First Service w/unichip questions

Discuss any maintenance you've done to your Vibe & Matrix and ask how to perform maintenance on your vehicle
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DavidPIL
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Joined: Sat Jun 14, 2003 2:38 pm

First Service w/unichip questions

Post by DavidPIL »

Hey all...I have a rather stupid question or 2 regarding an upcoming service I'm having done on my GT. I have a Unichip installed, the service is a Serpentine belt replacement, Valves adjusted, hoses checked... basically the 60,000 mile check-upI've decided to take my GT to a local Toyota dealer for this instead of the Pontiac dealer simply because I trust Toyota in the engine more than GM. The questions are..., do I need to pull the Unichip out of the vehicle for this? Do you think I will run into any problems with Toyota if I left it in? If I should take it out, do I have to completely remove the pnp harness too? (that was a pain to get in). Let me know if anyone can help on this!Thanks,Dave
MadBill
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Re: First Service w/unichip questions (DavidPIL)

Post by MadBill »

Since it's not a warranty repair, I don't see that they'd care if you'd installed a blown nitro burning Hemi. (as long as they had a service manual for it)
Digger
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Post by Digger »

Warranty is the only reason no to leave it in and I think you are out of warranty time.
2005 AWD What's your story?It's a wonderful thingMomma always said "Help that is not helpful, is no help at all"
DavidPIL
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Re:

Post by DavidPIL »

Hi Madbill and Digger,Maybe I'm just paranoid then. Thought maybe they might check the computer system when they make the adjustments and possibly get a reading that they try to fix because of the chip. Also, I'm still under warranty because I extended to 5 years/100,000 miles. Probably shoulda waited to do the Unichip til after warranty was up but I didn't. I guess if I need something major done and it's warranty work I'll just remove it all but until or if then, I'll be ok.Thanks!
Toolman
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Re: Re: (DavidPIL)

Post by Toolman »

If you are still under waranty I would just pull it out till after the service. Dont want to chance ruining your waranty for it.
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Digger
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Re: First Service w/unichip questions (DavidPIL)

Post by Digger »

I know my buddy who has a focus had a note on his work order that went like this. Customer uses non certified after market replacement parts. ( Air filter) He had a problem with a non related re pare and the work had nothing to do with the air filter removal.He was livid and wanted to know what that was all about. they said the warranty was now voided for the engine. He went to the dealer owner and said a few choice words about the garage desk clerk and his returning for anything auto related and they removed the note from his file ( So they say) and told him his warranty was still good.
2005 AWD What's your story?It's a wonderful thingMomma always said "Help that is not helpful, is no help at all"
DavidPIL
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Re: First Service w/unichip questions (Digger)

Post by DavidPIL »

Hi again,The catch, and I know it's probably not a big deal, is that I'm taking it to a Toyota dealership, not a Pontiac/GM. They woudn't report anything like that to GM, would they? My biggest dilemma is a concern that maybe the chip being left installed might cause a problem somehow with the maintenance. I dunno if that's a real issue or not. There wasn't a lot of information in the installation paperwork to let me know if the chip could be somehow bypassed without having to completely remove the PNP harness. There is a "power cut" switch and another switch on the pnp unit itself. Do these do anything in shutting off the chip yet still allow the vehicle to run, like it didn't have the chip in it in the first place? Read about a jumper plug which allows you to leave the pnp unit connected. None of the switches simply cut power/circuit to the chip? Obviously looking for response on those last few questions from someone who has the Unichip installed... If someone can help.Thanks again!Dave
mcgusto82
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Re: First Service w/unichip questions (DavidPIL)

Post by mcgusto82 »

toyota doesn't report anything to GM. i don't see them going into the OBD2 for anything other than owner specified problems. those guys don't go looking ALL over the car for problems. they just do a walk around and LOOK. that's it.however i don't see why you think toyota is going to do a better job with the engine. seeing that the vibe is the best selling car in it's class. it outsells the matrix. so after all these years pontiac would've seen more than it's fair share of vibe engines come thru their doors. plus whatever that toyota dealer does to your vibe isn't going to be cover under warranty. say the belt snaps. you would normally talke it to a pontiac dealer. it broke so you want it replaced free. well, they won't waranty work is only done to OEM matirial or GM serviced material. so basically you are either way hurting your warranty.i would recommend removing the uni chip, and going to a GM dealer.
DavidPIL
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Re: First Service w/unichip questions (mcgusto82)

Post by DavidPIL »

Good points...But I have to believe Toyota will warrant their own work on what they do to any vehicle. I'll check on that tomorrow when I bring it in. A belt is a wear item anyway. I'm not too concerned about having someone other than GM replace that.As far as the Vibe selling more than Matrix, Yeah, my only problem is that I know that my Pontiac dealer has only sold 1, maybe 2 other GTs. I don't see any around town at all. and I dount any have near 60,000 miles. So I went to Toyota because I know they have serviced more 2zz engines with the Celica GTS and Matrix XRS. My delaer in specific kinda turned me against taking my Vibe to them for service when I asked specifically about their ability to service the mainly Toyota guts of this car. He talked about a few Chevy models that had been old Corolla clones. That in the worst, the Chevy service would be able to do any repair work. Corollas, Geos at best had the 1zz and older versions, not the 2zz) This being an important adjustment of the engine components, I have to believe that Toyota would be better able to service their 2zz engines given that they've been around in the Celica much longer than Vibe/Matrix. And honestly, I woldn't be surprised if my dealer didn't outsource this kinda work to Toyota anyway being that I do know my dealer does that for some of their other repair work. Sorry for the long winded thought process I went through deciding going to Toyota but thanks for your response too!Dave
mcgusto82
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Re: First Service w/unichip questions (DavidPIL)

Post by mcgusto82 »

toyota will warrant their work. to a specific time. usually 30 days. toyota is in this case is a 3rd party. no matter the fact that is a toyota engine. all technicians have to be certified to do warranty work on a car. if not the dealer isn't authorized to do maintenance on a warranty vehicle. so GM is capable of properly working on your car.when a new vehicle is released with new components, the technicians have to train and be certified for these new components. specially engines.maintenance isn't difficult on these cars. the engine is pretty basic, on a easily accesible layout. not sure what exactly is done at 60k miles, but if one of those things isn't performened correctly. GM can then legally claim if the repair caused the damage, that they aren't liable to fix it under warranty. let me give you an example.you go to a jiffy lube for a oil change. all is fine, 3 month later you have oil issues. you go to GM, they look at it. turns out the oil drain plug wasn't torque right. it was loose. you lost oil and didn't know. they will look into the servicing. if the last service stop wasn't done by GM, they CAN claim that it isn't their fault and a new engine has to coime out your own pocket. a pretty simple oil change can go that bad. now that is just an example of worse case scenario. they also have to prove that the damage was caused by the work that was done by another service station. your wartranty won't be automatically void or anything. But if warranty is a concerned for you, then this something to consider.i do my own service work. as long as i can show records of service, then i'm good for warranty.i would always prescribe doing simple maintenance yourself. a belt on these cars is simple. there is only one tensioner. it adds up your knownledge and can get you out of a bind.either way, do what's best for you. good luck with the service.lket us know how much it cost you.
DavidPIL
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Re: First Service w/unichip questions (mcgusto82)

Post by DavidPIL »

Final Verdict...They felt is wasn't neccessary to adjust the valves, they said, after diagnosis, that the noise was normal (kinda knew that) and that an adjustment isn't neccessary unless there is abnormal noise.So, The total cost for the doing a 29 pt check, diagnosing the valves, replacing the belts = $144.22 ($68 for the belt, the rest in labor)The belt + service comes with a 12/12 warranty, not a 30 day... Dave
Mavrik
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Re: First Service w/unichip questions (DavidPIL)

Post by Mavrik »

your unichip is plugged into the engine control module under behind the glovebox so unless they have a reason to pull that all apart to get to your ECM... they won't even know you have a chip.
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mcgusto82
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Re: First Service w/unichip questions (Mavrik)

Post by mcgusto82 »

not bad for a belt change. one time i had to replazce my belt on a taurus. i paid close 200$. i didn't feel like messing with the motor mount needed to move to get there.
djb383
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Re: First Service w/unichip questions (MadBill)

Post by djb383 »

It already has a HEMI. All it needs is a blower on top and nitro in the tank. Hah, Hah, Hah, Hah, Hah.
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Baltovibe
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Re: First Service w/unichip questions (mcgusto82)

Post by Baltovibe »

Quote, originally posted by mcgusto82 »seeing that the vibe is the best selling car in it's class. it outsells the matrixAfter seeing the sales figures for the Vibe in Nov 2005 (2276), I wondered if the Vibe outsells the Matrix. According to http://www.theautochannel.com/....html the total Matrix production for 2004 was 81,064 whereas the Vibe sales for 2004 was 58,894. Obviously, production is different from sales, but if the Matrix sales were lower, then production should have been lower also.So, does the Vibe outsell the Matrix? opps ... off topic ... sorry!
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AKLGT
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Re: First Service w/unichip questions (Mavrik)

Post by AKLGT »

Quote, originally posted by Mavrik »your unichip is plugged into the engine control module under behind the glovebox so unless they have a reason to pull that all apart to get to your ECM... they won't even know you have a chip.exactly. they won't even know it's there.
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DavidPIL
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Re: First Service w/unichip questions (trdvibe)

Post by DavidPIL »

Thanks for the input... I was more concerned that maybe in adjusting the valves they would have to connect up to the computer for something then would notice an anomaly because the chip was in the system then either wouldn't be able to make the adjustments or would make adjustments based on the altered readings, not the actual ones. I really didn't have a major concern with Toyota seeing the chip, especially after talking to them about changing the clutch and other things. They seem to be more into the aftermarket stuff than GM is.Thanks for the replies!Dave
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