Last weekend I changed the air filter element and painted the engine cover on my wives Solstice GXP. When I started in on the air cleaner I found the braided metal hose - probably a sensor line - had fractured off the nipple coming from the plastic inlet tract. Didn't think much of it - engine moves, air box fixed and the plastic nipple is 1/8" diameter which seems pretty weak. I changed the filter and proceeded to paint the cover.

Today - after contacting Prestige Pontiac Ypsilanti, MI - we stopped by the dealership so they could see the problem and order the correct part if necessary. The service write up gentlemen was courteous but acted rather peculiar - then left returning with the service manager. After inquiring as to whether I had painted the engine cover the service coordinator informed me because of the proximity of my work to the fractured part, they needed to contact the regional engineer for Pontiac to obtain authorization to replace the damaged part under warranty. I explained to them that the cover pops straight off and has little to do with the braided line – only to be told that home mechanics need to be cautious when it comes to compromising vehicle warranty.

I left immediately without providing an interesting piece of information to him. I took photos of the entire proceedure and luckily have an initial photo with the K&N filter still setting on top of it’s box, the cover still in place unpainted and the braided line hanging free. Obviously, I need to find a new service dealer.

Obviously. Sounds like they were looking for something so as not to have to work.

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Deep, Ebony
O Sol O Mio

Boy, they must be really bad at running a business. I hope they realize they get paid by GM for the work they do. Nobody would ever know from headquarters if the engine cover was painted or not, unless they said something. So what they really did was:

1. lose a customer that might have been loyal repeat business and maybe even buy a new care from them
2. Lost money that would have been an incredible easy job to do.

GM, stock has no hope of ever going anywhere until they get rid of or re educate the few bad dealers.

One unhappy customer really means potentially a whole family and the next generation as well as possibly friends.

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Team Solstice 2009

Click link to view my modification page

Are you expecting them to fix this after you broke it?

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1993 talon tsi awd - stock on the outside, modded on the inside
2007 solstice gxp - Solo Performance 3" mach exhaust + hiflow cat - dyno sheet

Didn't break it - I had begun to examine what I needed to loosen/remove to replace the air filter when I came across detached steel braided line. Examination revealed plastic nipple still attached to line - it fractured at base. Heavy braided line fixed to engine which moves attached to 1/8" plastic nipple on fixed piece I wasn't to shocked to see it had fractured. In retrospect my first photo of project shows cover in place, air filter in bag and braided line in awkward position.

I've said it before, I'll say it again...
Just more typical GM service department BS!
Probably explains why their stock tumbled again today...just as it's been doing for years.
Every dog has his day... -Lumix

The braided line your referring to that goes to the plastic nipple is the PCV line. If it was broke before you did any work under the hood, you would of set a warning light on your I/P and a code would of been set in the ECM. The engine would of run lean and you would of felt other drivability problems.

You never mentioned any of these conditions so one would have to assume that when you removed your engine cover that you accidentally damaged the part.

Don’t discredit your dealership for trying to cover their assets. If their GM rep came in and questioned the repair, they would debit the dealer for the repair and the dealer would have to pay for something you may of caused.

Accidents happen, if you did it, fess up, pay the price and be more careful next time

Maybe should have - but didn't happen. I found the broken nipple preparing to change to K&N filter - which preceded intention to paint engine cover. The car was driven for (6) days and approximately 130 miles following discovery (dealer is 27 miles from home). No engine light. Wife did complain earlier of rough sounding engine - I'm afraid I dismissed that diagnosis. Dealer did not hook diagnostic so that argument is mute.

I initially posted because I was offended the dealer would make the assumption I damaged the part without ever directly asking me. If I had broken the part, $50.00 dollars would not be a hardship for me. I replaced the plastic nipple with a turned down piece of threaded aluminum - investing less time than I have with the dealership.