NHTSA Complaint #11281651 — 2012 CHEVROLET CRUZE

TRANSMISSION WENT OUT AT 46,942 MILES IN 2012 CHEVROLET CRUZE ON 10/14/19. I WAS ON MY WAY HOME FROM WORK AT NIGHT. LUCKILY I WAS ON A SMALL, EMPTY ROAD IN TOWN CLOSE TO HOME. THE ENGINE REVVED BUT WOULD NOT UP SHIFT. I PULLED OVER AND SHUT THE CAR OFF HOPING IT MIGHT BE A COMPUTER ISSUE. WHEN I TURNED IT BACK ON, THE SHIFTER MOVED BUT THE TRANSMISSION WOULD NOT SHIFT OUT OF PARK. TOWED IT TO MY DEALER, WERE IT HAS ALWAYS BEEN SERVICED. THE CAUSE WAS A WAVE PLATE FAILURE; GEARS 3-5-R WERE LOST. DECIDED TO REPLACE THE TRANSMISSION WITH A NEW ONE TO THE TUNE OF $4,500. CONTACTED GM/CHEVROLET. WAS TOLD THAT THERE WAS NOTHING THAT COULD BE DONE AS FAR AS FINANCIAL ASSISTANCE GOES. THE CAR WAS OUT OF THE 5-YEAR/100,000 WARRANTY PERIOD. I HAD JUST FINISHED PAYING IT OFF. THIS CAR HAS LESS THAN 50,000 MILES, AND IS CONSERVATIVELY DRIVEN. THE ORIGINAL BRAKE PADS STILL HAVE HALF THEIR LIFE LEFT. IT IS A PROBLEM WHEN A MODERN CAR CAN NOT GET TO 50,000 BEFORE A CATASTROPHIC FAILURE LIKE THIS HAPPENS. I SENT GM CORPORATE A LETTER OF COMPLAINT ASKING THEM TO INVESTIGATE THE OLD TRANSMISSION. CONSUMERS SHOULD NOT HAVE TO PAY THE PRICE OF A SHODDY PRODUCT. WHAT HAPPENS WHEN THIS CAUSES SERIOUS ISSUES? I WAS GIVEN A $100 VOUCHER FOR FUTURE REPAIRS OR SERVICES FOR MY TROUBLE. THAT WAS A KINDNESS FROM A CUSTOMER SERVICE STANDPOINT, BUT NOT ON A CORPORATE LEVEL. I WANTED MY ISSUE TO BE HEARD BY THE BOSSES, BUT LIKE ANY BIG COMPANY IT GOES UNHEARD AND DISREGARDED. PEOPLE NEED TO SPEAK OUT AGAINST BIG COMPANIES. I UNDERSTAND SOMETIMES THINGS BREAK, BUT NOT WHEN THE MACHINE IS TAKEN CARE OF. FLUKES DON'T HAPPEN CONSISTENTLY, AND THIS IS A CONSISTENT PROBLEM WITH THESE DRIVE TRAINS. I WAS GOING TO KEEP THE CAR ANYWAY AND GET A NEWER ONE IN THE SPRING. NOT NOW. NOW I HAVE TO PAY ON IT FOR ANOTHER YEAR. I HOPE THIS DOES SOME GOOD IF JUST TO GIVE PEOPLE A WARNING.