprised hearing this from you... :lol: