[WWI Flying Ace]

Hey Mods...how about making this a sticky? Small Dealer's Post #7 is going to be gold for a lot of people (as are most of his posts ), but will be hard to find when the thread is buried after it hasn't been added to for a while.

 

[texmacs]

Thanks, excellent and tmely information. My car has most of these symptoms, was driving me crazy. I don't remember opening the cooling system, but I guess if any air got in there t could cause it.

 

[odiaz]

Any news on the "fix" that was due in December?

 

[wspohn]

I thought I'd resurrect this to report an incident this morning on the way to work.

I leave my DIC set on temp after finding that I had an over heat situation in temperatures just above freezing while traveling at speed on the highway.

This morning, I fired up and turned the defroster on to clear the windows. As always, git good heat quite quickly. Then, part way to work, the heater (which was by then directed at my feet) suddenly started putting out cold air and the coolant temp climbed to 238 deg. quite quickly. This was probably because the thermostat had just opened, but could also be independent of that. I turned the heater off and was about to pull over, when the temp started falling again, so I once again turned the heater on full and got hot air again.

Frankly, designing a car with a defect like this is BS.

I first observed the high temp situation (though not that high the first time) with a car that was almost brand new and had never been touched as far as coolant system. When I had the high reading, I took it in on warranty to have it flushed and topped. They treated me like they were doing it to calm a panicking customer, not because there was any actual problem.

Small Dealer had indicated that there was a fix for heater involvement which is why I tried turning it off. Perhaps this fix would address my problem. Has this fix - valves? - been released and is there a bulletin one can quote to the dealer?

 

[SolsticeRacer]

Mine did it a few times, but then I kept parking it sideways on a hill and burping the system. Each time I would overfill the reservoir and let it suck back down. Now my car seems to hit and stay around 210-212 when driving it hard and 201-205 normally. This is with the heat on. I haven't owned it yet in the summer so I'm not sure what it may do when temperatures rise.

 

[BlueLion]

I just had this happen to me this last Sunday in 50degree weather in San Antonio. Temp light was on and temp went to 250 degrees ... within 15 seconds temp returned to 190 degrees and normal driving. I called the dealer and they told me they were aware of this issue and that the most likely culprit was air in the system. I believe that my issue may have been a low coolant tank, .. on quick stops the low coolant light would activate, which leads me to believe that air could have been sucked into the system. I filled it a bit more and will monitor it .... the dealer recommended I have them check it out. Which I will do on Friday morning. I agree, this should not happen when a car has only 1400 miles. If there are pending fixes I would like to hear about them.

 

[AppSt2008]

I have had the overheating issue 3 times since I have had the car. Same symptoms as everyone is describing. When I got the GMPP upgrade installed yesterday the tech saw the bulletin and asked me to wait and see if it happens again after the ECM reflash, etc. Since I believe there to be plenty of people to have the upgrade and seeing this problem as well, I don't expect to be exempt from the problem again but I will give it time until it happens again.

As far as the bulletin goes, I believe a second release valve is supposed to be installed as a fix and I had it verified that it is out and in the hands of GM dealers. I don't think it is a big issue to fix and would love to hear feedback from someone who gets this done. Problem for me is that it happens so infrequently, I could think I have it fixed and find out 4 or 5 weeks down the road that this isn't the case.

 

[wspohn]

There has been no TSB issued to cover this topic. As posted, one is expected near the end of December.

It is now March - has a TSB been issued and if so, what is the number?

 

[AppSt2008]

It is now March - has a TSB been issued and if so, what is the number?

I was told there had been, although it could have been a discrepancy.
Let me see if the tech wrote it down for me when I get home, but I do recall being told "I did see a bulletin out on this issue and..." just yesterday.
Hopefully I'm not projecting the word "bulletin" in place of something else he might have said, but I am fairly sure I'm not going crazy...

 

[cincat12]

we had it done

we were experiencing the same issues over about 6 month period, took it to the dealer with the TSB in hand. Our warranty went out a few months ago with 24,000 miles on the car. The did the TSB, and said the charges would be $380. They cut us a "deal" and charged us $90.

We told them we had experienced these overheating issues while the car was in warranty. The interesting thing was the dealer checked to see if we threw codes, and said we had not thrown any codes. I thought that was odd at best, BS at worst.

 

[AppSt2008]

Alright guys, got a hold of it.
TSB is # 10-06-02-001: Engine Over Heat/Poor Heater Performance

Hope this helps!

 

[wspohn]

Thanks very much!!

 

[SolNut]

:agree:

Steve

 

[wspohn]

I am taking mine in to the dealer next week.

With any luck this valve install and another flush and fill will fix this. That doesn't get GM out of my bad books, though. Car owners shouldn't need special tools or to be acrobats (holding tanks over their heads while burping hoses) to do simple things like topping up the coolant or making sure their cars don't over heat.

 

[AppSt2008]

I figured Canadian temps wouldn't let it overheat this time of year!:driving:

But seriously, let us know how it goes once it gets done.
How often was this occurring for you?

 

[SolNut]

Gave the Dealer Service Manager the Bulletin, he then walked it over to Parts.

When they arrive, I'll "Git-R-Done". :thumbs:

Steve

 

[AppSt2008]

Glad to hear it helped out, and with promptness on your part!
Like I commented to Wspohn, let us know how it works out for you.

How often has this been occurring for you, so we have a "BEFORE" idea prior to your fix?

 

[wspohn]

Cancel that - no parts in Canada, back ordered to Flint AND guess what each of the two little valves that look like they should be about $10-15 cost? Over $400 Can. Probably cost $1.89 in the US.

WTF? :banghead: :wtf:

BTW, the first time I had it over heat was driving at 100 kph in close to 0 deg. (Celsius) weather - in other words absolutely no environmental reason for it to haet up.

Guess I'll find out if this fix works after they stick in $800 Can. of valves in the heater (unless they come as a pair, in which case it will be 'only' $400)

 

[AppSt2008]

Cancel that - no parts in Canada, back ordered to Flint AND guess what each of the two little valves that look like they should be about $10-15 cost? Over $400 Can. Probably cost $1.89 in the US.

WTF? :banghead: :wtf:

BTW, the first time I had it over heat was driving at 100 kph in close to 0 deg. (Celsius) weather - in other words absolutely no environmental reason for it to haet up.

Guess I'll find out if this fix works after they stick in $800 Can. of valves in the heater (unless they come as a pair, in which case it will be 'only' $400)

But you don't have to foot the bill for this, correct?
If there is anyway I can help out, which I doubt, let me know.

 

[TomatoSoup]

Cancel that - no parts in Canada, back ordered to Flint AND guess what each of the two little valves that look like they should be about $10-15 cost? Over $400 Can. Probably cost $1.89 in the US.

Looked them up on GMpartsdirect, not so much cheaper in US. Wow!...

GM PART # 20876185
CATEGORY: Engine Air Cooling Control Valve
PACK QTY: 1
CORE CHARGE: $0.00
GM LIST: $201.08