Code P0300, Cracked Cylinder in 2012 Hatchback at 130k Miles

[zretrareo27]

I bought my car new off the lot, and am the only owner. Just hit exactly 130k miles and am being told my engine is ruined. I drove not even four miles from my home with no prior use that day and out of nowhere the engine started sputtering and then making a terrible sound and I had to pull over because the check engine light started blinking. No check engine lights before that. I have always taken it to the dealer for service and oil changes on time. Dealer says he has never seen it in a 1.8 model, as well as the tech there and some techs from another dealer. Dealer also states that there was nothing I could have done to cause or to prevent it. No warning signs excluding the day before it happened the heat in the vehicle stopped working.

What do you think? Do I have a defective engine? Will chevy help me with this or am I just completely SOL? I loved my Sonic, I want to be able to fix this vehicle and drive it again. I wasn't counting on $5800 in repair costs on a car I bought a few years back for 16k! I was counting on at least another 45k miles on the engine, it's only a 2012! I'm tore up.

 

[Mrblanche]

I wonder if it's possible to replace a short block on it.

 

[zretrareo27]

They said I could do the "cheap repair", but at this point the "cheap repair" is going to cost more than 3k, and apparently there is a small oil leak elsewhere and that will probably need to be addressed in a year or so, so unless Chevy is going to cover the "cheap repair" I can't afford to go the lesser route. I was counting on this vehicle to be dependable until at least 175k miles because it's a 2012 and well taken care of.

 

[mitdr774]

$5800 is more than the value of the vehicle. What are they replacing that costs that much? Even if all they did was replace the head it still shouldnt even come close to more than $3k for the repair.

At 30k miles and over 5 years old you are SOL on GM picking up any of the repair most likely.

 

[zretrareo27]

They priced me out a new motor, which came to nearly 6k with labor. Also, the "cheap labor" is looking at the better part of 3k, and they said it probably wouldn't last much after that.... So I feel I'm SOL either way. I really don't want that to be the answer though.

 

[Stew]

Wow, that is just awful, especially when you bought it new and have taken care of it it's whole life

This is one of those times that having the ability to do the repair yourself would make a bad circumstance at least a little less so.

My previous car was a Hyundai Accent, not worth a whole lot by the time I was looking to get something new, well I had been putting off replacing the timing belt (would've taken about 90 minutes and $35 for the belt) and it snapped causing a bunch of bent valves.

Great, now what? If I don't fix it the car is not worth anything, if I pay to have it fixed it will cost more than it's worth, or fix it myself so I don't lose a bunch of money. I really didn't want to pull the head and all the work that goes along with that but it was the only choice that made sense in that situation. I now have that broken timing belt hanging on my garage wall as a reminder to not be that stupid again.

I hope you find a solution that works, there's a bunch of clean low mileage 1.8 engines on ebay for under $400, any chance you could swap it yourself? Or if not do you have a friend that knows what he's doing? For under $500 you could buy an engine and rent a cherry picker and replace it yourself.

 

[rojoes]

I hope you find a solution that works, there's a bunch of clean low mileage 1.8 engines on ebay for under $400, any chance you could swap it yourself? Or if not do you have a friend that knows what he's doing? For under $500 you could buy an engine and rent a cherry picker and replace it yourself.

Lots of them and even if you have someone install it you can get away for under $2,000 and drive the car for a few years

https://www.ebay.com/i/361989371641?chn=ps&dispItem=1

 

[zretrareo27]

Yeah, not sure why the prices are so high but it is what it is. I've even taken it to the dealer for every single oil change so if something happened I would always have on record that I've done my half of it. I'll keep you all posted. I called customer care and they said they're trying to work something out with the dealer.

 

[zretrareo27]

Sadly I don't have the skill to work on the newer motors. We're in the process of redoing the head an older subaru motor but it's been a pain enough with the more simplified tech that I don't want to touch the new ones.

 

[zretrareo27]

So I got a voicemail from the dealer, stating that Customer Care is telling them to replace the engine, but that the dealer "isn't allowed" to do that. So I guess the dealer is trying to fight me on this? Does customer care over rule the dealer? Any tips on what I am supposed to do? This whole thing is a mess, I still don't have a car to drive right now and have had to rework my schedule from it. I'm really hoping they do the right thing and get this taken care of.

 

[JesusTheAgnostic]

So coming down from GM they said to replace your engine? I'm assuming you meant cost free. If the dealer is being a total dick about it just take it to another one. You're not married to a service department. They might need to get in contact with GM again though. But I think that if you can prove that GM says they must replace your engine and they refuse to then you can talk to GM and get them in trouble. I know the dealer by my house really hammers in the idea of giving them a good score if GM contacts me.

I know every time I took my car to a service department it was for warranty covered work for failed parts. I always told them exactly what the car needed so that way they don't need to charge me a "diagnostic fee." $90 dollars to read the codes is a bunch of bull**** if you ask me.

 

[zretrareo27]

They said they are working with the district manager to get it resolved. Not sure exactly what that means for me. I guess all I can do is wait at this point. As soon as I hear the resolution I'll post it on here. It's been a week today since I dropped it off at the dealer's.

 

[Vikingsoftpaw]

Find a local garage you trust. They could install a junk yard motor or a re-manufactured one much cheaper than a dealership.

 

[zretrareo27]

Well, they got an approval for a portion off the original quoted price. They're going to replace the engine for 3600, and it will have a 3 year, 100,000 mile warranty along with it. Still alot of money, but this way I will at least get the expected life out of my vehicle.
I appreciate that they were able to work with me and am glad they were able to resolve this part of it within about a week. They said about another 10 days for the engine and work and I'll be finished up. I'll have details about the quality of the service when I get the car back as well.
All hope is not lost!

 

[SuperFudd]

You say the heater quit the day before? I bet you lost coolant. Was it because you had a crack or was the crack because you lost coolant, I wonder.

 

[zretrareo27]

Coolant level was totally fine when it broke down, so I'm not really sure. Car is done now, can't pick it up until I get a ride there and back though. They stuck to the quoted price and did not add any "hidden charges" into it.

 

[Ponchoguy]

Coolant level was totally fine when it broke down, so I'm not really sure. Car is done now, can't pick it up until I get a ride there and back though. They stuck to the quoted price and did not add any "hidden charges" into it.

You did well in theory. At 130k, they didn't owe you a wooden nickel. Typically, GM Corporate will authorize the dealer as to what to do. The dealer will do what they are told as long as they get reimbursed. .

With that being said, before my powertrain warranty was up, I had a bunch of problems with my Sonic. As is well published on this forum in other posts, I got GM to cover my vehicle pretty much in its entirety until 2021 or 110.5k. Unfortunately, due to the quality of this vehicle and what it's shown me thus far as far as quality (or lack thereof), it will likely be gone shortly after that point in time.......

I'm glad it worked out for you.......

 

[zretrareo27]

You did well in theory. At 130k, they didn't owe you a wooden nickel. Typically, GM Corporate will authorize the dealer as to what to do. The dealer will do what they are told as long as they get reimbursed. .

With that being said, before my powertrain warranty was up, I had a bunch of problems with my Sonic. As is well published on this forum in other posts, I got GM to cover my vehicle pretty much in its entirety until 2021 or 110.5k. Unfortunately, due to the quality of this vehicle and what it's shown me thus far as far as quality (or lack thereof), it will likely be gone shortly after that point in time.......

I'm glad it worked out for you.......

Yes, exactly. I think it was reasonable. However I would have been extremely pissed if nothing was done, and my good standing of chevy motors would have been ruined. I'm really glad it didn't come to that. No one expects the motor to blow on a 5 year old vehicle. Knock on wood, the only other problems I have had with the car have been minor, such as the blower motor going haywire and needing to be replaced. I payed 400 bucks to get that sucker fixed.

 

[zretrareo27]

Heading back to the dealer this wednesday as I am experiencing stuttering when I remove my foot from the gas, it's extremely noticable at 20-30MPH. Any clues on what this is? I put 500 miles on the new engine, and as soon as it hit that 500 it started stuttering?

 

[Ponchoguy]

Heading back to the dealer this wednesday as I am experiencing stuttering when I remove my foot from the gas, it's extremely noticable at 20-30MPH. Any clues on what this is? I put 500 miles on the new engine, and as soon as it hit that 500 it started stuttering?

Does it feel transmission related? The transmission control module has had a few upgraded programs published (mine has had a few done to it), so that may be a possibility.

Not that it may cause it, but the air intake duct on these cars is made of an inferior material and it cracks. GM issued a campaign letter on this (I got a letter). When my head gasket/head went bad they told me the duct was bad and tried to charge me. I told them their choices were I would change the part myself and bill them for a $aturday'$ labor or they could simply change the duct under warranty. They chose option #2.....

I laughed hard when I got the letter in the mail---typical "sweep it under the rug and hope they go away" mentality.