The head issue is a localized one. The ones in our shop were all built around the same time. The all have problems with the guides giving out and the valves not sealing. It wasn't a big problem on the colorado/canyon and for months not one on the H3. It is a bad shipment of heads to the factory. The reason it takes so long is that GM doesn't sell the heads assembled. The parts dept. has to order all of the parts seperately, which takes about one and a half to two weeks to get in. Then they have to assemble the head themselves. The job is listed with 22 hours of labor. It's not like swapping the head on a small block.

 

Hi All,

New member here. I got my H3 at the end of January (Dobles also) and today it went in for the dreaded head replacement. They say it will take two weeks.

I can't help worrying about the reliability after the engine has been apart. Who did you talk to about the warranty?

-Alan

 

Hi I talked to GM customer care. As i said previously I got the extended warranty and a 24,000 service plan. Good luck, Have mine back for a couple of weeks now with no issues. Only time will tell. But it least it'll be GM's problem.

 

Thanks. I will defintiely give GM a call, if only for the peace of mind.

Keep us updated on the repair too.

-Alan

 

FYI,

I did some calling around...And my local dealer to date has had not a single H3s with Engine issues of any kind come in..The dealer I bought mine from in Arkansas...Has had two come in with the Valve/head problem since they have been selling H3s...The service manager there, estimates they've sold over 1500 H3s since last year, and they have only the two come in with the head problem. They replaced the whole head with new valves and everything..And they have not had any return issues with them since....The problem with the valves on those two, showed up at around 8000 miles on one and 15,000 miles on the other and said you will know if it happens...It starts running rougher than a cob and misses, etc.

 

That's what happened to mine. Only it started around 4000 miles. Began to run a bit rough, got a little worse, and then the engine light came on. I'm glad to hear the fix is reliable.

I guess I'm one out of 1500 -- why can't I get that luck when I play the lottery?

-Alan

 

I was at the dealer today and ask whats going on they had 17 come in with this problem the drilled to deep so the valve don't sit right but once they fix it it a done deal. hopefully it's the newer models sorry

 

I have the exact same issue and my H3 is in the shop as we speak. It has taken 2 weeks to get it done. Worse yet, the dealer's own shop didn't have the right tools or parts and had to order both! New tools! Can you believe it? Then they told me that this was the first one they had ever worked-on with this problem for an H3. They had never had training on this anywhere? They went on to say that they were sending them to Chevy dealers before to fix but the jobs were not getting done right. I can understand a quality issue arising on the cyclinder with a misfire but the lack of tools, parts, or training is really inexcusable. Maybe this is why GM is going under. As of 4 p.m. this afternoon I am told that the engine is back together but that they have one bolt on order that is holding this up. I have forgotten how to drive my H3 and vaguely remember what it looks like!

 

I hope they provided you with a loaner all this time...

Unfortunately you got one of the few bad ones..Can you tell us at what mileage this began at?...Make sure to insist on an extended warranty for the engine, some have gotten that.

Once agin, today I was talking with my dealer's service guy here in OKC (we became good friends as a result of owning a Land Rover)..So anyway he said his delaership has sold over 1200 H3 since the beginning...NOT ONE has showed back up for this problem (yet)..He said the only problems they've seen, are a few of the cracked roof rails and wind noise and rattles and TPM sensor problems with main Module..relacement fixes that...so that ain't a bad set of statistics..He jokingly accused me for jinxing the place maybe with my questions about the head/valve issue...Hope not.[]

 

No engine problems here, just pulled a 4500 lb trailer from kansas, h3 ran so smooth didnt know i was pulling a trailer