NHTSA Complaint #10198340 — 2006 CHEVROLET CORVETTE

TOOK THE CAR IN FOR AN OIL CHANGE AND WHEN I PICKED IT UP, THEY ADDED 2 QUARTS OF TRANSMISSION FLUID TO THE CAR. DIDN'T THINK MUCH OF IT AND LEFT. 5000 MILES LATER, WHILE ENTERING THE FREEWAY, THE ENGINE LIGHT CAME ON AND THE CAR STALLED. WENT FROM 45 MPH DOWN TO 5-10 MPH, THE STEERING WHEEL LOCKED AND I WAS ABOUT 3 SECONDS AWAY FROM BEING REAR ENDED BY AN 18 WHEELER. THE CAR WAS TOWED TO THE DEALER AND I ADVISED THEM TO CALL ME WITH THE DIAGNOSIS. THEY CALLED AND SAID MY TRANSMISSION SOLENOID WAS DEFECTIVE AND NEEDED TO BE CHANGE. I THOUGHT ABOUT THE 2 QUARTS OF FLUID AND THOUGHT TO MYSELF, WHY WAS IT LOW AND DID THIS CAUSE THE BREAKDOWN? I CALLED AND TOLD THEM NOT TO TOUCH THE CAR UNTIL I WAS PRESENT. WENT TO DEALER, THE 32 YEAR EXPERIENCED TRANSMISSION SPECIALIST CHECKED THE LEVEL OF FLUID AND "OH MY GOD, IT IS VERY LOW AGAIN". I HAD THEIR SERVICE MANAGER COME AND TOLD HIM I WANTED A GM REP TO INSPECT MY CAR BEFORE ANY REPAIRS WHERE DONE TO IT AND THAT HE DID NOT HAVE MY CONSENT TO REPAIR THE VEHICLE. 8 DAYS LATER THE SERVICE MANAGER CALLS AND SAYS "I FIXED YOUR CAR, THE FLUID WAS NEVER LOW AND COME PICK UP YOUR CAR OR I WILL CHARGE YOU STORAGE AND RENTAL IF YOU DON'T". I CALLED GM AND THEM TALK TO THIS GUY AND BEG HIM TO LEAVE THE CAR AT THE DEALERSHIP UNTIL A REP WAS AVAILABLE, AND HE SAID " NO WAY, I WANT THIS CAR OUT OF HERE. SO I GO TO PICK UP THE CAR AND NOTICED THE REPAIR INVOICE DID NOT INDICATE THE FLUID WAS LOW AND I ASKED HIM TO FIX IT AND HE REFUSED AND SAID THE 32 YEAR GM TRANSMISSION SPECIALIST MADE A MISTAKE AND NEEDED TO CHECK THE MANUAL ON HOW TO CHECK THE FLUID LEVEL. HE THEN OFFERED ME AND EXTENDED WARRANTY AND AGREED TO SAY ON THE INVOICE THAT THE FLUID LEVEL WAS LOW. TO DATE NO ONE CAN TELL ME WHY THE FLUID WAS LOW THE FIRST TIME OR THE SECOND TIME. THE DEALERS ONLY EXPLANATION IS THAT THE CAR CAME FROM THE MANUFACTURER MISSING 2 QUARTS OF TRANSMISSION FLUID. CONTACTED GM AND BBB AND JUST WENT TO ARBITRATION AND WAITING FOR VERDICT. *JB