I FINALLY GOT MY H3 BACK! WOOHOO! - Page 2

I think so too IK.  Here's another quote from TopSpeed.com:
 
The system is augmented with features such as traction control, underbody shielding, an optional rear locking differential and StabiliTrak stability control with the automatic transmission.
 
 

  My '07 5-speed has stabili-trac (or however it's spelled).  I know because I had a message that it had failed a few days after getting it. I just un-plugged the battery for a minute and it has never come back on. When I turn off the traction control (to play in the snow) it scroles "stability system disabled" across the info screen until I turn the car off or turn the system back on.
  If you still have problems and keep your Hummer, maybe you'll get lucky and they will loan you the next generation Impala... they (the SS) are going to be on a Holden platform and have huge flared fenders and an LS-2 motor. There is a pre-production one at American Axle right now and it looks pretty sweet!

OK Guys.  I try very hard not to be a cynic, so I want your honest opinions.  Here is the verdict:
 
1) The reason why the brakes are so soft in the morning is because the cold weather is making the fuild contract which is leaving some space in the brake lines causing the pedal to go down far the first time you press them.  They checked the entire system for leaks, including the Master Cylinder seal/ring (whatever they called it) and said everything is fine.  They said the brake pads are barely half worn so they are ok. 
 
2) They could not get the surpentine belt to squeek at all, but checked the power steering motor, belt tensioner and Alternator for loose bolts and/or misalignment.  They said everything is fine, but to keep an eye on it.
 
-  side note: He said there is a known issue with the Power Steering pully being mis-aligned on the H3's causing the belt to squeek, but it was OK in mine.
 
3) The reason why the car is jerking or bouncing back and forth while laying off the gas is because as the car gets worn in (I have 30,000 miles on mine), the gears in the manual transmission and differential wears a little, causing more slack or space with the gearing.  They said they checked both differentials, the transmission, cv joints, drive shafts, everything for loose bolts and leaky gaskets, and couldn't find anything.  He said they tightened up everything but for the most part everything was in great shape.  He also said they know what I'm talking about and feel it but it's just a part of the H3 that changes over time and it shouldn't get any worse then what it is now, and it's within the specifications of what it's supposed to do.  That makes sense.
 
I told him all of my issues were newer issues and I wanted to make sure nothing was broken or going to break.  He said everything is in perfect shape and I have nothing to worry about.
 
SO, the end of the story, or just the beginning.................... 
 
They did a VERY thorough job though, so I'll probably be taking it to them again, but most likely my buddies at the Indiana dealer (which isn't that far from me).
 
What do you guys think?

1) B.S.

2) & 3) If they actually did what they told you then there really isn't anything you can do about them but keep and eye and ear out incase it get's worse. Keep all of the documentation they give you on this stuff. I only say that for when it comes out of warranty and you have these issues again you can whip out the paperwork and give GM a call. :)

quote:

ORIGINAL: Scottrod

My '07 5-speed has stabili-trac (or however it's spelled).  I know because I had a message that it had failed a few days after getting it. I just un-plugged the battery for a minute and it has never come back on. When I turn off the traction control (to play in the snow) it scroles "stability system disabled" across the info screen until I turn the car off or turn the system back on.
If you still have problems and keep your Hummer, maybe you'll get lucky and they will loan you the next generation Impala... they (the SS) are going to be on a Holden platform and have huge flared fenders and an LS-2 motor. There is a pre-production one at American Axle right now and it looks pretty sweet!

 
Another fellow Manual Transmission owner.  WELCOME TO MY THREAD

The V6 LS I have is already too fast.  That thing's tires slip easily.  I can only imagine how fast the LS2 version is.  That's sweet!

quote:

ORIGINAL: HummerMike

1) B.S.

2) & 3) If they actually did what they told you then there really isn't anything you can do about them but keep and eye and ear out incase it get's worse. Keep all of the documentation they give you on this stuff. I only say that for when it comes out of warranty and you have these issues again you can whip out the paperwork and give GM a call. :)

 
What is the lemon law again? 3 times and your out? This is number 2 already

Actually, you NEED to call BS on the brake thing! I just re-read what you posted. There should be NO SPACE AT ALL in the brake lines! It should be solid fluid throughout the entire system or you could have serious brake failure! Just like when you get air in the lines after doing a brake job.

Mike, call them back and ask them to explain why they wouldn't take corrective action on this!!!

Ok, I'm back again. My H3 has been sitting in my driveway COLD since yesterday. Fired it up and the brakes are fine. No spongy at all and we live under 50 miles from each other so both of our trucks experience the same conditions. I would think the very least they could do is flush your brake lines with fresh fluid and see if that eliminates the problem. If not, you need a master cylinder.

I think it's bullsh!t Mike!
 
If that was the case with the brakes, every vehicle up north in the winter would have this problem!  That is one of the worst excuses I've heard from the dealer.
 
They should have put a new belt on. Even if that's not the problem, they should show you that they are trying to fix it.
 
You bought a new vehicle with a warranty that should keep it running as new.  The dealer telling you that you have to deal with it is crap!  Didn't do it when you got it - should not do it now!!
 
Damn,  now you got me pissed off

Yeah....not to add fuel to the fire, but the brake thing definately sounds like total BULLCHIT!

Well, here's what I'm going to do:
 
I'm going to drain the brake fluid myself (at least what's in the fluid compartment) and fill it with synthetic DOT 3/4.  We'll see what happens. 
 
I should correct myself, they didn't say SPACE in the brake lines, but that's basically what they were trying to say I think.  They said the fluid was probably contracting causing less tensions in the lines and making the first press of the brake pedal soft.
 
If you are saying yours doesn't do that (and ours are pretty much identical) then if it keeps happening after I change the fluid (which I doubt will do anything) I'll bring it back to your guys. 
 
Just remember, Schepel couldn't find anything wrong with the drivetrain either.  I guess with the wearing in of the parts, combined with the fact that the PCM now idles down the engine 50% faster then it used to, that combination could cause what I feel.  It's definitely not in my head though, since other people comment on it.  Maybe I just unlocked a monster with that PCM tune   I wonder what would happen if I put the exhaust system on there lol.  I'd probably drop the differential on the ground!

Hi there,
 
I had a similar problem with the pedal going to the floor.  The dealer said it was air in the system and they had to back-bleed and pressurize the system to remove the air.  I actually reported this to Transport Canada up here and they ended-up calling the dealership as they didn't buy the story and I've been asked to report another occurance to them if it happens to my vehicle again.  I've noticed that there seems to be a few threads on here about this.
 
As to the sqeaking belt, my dealer had to replace the serpentine belt in order to get rid of the squeek.  They were aware of a problem on that one.  Seems you and I share some of the same problems.  I have an auto.  I've actually been waiting 12 days for parts for my transfer case as they seem to not be available so the truck is at the dealer waiting for whenever.

So your H3 has been at the dealer for 12 days now and they haven't even received the differential parts yet? Now I don't feel so bad (actually I do for you).  Well, I'll deal with it one step at a time.  The dealer that sponsors are Hummer Club will take it back if I take it in.  You just get sick of all this, over and over and over again.  Then people wonder why everybody buys Imports!  THIS IS WHY!

BUT, I will still stand by my baby, because like a beautiful women, no matter how much they treat you like crap, it still feels really good everytime you get inside  (Dennis and SugarDaddy have taught me well)
 
Stang: I'm getting really tired of this.  I loose alot of time and money having to leave work early, drive, come back, it's driving me nuts monitarily and physically.  The only dealer that has Saturday service is the only o ne I'm going back to from now on, and that's our club dealer.  I'm tired of this already. 

First out .. oh brudder .. I could've done without that last comment LOL!!!
 
Second out I'm gunna add fuel to the fire .. brake issue .. BULLSH!T!!!!!!!!!!!!!!  The other issues .. if that is supposedly a "normal" thing as a result of wearing in .. why don't we have 123897469123 other members on here having the same problem!?  I realize not all cars will act the same way 30K down the road but certainly out of ALL our H3 owners on here, there has to be SOMEONE who would experience this supposedly not so out of the norm issue ...
 
I'd go to their showrun and start screaming infront of potential customers .. I bet things will start moving real quick after that ... or you get yourself arrested ... LOL!

So, they pull my H3 up for me to take it, and guess what? SQUEEK SQUEEK SQUEEK SQUEEK SQUEEK!
 
YUP! The belt was squeeking lol.  I told the guy "Hey, you hear that, THAT is what I was talking about"
 
they guy says "I'll be damned, you know how hard we tried to get it to make that noise?"
 
So, it turns out it IS the tensioner pully.  The other service girl said they just replaced one yesterday, same problem.  She says, oh yeah thats the tensioner.
 
So, ONE problem solved.  It won't be here til at least Friday, so I may have the Impala til next week lol.
 
Anyway, about the brakes, he said this new brake system, power-assisted hydrolic brakes, has  tendancy to react that way.  I told him how nobody else has the problem, but he said he has actually had a few people in because of it, mostly higher miles like mine.  He also said he's talked to the GM engineers about it in the past and they even told him it's kinda a small bug which always goes away after the first press, and usually when it's below 25 degrees or so.  That's why most people don't see it because there aren't alot of H3's out there where the pads are worn down.  He said he's only seen a few with my miles on it.  NOW, I do'nt know if he's right, but he honestly seems like a really straight guy.  I was talkin to him about everything and you know how you can just read people and tell if they are BS'ing, he wasn't. 
 
So, he said he's almost positive I won't have any brake problems after the weather warms up.  It did start happening when the temps dropped so maybe he's right.  I never heard of power-assisted hydrolic breaks or whatever.  I thought ALL brakes were power-assisted hydrolic brakes lol.  AM I WRONG HERE? I forgot what he said, eithe rthat or Semi-Hydrolic something or other.
 
Anyway, at least 1 of the 3 thigns will be taken care of.   The brakes seemed ALOT stiffer when I picked it up, but too bad I didnt get to take it home lol.  Maybe whatever they did fixed it. 
 
they guy said he ran the entire service department for almost 3 years on his own, and it's a pretty big size dealership.  Anyway, the reaction he got when he heard that noise told me he definitely was working on that thing today.
 
So anyway, we shall see what happens.  ALWAYS ME lol

Damn Mike, If you didn't have BAD LUCK, you'd have NO LUCK AT ALL!!!
 
All the best!!!

quote:

ORIGINAL: HummBob

Damn Mike, If you didn't have BAD LUCK, you'd have NO LUCK AT ALL!!!

All the best!!!

 
Yeah, tell me about it Master

screw you and your little this is why people buy import comment first of all
Amazingly all import car brand have sevice centers that are as busy as any gm service center....so .
 
As far as your problems, the problems you are having are caused more by a chitty dealer than they are by a chitty product. The belt squeek is a biatch, I have been in that techs shoes many times and it sucks trying to duplicate a noise that the customer complains about. If I were him I would have replaced the belt so that it at least looked like I did something for you, then if it still made noise the next step would be checking for bad idlers.
 
The breaking in clutch causing the front end to lunge is something new to me, never heard that one before. Is the clutch just grabbing higher than it used too? So that you get on the gas same as before but the clutch is grabbing a few inches higher so you kinda rev the motor more than you used to before the clutch grabs? Then once the clutch does grab, the truck kinda lurches? Could that be what you are feeling, if so then it may be time for a new clutch.
 
Brakes, did they check the power assist system? Could be the assist system is failing and you still have brakes but manual? Air just doesn't enter the brake system, a brake failure due to air in the lines would happen rather quickly after taking it off the lot. I would have tehm check the power assist system and concentrate on that rather than air in the lines.
 
just my .02

I was just joking about the Import joke
 
The clutch issue isn't really a clutch issue, it's when you let up off the gas or give it gas while it's already engaged.  The pressing of the clutch isn't what causes it, its when you are in stop and go traffic.  It usted ot be almost as smooth at an automatic when you let up on the gas, now it just kinda jerks back and forth a couple of times, almost like a newbie learning stick.
 
The belt thing I know is a pain in the a$$ to troubleshoot.  It can be caused by many different things, but you are right, they should have at least spent the 10 bux to replace the belt.  Turns out it was that tensioner. 
 
He said they checked the entire brake system and ran a computer diagnostics on it.  So that was ok.  They checked for leaks also in all the brake lines and calipers and nothing. I never lost any fluid anyway, other then what was lost from the pads wearing out.
 
I appreciate the feedback.  That's why i post on here  (damn imports)

so the lurching thing is when you are in stop ang go traffic when you let up on the clutch and it acts as if your a beginning driver.....could it be that your idle is just set too damn low with your pcm tune? What you are describing seems to me like it's turning enough r's for the gear it's in when you are off the gas. Just a suggestion.

Nope, not exactly

The clutch is already engaged, I'm driving down the street doing oh say, 40 or so, I let up on the gas, and it jerks a little, press the gas again, and it jersk again, but not like a normal stick.  This is pretty noticable, and you can hear the gears a little in the differential going ZZ ZZ ZZ everytime it jerks.  I never even touch the clutch.  The PCM thing did come to mind, that maybe because the engine is idling down so fast now compared to what it was before, that process is causing it to totally stop the gas injection therefore using the engine as a brake.  BUT, it was fine even after the tune, but started acting up when I took a turn into a parkin ggarage with 4x4 locked, and tried to disengage it wihile turning after i had stopped.  A wierd smell was coming out of it then :)

ahhhh gotcha!! Hard to diagnose a feeling over the internet
 
BTW...if stop and go traffic to you is 40 mph...never come to NJ

lol no way, stop and go traffic around her is 0, 10, 0, 10, 50, 0, 10, all within 5 seconds.  I was just using the 40 thing as an example.

Better research the Lemon Law Mikey...I believe it is 3 times for the SAME repair and REPLACEMENT of SAME part(s)

My '07 5-speed only has 2800 miles, but I will see if I can get it to do anything like you are saying with the jerking while slowing and starting. That sounds to me like worn u-joints or something in the driveshafts. I don't know what transfer case the H3's use, maybe his talk of wear in the case gears will turn into a recall? Then you will have another trip to the dealer to look forward to! Good luck with all of this!