Transmission not available

[Lance Oviatt]

My 2016 Encore has been at the dealer for over two months awaiting a new transmission. I have also contacted GM and they have no estimated delivery date for a new transmission. Beware, if you need replacement parts you may be without a vehicle for an extremely long time.

 

[Zeroboostbuick]

I am very sorry for your situation. Send a email to the head office if possible. This is not right.
I hope they gave you a loaner car for the time being.

 

[MelsRegal]

isnt there a time limit beyond which the Lemon Laws may come into play?

 

[Lance Oviatt]

I called the corporate Lemon Law phone number on July 11th and was told I would hear from a senior adviser within the next two days. After not hearing anything I called again today the 17th of July and was transferred to an automated voicemail. Not looking promising. Hard to believe a transmission for a two year old vehicle is not available and they will not communicate. I guess it may be time to visit with a lawyer and definitely start a social media campaign to warn people against buying an Encore.

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[adamcar]

I called the corporate Lemon Law phone number on July 11th and was told I would hear from a senior adviser within the next two days. After not hearing anything I called again today the 17th of July and was transferred to an automated voicemail. Not looking promising. Hard to believe a transmission for a two year old vehicle is not available and they will not communicate. I guess it may be time to visit with a lawyer and definitely start a social media campaign to warn people against buying an Encore.

One transmission failure out of 456,967 sold in USA through June 2019 is not enough to "start a social media campaign to warn people against buying an Encore". What does your dealer tell you?

 

[DocBrown]

One transmission failure out of 456,967 sold in USA through June 2019 is not enough to "start a social media campaign to warn people against buying an Encore". What does your dealer tell you?

I'm curious about that too. Why does it need a transmission? They aren't known for failing transmissions, ion fact there are very few issues with Encores.

 

[KevinJ]

Interesting that it needs an actual transmission replacement and not just a rebuild.
Maybe the dealership does not do rebuilds, just swaps entire part? Or maybe parts for a rebuild are also not available?

True, these transmissions are not known for failure, but a bad part or component can slip thru.
Also, we don't know how many miles or how the vehicle was driven/used. Hard use, a lot of start/stops, heavy loads, towing?

Regardless, it should still be disconcerting that a dealership cannot get a replacement transmission in less than 2 months. For myself, I would have been having a real serious discussion with the dealership when week 2 came around. At 3 weeks my patience would have probably ran out. Really, any wait longer than longer than a week or 2 to get an OEM part for a widely available vehicle, SHOULD be unacceptable. It's not like your trying to get a transmission for a Ferrari or a Lambo.

 

[Zeroboostbuick]

That would piss me off too. It's obvious this dealer is very bad and doesn't care about the customers. You can write a email to head office and tell them your experience. I think they might want to hear about it.

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[Lance Oviatt]

One transmission failure out of 456,967 sold in USA through June 2019 is not enough to "start a social media campaign to warn people against buying an Encore". What does your dealer tell you?

Both the dealer and GM corporate say there are no transmissions available and they do not have any estimated date when any will be available. It is appalling that a company would sell a vehicle and not have replacement parts available. It has been over two months now and they cannot say when or if ever they will have a replacement part available.

When I first purchased the vehicle I hit a deer and it took them a month to get a replacement part for the seat belt and I was without use of the vehicle for a month then and now over two months and counting for a replacement transmission Yes, I think people should be very hesitant to purchase a vehicle that the manufacturer cannot provide replacement parts for.

 

[Lance Oviatt]

Interesting that it needs an actual transmission replacement and not just a rebuild.
Maybe the dealership does not do rebuilds, just swaps entire part? Or maybe parts for a rebuild are also not available?

True, these transmissions are not known for failure, but a bad part or component can slip thru.
Also, we don't know how many miles or how the vehicle was driven/used. Hard use, a lot of start/stops, heavy loads, towing?

Regardless, it should still be disconcerting that a dealership cannot get a replacement transmission in less than 2 months. For myself, I would have been having a real serious discussion with the dealership when week 2 came around. At 3 weeks my patience would have probably ran out. Really, any wait longer than longer than a week or 2 to get an OEM part for a widely available vehicle, SHOULD be unacceptable. It's not like your trying to get a transmission for a Ferrari or a Lambo.

The vehicle is used exclusively for highway driving with very few start/stops and absolutely no towing whatsoever. It's a commuter vehicle, 70 miles one way to work and back each day. I am in Wyoming so very little traffic and very easy on a transmission. My last commuter car went 350,000 miles with only a clutch replacement and routine maintenance.

 

[Zeroboostbuick]

There must be something else that can be done because this situation should never happen. I think in Canada manufacturers can't sell a vehicle until replacement parts are available and a certain % of assembly parts have to be assigned as replacement parts.

 

[2007LucerneCXL]

Attached is the Wyoming Lemon Law. Lance I'm not sure if you had a chance to review this, but it may help in what actions are available. Because of the origin of the vehicle that also may have added to the lengthy delay, I'm not defending GM, but if you know all the criteria it may help in getting to the right people who do know what's really going on, good luck on getting this resolved soon.

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[Lance Oviatt]

Attached is the Wyoming Lemon Law. Lance I'm not sure if you had a chance to review this, but it may help in what actions are available. Because of the origin of the vehicle that also may have added to the lengthy delay, I'm not defending GM, but if you know all the criteria it may help in getting to the right people who do know what's really going on, good luck on getting this resolved soon.

Thanks, this has been really frustrating. So far out of two years of owning this vehicle it has been in the shop over three months because of parts unavailability. Really hard to believe.

 

[Lance Oviatt]

Three months now and still no transmission. I'm in the process of filing a complaint with the Better Business Bureau.

 

[KevinJ]

Hey Lance,

Thanks for keeping us updated. I really am in total disbelief that you are still waiting for a transmission.
Flat out unacceptable. Not sure how much good the BBB will do but I guess it can't hurt.
You mentioned contacting an attorney in an earlier email.... Not sure what avenue they would recommend or that it would even be cost effective to do that, but a 1/2 hour conversation with one couldn't hurt.

Good Luck!!!

 

[adamcar]

I inquired with my dealer parts department and they can not get an OEM windshield. Crazy!

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[Lance Oviatt]

Well, here's the latest. I've been waiting since the end of April for a new transmission, it's now almost September and they still have no estimated date when they will get one. I have been paying insurance on a car that's been sitting at the dealer for over four months that is undrivable. GM offered me $2500 towards the purchase of a new vehicle and since mine is dead I received a fairly low ball offer on a trade so I would be out of pocket somewhere around ten grand to replace it. Beware buying an Encore, they can't get parts and GM is about as helpful as... $2500 is an insult for what I've been through.

 

[2007LucerneCXL]

Well apparently GM doesn't know it has a new part distribution center that will be taking care of these problems. Then again it may be only US made cars GM was talking about full parts support LOL.

GM opens $65 million processing center in Burton

 

[KevinJ]

I would be contacting an attorney to see about placing a lawsuit against the dealership.
At the end of the day, they are the ones that should be fixing your car and have been holding it "hostage".
Sue for damages caused by loss of vehicle use, and actual costs incurred such as vehicle rental fees, and for the vehicle insurance. You might not get the insurance costs since your state probably requires you to carry insurance to have it registered/licensed anyway.

Personally, I don't know how you have kept calm over this.
The dealership would have probably had a restraining order put out against me by now.

Just for fun I would consider taking out at least a half page ad in your local newspapers detailing what crappy service you have had from that dealership, Buick, and GM. Maybe that would get their attention.

Lastly... You could tell the dealership to take a transmission out of one their new cars and put it in yours.
Let them wait for a new transmission for a new car sitting on their lot.

Good Luck!!