[jn.ouellet]

Originally from Québec but throughout the years I have lived and/or worked in 7 different Provinces and 1 Territory. Presently in a small BC Interior town where it also gets pretty cold. Dealerships are either 60 km north or 60 km south. Got an appointment coming up with a different Dealership.

 

[Adamphotoman]

Just heard from the Dealership. They have a Turbo on order.

 

[jn.ouellet]

A little beyond me. Don't want to do something bad.
Question. With the Check Engine Light on can I drive it or no?

I asked the same question to different mechanics when I had issues in December and early January with both the Trax and my Sierra. The answers I got is if the check engine light is orange and solid it is probably OK to drive, but if the check engine light is red and flashing stop immediately and do not drive. I bought a code reader which tells me the severity of the codes and it guides me on deciding whether I should keep on driving or call a tow truck.

 

[LPT]

Thank you for the information. Specially about the oil. I never got a low oil warning light, and I never checked the oil level, but I got the notice to get the vehicle serviced as the oil life was down to 10 % shortly after the incident when the cabin got filled with fumes. It did not hit me at the time that it was unusual at only 2,600 Km (synthetic motor oil is supposed to last a lot longer). When I got the vehicle serviced, they never mentioned whether the oil was low nor that it was unusual to require servicing at such a low mileage. They changed the cabin air filter stating that it was “dirty” (probably from all the fumes that got through it…). Again, they never said that it was unusual with such a low mileage. On all my present and previously owned vehicles the cabin air filters lasted for ages.

After reading your reply I checked my Trax, and the oil life is down to 74 % after only 3 months and 400 Km... Definitely not normal. I will check the oil level tomorrow.

Booking and appointment with a different GM Dealership as the one that sold me the car seems to be clueless…

While checking the vehicle after the fumes incident I noticed that when the blower was on full speed (either on heat or on AC) a fair amount or air was blowing through the firewall into the engine compartment from the area of the seal around the heater core hoses and the evaporator pipes. I have never seen any other vehicle do that (I have been driving for over 48 years). A local mechanic as well as online research said that it is not normal. After some debating, the dealership agreed that it was not normal. They took the vehicle in for 2 days to replace HVAC seals. They returned the vehicle to me with air still blowing through the firewall. They said that they would check further into it and check other Trax to see if they also do that. I also called GM Customer Service and asked them if it was normal. For 3 months, the Dealership and GM Customer Service never got back to me. I phoned GM Customer Service back, they would not tell me whether it is normal or not, they told me to go back to the Dealership to get a diagnostic at my own expense (the vehicle is new, with extended warranty as well as “Total Plus” and “Enhanced Care” Protection Plans. The Dealership told me to go somewhere else to get a second opinion…

With respect to the oil life being down to 74% after only 3 months that is related to the oil needs to be changed at least once a year. My 2019 Trax manual page 242 explains it and I attached the section. It does not matter if the miles are low it must be a chemistry-type issue with aging etc. When I started driving the cars I had all recommended oil changes every 3 months or 3000 miles then it moved up to 6 months or 6000 miles and now maybe a year. So think of the best case is around 25% every 3 months I expect it is not completely linear and miles do matter along with possibly other things which I am not going to try to speculate on.

 

[AIR]

The ol'blue smoke. In my case, it's been either a snapped piston RING or a blown head gasket. I've replaced a cracked piston twice and a blown head gasket once due to blue smoke. So, I'm fairly familiar with the blue smoke symptom. In each situation, I was still able to drive the vehicle home. By no means can I get away with driving it around like nothing is wrong. Also the oil level starts to drop.

To be fair, I've installed a few performance mods and tunes that may be pushing the piston strength. However, I've learned the pistons known to be fairly week. I'm tired of getting blue smoke so I'll install diamond forged pistons.

If you are able to drive around fairly normally, I'd guess a small crack in your piston ring.

As for the turbo, my turbo got a crack in it also (another common failure point).