NHTSA Complaint #10887856 — 2008 BUICK ENCLAVE

THE BUICK DEALER IS SAYING THE TIMING CHAIN(S) IS SLIPPING AND NEEDS REPLACEMENT AND THAT THE HEADS AND OR CAMS MAY ALSO REQUIRE REPLACEMENT. THE VEHICLE WENT INTO THE SHOP BECAUSE THE 2ND AND 5TH GEAR WAS NOT ENGAGING PROPERLY, THERE IS HESITATION IN THE TRANSMISSION/ENGINE. THE VEHICLE HAS 94,710 MILES. THE POWERTRAIN WARRANTY IS 5 YEARS OR 100,000 MILES. GM ISSUED AN EXTENDED WARRANTIES OF 10 YEARS AND 120,000 MILES FOR BOTH TRANSMISSION CLUTCH WAVE PLATE (3/5/R) AND FOR TIMING CHAIN SLIPPAGE. SO THEY ACKNOWLEDGE THEY HAVE THESE PROBLEMS WITH THE MATERIAL USED AND OR ENGINES. MY CONCERN IS THAT FOR THE TIMING CHAIN EXTENDED WARRANTY GM SKIPPED THE BUICK ENCLAVE 2008 YEAR MODEL AND COVER ONLY THE 2007 & 2009 YEAR MODELS AND THEY DO NOT WANT TO EXTEND THE COVERAGE TO COVER MY TIMING CHAIN REPLACEMENT. THIS IS NOT A NORMAL ROUTINE SERVICE ITEM PER THEIR BUICK ENCLAVE USER MANUAL. TIMING CHAIN SHOULD BE COVERED UNDER THE POWERTRAIN WARRANTY. I SHOULD NOT HAVE TO PAY FOR REPLACING THE TIMING CHAIN ON A VEHICLE WITH UNDER 100,000 MILES BECAUSE GM USED POORLY MANUFACTURED CHAINS. USUALLY METAL TIMING CHAINS LAST WELL BEYOND 100,000 MILES. I'VE NEVER REPLACED A CHAIN ON ANY OF MY VEHICLES PAST OR PRESENT. THIS IS A KNOWN DEFECT WITH THE GM TIMING CHAINS WHICH SHOULD BE COVERED. IF THE TIMING CHAINS BREAKS IT WILL CAUSE TREMENDOUS DAMAGE AND MAY CAUSE ME TO GET INTO A CATASTROPHIC ACCIDENT. THE DIAGNOSTIC CODES PROVIDED BY THE DEALER ARE AS FOLLOWS: P0011 INTAKE CMP B1 P0391 EXHAUST CMP B2 P0366 EXHAUST CMP B1 CHAINS NOISY DIAG DOC 08-06-01-011K REPAIR COST RANGE: $2,577 + TAX TO $5,231 +TAX DEPENDING ON WHETHER HEADS AND OR CAMS REQUIRE REPLACEMENT.