My H3 is BROKEN

[Av1ator]

I took my H3 in for regular service on 2/23/06. The check engine light was on as well and it was running rough at idle. They found a cracked line that is an intricate part of the intake manifold.
And they said there was something wrong with the number three cylinder. Four days later they get the intake replaced but still there is a low compression problem with the number three. They think it needs a new cylinder head. They are thinking it has a bad valve seat. Today they tell me there are NO PARTS available to fix it and it may be weeks before they have it fixed. They have given me another H3 to drive at their expense...SO I guess I can't be too upset. HOWEVER, this is the first American Car I have bought new since the 1981 Pontiac Grand Prix I bought that was a LEMON from day one...Now I have 38 grand in what is turning out to be another lemon. I'll proabley get rid of this thing for another Nissan.

[phantom2]

Funny you should mention Nissan...I brought my H3 in for some warranty service and they gave me an 06 Pathfinder for a loaner.To tell you the truth,If I knew I wouldn't get too screwed on a trade,I'd have me a Pathfinder.It didn't have the handling of the H3 and the cool looks either,but it had plenty of great stuff to make up for it.I love my H3, but next time it's a Pathfinder for me.

[deicustoms1]

Sounds like a nissan commercial up in here.

It's all in your head. Or maybe the h3 can tell you don't like it, so it's not going to like you. And that's what you get for going so long between owning american cars. It was bound to happen, error on your part.

[fourfourto]

I got rid of my 2004 murano to get the H3 Better MPG 20/25 and very quick.I still rather have the H3
On the nissan. bad alternator, sunroof replacement within 3000 miles and at the beach when I almost got stuck I smelled burning trans and slipping without tires turning only got out because I banged it into reverse.

[HummerNewbie]

Sorry to hear about your troubled H3.

I think some people are just unlucky with cars. I have imports and american cars and by far, the american cars have been better.

[Av1ator]

Maybe I am just unlucky..I really LOVE my H3 and is the most awesome vehicle I have ever owned....But when you have MAJOR engine problems with just 14,000 miles and it is going to be out of service for WEEKS..I have to think I made a mistake...whats going to happen when it has 40,000 on it and is out of warrenty?

[HummerNewbie]

I can certainly understand you feeling that way but I don't think you made a mistake. I have known people with all kinds of vehicles that have had similar problems and it really sucks. I just hope they can get it fix really soon and you have no more problems. The quality is there unlike back in '81.

[NEOCON1]

man oh man soundin like a troll fest here , sorry to hear about your troubles , hope they get it fixed for you , but if you like the nissan that much maybe you should get one .

[HUMTECH]

Don't give up on your H-3 just yet, remember it is a brand new model with an engine that is only (correct me if i'm wrong) 3 years in production. there will be some problems, but A competant GM tech will have it better than new just give him the chance. Remember the tech working on your H-3 if he does not fix it right he has to do it again for free, thats how flat rate works. The assembly plant guys or robot, no matter what manufacturer has no accountability once it leaves the plant. Speaking from my own experence any truck that leaves my shop when I work on it never comes back with a repeat failure unless it's due to A parts failure. I would rather eat an hour now than eat 10 later. Just my opinion but out of all 3 models being A hummer tech the only one I would buy is an h-3, and never an import. Cheers and I hope you enjoy your h-3 for years to come.

[f5fstop]

That serious of engine has proven to be very reliable; however, any thing man made can break. What I'm having a hard time believing is what the dealer stated. That engine has been around long enough to have enough parts available for service. I would call the Hummer assistance center and get a case number, and get the dealer on the ball.
Talking with my service manager yesterday, they replaced two engines so far since they started selling Hummers in June.
One was due to the timing chain jumping gears, the other was due to a missing oil drain plug (thanks Walmart, and this repair was not warranty http://www.elcova.com/infopop/emoticons/icon_biggrin.gif).
Both engine took less than three days to arrive from Service Parts.

[Jackwins]

Whoa, sorry to hear about your H3, but dont blame all American made cars. Ive had a Toyota Camry, Nissan Maxima, Yukon Denali, and now the H3, and honestly they have all run the same. I never had a problem with any of them. The Camry has over 170k miles on it now. I sold the Maxima and traded the Denali, again neither one of them had any problems. I guess I better knock on wood.

[Av1ator]

I called the Hummer Customer Assistance center.
They said the same thing the dealer is telling me. The parts are on backorder and I will just to be patient there is nothing else they can do.
It is still hard to believe as many of these engines as GM has in different vehicles there are no parts.

[Arizona Hummerboy]

You could check the LEMON LAW for your State, and see if there is any thing that could be done for you. May be your Dealership could trade your H3 out for a New One due to the LEMON LAW.

I know when my New 03 H2 was in the Body Shop after being hit by a Drunk Driver, it set there for 4 1/2 mounts due to them now having parts to fix the Hummer with.

I wish you the best of luck, on them making things right for you.

[fourfourto]

...whats going to happen when it has 40,000 on it and is out of warrenty?
Posts: 27 | Registered: 09-23-05

You get 50,000 miles and 4 years on the H3

Sucks about the wait for part I hope they gave you a loaner.

[k9tim]

My Nissan Xterra had under 500 miles on it when the transmission cooler line that the factory forgot to crimp popped off and fried the whole transmission.

The dealer had the truck for three weeks before they told me they couldnt get another tranny for another 2 months minimum. They ended up pulling one out of another Xterra on the lot.

When I asked why they didnt just give me another truck, the service manager explained that they would make NOTHING out of that solution but if they tore one out of the SAME new truck I wanted them to swap me for and put it in mine, Nissan would pay them for it.

Don't feel too bad man. Has nothing to do with it being an American make.

[fourfourto]

My wife worked for nissan for 6 months In that time she told me storys. lugs not tight wheel fell off in 2 blocks.A couple of times they forgot to put oil in blew motors on one customer they added the oil after he drove it up and back down the road and then sent him on his way.I find the service at the Hummer dealer good at this point.

[Pacey]

Hello av1ator
Join the club. I had exactly the same problem. Engine light went on and the dealer discovered the same problem you desribed. Also the spare parts were on backorder. After 6 weeks in the garage they gave up and after some serious pressure from my side agreed to replace the car with a new one. As far as I know they have still not managed to get the parts together (2 months now)

The thing that worries me now is that they could not figure out what caused the problem in the first place.

[ree]

Hey Nissan bashers,
I never had a problem with my Xterra, except it wasn't a HUMMER. Crap happens with every make of car.

[Av1ator]

It seems I am out of luck with the lemon law in Alabama it is 12 Months or 12 Thousand miles which ever comes first. My H3 has 14,000 miles on it. So I guess I am gonna drive the crap out of this loaner till mine is fixed!

[jp's-h3]

I had my 1986 Toyota 4runner for 13 years, it had 211,000 miles and ran great! I really miss it but, I LOVE MY H3!

[Av1ator]

Dealer now tells me they will have the parts to fix my H3 by next week. Says they are taking a "Different Route" and getting them DIRECTLY from Hummer... The sevice manager tells me that the H3 I5 is DIFFERENT from the I5 in other GM products...Also says they have to get new bolts to torque the head down as they are a one time use item.

F5 Whats the truth of it???

[HummerNewbie]

I am sure that fstop can confirm or call BS for sure but sounds like total BS to me.

I could be wrong though, it happened once before http://www.elcova.com/infopop/emoticons/icon_wink.gif

[DDWH]

Service managers are quite amusing.....They must go to a training school for Super Liar 101 http://www.elcova.com/infopop/emoticons/icon_rolleyes.gif.....Doesn't matter what car place they are at.... all are full of SH!T! I guess thats why they usually dress and act like mafia dons or las vegas pit bosses http://www.elcova.com/infopop/emoticons/icon_wink.gif

[Pacey]

LOL this is soo funny. They told me something similar. Apparently they were missing the cylinder head gasket which is a one time use item as well http://www.elcova.com/infopop/emoticons/icon_wink.gifTo bad this was the only thing missing ( After 6 weeks!!)

When I finally took delivery of my new replacement H3, the dealer told me that just that day they had all the parts ready. Strange only that the truck is still in the garage.

A tip: You might wanna check whether the radiator was damaged during the disassembly of the engine. Mine was fully dented after the engine was open.

[Steve - SanJose]

Sorry but I am mystified by this H3 engine problem story? Why is the dealer talking about repairing this engine and not just replacing it?

S.

[Av1ator]

I am going by the dealership tomorrow and ask that same question!

[Av1ator]

I sat down with the manager of the dealership this afternoon and told them I wanted a new motor. They said there was NO WAY GM would put in a new motor until all efforts had been exhausted to fix mine.

The parts are still on backorder they tell me they are going to put a whole new "Top End" on my engine, head, cam ect....and it will be weeks before it is fixed.

Still driving the loaner H3.

[Av1ator]

H3 in the shop three weeks today...still no parts..still driving the loaner...

[Steve - SanJose]

Av1ator - Any news on your H3 (or a new one or at least a new motor would be nice)?

S.

[Av1ator]

My H3 still in the shop it is ONE MONTH today. They claim no parts to fix it. Still driving the Loaner H3. As I stated in an earlier post GM says they will not replace the engine until all efforts to repair mine have failed...The efforts to fix it haven't failed just the effort to get the parts to fix it! No wonder GM is going broke.

[Steve - SanJose]

At least you got an H3 as a loaner. Maybe the H3 loaner will eventually replace your H3?

Good luck.

S.

[Av1ator]

Service manager called, they now have all parts to fix it...its just a matter of getting it scheduled back in the shop now...He also said they have had several more H3's with the same problem come in...said it was a certain VIN break with the problem.

[kennyosemite]

From a PR standpoint, this situation is a travesty. I would post the dealership name, address, city and phone number to this forum string, thus insuring the readership is aware of the poor customer service being delivered to the consumer. No need to mention a specific person's name. Just informing everyone within your sphere of influence / city is sufficient, but if you want to take it a step further, contact your consumer relations correspondents that represent your local network television stations (i.e. like ABC's "7 On Your Side" in the Los Angeles market). I'd also contact the BBB (Better Business Bureau) in this dealership's county to see if they've been reported previously for similar or other consumer complaints. The "Lemon Law" was devised to protect the public: http://lemonlaw.bbb.org. This is not a Hummer/GM issue, but rather a conscious choice by the dealer to ignore common protocol for customer relations. A month with no parts? Puh-LEAZE. The public needs to know. Post the dealer name.

[Av1ator]

In all fairness it is not the dealers fault they could not get the parts. I called the Hummer Owners assistance line shortly after this all got started and they told me the dealer was correct,that the parts where back ordered from the factory and I would just have to be patient. So the parts shortage is GM's fault not the dealers. The only thing that has not made me feel good with the dealer is the fact they have not made it a priority to get it back in the shop as soon as they got the parts.
As far as the lemon law goes..I have checked into it...My H3 is 6 months old and has 14,000 miles on it..I live in Alabama and the lemon law here is 12 months or 12,000 miles...so I am over the milage for a lemon law complaint.
Overall the dealership has been very good about this I am driving an H3 at their expense and not putting miles on mine. My problem with all this is GM's lack of support for the fleet and having paid so much for a vehicle that is in that catagory.

[HummerNewbie]

I would be pissed that they didn't have a bay waiting for it when the parts arrived too. The delays are definitely not the dealers faulty but might not be GM's either. There could have been a problem with a supplier that caused the delay. I also would not give the dealer credit for the loaner. This is a warranty issue so GM is paying for that loaner, not the dealer. Hope you get it back right away.

[Steve - SanJose]

Bad experience overall for Av1ator, but at least he has the H3 loaner to drive.

Hope it all works out well.

S.

[Av1ator]

Dealership just called..My H3 is ready for pickup!!!

[HummerNewbie]

Congrats on it getting done.

[Steve - SanJose]

Please let us know what they repaired/replaced.

S.

[Av1ator]

They replaced the entire "Top End" cylinder head ect.
Service Manager told me the part number on the cylinder head was revised meaning they have replaced the original with an updated version.

Runs PERFECT!!! So GOOD to have it HOME!!

[Steve - SanJose]

Glad to hear you got your H3 back and it's running like new!. BTW, when did you buy your H3?

S.

[MahBabyBlue]

YAY! Congrats and just think.. an entire months worth of mileage didn't go on YOUR h3..

[Av1ator]

I bought My H3 9/15/05.

[Jim Williams]

Howdy, my H3 engine failed at 9k miles. Low compression in Cylinder # 1. 2 weeks to get parts. New head, intake valves, lifters, springs, gasket, etc. Runs ok, but then it stinks foul in my garage with a burning rubber smell. Got it back today and they can't find anything wrong. Also, my front left wheel has a wirring sound that can be heard when slightly turning left at 40 mph. It stopes when brakes are applied. Dealer can't find that and they can't hear it as I have Pro Comp 305 mud terrains on it and all they hear is the tires.
Any insights? Am I doomed with a turkey here?