So our 2010 GMC Acadia is starting to make a clatter noise on start up. I checked around and saw that a number of people have been having Timing Chain Issues. We took it to dealership presuming it would be covered by our “Total Care Auto” extended warranty. The dealership (Bradley Chevrolet) says “they think” that the high pressure fuel pump seal is leaking fuel into the crank case and thinning out the oil causing premature wear on the timing chain.

Now they are saying the problem is caused by the fuel pump the Extended warranty is no longer going to cover. So now they want $3800 to fix both issues. How can something that gives no trouble codes, isn’t a maintenance component, and has no indications cause something so catastrophic and not be covered? This is completely ludicrous.

AFTER AN OIL CHANGE, A TICKING/KNOCKING NOISE STARTED TO OCCUR ONLY WHEN THE CAR HAS BEEN COOL FOR ABOUT 4-5 HOURS. THE NOISE ONLY LASTS ABOUT 5 SECONDS UNTIL THE OIL GETS TO THE ENGINE AND THEN STOPS. MY SERVICE TECH SAID, THEY USED CORRECT OIL AND FILTER AND THAT THE NOISE IS NOT HARMING ANYTHING.

RESEARCHING IT MYSELF (AND HAVING A FRIEND WITH SIMILAR VEHICLE NOW HAVING TO REPLACE AN ENGINE BECAUSE OF THE SAME SITUATION) FOUND THAT THIS KNOCK WILL BECOME A PERMANENT NOISE AFTER SOME TIME (MY FRIEND'S TOOK ABOUT 1 YEAR FOR THE INITIAL NOISE TO BECOME A PERMANENT NOISE). ONCE THE PERMANENT NOISE SETS IN, IT COULD BE A MATTER OF TIME BEFORE THE ENGINE LIGHT COMES ON. I ONLY HAVE 55k ON THIS VEHICLE AND IT'S A 2010. I SHOULD NOT HAVE THIS EMBARRASSING NOISE LEAVING PLACING EVERYDAY NOR SHOULD THE TECH SAY TO WAIT IT OUT CAUSE IT STILL HAS LOW MILEAGE.

CAN THIS SORT OF PROBLEM STILL BE COVERED AND FIXED PRIOR TO IT BECOMING THE BIGGER ISSUE? I BELIEVE IF MY FRIEND WOULD HAVE HAD THE LIFTERS REPLACED PRIOR TO THE CONSTANT NOISE IT WOULD HAVE BEEN LESS WORK. BUT SHOULDN'T THIS BE COVERED BY THE WARRANTY? MY FRIEND'S VEHICLE IS BEING REPLACED BY GMC BUT I'M NOT SURE I WANT TO PLAY RUSSIAN ROULETTE TRYING TO FIGURE OUT WHEN THE CONSTANT NOISE WILL SHOW AND IF I'LL STILL BE IN THE WARRANTY PERIOD.