Just to share our story, so far...
EDIT #4: We have to bring our loaner back today since we've had it, this time, for 30 days. But the service dept. said they're programming the new module right now and so the car should be ready this evening. But that would mean they aren't completing a drive cycle before we take possession. Part of me feels like they're trying to avoid the lemon law by getting us to take ownership on this 30th day. Our cumulative total is still at like forty days in the shop since we bought it on June 26th so I imagine we're still protected. Unless taking ownership resets the "reasonable number of attempts" part of the lemon law. I have a bad feeling. It was dealership fraud through and through. They reset a CEL in order to complete a sale without addressing the underlying issue. If it comes back on in the next couple days we'll have to ask for a contract unwinding/refund. If they say no we'll need to involve corporate, the DMV Investigation Unit, and the Air Resources Board. All not cool. Fingers crossed.
EDIT #5: They called while we were driving to return the loaner/pick up our vehicle and said the fix didn't work.... again. Check Engine light is still on. They said they're going to send it to a chevy dealership now. Dont those systems NEED to be flashed at chevy anyways? Shouldn't it have been there the whole time? Or does Carmax generally have the ability to flash new hardware on their own? Either way, the car is still not fixed and we have to pick up another loaner for some unknown amount of time.
ORIGINAL POST:
Traveled a couple hours to buy a 2023 Chevy Suburban. Before our test drive, we noticed a CEL was on. We went back in, told the guy, they checked/cleared the code saying it was a false code, we went on our test drive. When we got back, we did a walk around and found the bumper/headlight was bent or not aligned right. Our salesperson said that could be repaired by carmax at our closer/local carmax. We bought it. On the way home, the CEL came back on. So, that same day, we scheduled an appointment for the following week to get the bumper/headlight assembly replaced, the CEL addressed (again), and an engine oil leak we had noticed on our driveway when we got home sorted out. We brought it in that week and they had the car for 4 days during which they replaced the bumper/headlight, found that the engine oil filter was loose and leaking, and cleared the CEL again. However, on the way home, the CEL came back on again. We called the next day and scheduled an appointment to bring it back, again, to our nearby carmax. They have found the need to replace the entire module that is throwing the code. I dont know what code (my wifes been doing all of this) or what module. They've had the car this time for about two weeks. They gave us a loaner so its no biggie, and they're fixing the car for us at no charge so we are very grateful too. As long as it takes, no worries there. Especially because, I understand it, being in CA, California Civil Code 1795.6 says that every day they have the car in their shop/possession gets added to the end of our 30 day warranty period, too. So its not like, if that engine oil leak was perhaps something bigger (like the engine oil cooler lines directly above the filter), they could hold the vehicle long enough for our 30 day warranty to expire. Even then, I believe since the oil leak was documented/fixed, the repair has to be guaranteed for 30 days, though that repair was done just a week after our purchase so it isnt extremely helpful. Because we also purchased our last vehicle from carmax and have had good experiences with maxcare, and due to the service we continue to receive while getting this vehicle road ready, we feel very taken care of at carmax. But boy, what a whopper of a pain this vehicle has been for all parties. I suspect our nearby carmax is just billing this all to the carmax we purchased from who is likely very upset with the intake inspector. As the salesperson who sold us the vehicle walked us through the "thorough" carmax vehicle inspection report i found myself less trusting of that report, being that they missed a tweaked bumper, and a CEL. Then to find the oil leak on the driveway after having smelled burning oil while sitting in the cab, doesn't inspire confidence considering part of the inspection report highlighted "No Leaks". Who knows, maybe the intake inspector found these things and nobody thought the buyers would notice. I think i should have a third party inspection done when we finally get to take possession of the vehicle for more than a few days, before that 1795.6 extended warranty is up.
EDIT #1: Called today and was told that they replaced the module. I think they said it was the Telematics Communications Interface Module. They are still getting the Check Engine Light. They are facing some unknown electrical short and are tracing back all the wiring trying to find it. Another thought the mechanics had was that perhaps another module connected to the TCIM is failing and needs to be replaced.
EDIT #2: It has now been almost 4 weeks and they still have the vehicle. They (im assuming the actual chevy dealership) are pretty sure the short is somewhere in the dash. Though, they have not been able to locate it/effectively clear the Check Engine Light yet. I kind of forgot what the dang suburban even looks like at this point. Asside from the looming first payment, it feels like having the new car was allll just a dream I had once upon a time.
EDIT #3: Coming up on 5 total weeks in their shop. They still have it. They replaced the TCIM and then also replaced the Serial Data Gateway Module. Same result. Unknown electrical problem causing an illuminated CEL. Now they are pretty sure one of the modules they installed is faulty so they are replacing it again... when it arrives... in a week. This is crazy. We have made our first payment on a vehicle we have only had for a handful of days in our first almost 2 months of ownership.