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Cracked Front Wheel Wells

9K views 42 replies 23 participants last post by  BlackBeauty 
#1 ·
So, has anyone had the front wheel wells crack? I did a search and did not find a thread. Lumix pointed out this problem to me and suggested I take it to the dealer. On both front wheel wells at the screws is a crack. Each crack is about 3/4 of an inch long. I took it in and after looking at it my dealership decides to replace them. Well, it turns out the new wheel wells are also cracked! :brentil:

They attempted to re-order the wheel wells only to find out one of them is on national backorder. Oh well, not that big a deal but was wondering if anyone else has had these cracks?
 
#2 ·
My right-side one cracked when the dealer incorrectly lifted it. Scheduled to replace both the 1/4 panel and the wheel welll plastic. When I took it in, the wheel well part Pontiac delivered was craked as well! Turns out they shipped it really shoddily (Is this a real word?) packed and they had to order another. That one was fine and is still on the car. You'd think Pontiac would know how to ship plastic so it wouldn't get broken :huh:
 
#4 ·
I saw cracks in mine while I was shining it up today.
I also noticed that my left rear wheel well is gray not black.
Then I opened the hood and my hood liner is torn to shreds.
I usually wipe everything down under the hood at least every other washing.
The last time was just a couple weeks ago and it was fine then. I am suspecting that varments got to it somehow.
 
#8 ·
Both the front...and now the rear inner fenders, have been redesigned. Most of the front wells are going to crack, sooner or later. Poor design.
The rear wells have been redesigned to enlarge the area directly in front of the tire to prevent rubbing during cornering... or when the car squats.

On another sad note...when the dealer ordered my new front inner fenders, they came TOTALLY unpackaged. No protection what-so-ever. They work fine...but when you look under the hood, they're plenty scratched up and look worse than the original ones did. Thanks again GM. Another nice job.
It's very discouraging to have so many problems on a brand new car. You would think... in the 21st century... they should be able to do better than this. Yes, we still love our cars. Nothing wrong with that. But come on GM, even you can do better than this. Makes me wonder when you'll be out of the car business altogether. Were it not for the solstice, I would never have bought another GM car...and this is why. -Lumix
 
#10 ·
:agree: :agree:

I too would have never purchased a GM if it were not for the Solstice. This and all the other problems are part of the reason why American car companies are having problems. I agree Lumix it is very discouraging!

Having said that I'm not giving up on the Solstice! :driving: This car is just to much fun!

Thanks for the pics ripple!
 
#9 ·
Count me in too, my dealer has order several sets and each one arrives more damaged then the ones on the car now, deep damage in each set shipped...image below



Picture of the cracks



I have been dealing with this for months and months now and others have too.
 
#11 ·
My front driver fender liner is also cracked but closer to engine. It's cracked behind the wheel near the frame. I brought it into the dealer and they claim I ran over something and it caused the crack. They aren't willing to replace it either under warranty and will run me around $200 to replace. Is there a TSB about this issue?
 
#15 ·
I got the same line of BS from the service department. "It was all my fault"...(which may be true because I was stupid enough to buy another GM car).
The solution...same as always...stick a bug in their ear. I had my fenders replaced early, before the problem was widely know. Talk about the run around...I got the standard GM denial speech.
Don't put up with it. Do whatever you have to do. They don't have a clue how you drive your car so don't stand for it.
It's just more GMBS...:yesnod: -Lumix
 
#12 ·
CndnSol said:
My front driver fender liner is also cracked but closer to engine. It's cracked behind the wheel near the frame. I brought it into the dealer and they claim I ran over something and it caused the crack. They aren't willing to replace it either under warranty and will run me around $200 to replace.




Is there a TSB about this issue?
No. ......
 
#13 ·
Having said that I had not considered GM before the solstice I would like to compliment Saturn. I think they are doing an outstanding Job of revamping their line. If I did not have a sol or sky I would consider the new cars and suv the have coming out. This still would not change my view of the quality of some parts and the state of the American car industry. I think GM is doing a good job of revamping their line up but they need to pay attention to the quality of the parts coming from their vendors. I just want to see the big three regain there former stature. Saturn and Pontiac or making great strides with the new cars they are coming out with.
 
#14 ·
FYI - as a point of clarity I too would like to say while have found this whole wheel well thing to be quite frustrating it in no way takes away from the joy and excitement I get when I get behind the steering wheel. Having just driven home from work with sunny and 85 degrees I have left the frustrations of a tough week in the parking lot at work and am now ready for the weekend.... ;)
 
#17 ·
:agree: Again I could not agree more. I'm sorry to hear that some of you are having issue's with your dealer. I was lucky that my dealer has agreed to replace them. Keep after them to fix the problem if anyone out there finds a crack. ( see ripple's pics above )
 
#16 ·
Having trouble with your dealer on this issue? Just print this forum, and take it with you to your service manager to show that it is a common problem. Then ask for a meeting with the area rep. No satification, send the info to your state attourney general.
 
#18 ·
My dealer is not the issue - they have agreed they did the damage and have accepted responsibility - they have ordered three sets of front wheel wells, and each set has arrived (through the shipping process) more damaged then the ones currently on the car. They are as frustrated as I with the inability to get a replacement set that is less damaged then my current set. I suspect your dealer will have the same problem, since as noted they (GM parts) will not package or protect the pieces in the shipping process.
 
#22 ·
I mentioned I had this problem back in July of '06, but no seemed to care at the time. At least now I know I am not alone. I had both fronts replaced twice before I came up with my own solution. First I placed large washers behind each screw. The factory screw heads are way to small. Placing a large washer disperses the pressure over a larger surface area. Another thing I did was back off each screw a little bit once I got them tight. So far it has been about 10 months and I haven't had any troubles.
 
#23 ·
That's a great idea, especially for the owners who don't have any cracks yet. They will definitely crack sooner or later so this is a good idea for prevention. Even though I've had mine replaced I may do this to insure that the new ones don't crack also. -Lumix
 
#27 ·
I got what I asked for...

Here is a pic of one of the new wheel wells....:brentil: My dealer re-ordered a set and the both look the same. I've called Pontiac and I'm waiting for a response. In my opinion this totally unacceptable. GM's vendor should be able to ship a pair unscratched and wrapped to protect it. They don't seem to care do do this as both sets came in unwrapped and not in a box.
 

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#28 ·
Isn't one of the accepted definitions of Insanity: "doing the same thing over and over again and expecting different results".

How many are going to order the wheelhouse liners how many times expecting something to change?

Other threads (drive shaft corrosion appearence) have used a term, "...out of the clear vision of the final customer is acceptable", in those cases, talking about surface corrosion.

Wheelhouse liners are thought to be "out of the clear vision of the final customer". Therefore GM's chosen storage and shipping standard is unboxed.


If getting a wheelhouse in the best possible cosmetic condition is the goal, I can think of a three pronged attack. Sort of a short-medium-long term plan.

First thing I would try is to order two of the same part number wheelhouse liners on a single line parts order. There is a chance that they would be boxed together. Ordering one of each side wouldn't do it.

Second, a dealership could try contacting ParTech through GM TRACS and requesting a RFI (Request for Inspection) order and that in addition they box the part.

Lastly but the most important in the long run, the dealership should be completing a D.F.O.A.B. Issue Form found in the GM EPIC menu under the Parts Tab of GM DealerWorld. Condition and packing issues are some of the things that the Dealer Fixed Operations Advisory Board deals with regularly and reviews during their twice a year meetings.
 
#33 ·
Thanks Small Dealer for the advice on getting this issue solved. I do appreciate your help.
I just read your post yesterday.

Isn't one of the accepted definitions of Insanity: "doing the same thing over and over again and expecting different results".
-That is basically what I told the Pontiac customer service person. He wanted to call my dealership and have them reorder the part as they did before. I told him that didn't make since because you would get the same result. The customer service person agreed. He called back and told me about the RSI that you mentioned. Hopefully this will resolve the issue.

Wheelhouse liners are thought to be "out of the clear vision of the final customer". Therefore GM has chosen storage and shipping standard is unboxed.
-That is exactly my problem with GM. That solution is fine in my opinion if it's in regards to a truck, minivan or part that can't be seen; however, this is a part that can be seen when the hood is up. This car is something we all take great pride in and like to show off. Solstice owners all over are lifting up their hoods and showing off what's underneath. :leaving: Just had to say that! ;) Many people like to show their cars at local and national events. For this car the "out of clear vision of the customer" is not acceptable. I also expect this car to be repaired to the same condition as when I bought it. Some will agree with this point and some will not.

It doesn't matter whether it is a bad LSD, cup holder or wheel liner. We as a consumer should not have to request that a part be inspected before shipping and then boxed. That should happen automatically. That is my point.
 
#31 ·
Update

First - I want to thank 66cat389 for posting the Pontiac Customer service number in a different thread:
Inside the U.S.: 1-800-762-2737

Second - The Customer service person I have been talking too has been very helpful. He contacted the parts guy at my dealership and told him when ordering this part that he request
the parts are inspected. They are also going to request it be wrapped when shipped. Hopefully this will take care of the problem and I'll update everyone when the parts come in.
 
#32 ·
I assume these parts are arriving at the dealerships direct from a regional GM parts depot, which in turn has received them from the vendor (probably the same vendor as supplies them to Boxwood) It would be strange for GM to blow-mold something like this themselves. As to where the damage occurs tere are several points of contact from original vendor to GM shipment and from parts depot to dealer, whether third party , ie FedEx or UPS are involved or if it is all in GM trucks. Someone would have to show that each item is seperated from teh next by kraft paper or sheet plastic at the manufacturer and that GM is throwing away the protection when they stock their shelves. Or it could be a case of how many of these items were originally ordered by GM for replacement use and have they run through the first batch yet (maybe there was a forklift incident with the shipment either in the send or receive mode)

But each time a dealer fills out the forms SD pointed out there will be another report to add up.
 
#34 ·
I am constantly amazed at how people feel about their cars. :willy:

On my new 07 GXP the front wheel liners are cracking at the attachment points. As already mentioned elswhere, this is a problem with the choice of fastner, the torque on the fastners and the ultimate failure strength of the fender liner.

I also noticed that as soon as the car was lifted to replace the wheels the front fender liners no longer followed the contoure of the fenders, there are gaps that will collect crud and cause wear issues in the future.

Rather than go and ask the dealer to fix this, I chose to do my own repair.

I took a section of flexible plastic material and cut a strip long enough to traverse the lip of the inner fender and half an inch wide. This forms reinforcement (gasket) for the inner liner and mounting point for fastners. I taped it on with GM tape and reinstalled the factory fastners at a lower torque. I then installed additional fastners such that the distance and loading on the fastners is greatly reduced. Problem solved.

The car flexes and passes stresses on to various parts of the body. Every time you jack up a corner you will put stresses on the inner fenders. If you reinforce them and spread the load - while allowing them to continue to flex - you will be much happier with the result.

I suspect that the engineers did not do a very detailed stress analysis of the inner liners and did not forsee this being a problem.

If you don't like the way your inner fenders look, then consider doing your own treatment to them. Lots of options. Give them the custom look by using a wire brush to provide a nice even texture. Easily cleaned up. Spray them with some flexible texture coating. Heck, you could even buff them up a bit and spray them a nice color of your choice. How cool would that be?

I just dont see the value of running to the dealer with your hair on fire every time there is a problem. Half the time, in fixing the small problem they will create more (and worse) problems. The "if it aint broke, dont F with it" rule applies in my mind. Besides, where is the fun in asking them to solve an interesting but relatively trivial problem that you can solve yourself?:grouphug:
 
#35 ·
Reading this thread has helped me out in a way to approach my dealer. I have a '08 GXP that is cracking at both of the Front wheel wells just above the Slash guard.

These type of situations should not be happening and I agree that stress point calculations did not truly consider the structural flexibility of the chassis.

Will post a picture of the cracks the next good weather day and will mention the approach my CT delear is taking after discussing this thread with them over the phone.

My expectation is that GM should provide us with replacement parts that are in new condition to replace an OEM part that has failed for various design and material weeknesses.
 
#36 ·
Found TSB



Finally found the TSB for this problem:

08-08-63-002A Body-Front wheelhouse liner cracked

Got it from All-Data. One needs to subscribe to view the actual TSB. I need both mine replaced. At least I'll have some ammo when I approach my dealer.
 
#40 ·
kkoschnitzke said:
Just found this thread yesterday and sure enough, cracked wheel well on the right side, is this a recall issue as my warranty has come and gone?
No it is not a recall issue.

It is an advisory message to dealerships on a repair.

If your warranty has passed than so has your chance of getting the repair considered for coverage under the warranty.
 
#41 ·
how easy to replace the wheels wells?

I have small cracks also on both front sides of the wheel wells above the splash guards where the screw is going in. I noticed that there are many wires hooked to the wells when I opened the hood. How easy to replace them by the dealer? i am just worried that replacing them will create a bigger problem than the cracks. The other thing, do these cracks get bigger and worse if left alone?
I am just wondering if i should replace them.
Thanks.
 
#42 ·
08-08-63-002: Front Wheelhouse Liner Cracking (Replace Wheelhouse Liner and Install Push Pin Retainers) - (Aug 25, 2008)


Subject: Front Wheelhouse Liner Cracking (Replace Wheelhouse Liner and Install Push Pin Retainers)


Models: 2006-2008 Pontiac Solstice




--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Condition
Some customers may comment on cracks in the plastic wheel well.

Correction
Replace the front wheelhouse liner and install three push pins in the rear of the liner.

•Remove the front wheelhouse liner. Refer to Front Wheelhouse Liner Replacement (Turbo or Base) in SI.




•Discard the three j-clips and the 7 mm bolts in the rear of the front wheel house liner.
•Install the push pins in the rear of the front wheelhouse liner to retain the liner to the fender.
Parts Information
Part Number
Description
Qty

25914762
Liner FRT W/H Left M (GTA w/Turbo) (Solstice)
1

25914761
Liner FRT W/H Right M (GTA w/Turbo) (Solstice)
1

25914763
Liner FRT W/H Right M (EXC GTA Non-Turbo) (Solstice)
1

25914764
Liner FRT W/H Left M (EXC GTA Non-Turbo) (Solstice)
1

11569768
Retainer
3 per wheel liner
 
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