Suzie
10-21-2007, 11:08 AM
2003 H2 vehicle history: At 12k miles key stuck in ignition, all lights dead. Had a bad windshield wiper module. Reno Winkel dealer replace, along with ignition switch.
Few months later, drain hoses replaced and re-routed on sunroof.
21k miles: transmission dies, gets replaced by Cerritos dealer.
38k miles: steering component parts replaced, along with all 4 shocks which were leaking and/or broken.
49k miles: New engine. Lost all oil pressure and died. Reno charged a whopping and excessive $3200 in labor, engine was courteousy of GM. Warrantee was through 36k miles.
Air conditioner quit working due to a seal that was not properly installed with the new engine. Repaired by honest and knowledgable local mechanic.
Lots of other little things took place, these are just some highlights.
CD player stops working. Back passenger side door pocket breaks off. OnStar never once works where system understands numbers, no matter who speaks into it.
Fan repair, making noise due to collection of pine needles in fan.
End of March 2007, off road lights installed with switches. Working great.
In Mexico 4wheel drive won't engage any longer.
Mid-May 2007 car won't start. No sounds when key is turned. Jumped it and it started...but in retrospect, may not have been the jump that started it.
Runs okay for a week, then parked for a week and again won't start. Jump doesn't get it going this time. Bought yellow top battery. Still won't start. Next day, it starts right up but has "REDUCED ENGINE POWER" dash message.
Driving power is reduced and noticably bad while driving it to Ontario.
Now it's Memorial weekend, put Hummer into Ontario (Mark Christopher) for problem.
While there, when key is not even in vehicle, back up lights go on by selves, inside lights go on...all while techs are climbing all over it.
They decide it needs a new battery, and claim that the yellow top battery is bad. We don't believe them, but let them put in new battery. Their battery goes down overnight. At 72k miles.
They also claim draw from off road lights is killing battery. Off road lights get disconnected (funny how they worked just fine for several months).
They also perform throttle body/air intake system service.
I tell them to charge my original battery and put it back in the vehicle and take their new battery off my bill. Bill still comes to $500. I return the yellow top, dealer claims it had a bad cell but never documented that. They claim the whole problem of intermittent starts was due to a draw from the off road lights.
Problem is that the intermittent starts continue. Also once in awhile continue to get the "reduced engine power" message.
In June, I take it to my local mechanic. He cannot get the car to NOT start while I am there. I go home, and pretty much park it for a month. It will start each time, but will take anywhere from 2-8 key turns before it fires up.
Except for when it gets the reduced engine power message, it runs just fine once started.
July 2007, try putting STP in tank in case water is in gas. Doesn't help.
August 2007, at 76k miles. Put into local garage. Mechanics are HONEST and knowledgable. I'm driving another car at this point, so he keeps it for 3 weeks. The problem doesn't show up often. He tries to get it to start with the 'reduced engine power' message and his scanner on the car nearly everyday. Sometimes the car starts, other times it takes up to 8 times to get it to start. It always does start, even if it sits an hour between attempts.
My mechanic is convinced there never was a battery issue. He thinks the throttle body had no problem and I was overcharged for what Ontario dealer did.
His scanner is a generic one used for various vehicles. Therefore, he is only able to get the code P1518-PCM (tac module serial data circuit). Starter is okay. He is 99.9% certain it is not the ignition switch. Starter relay okay. checked 'trans select switch for park and neutral signal ok.' "Checked PCM and tac module connectors and pins for corrosion, checked wiring for open circuit, none found at this time.'
'problem is very intermittent, suspect one of the modules. could not scan and check due to scanner incompatibility.'
So, with my very limited understanding, this is what I was told by my mechanic. There are two modules that fire up when the car is started. They communicate back and forth. One of them may be bad, or one or both of them need to be reprogrammed. He was told of a GM bulletin regarding the "reduced engine power' that says to reprogram the modules. To my knowledge this has never been done to my vehicle.
I explain all of this to dealer, even giving service writer a copy of my mechanics bill.
Of course, the car starts right up and doesn't fail starting for the first day. But they call and tell me it needs a new ignition switch and that will solve the problem. Hmmm
Another problem that appeared on my way to the dealer is that in a tight U-turn, the traction engages. And for months the 4wheel drive low light has been on, although it is not in 4x4 low. The dealer says it needs a 'decoder motor' for the transfer case. My mechanic did not check out this problem, but said it is possible that it is also a communications problem resulting from the modules.
I asked the service writer if a Hummer scanner was hooked up on the vehicle while a start was attempted. He did not know.
I suspect that they are just looking at my problems, and giving me their manual answers. They want over $500 for their two solutions. I am not convinced either one will actually fix the problems.
The speedometer also only works intermittently, but I know this is not related to the other problems.
I know this has been a really long post, and I apologize for that. But I figure the history might have something to do with the current problems. I'm just a 4wheeling gal, my Hummer actually gets used a lot from California on down into Baja. But I have to tell you, I often go alone and I'm starting to not trust my H2......love it dearly, love the way it handles offroad.. Just wish it would be dependable.
Any help will be greatly appreciately, especially as I have to give the service writer an answer Monday morning on what to do. He claims there is no bulletin for the reduced engine power problem. He claims that the ignition switch will fix the entire not starting problem, along with the reduced engine power message problem (which is real, not just a message, it does reduce power when the message appears).
Thank you!!!
Few months later, drain hoses replaced and re-routed on sunroof.
21k miles: transmission dies, gets replaced by Cerritos dealer.
38k miles: steering component parts replaced, along with all 4 shocks which were leaking and/or broken.
49k miles: New engine. Lost all oil pressure and died. Reno charged a whopping and excessive $3200 in labor, engine was courteousy of GM. Warrantee was through 36k miles.
Air conditioner quit working due to a seal that was not properly installed with the new engine. Repaired by honest and knowledgable local mechanic.
Lots of other little things took place, these are just some highlights.
CD player stops working. Back passenger side door pocket breaks off. OnStar never once works where system understands numbers, no matter who speaks into it.
Fan repair, making noise due to collection of pine needles in fan.
End of March 2007, off road lights installed with switches. Working great.
In Mexico 4wheel drive won't engage any longer.
Mid-May 2007 car won't start. No sounds when key is turned. Jumped it and it started...but in retrospect, may not have been the jump that started it.
Runs okay for a week, then parked for a week and again won't start. Jump doesn't get it going this time. Bought yellow top battery. Still won't start. Next day, it starts right up but has "REDUCED ENGINE POWER" dash message.
Driving power is reduced and noticably bad while driving it to Ontario.
Now it's Memorial weekend, put Hummer into Ontario (Mark Christopher) for problem.
While there, when key is not even in vehicle, back up lights go on by selves, inside lights go on...all while techs are climbing all over it.
They decide it needs a new battery, and claim that the yellow top battery is bad. We don't believe them, but let them put in new battery. Their battery goes down overnight. At 72k miles.
They also claim draw from off road lights is killing battery. Off road lights get disconnected (funny how they worked just fine for several months).
They also perform throttle body/air intake system service.
I tell them to charge my original battery and put it back in the vehicle and take their new battery off my bill. Bill still comes to $500. I return the yellow top, dealer claims it had a bad cell but never documented that. They claim the whole problem of intermittent starts was due to a draw from the off road lights.
Problem is that the intermittent starts continue. Also once in awhile continue to get the "reduced engine power" message.
In June, I take it to my local mechanic. He cannot get the car to NOT start while I am there. I go home, and pretty much park it for a month. It will start each time, but will take anywhere from 2-8 key turns before it fires up.
Except for when it gets the reduced engine power message, it runs just fine once started.
July 2007, try putting STP in tank in case water is in gas. Doesn't help.
August 2007, at 76k miles. Put into local garage. Mechanics are HONEST and knowledgable. I'm driving another car at this point, so he keeps it for 3 weeks. The problem doesn't show up often. He tries to get it to start with the 'reduced engine power' message and his scanner on the car nearly everyday. Sometimes the car starts, other times it takes up to 8 times to get it to start. It always does start, even if it sits an hour between attempts.
My mechanic is convinced there never was a battery issue. He thinks the throttle body had no problem and I was overcharged for what Ontario dealer did.
His scanner is a generic one used for various vehicles. Therefore, he is only able to get the code P1518-PCM (tac module serial data circuit). Starter is okay. He is 99.9% certain it is not the ignition switch. Starter relay okay. checked 'trans select switch for park and neutral signal ok.' "Checked PCM and tac module connectors and pins for corrosion, checked wiring for open circuit, none found at this time.'
'problem is very intermittent, suspect one of the modules. could not scan and check due to scanner incompatibility.'
So, with my very limited understanding, this is what I was told by my mechanic. There are two modules that fire up when the car is started. They communicate back and forth. One of them may be bad, or one or both of them need to be reprogrammed. He was told of a GM bulletin regarding the "reduced engine power' that says to reprogram the modules. To my knowledge this has never been done to my vehicle.
I explain all of this to dealer, even giving service writer a copy of my mechanics bill.
Of course, the car starts right up and doesn't fail starting for the first day. But they call and tell me it needs a new ignition switch and that will solve the problem. Hmmm
Another problem that appeared on my way to the dealer is that in a tight U-turn, the traction engages. And for months the 4wheel drive low light has been on, although it is not in 4x4 low. The dealer says it needs a 'decoder motor' for the transfer case. My mechanic did not check out this problem, but said it is possible that it is also a communications problem resulting from the modules.
I asked the service writer if a Hummer scanner was hooked up on the vehicle while a start was attempted. He did not know.
I suspect that they are just looking at my problems, and giving me their manual answers. They want over $500 for their two solutions. I am not convinced either one will actually fix the problems.
The speedometer also only works intermittently, but I know this is not related to the other problems.
I know this has been a really long post, and I apologize for that. But I figure the history might have something to do with the current problems. I'm just a 4wheeling gal, my Hummer actually gets used a lot from California on down into Baja. But I have to tell you, I often go alone and I'm starting to not trust my H2......love it dearly, love the way it handles offroad.. Just wish it would be dependable.
Any help will be greatly appreciately, especially as I have to give the service writer an answer Monday morning on what to do. He claims there is no bulletin for the reduced engine power problem. He claims that the ignition switch will fix the entire not starting problem, along with the reduced engine power message problem (which is real, not just a message, it does reduce power when the message appears).
Thank you!!!