I purchased a 2011 Chevrolet Camaro on April 30, 2016 from Surburban Chevrolet. At the time of purchase it had 22,395 miles on it. On January 23, 2020 the motor blew with 49,033 miles on it. I changed the oil every 3,000 miles with Mobil 1 synthetic. This had been A GREAT car until now. I have contacted the dealership and was told the warranty is up as it was 5 years or 100,000 miles. Which I knew this. I spoke with Nick Chelsea and he helped me as much as he could but his hands were tied from a dealership standpoint. Which I appreciated the help. So to GM I go. I called 800-222-1020 and FINALLY got to speak to someone. Explained what happen and all he could say to me is I should of purchased the extended warranty. He said your vehicle had a 5 year 100,000 mile warranty. I said I'm sorry I didn't drive it more to blow up before the warranty was up. He then referred me to the dealership I purchased my car from. I told him I have spoke with Nick Chelsea. I also told him I have been doing my research online and GM forums all full of my same situation. V6 engines going out at 40,000 from the bearings. He told me he knew nothing if this. I explain forums people are getting engines replaced and so far with the new engines and upgraded bearings no reported problems. GM is aware of this problem as they are upgrading the bearings in the engines they are replacing. He once again said I should of purchased the extended warranty. I said GM needs to stand behind their motors. I put 27,000 miles on it in 4 years. I said so are you telling me there is nothing you can do for me? He said have the car towed to the dealership I purchased it from and have them do a diagnosis. I told him I already inquired about that with Nick and it would be roughly $1300.00. I said GM should be doing that. He said that there is nothing GM will do for me and he hoped I had a good day.
I am hoping someone can help me with this. I'm no way shape or form should my engine of failed. GM is aware and they need to be held accountable.

 

Well a used car is a used car and despite the low mileage it's nearly 10 years old and you didn't buy it new.
Unless there's a class action lawsuit you can jump on you're probably SOL I'm sorry to say.
I'd be checking wrecking yards for a used motor I guess or check into a remanufactured that has the bearing upgrade.

 

Timing chain? Waited to see if someone more knowledgeable would reply. I have two sources saying those timing chains were failure-prone, resolved by my 2012 model. Three sources, if including a car complaints website.
Unless you're sure it's primarily the bearings.
Timing chain issues needed (I am told) fastidious oil changes with highest grade synthetic, which it sounds like you did (and, as soon as I knew, I surely did). But: previous owner?
Original oil recommendation per owner's manual was some sort of Dexos which was semi-synthetic (so as soon as I knew, I used something better), but Dexos gen 2 if I understand correctly was quietly upgraded to full synthetic (but there are at least two versions even of that), so I have just switched to this, hoping that's fine. I don't think that Dexos gen 1 is around at all anymore.
This may have nothing to do with your problem (which sounds awful).

 

I am Former GM Tech/shop Foreman at a GM dealership, there is not too much I have not seen warranty wise.

There is a grace period in which the dealer (service manager) can cover warranty repairs. Normally it is measured in months not years and it is only extended to the original buyer or maybe to a GM certified used car which are usually 2- years old max. They are looking to keep customers that buy new cars every two years. For everyone else the warranty is a line in the sand. I myself had a 86 Z24 with 14,000 miles on it and the digital dash went blank. The next one failed 12,000 miles later and the 3rd one failed 2 months out of the 36 month warranty warranty. The service manager had to apply for approval and I was told as long as that one made it 30 days GM was done replacing it. Back then we where seeing 2-4 dash failure a week from customers. First time the 3rd dash blinked I traded it in.

There has been times when GM has extended warranties to 10 years 100,000 miles but that is only after a class action law suit has been won and it was part of the settlement requirement. You would also have to have been notified by GM and the opposing lawyers since your car was resold at the dealer.

The downside to buying a used car is you have no idea how a car was used before you got it. The guy before you could beat the crap out of it. Dealerships are experts on how to make a car not look beat.

I know this not what you want to hear but I have heard this story many times before, Your situation is neither unique or rare. Its played out monthly in every large deal in the US. I have seen engines drive by old men blow with less then 30k on them. Obvious a manufactures defect of some design. You are wasting your time trying to appeal to a corporations sense of whats right. They will always follow the law. Your warranty is a contract. If you think its just GM think again, go search ford focus dual clutch issue. Ford has had to buy back 1000s of them because they can not be fixed and 100's of thousands that made it past the first 12 month and ford still can not fix them.

 

I did a little research and it seems the timing chain failure causes the the bearing failure. With the early report of this in 2012 GM did the math and decided then that fixing the poor timing chain design was not worth it. That normally means that the in warranty failure where estimated to cost less then the cost of fixing every cars timing chain. Also with that low of a failure rate under warranty the chances of a class action law suit happening 4 years after the last car was out of warranty is very low. The time for that law suit was 2015.

 

but they aren't interference engines so if it's a timing chain than the fix would be as easy as replacing the 2 chains (not that itll be a cake walk)

 

Ah.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Interference_engine

Now ... that page has a link to a "complete list" of interference engines, and it says the the GM 3.6L is one. The OP suggested that hers was a V6, and we're in a V6 forum.

(I'm not finding that information anywhere else after several attempts at an Internet search.)

Are you able to explain that discrepancy?

Thank you.