My 2022 Chevrolet Trailblazer Almost Went Ablaze

DEAR SUZANNE

 
By Suzanne Henderson
LETTER 154 – December 2023 | Burdened in Burbank

Dear Suzanne,

If someone asked me “What would you have done differently when purchasing your car besides getting a different one?”, you know what my answer would be? It would be that I’d take the car for a test drive before handing over the down payment. Maybe if I had, I would have noticed the issues that are currently plaguing my 2022 Chevrolet Trailblazer.

 
My thinking was that since they had recently delivered the car to the dealer, it was brand new and shouldn’t have any issues. Boy, was I wrong! From purchasing it brand new to racking up 7,000 miles on the car, it’s been one hell of a terrible ride. I’ve taken the car to the dealer for repairs 4 or 5 times, although they haven’t been much help.

Tick Tock From The Engine Block

The very first time I took my car in, it was about three months after purchasing it. There was a ticking noise coming from the engine that seemed like it was getting louder over the few months I had it. After lodging our complaints, you won’t believe what the dealer guy said. He said, “That’s how every car sounds and so it’s nothing to worry about”. The funny thing is he expected me to believe that as if it was my first time driving a car.

To be honest, it sounded like a bs story to keep us from worrying and complaining. Little did he know that it’s not that easy to silence me. I kept on complaining about it until they finally agreed to check out the car. But even when they did, they still couldn’t trace the exact source of the noise in the engine.

The second visit should have been a simple maintenance checkup, but we found out something else was wrong with the car. Apparently, the engine was low on oil and they had to refill it, but that was not the problem. The issue was that the car should notify us if the engine’s oil was that low via a simple dashboard light. There was no dashboard light to warn us of the low engine oil, and this spelled danger for us as we would find out later on.

Friction Fire In My Trailblazer

One day while driving on the freeway, we noticed a smoky smell but couldn’t trace it so we thought it might have been coming from outside. Suddenly cars started overtaking us, motioning to pull over and pointing at the hood of our car. We pulled over and checked only to find out that there was smoke coming from our engine. Thank God my husband was there with me and he pulled out the fire extinguisher and put out the little sparks in the smoke.

We called the tow company to take the car to the dealership as it was in no shape to be on the road. On getting to the dealership, they inspected the car and discovered a broken piece in the engine and figured that it likely broke off because of excess friction.

We probed them further and they said the oil was low again. Due to no lubrication, the engine parts began rubbing against each other. If this goes on long enough, what started out as a simple faulty dashboard light could end up as an engine fire. In the end, they had to replace the whole engine as it was already too damaged to fix.

Strange Acceleration Sound

Even after all that, we still weren’t done with car issues. A few weeks after the engine replacement I noticed a problem with the acceleration.

The issue was that each time I stepped on the gas pedal to accelerate, the engine sounded like it was overexerting itself and doing more work than required. The thing is it never sounded this way before, not until they changed the engine, and when I reported this to the dealership, they again said it was normal to sound like this.

It was as if this was the anthem when they couldn’t decipher what the problem was. I have another car and it doesn’t sound like anything close to this when I accelerate.

So I guess you can now see why I wish I took a test drive. No use crying over spilled milk I guess. I just want to get rid of this burden and finally be done with these issues.

 
Burdened in Burbank

Your 2022 Chevrolet Trailblazer Should Not Sound Like That!

Dear Burdened,

You’re smart to question the dealership when they tell you this is normal. Many people are quick to believe them because it’s their job to know cars, but they’re not infallible.

 
The service technician may just think it’s not a big deal, or it could be they were just feeling lazy that day and didn’t feel like digging into an engine. Either way it’s our responsibility to press forward and get the solution we deserve, whether that’s an honest repair or compensation for a defective vehicle. If you’ve decided that you’re over your Chevy, you can do away with it by by filing a Lemon Law claim.

Lemon Law Qualifications

The way that the lemon law works in California is that if you took your car for repairs at the dealership for the same issue up to two times, then your car may be a lemon. If you took it three or more times for different issues, that may also qualify.

Now, there are certain basic things you should know about the lemon law. The major one is that the lemon law only covers vehicles still under the original manufacturer’s warranty and nothing extended. For your vehicle, the bumper to bumper warranty lasts for 3 years or 36,000 miles for anything basic. This includes issues relating to the brakes, power steering, or electrical system.

For problems that have to do with the powertrain, the warranty is for 5 years or 60,000 miles. This powertrain warranty covers engine or transmission issues, which is most likely what you’re experiencing with this vehicle.

As such, you can keep taking your car for repairs for any issues that pop up again even while your attorney works on your case. This is because the more visits you have, the stronger the case, and the more money in your pocket at the end.

Settlement Options

There are a couple of options for you to choose from regarding the compensation for your lemon. It’s best to get your case going as soon as possible so as to avoid any pushback or deductions from the automakers. Also, you’re still on very low mileage and this further strengthens your case.

One of these options is the buyback which involves the manufacturers buying back the car from you. They will then pay back everything you have paid on your car. This includes your monthly payments, your down payment, your taxes, and any interest accrued. In addition, if you took out a loan on the vehicle, the automakers will pay that off for you, potentially causing your credit to go up.

 
The second option is called the cash and keep. It is cash compensation for the issues you’ve been having while still letting you keep it. Another benefit with keeping your vehicle is your warranty remains valid and won’t be canceled. Also, if you later wish to sell the vehicle, you can do so without tagging it as a lemon to whoever buys it from you.

Lemon Law Tips

In addition to everything said, you mentioned you purchased your vehicle in California and this gives you certain advantages. First off, California is a very customer-inclined state so lemon law cases taken in the state are on a full contingency basis. This means that your attorney will not charge you to pay for their services – it is at no cost to you. This is because the manufacturers are responsible for paying off the legal fees in a lemon law case. This means that the total original settlement won goes over to you.

Also remember to gather and keep any documentation related to your vehicle. This includes repair orders, the purchase agreement, and any communication between you and the dealership. If you experience any more issues make sure to take it in, as each repair order strengthens your case.

I hope this has helped you figure out your next steps and answered any questions you had regarding lemon law. If you still need further guidance, do not hesitate to reach out to your lawyer for clarification. Best of luck!

 
Suzanne

PS. Chevrolet is a division of General Motors Company. Additional details on the GM Lemon Law buyback process, how it operates, qualification standards, models included, persistent vehicle defects reported, and Lemon Law case examples.

 
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Featured image:

• 2022 Chevrolet Trailblazer LT ©Kevauto (CC BY-SA 4.0 DEED License)