GM® Service Information & More
Milito’s has Serviced General Motors in Chicago since 1968.
Rely on Us for GM Maintenance and Any Type of Repair Today!
How GM Has Stood The Test Of Time
You don’t become one of the Big Three U.S. automakers by accident, and General Motors has been working at automotive innovation since 1920.
They have operations on six continents, with more than 216,000 employees around the globe.
They produce vehicles in 37 countries under 13 brands, namely GMC, Cadillac, Buick, Chevrolet, Vauxhall, Opel, HSV, Holden, UzDaewoo, Jie Fang, Baojun, Wuling, and Alpehon.
In other words, they’re everywhere, and they’re not going away any time soon.
Who Is Buying General Motors Vehicles?
In 2018, the revenue for General Motors was estimated to be around $147.049 billion — that’s “billion,” with a “b.”
That was up slightly from the 2017 annual revenue of $145.588 billion, but still not as high as 2016’s $149.184 billion.
Given their wide range of products, their customers range from those looking to take a truck offroad to young families looking for reliable transportation to senior citizens looking for a safe Buick.
However, it is known that over half of Chevy Spark buyers are women, and that the average Cadillac customer in China is 15 years younger than their counterpart in the U.S.
Top General Motors Vehicle Repair Problems
While the GM is mostly a well-oiled machine with only minimal owner complaints, no vehicle is perfect, and there are a few issues that may need to be addressed.
Issues to Look For:
- Faulty Ignition Switch – This defect is something that cost GM more than $120 million to settle claims from dozens of states a massive (and deadly) ignition switch defect scandal. Signs of a faulty switch include car stalling while driving, the key not turning, and noise from the starter motor.
- Power Steering Failure – GM recalled more than 1 million pickup trucks and SUVs due to a temporary loss of power steering, which can cause difficulty turning the vehicles at low speeds, which increases the risk of crashes.
- Heat/AC and Air Delivery Issues – Drivers have reported feeling hot air when the A/C is turned on, which is a sign that the air delivery and/or temperature mode door actuator has failed.
- Fuel Level Sensor Failure – Drivers have reported that the fuel tank can read the fuel level incorrectly. The problem can be resolved by replacing the sensor, but it’s recommended that the entire fuel pump module be replaced if the car has high mileage.
All of these problems and more can be fixed by the GM service mechanics at Milito’s Auto Repair in Chicago.
What to Look for When Buying a Used GM Automobile
If you’re looking for a reliable car but don’t want to pay for a brand new model, a used GM vehicle is the way to go.
Here are five things that you should do:
- Check the Records – Check the serial number with your local GM dealer for a service history. If they don’t have a history, ask to see the receipts for repair work and scheduled maintenance, and make sure it had credible records from the owner.
- Professional Inspection – Even if you ran a vehicle history report, you should still have the car inspected by a mechanic to find potential issues and to determine if the car has been in an unreported accident. Make sure they pay attention to engine-related components, like fluids, hoses and belts, radiator, and the battery.
- Check the Tires – Tires can tell you a lot regarding the maintenance and driving history of the car. If tires are worn unevenly across the width of the tread, this could indicated aggressive driving by the previous owner of the vehicle. Also look at the surface of the tire for feathering (bad alignment). Bad alignment can be caused by worn steering/suspension components, the Chicago potholes, or frame damage.
- Certified Pre-Owned – The certification provides a long-term warranty which is only offered after a rigorous 172-point test fully resolving any visual or technical flaws. It’s also factory-backed with a 6-years/100,000-mile powertrain coverage and 24-hour roadside assistance.
- Test Drive – You want to make sure you’re comfortable in the car. While driving, listen for any unusual sounds. Does the engine produce too much noise? How does the car handle? Pay attention to how well it responds to your inputs. Make sure the engine acceleration is strong and the gear shifts are smooth. Check for any leaking substances, which is a red flag.
Technological Innovations from General Motors
GM’s vision is to “create a world with Zero Crashes, Zero Emissions and Zero Congestion”. To accomplish this, they’re working on the technologies that will bring this vision to life, along with reducing consumption of fossil fuels and replacing them with renewable energies.
This is the first affordable all-electric car to offer an EPA-estimated 238 miles of range on a single charge.
The company has partnered with NASA to create the lunar rover, a humanoid robot named Robonaut 2 that lives and works alongside astronauts on the International Space Station, and a glove that helps prevent factory workers from developing stress injuries.
Top GM Dealers in the Chicago Area
The History of General Motors
Headquartered in Detroit, the company has a history as impressive as the cars that they put on the roads. General Motors Company is founded in 1908 under the leadership of William Durant, and brings together several car companies, including Buick. Olds Motor Works (Oldsmobile), and the Rapid Motor Vehicle Company, which later evolves into GMC.
Key Events and Milestones in GM’s History
1909: GM acquires Cadillac Motor and Oakland Motor Car Company, which is later renamed Pontiac.
1910: Durant is ousted, but goes on to co-founds Chevrolet Motor Company the next year.
1916: A year after becoming GM’s largest shareholder, Durant is appointed president of GM.
1918: During World War I, GM retooled 90% of the GMC truck production line for military use. More than 8,500 trucks are sold to the US Army for use in the war.
1920: Durant retires, with Alfred P. Sloan Jr. eventually coming on as president and later chief executive of GM.
1936-1937: The company survived a long strike at GM plants, which leads the company to sign its first agreement with the United Auto Workers labor union.
1954: General Motors accounted for 54% of the auto market in the United States, which is up from 12% in 1921.
1980: GM has its first unprofitable year, reporting a net loss of more than $700 million.
1984: The company buys Electronic Data Systems Corporation, started by Ross Perot, for $2.5 billion.
1998: Another strike, this time for 54 days by the United Auto Workers (UAW) union costs GM approximately $2 billion in profits.
A New Century for GM
2008: The company reports the biggest loss ever, at $38.7 billion for 2007. GM would go to receive a bailout of $13.4 billion from the US Treasury, through the Troubled Asset Relief Program (TARP).
2009: Things weren’t great. In fact, GM filed for bankruptcy, received another $30 billion in government funding to assist with restructuring. However, they emerged from bankruptcy 39 days later as General Motors Company.
2011: GM announced that the company made its first profit since 2004 at $4.7 billion in 2010.
2012: They officially became the top automobile manufacturer in the world, and with 9 million vehicles sold in 2011, it also helped to make it the largest automaker in China, too.
2013: The company helped break the glass ceiling by naming the first female CEO — Mary Barra.
2014: GM experienced big recalls. Specifically, 29 separate GM recalls since January 2014 covering 13.8 million US cars and trucks, and 15.8 million vehicles worldwide.
2016: GM announced that it would build autonomous Chevrolet Bolt electric cars in the Detroit area, and the next year they began testing in NYC.
2018: Things are okay, but not great, and the company shut down production at five facilities in North America and cut its staff, reducing its salaried workforce by 15%.
However, the company has numerous joint ventures, such as the Isuzu Truck South Africa, General Motors Egypt, General Motors India, GM Uzkeistan, Ghandhara Industries in Pakistan, GM-AavtoVAZ in Russia, and FAW-GM in China.
In other words, General Motors isn’t going to go anywhere – except back out onto the road.
Fast Facts
The company is committed to launch 20 all-electric vehicles by 2023.
In 2014, General Motors named Mary Barra as CEO, which made her the first woman to be appointed in charge of a major car maker.
Since 2014, they’ve donated more than $23 million in cash and vehicles to the Nature Conservancy alone. They also support breast cancer research, and have also donated over $1.2 billion in-kind products to support engineering education in 18 universities across the world.
GM is a company of firsts — first air conditioning system and automatic transmission, first hybrid car, first to install turn signals, and the first mechanical heart pump. Not to mention that they were the first car maker to reach $1 billion in sales, which happened in 1955.
The company creating the Lunar Roving Vehicle, aka the Moon Buggy, which was used during the successful Apollo 15 mission.
