[LittleBlue2-2]

Pure incompetence of the dealer. Didn't they not do pre delivery inspection?
It's one of the first things i checked after i took delivery of my car and i got home. All three reservoirs looked good.

Call the dealer who sold you the vehicle and tell them how incompetent they are.

That should work really good, especially when you need to take it back in for some other warranty related work.

You must have some sort of crystal ball that tells you the dealer did not check the coolant level.

I'm gonna use my magic 8 ball and guess the dealer did check but, after driving for a couple days, the coolant dropped because maybe an air bubble was still in the system.

 

[LittleBlue2-2]

I'm inclined to wait until i have more info to confront the purchasing dealer since I'm getting it serviced at a much closer one anyway (5 miles vs 60 miles). But the codes weren't thrown until well after that 60 miles drive home so I don't think the dealer would have found this with a test drive?

Probably not.

GM used to pay about 1.0 hrs labor for a PDI. Its included in the MSRP of the vehicle and varies with the rate the dealer is paid for labor from GM.

A test drive was maybe about 5 miles. If that.

We had a route that included a short stretch of highway (something above 60 MPH) and a back section that was really flat that allowed you to check steering. Did the vehicle pull/drift/steering wheel centered/pull when braking?

I'd wager to say fluid levels were checked at the beginning of the PDI (and they where probably good at that point) and the last thing done was the test drive. After the test drive, its parked over by the detail shop for a wash. The fluid levels are not re-checked. You would take a quick look under the vehicle to see if anything was leaking or dripping and go grab the next PDI.

Stuff happens.

 

[LittleBlue2-2]

Just doing the coolant refill service procedure in a shop can take quite a while. It's going to take several times to build back up a vacuum after each time some coolant is pushed in. Then, running the coolant pump. I would wager it probably takes at least an hour (or more) in a shop environment.

Even a "simple" purge to get that one last air pocket out could take some time at the dealer service level.

Assembly line is kicking out a new vehicle about every 1-2 minutes.

Granted, the assembly line is set up for quick production and made to do this procedure as quick as possible.

With as complex as the Bolt is (or any EV vehicle is) the assembly line is concentrated on time & efficiency. There may be a pocket of air that might not get removed.

PDI "could" catch it but, at my dealer and most others, they did not want many miles put on new vehicles for a new customer. Can you guess how many people would complain if their new Bolt they had ordered, that just came in and is ready for the customer to take delivery, has 30 miles on it? People would be complaining more than a low coolant jug.

This might end up being a procedure that a dealer would go through with a new owner for an EV. After taking the vehicle home, for the next couple days have the customer pop the hood and check the coolant level. If it's low, call us and we will send someone out to your house to top it off. Or, give the customer a plastic container (1-2 Qt) of 50-50 Dex-cool and water to top off if needed.

I know when I take delivery of mine next week, I'm going to pop the hood every day for the next week just to check.

Besides, I have a gallon of Dex-cool for my other Chevy's that sometimes need a top-off.

 

[LittleBlue2-2]

The video is probably edited a bit, but It doesn't appear it took anything like an hour.

Yea, if someone goes and brings the vehicle in the shop and gets it ready for you. Pulls it right in your stall. Then, go to the tool room to find the coolant vacuum tool (that is missing the adapters), then go to the parts counter to get the coolant, then wait for the parts dept to get you a few gallons of de-ionized water, then go try to find the shop MDI and when done perform a 27 point inspection. Then, go test drive the vehicle, park it out back, complete the paperwork.

Otherwise. . . sure, it's just 5 minutes.