I got my SS non-supercharged about a year ago. Everything was good to go for a couple months, and then the mysterious check engine light came on....all the time!- the one that lets you know it has fuel issues. Everytime I drove on the interstate for more than an hour, or when I hit around 75 mph for an extended time the CEL came on. When the CEL came on I got around 29 miles/gal and the car ran like crap/ Since I was away in Alabama/Florida for a year long military course I couldnt do much about it cause the dealers didnt work on weekends and I never had time to go to dealer. After coming home in April my car has been to the dealer not one, not two, but 4 times for the same problem!!!! I went to two different dealers, and the first 3 times they just reprogrammed the pcm since the some fuel code showed up, and the one time they actually cleaned my injectors. My car is at the dealer for the third straight day now. The first day I dropped it off they said they had been in contact with the GM techs, and they advised me to start using 91 octane or better. I thought for sure when I bought the car the chevy website and the original dealer said 87 is ok, and thats one of the main reasons I got this over the Civic Si. I dont want a new car, I just want this car fixed and I think its BS i should have to use better gas. Anyway, The dealer replaced only the fuel injectors and cleaned the fuel system out. The GM techs need specific readings at cooler and warmer temps and will do a bunch of diagnostic testing. Is this normal??? Obviously not if my car is still at dealers. I dont honestly think this will fix it since they only replaced injectors and cleaned system out. The fuel pump should be dumped as well as my exhaust system since I have a persistent sulfur smell meaning what I think is a bad cat. My questions are:
1. Has anyone else had this problem?
2. Should I call GM and try to get some kind of reimbursement for using more expensive gas?
3. Will my car actually get fixed since all they replaced was injectors and cleaned system out?

 

they had a tsb out for types of gasoline you should be using.. https://www.cobaltss.net/forums/show...light=top+tier with the 2.4 its recommended by gm to use 91 octane.

 

What was the cel you were throwing everytime ?

 

The CEL code was P1174: Fuel Trim Cylinder Balance ECM. Ive read a couple other threads about the problem and they sound similar. Its deff a probelm with fuel and unfortunatley for me theres no where around here to get top-tier fuel according to the dealer.

 

That sounds like a broken part.

Next time you get the CEL, don't clear it. The dealership won't fix it unless the CEL is present at the time. Then take it in. They should be able to fix that pretty easy, remove and replace.

 

The car had the CEL on 3 out of the 4 times ive taken it to the dealer. I honestly dont think they have a good idea what is going on since they keep trying to reprogram the pcm and they finally talked to some GM techs who walk them through trying to fix my car on the phone. thanks for the comments keep them coming!

 

yeah, it sounds like the gas. whoever told you that you could put regular in it lied.

 

gh0st, GM's training information for Salesman states that with the 2.4L LE5 Cobalt SS / Pontiac Solstice / Pontiac G5 GT can use Regular 87 Octane Gasoline.

I know dealerships even to this day fill up new 2.4's with 87 octane vs 91+.

Chances are the salesman told him that.

I know when I was a chevy salesman, I told them that 87 is ....alright...but id recommend atleast 89..and if you can afford it the 91+.

 

I got the car back, filled up with 93 and left for home 300 miles away. The dealer assured me car was good, but half way home the CEL came on again. I called the dealership and GM and told them to fix my car monday. I specifically told gm that if the CEL comes on again, I dont want the car anymore and to get me a new one. They said they will contact me tues after my car gets looked at. Im pretty pissed, i was told to use better fuel and its still the same problem.

 

When I was researching to buy the car, i saw where I'd have to use 91 from the Chevy website and my dealer confirmed that I'd have to use 91 and my manual says to use 91. I think I found one place, maybe hidden on the Chevy website that says I can use 87, but it's three against one and I'll double check the sources that i can. Just because it's in their training information doesn't make it correct, you'd think so, but how many times has anyone had a job where someone has said, "This is how Corporate says to do it, but this is the better way to do it"?. I can't say what my dealer filled my car up after I bought it, but I've put 89 in it a few times and I've felt a noticeable power loss.

Maybe the prolonged use of 87 caused this irreversible problem or maybe the car's just a dud

 

It is definitely the fuel system, have hem replace whatever part of the fuel system they haven't alrady and continue using 93 octane, also the is a big one, make sure whatever fuel you do use has not additives or MMT. Its in your manual check it out. Also next time take notice of the temp of the engine, and how much fuel you have left when the light comes on. The more information you have the better.

 

I bought a 06 2.4 SS and have had the exact same problem with mine. I took it back to the dealership (not the one I bought it at) and they kept it for 3 days just to tell me that it was something they couldn't do anything about it because the light had come off and the code wasn't something that Chevy had ever experienced with my car, P1174. I was told to make sure I was using 89 octane or higher, peferrably 91 because it was an SS even though I don't have the supercharged engine, just Super Sport. They reset the light and said if it came back on let them know and bring it in right away when the light was still on. I have taken it back 12 times or more now and the light still comes on and off. It never stays on so when I take it in and they finally got to it, the light was on. Now I am over my 36,000 warranty and they want me to pay $100 bucks for the deductible because the dealerships in Colorado (I just moved to Michigan) never documented that they worked on my car for the check engine light, I always got a receipt saying what they did but when the dealerships out here are looking online there is no proof.

I am wondering what ever happened with your problem? Did it ever get fixed? I am so upset because this car cost me 22,000 so I expected more than the lemon I got!!