NHTSA Complaint #11278890 — 2011 CHEVROLET TRAVERSE

2011 CHEVY TRAVERSE IN GREAT CONDITION. ENGINE STARED MISSING AND ROUGHLY IDLING OCCASIONALLY.CHECK ENGINE LIGHT CAME ON JUST SHORT OF 119000 MILES. AUTO PARTS STORE REPORTED DIAGNOSTIC CODE: P008. GOOGLED P008 AND MESSAGE BOARDS STATED GM HAS AN EXTENDED WARRANTY PROGRAM FOR THIS PROBLEM. WENT TO THE LOCAL CHEVY DEALER, ASKED ABOUT THE COVERAGE UP TO 120,000 MILES SINCE I WAS ALMOST UP TO 120,000 MILES. PROVIDED THE VIN & THE DEALER SAID THAT MY VEHICLE DOES NOT QUALIFY FOR REPAIRS UNDER THE PROGRAM & RECOMMENDED SCHEDULING SERVICE TO HAVE IT FIXED AT MY EXPENSE. ANOTHER OPTION WAS TO TAKE MY CHANCES. HE ADVISED KEEPING OIL LEVEL HIGH & CLEAN TO EXTEND POSSIBLE LIFE OF THE ENGINE & TIMING CHAIN. SERVICE REP SAID THAT HE SEES THIS PROBLEM ON A FAIRLY-REGULAR BASIS, ABOUT 2-4 TIMES PER MONTH. A CRITICAL FAILURE RATE OF THAT FOR JUST ONE DEALER IS WAY TOO HIGH! GM SHOULD EXTEND THE COVERAGE, ESPECIALLY WHEN THIS IS A KNOWN ISSUE! DAYS LATER I DECIDED I DIDN'T WANT TO RE-EXPERIENCE MY 2001 SATURN TIMING CHAIN FAILED AT 67,000 MILES WHILE DRIVING 70 MPH, NEARLY CAUSED AN ACCIDENT ON THE FREEWAY. HAD TO REPLACE THE ENGINE WITH A RE-MANUFACTURED ENGINE FOR APPROXIMATELY $3,000.00. DUE TO FATALITIES RESULTING FROM THE TIMING CHAIN FAILURES, SATURN/GM FINALLY DECIDED TO RECALL THE AFFECTED VEHICLES OR REIMBURSE FOR REPLACEMENT ENGINES. I HAD REPLACED THE ENGINE AT MY OWN EXPENSE, SO I WAS LATER REIMBURSED ~$2,500.00 BY SATURN (GM). WITH THIS IN MIND, I SCHEDULED SERVICE FOR MY 2011 TRAVERSE ABOUT A WEEK LATER AT THE GM DEALER. IT REQUIRED PULLING THE ENGINE, METAL SHAVINGS CLEANED OUT OF ENGINE, GUIDES, TENSIONERS, AND TIMING CHAIN REPLACED. COST 2 DAYS LABOR AND PARTS $2924.87. GM SHOULD EXTEND COVERING DIAGNOSED P008 FAULT REPAIRS, OR AT THE VERY LEAST, OFFER AN AFTER-FAILURE REIMBURSEMENT FOR REPAIRS/REPLACEMENT DUE TO FAULTY/STRETCHED TIMING CHAINS ON THEIR ENGINES.