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IN FEBUARY OF THIS YEAR WE BOUGHT OUR FIRST MOTORHOME, A NEWMAR VENTANA LE. THE 1ST THING WE DECIDED WAS WE NEEDED A TOW CAR, A TOADY. THE SPARK LS WAS ADVERTISED AS THE NUMBER 1 CHOICE. WOW!!! WHAT A MISTAKE ! AFTER 4400 MILES THE FRONT DISC BRAKES WHILE TOWING USING A BLUE OX SYSTEM WITH A PATRIOT II AUTO BRAKE COMPLETELY DESTROYED OUR FRONT BRAKES, CV AXLES, AND ALL SENSORS INCLUDING, REAR BRAKES. THE DEALERSHIP, 3-WAY CHEVROLET IN BAKERSFIELD CALIFORNIA DENIED IT AS A WARRANTEE CLAIM, SAYING IT WAS THE PATRIOT II SYSTEM THAT CAUSED THE FAILURE WITHOUT SHOWING ANY EVIDENCE THAT THIS WAS THE CAUSE. THEY THEN PRODUCED A ESTIMATE FOR REPAIR OF $4767.18 TO FIX THE SPARK LS. WE ELECTED TO HAVE THE PATRIOT II SYSTEM CHECKED BY BLUE OX AND FOUND NO FAILURE OR ERROR CODES. WE THEN FIXED THE SPARK BY OUR CERTIFIED TECHNICIAN/MECHANIC ( GM TRAINED) FOR A TOTAL OF LABOR & PARTS ( ALL GM PARTS) FOR $2,206 DOLLARS. THE CAR WAS REPAIRED AND RETURNED TO SERVICE FOR 300 MILES AND HAD NO ISSUES. THE 1ST TOWING ATTEMPT WAS WITHOUT THE PATRIOT II BRAKE SYSTEM AND THEN CHECKED AT 72 MILES OF TOWING. THE RIGHT FRONT TIRE WAS HOT, BUT THE RIM WAS TOOOOO HOT MAKE CONTACT WITH MORE THAN AN INSTANT. WE THEN DISCONNECTED THE SPARK FROM THE TOWING VEHICLE MOTORHOME AND PROCEEDED TO DRIVE, IN 10 MILES THE RIM HAD COOLED TO THE TOUCH. THE SPARK HAD BOTH DISC PADS REPLACED, RIGHT HAND WORN SEVERELY, WHILE LEFT SHOWED ONLY NORMAL WEAR. THE CAR WAS RETURNED TO DEALERSHIP AND THEY PRONOUNCED THAT THE BEARING AT THE RIGHT HAND SIDE WAS THE OVERHEATING ISSUE, AGAIN WITH NO PROOF. THE CAR WAS THEN DROVE 3 BLOCKS TO A GMC DEALER AND CHECKED. THEY FOUND NO PROBLEMS WITH THE ENTIRE REPAIR FROM 1ST EVENT AND SECOND BRAKE FAILURE. THEY THEN SAID BEAR WAS GOOD, BUT THERE WERE ERROR CODES FOR THE ABS BRAKE CONTROL MODULE.....SO, MILEAGE IS GOOD 37-40 MILES PER GALLON, LITTLE NOISY, ESPECIALLY WHEN THE FRONT BRAKES AND AXLE DESTROY THEMSELVES AT ABOUT 4400 MILES AND THE DEALERSHIP IS LYING ABOUT EVERYTHING AND IS COVERING UP FOR GENERAL MOTORS. WE ARE GOOD CUSTOMERS, HAVE 3 CARS CURRENTLY THAT WERE PURCHASED FROM THIS DEALERSHIP, IT DOESN'T MATTER. G. M. IS COVERING UP A MAJOR PROBLEM !! WE HAVE ASKED FOR ALL OUR MONEY BACK INCLUDING REPAIRS AND ADDITIONS TO CAR FOR TOWING. NOT HAPPY.

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IN FACT GM HAS A RECALL NOTICE FOR JUST THIS ISSUE, TOWING ALL WHEELS DOWN. THEY CLAIM THAT IT PRODUCES TIRE SQUEAL, A CRAFTY WAY OF SAYING THE BRAKES ARE LOCKING UP. THEY THEN RECOMMEND AND STATE THAT 3 PAGES BE ADDED TO THE MANUAL AND THOSE POAGES STATE THE METHOD OF DISCONNECTING THE NEGATIVE BATTERY POLE. WE DID THIS IN OUR 2ND TOWING EVENT WITHOUT THE PATRIOT II SYSTEM INSTALLED, ALL BY GM RECOMMENDED TOWING PROCEDURES.....FOLKS, IT JUST DOESN'T WORK !!! THIS CAR ISN'T SAFE. WE ARE NOW LEARNING THAT THE BEARINGS ARE DIFFERENT GRADES AND HAVE VARYING LIFE EXPECTENCY , ONCE AGAIN PROFIT STANDS IN THE WAY OF CUSTOMER SAFETY & SATISFACTION. General Motors SAVED BY THE AMERICAN TAXPAYOR, IN 2008, NOW FOLLOWS PRFIT AND LAYS OFF FAITHFUL LONG TERM EMPLOYEES AT CHRISTMAS.......AND THEY WON'T FIX THE CARS THEY SOLD TO YOU. WELCOME TO THE TRUMP AMERICA WHERE GREED AND THE PURSUIT OF THE ALMIGHTY DOLLAR IS ALL THAT MAKE SENSE TO CORPORATIONS. MERRY XMAS SPARK OWNERS !!!!

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WE ARE NOW WAITING FOR THE SPARKY CAR TO BE REPAIRED BY REPLACING THE BRAKE MODULE..... I WILL HOOK IT UP TO MY 4X4 DIESEL TRUCK, NOT THE MOTORHOME, TOW IT FOR ABOUT 35 MILES AND CHECK FOR HEAT. IF HEAT SIGNATURE IS PRESENT BUT NOT EXTREME, I WILL TOW IT BACK TO DEALERSHIP, IF HEAT SIGNATURE IS EXTREME , I CALL A TOW TRUCK TO TAKE IT BACK TO DEALERSHIP. NOW I DON'T KNOW ABOUT YOU  ? BUT I DIDN'T LAY OUT THIS MONEY FOR A PROBLEM, THIS CAR WAS SUPPOSED TO SOLVE PROBLEMS NOT CREATE THEM.....AND A REAL SAFETY ISSUE FOR ANYONE FOLLOWING BEHIND US, IN CASE A WHEEL SEPARATES FROM THE LITTLE SPARKY CAR ?

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