I have no idea why but I bought a 2015 Chevy Sonic LT HB from a private party without doing research. I figured newer American car with lowish/appropriate mileage 87k small 4 cylinder same engine as the Cruze, should be cheap to run, in need a simple commuter car. Man, I have never had so many problems with a car in such short time. I'm beginning to think the engine is cooked or damaged.
I look at the car, the car looks good, everything is in excellent condition, tires are brand new. I look at the oil it's fine. I look at the coolant tank and notice the coolant is slightly low. Not super low, just a little low. (In hindsight, I should have immediately consulted this forum) I offer $6500, he accepts. I take the car for a drive, car drives fine. I drive it home, put some coolant in it and then later that night when I go to the grocery store the check engine light comes on. I think oh, come on, really?
I check the Code I get P0599. I watch some you tube videos and it looks like this is a common problem. No big deal replace the thermostat or troubleshoot the wires. My buddy comes over who is an ASE certified mechanic and we look through his all data and it says replace ECM K20.. what? So we start browsing the internet and find that the fix for p0599 is in fact the thermostat. The thermostat makes sense because it would explain low coolant. We get the old thermostat off and sure enough this plastic piece o crap has a crack in it. Problem solved!
I take the car 300miles to Phoenix and back in blistering heat, the car does fine. No check engine light.. I'm relieved. Of course, I don't have a coolant temp.
I take the car to Walmart and after I start it up after it sitting 20 mins. Check engine light comes on and the car feels rough. I open the hood and notice the coolant level is down again. WTH mate? So I get out my scan tool. and this time it's not P0599 it's a new code which is P0011 Camshaft Position A - Timing Over-Advanced or System Performance (Bank 1). So the scan tool is saying replace camshaft oil control valve. ok cheap part go get install it clear codes. Drive 2 days, fine then check engine light again. You have got to be kidding me. P0010. camshaft again? And I have noticed yet again there is low coolant in the reservoir.
So now I'm starting to believe this engine is damaged or something. I pulled the badvin and the carfax and now I'm getting an uneasy feeling. It was bought as a fleet vehicle in MD new, serviced in PA a few times then sold to a dealer in PA at about 74k miles. Sold to a private party then sold back to the same dealer at 85k (very odd) The car ends up at auction 2 years ago in CA with 85k miles. Buena Park Honda, the car doesn't sell for 8 months. It goes to auction where it is scooped up by a Flybynight arab owned by here pay here and then the trail ends.
So now I'm putting the pieces together. The engine gets damaged at 85k, the PA dealer finds out puts it for auction to unload it. Buena Park Honda picks it up on 8/1/20 and realized they have been bamboozled and immediately turns around and pawns it off on a the fly by night place buy here pay here, what's weird is the title for the car is issued in January 2021 even though the car is on the lot since August. after that the trail goes cold.
In a weird twist I notice the car is still on the dealers website. So what it looks like is (obviously I screwed myself) the flyby night dealership transferred ownership of the car to a employee so he could get rid of it private party and therefore could sell it as is and not affect the dealership which would have been under the 15 day clause.
The weirdest thing is I cannot find evidence of a coolant leak, and there is no oil in the coolant or vice versa. Both my buddy and I are dumbfounded what can be wrong with this thing. I mean it is possible the coolant is going into the engine. It's not leaking on the ground or anywhere we can see. It runs and drives fine. No idle issues or hesitation just constant check engine lights.
And I know everyone is going "what an idiot" but I buy cars/motorcycles all the time without PPIs or car faxes and it's not my first rodeo. I find cars that have been in a wreck all the time that have clean titles and car faxes. The only clue anything was wrong was the low coolant level. I plugged in my scanner and there were no pending current or permanent codes, it drove and rode smooth, oil looked good, engine looked brand new, looked in several places for leaks.
As I read these forums and car reviews all I can say is shame on Chevrolet. I keep seeing the same things over and over. "disappearing coolant" "engine toast at 36k replaced under warranty" "thermostat replaced 2 times" "head gasket blew at 50k" "PXXX code, 3rd time" "possible head gasket" "coolant leak" "coolant leak" coolant leak" "head gasket"
So now I am just sitting here thinking I have 2 options, fix the CEL and try pawn it off on someone else as is for 5k. Fix it, and drive it, knowing I have a 500 dollar timing belt replacement coming up even though I don't trust the car. It still might be better to get 3 or 4 years use out of it.
Does Chevrolet keep records of problems with cars? I really don't want to tear down the engine to find out what the real problem is. Can someone give me any guidance who knows these engines well? It looks like 15% of these engines are total lemons.
I look at the car, the car looks good, everything is in excellent condition, tires are brand new. I look at the oil it's fine. I look at the coolant tank and notice the coolant is slightly low. Not super low, just a little low. (In hindsight, I should have immediately consulted this forum) I offer $6500, he accepts. I take the car for a drive, car drives fine. I drive it home, put some coolant in it and then later that night when I go to the grocery store the check engine light comes on. I think oh, come on, really?
I check the Code I get P0599. I watch some you tube videos and it looks like this is a common problem. No big deal replace the thermostat or troubleshoot the wires. My buddy comes over who is an ASE certified mechanic and we look through his all data and it says replace ECM K20.. what? So we start browsing the internet and find that the fix for p0599 is in fact the thermostat. The thermostat makes sense because it would explain low coolant. We get the old thermostat off and sure enough this plastic piece o crap has a crack in it. Problem solved!
I take the car 300miles to Phoenix and back in blistering heat, the car does fine. No check engine light.. I'm relieved. Of course, I don't have a coolant temp.
I take the car to Walmart and after I start it up after it sitting 20 mins. Check engine light comes on and the car feels rough. I open the hood and notice the coolant level is down again. WTH mate? So I get out my scan tool. and this time it's not P0599 it's a new code which is P0011 Camshaft Position A - Timing Over-Advanced or System Performance (Bank 1). So the scan tool is saying replace camshaft oil control valve. ok cheap part go get install it clear codes. Drive 2 days, fine then check engine light again. You have got to be kidding me. P0010. camshaft again? And I have noticed yet again there is low coolant in the reservoir.
So now I'm starting to believe this engine is damaged or something. I pulled the badvin and the carfax and now I'm getting an uneasy feeling. It was bought as a fleet vehicle in MD new, serviced in PA a few times then sold to a dealer in PA at about 74k miles. Sold to a private party then sold back to the same dealer at 85k (very odd) The car ends up at auction 2 years ago in CA with 85k miles. Buena Park Honda, the car doesn't sell for 8 months. It goes to auction where it is scooped up by a Flybynight arab owned by here pay here and then the trail ends.
So now I'm putting the pieces together. The engine gets damaged at 85k, the PA dealer finds out puts it for auction to unload it. Buena Park Honda picks it up on 8/1/20 and realized they have been bamboozled and immediately turns around and pawns it off on a the fly by night place buy here pay here, what's weird is the title for the car is issued in January 2021 even though the car is on the lot since August. after that the trail goes cold.
In a weird twist I notice the car is still on the dealers website. So what it looks like is (obviously I screwed myself) the flyby night dealership transferred ownership of the car to a employee so he could get rid of it private party and therefore could sell it as is and not affect the dealership which would have been under the 15 day clause.
The weirdest thing is I cannot find evidence of a coolant leak, and there is no oil in the coolant or vice versa. Both my buddy and I are dumbfounded what can be wrong with this thing. I mean it is possible the coolant is going into the engine. It's not leaking on the ground or anywhere we can see. It runs and drives fine. No idle issues or hesitation just constant check engine lights.
And I know everyone is going "what an idiot" but I buy cars/motorcycles all the time without PPIs or car faxes and it's not my first rodeo. I find cars that have been in a wreck all the time that have clean titles and car faxes. The only clue anything was wrong was the low coolant level. I plugged in my scanner and there were no pending current or permanent codes, it drove and rode smooth, oil looked good, engine looked brand new, looked in several places for leaks.
As I read these forums and car reviews all I can say is shame on Chevrolet. I keep seeing the same things over and over. "disappearing coolant" "engine toast at 36k replaced under warranty" "thermostat replaced 2 times" "head gasket blew at 50k" "PXXX code, 3rd time" "possible head gasket" "coolant leak" "coolant leak" coolant leak" "head gasket"
So now I am just sitting here thinking I have 2 options, fix the CEL and try pawn it off on someone else as is for 5k. Fix it, and drive it, knowing I have a 500 dollar timing belt replacement coming up even though I don't trust the car. It still might be better to get 3 or 4 years use out of it.
Does Chevrolet keep records of problems with cars? I really don't want to tear down the engine to find out what the real problem is. Can someone give me any guidance who knows these engines well? It looks like 15% of these engines are total lemons.
