[Clive.S]

Being the guinea pig (!) can you tell me if your's had a whine when you slowed down (and sped up) after the fix? The noise I have now is nothing like the noise when the bearing went but is more like the noise when I drive my wife's Leaf.

 

[bryand]

... but is more like the noise when I drive my wife's Leaf.

Mother in law?

 

[Clive.S]

That noise stopped some years ago!

 

[dpeilow]

After the first fix there was a definite whine on slow down. Not as bad as the original buzz saw failure but loud enough to hear in the cabin. The MP3 I linked in that thread was recorded on my phone with the window down.

After the second fix it is barely audible. With the window down I can make it out if I turn the radio off and deliberately listen for it, but I honestly can't say if it was like that before. It's certainly less than gear whine in an ICE.

 

[Clive.S]

More convinced now to have a word with the garage. Thanks dpeilow

 

[gjorgen]

If I remember correctly, the bearing eventually fails when it's not aligned correctly at the factory, and it doesn't matter if it is plastic or brass.
So if they change the bearing and don't align it properly, it will fail again, even if it is brass.

There are some 2011 and 2012 cars in the USA that have over 100,000 miles with no bearing problems at all because they were aligned properly.

Most of them seem to be properly aligned.

 

[dpeilow]

Here's a picture of the failure.

 

[George Jetson]

I certainly ended up driving 100 miles or so before I could get to a dealer. It took a few days as the dealer had not carried out the repair before and had to follow the manual !! I've had no further problems since.

 

[dave swan]

Well got car straight in and picked up nice clean hire car. Myampera agreed straight off to pay for immediate hire car. Had good chat with Ampera specialist in workshop who said he had heard of the fault but never seen. Assured me he would take great care as he had also heard the rumours of failed repairs.
Fingers crossed .....

 

[dpeilow]

A GM technical services bulletin was sent to all Voltech dealers a while back. They should have it.

 

[Clive.S]

The car was picked up again on Friday and Vauxhall confirmed today that the dealer had to strip the bearing out again and replace. They agreed that the wind down (and up) noise was the new bearing not correctly aligned. Let's hope they get it right the second time.

 

[Richard Gledhill]

Fingers crossed! Mine seems a little noisy sometimes now on slow-down, so I'm monitoring it carefully...

 

[dpeilow]

With the relatively small population in the UK I'm surprised there's quite a few people here now with the issue. There must be several more that wouldn't post or cars on fleets etc.

Globally, I wonder how many GM have had to cough up to fix now.

 

[dave swan]

All done and back from the Dealership after 10 days and all is great!

Put 600 miles on straight after picking up and noise is all gone and no signs of any noise from the new bearing. Specialist seemed really proud of his work and the dealership were great.

Thanks for everyone's help.

 

[Richard Gledhill]

Like like like Can you remind me which dealer you took it to, for future reference?

 

[dave swan]

Newcastle, always get great service and response.

 

[Richard Gledhill]

Thanks Dave - a bit from Warwick for me to use but it's always useful for people to know good dealers.

 

[Russ]

My local one is Drive Leicester so reasonably close for @Richard Gledhill .
Anyone have experience of them?
They readily changed my EVSE under warranty but I haven't used them for anything else yet.

 

[daved]

Newcastle, always get great service and response.

Would that be Bristol st. in Newcastle on Tyne?

 

[Richard Gledhill]

My local one is Drive Leicester so reasonably close for @Richard Gledhill .
Anyone have experience of them?
They readily changed my EVSE under warranty but I haven't used them for anything else yet.

I'd say they were ok during the sales part, i.e. selling me my car, although they needed pestering to give me a quote (!) but they messed up the invoicing and didn't call me back after a few months like they said they would to check everything was ok. So I'd say fair-to-middling really. I'll probably go to the one in Milton Keynes in April for the first service as they have a much better reputation.