Topic: engine shutting off, not a recall issue just shoddy GM service

[tman2000]

I joined this Kappa forum after I purchased a 07 Sky 2.4L, 5 speed, white/tan with a HAHN turbo and lambo doors. I searched throughout this forum and learned a great deal about these little cars. I was having trouble with the car shutting off and of course its on the recall list. When I bought this car I decided I wasn’t going to start wrenching on it right away and let GM handle it because I still had a little warranty left. First time I took it to them, they replace the catalytic converter and a seal in rear end. I drove it for a while and all was good. One day, when I turning a corner and shifting fourth to second, I got about halfway around the corner and no power steering or brakes, everything was dead. No lights or warnings and no codes. I see how someone without driving skills and with an automatic transmission could get themselves into real trouble. It started happening more often, mostly when accelerating and anywhere between 3,000 to 5,000 RPM’s, I kept checking the ignition key and everything was fine. I took it back to the dealer and they told me everything checked out but they were limited because the turbo wasn’t stock, okay I understand. In Texas we have an annual inspection and every time I took it in, it came up not ready, so I would drive around town trying to put on miles for the inspection. Of the 30,000 miles it has, I'd say 3,000 are from the inspections. Oh yeah, we would take day trips to beach and back, I would drive it everyday putting on the miles. I thought I might have a short in the fog lights because I used them once and the next morning it wouldn't start. I took it to GM to look for the short and tried to do this years the inspection. They couldn't find a short, the battery was good and their inspection machine was suddenly broken. I found a place to have it dyno tuned, but without the ignition recall being done it would be a waste. So I finally got out the tools and opened the hood. I wound it up a couple of times and the first thing I noticed was that the HAHN aluminum shroud covering the turbo was shaking. It's held on by three bolts, two on top that go to the head, one of which is a stud that is also used as the BATTERY GROUND. (sorry no pic's) The third is attached to the back of the turbo itself. The shroud mounting was cracked around the back bolt and completely broke at the grounding stud. I backed out the stud and found it loose and the threads stripped. When I removed the shroud, I located the third bolt. It was broken and cradled in the exhaust manifold. Of course, I could then look down and see the "my new catalytic converter". All I could think of, was those stupid, stupid idiots (that's G rated). Well I used a 3MM tap, a new grounding bolt and "poof", no more trouble. I still have to take the HAHN shroud and have it welded before I can reinstall it and hopefully soon, the ignition parts will come in. I'll be seeing the service manager with all the broken and stripped parts along with my billing statements. (recall ignition's been on order since early June). Lesson learned. Keep those tools handy.

[normsf]

Hello and great job, enjoy and welcome to the forum. Thanks from Norm

[Sly Bob]

Nicely done. I've been fortunate to find a great dealer and service department close to home but others haven't been so fortunate.

I still enjoy doing most of the work myself though when I can.

[LatinVenom]

But then you are going to take it back to those idiots to do a replacement on a probably perfectly working ignition switch.
Hope this time they are better than before.

[ChopTop]

Welcome, and great trouble shooting skills. 

[NormSky]

Good trouble shooting! I've had my Hahn off and disassembled a few times replacing gaskets and cat converter. Now 54,000 miles and rolling strong!