I feel I got stuck with a lemon when I purchased my Sonic. It's a long story so I will condense it as mush as possible. The vehicle was a dealer trade from Flint. The day after purchase I was unable to break 50mph when trying to merge onto the highway for the first time and the check engine light came on. The car was also shaking so bad it was almost undrivable. I checked my tires and they were all under 20psi. I took it to the dealer to have the engine fixed and they refused to service my vehicle as the paperwork was still in limbo. I was also refused a rental car and the dealer manager was yelling at me because the check hasn't cleared yet. They eventually "fixed" my car (after threating to drop the insurance so the check wouldn't clear) and said it was missing a clip to the wastegate actuator. The car drove better and I could "feel" the turbo a little bit in the 2,500-3,500 range, it still had no power past 4,000 rpm but figured it was normal.
I now have 10,000 miles on the car and it takes an act of god to break 32mpg on the highway. I usually get 28-32 in the city. It's been to the dealer several times and they claim there is no problems with my vehicle. They claim winter gas, I don't know how to drive, low air pressure, etc... All things that explain bad gas mileage but not bad highway mileage only. If I'm such a bad driver why do I get better city mileage than highway?
I bought an ualtra guage and I notice that anytime I go over 1/2 throttle the emissions go into open loop. It also has engine load spikes, I've seen over 40% load at idle. Driving at highway speeds, 70mph, engine load floats between 45%-100%. If you have a light incline and put the slightest throttle input the engine load climbs and emissions go into open loop, fuel economy can be as low as 16mpg with a 2% increase in engine throttle. The highest boost I have seen is 11psi. If you pull out before 4,000rpm 8psi is about the max you will see.
I've taken it to the dealer where I purchased it several times and decided to take it someplace else and have them look at it. They also tell me everything is normal. Every time the receipt says "visual inspection" "no codes" "test drive for 4-10 miles" "no problems found". Both dealers are about 3-4 miles from a highway.
How do I get a dealer to warm up the engine and drive it on the highway with a scan tool and see if something is wrong?? Seems like everyone takes the easy way out and says there is nothing wrong with my car. I want it fixed and as a customer I have no leverage.
I now have 10,000 miles on the car and it takes an act of god to break 32mpg on the highway. I usually get 28-32 in the city. It's been to the dealer several times and they claim there is no problems with my vehicle. They claim winter gas, I don't know how to drive, low air pressure, etc... All things that explain bad gas mileage but not bad highway mileage only. If I'm such a bad driver why do I get better city mileage than highway?
I bought an ualtra guage and I notice that anytime I go over 1/2 throttle the emissions go into open loop. It also has engine load spikes, I've seen over 40% load at idle. Driving at highway speeds, 70mph, engine load floats between 45%-100%. If you have a light incline and put the slightest throttle input the engine load climbs and emissions go into open loop, fuel economy can be as low as 16mpg with a 2% increase in engine throttle. The highest boost I have seen is 11psi. If you pull out before 4,000rpm 8psi is about the max you will see.
I've taken it to the dealer where I purchased it several times and decided to take it someplace else and have them look at it. They also tell me everything is normal. Every time the receipt says "visual inspection" "no codes" "test drive for 4-10 miles" "no problems found". Both dealers are about 3-4 miles from a highway.
How do I get a dealer to warm up the engine and drive it on the highway with a scan tool and see if something is wrong?? Seems like everyone takes the easy way out and says there is nothing wrong with my car. I want it fixed and as a customer I have no leverage.
