Q: How bad is engine failure for the car, should I get rid of it?

asked by on November 02, 2015

The engine in my 2011 Chevrolet Traverse failed catastrophically the other day when I was driving home, and now I have no idea what I am going to do. No warning, no real noises to indicate an issue until Boom! Sputter, cough, and dead. No more engine. Why would this happen at 62,000 miles? Is this car a lemon?

There is really no way of knowing how long an engine will last, but one could expect it to last more than 62,000 miles. GM has been trying to figure out why there is a common failure across many models with the same engine. Luckily, they do have a 5 years or 100,000 miles, whichever comes first, power-train warranty (engine is included). This would mean that this repair would be covered under the power-train warranty at no cost to the owner. They released a Technical Service Bulletin #PIP-5216 August 1, 2014 acknowledging that certain models may experience lower end squeak or squeal, knocking noise or a seized engine. While extremely inconvenient, one can view it as a new engine, compliments of GM. You should have your service records on hand to show proper car maintenance in order to comply with the warranty coverage guidelines.

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