First [New] Camaro Crap-Out Comes 40 Miles From Dealership

Jalopnik ^ | Wed Apr 29 2009 | Ben Wojdyla

[Spktyr]

Maybe worse than the first Camaro wreck is the first Chevy Camaro breakdown. This "p**sy magnet" Bumblebee-yellow Camaro lost all electrical power and coasted to a stop with a scant 40 miles on the odometer.

The ecstatic new owner, a forum fan-girl by the name of BUMLB, was crushed when the car conked-out cruising through a parking lot at a leisurely 5 MPH, completely losing all electrical power, locking the gear selector and the key in the ignition. A flatbed towed the disabled car to a dealer where diagnosis found the cable running from the trunk mounted battery had frayed on the starter motor and grounded out, causing complete loss of power. A new cable running a different route will be installed at the dealer. Hopefully this isn't something we'll be seeing more of on other cars. [Camaro5]

[Spktyr]

So much for GM quality. With all the delays, years of development, and supposed testing, they screw up something basic like "cable routing". How the HECK do you do that?

And people want us to believe that GM products are as good as any? Here's a hint, guys - the last time Toyota screwed up a battery cable this bad, Reagan was still president.

[Glennb51]

At least the warranty is supported by obama. How long did it take him to repond I wonder?

[lookout88]

Well, my Lexus sucks too.

[SnuffaBolshevik]

My 69 Camaro never did that.

[brownsfan]

“Well, my Lexus sucks too.”

Any carmaker can make a bad one. I like my chances with a Lexus versus a GM anything.

[BallyBill]

Battery in the trunk sounds weirdly perverted.

[max americana]

Now how do you screw up a Camaro, a classic American car? Oh wait, GM is now owned by the unions and led by inept people who flew to DC, begging for money.

[DeLaine]

My Buick is a honey, although I would have preferred a Ford.

[SkyDancer]

Grandad had a 1966 GTO fresh from the factory - twin exhaust pipes rattled together and bringing it home in the rain the whole back area flooded ... several inches of water (tales over b’fast one day) ....

[Spktyr]

That's not the only bit of idiotic engineering showing up on the new Camaro.

From Jalopnik:

2010 Chevy Camaro Gets Mysterious Brake Weights

By Ben Wojdyla, 12:30 PM on Wed Apr 22 2009, 22,346 views

Forumites at Camaro5 have been collectively scratching their heads for a couple days, wondering why there appear to be two layers of lead wheel weights stuck onto their brake calipers. It's a mystery Charlie Brown!

The confusion started when a poster uploaded an image of his new Camaro's Brembo calipers, on which were riding two rows of lead weights, normally affixed to the inside of a wheel rim to balance the tire. This led everyone with a Camaro to run outside to see it their mullet machine's also had the weights, which they do, at least on among the folks on the forum. GM has not answered to the confusion yet, but the leading theory is they were place on the caliper as a quick and dirty fix to alleviate brake squeal. From a physics perspective, this explanation is plausible, as resonant frequency is in large part determined by mass, and by changing the vibrating mass of the caliper with the weights, a troublesome squeal would be eliminated for a particular driving condition.

The trouble is if they're using normal brake weights, the heat cycling of the caliper will eventually cause the adhesive to fail and, if things get too serious on the track, the lead could actually melt. Though it's an odd issue and not really a big deal, we'll be keeping you in on the loop during Camaro brake-gate, though we recommend Camaro owners visit their local dealer and have their muffler bearings, blinker fluid, and piston-return springs checked out, just in case. Click here for the high-resolution image. Thanks for the tip Ethan! {Camaro5}

[RightOnTheLeftCoast]

Entirely Obama’s fault. He’s in charge. The buck stops there, or at least the busted-down Camaro does. His Government Motors is clearly borrowing a page from the glorious anals of socialist car manufacturing (and no, that’s not a typo). It’s the same ethic that gave the world the Trabant, with its sawdust-and-resin body that proved irresistible to rats. Well, GM products should prove irresistible to DemocRats. After all, a Camaro that dies so early in life has a laudably small carbon footprint. Way to go, O! Change we can believe in.

[sushiman]

Visions of the lemon Z28 I ordered in 1973 and it took 6 months to get . Got 4 miles from the dealer’s the day I picked it up and the crapola Muncie 4 speed locked up in first gear . Had to drive the car all the way back at snail speed to the dealer . It was eve so no service . The salesman did out the car on the lift so I could unjam the linkage . Same thing happened the next day and the wrecker came for it . Nothing but problems from day one inc. electrical ; overheating ; etc...Lemon from day 1 . Never bought another GM car .

[gathersnomoss]

Wasn’t there any room under the rear seat?....VW memories.

[Spktyr]

Most modern sports cars and sport sedans put the battery in the back for weight distribution reasons and so the battery lives longer (away from the heat of the engine.)

[FastCoyote]

I was just working on my ‘67 Camaro. I’ve owned it 34 years and it is going through a major restoration. Other than the brakes (that’s the next upgrade) I bet I have more fun.

[alice_in_bubbaland]

LOL! Our old 92 BMW’s battery was under the back seat. How’s that for “weirdly perverted”.

[Spktyr]

Under the rear seat is worse than in the trunk. Who wants a passenger compartment full of hydrogen gas? :P

[Spktyr]

Fun? Perhaps. Perform better? Not unless you managed to stick an IRS under it or only drive it a quarter mile at a sitting.

[RightOnTheLeftCoast]

Those weights are a gift to the trial lawyer lobby. When the adhesive fails and they let go with the car traveling at speed— whoa! Look out! Nice little lead projectiles, flung forcefully, in an entirely foreseeable fashion.

It takes real talent to screw something so simple up so royally. I mean, disk brake calipers aren’t exactly cutting-edge, unproven, fresh-from-NASA technology.

[Kirkwood]

Not surprised. GM cars are noted for their electrical problems.