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2011 Silverado Vibration = Rough Ride.
January 12th, 2013, 12:01 PM
#171
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Hi:
My Dad always said - Son, start every letter with something nice.
Dear GM: Thank you for selling me a 2012 Z71. I have the luxury of getting more than I paid for. I had no idea I was getting a personal vibrating device (PVD) at no cost when I purchased my truck.
Although the PVD was free, I continue to have vibration that I believe is in excess of what should be expected. To make sure I'm not getting more vibration than is engineered into the vehicle, I have taken a great number of steps.
I have the eco-boost, so I'm careful to distinguish between it's jiration and that which I refer to as 'vibration'.
Like many I've had the vehicle back to the shop - mine made 10 trips total. The dealership performed the tests (oval, sidewall etc). They found 2 tires not in spec once. One time they found a bent rim. Final attempt was to put 4 tires from the same lot number on the truck - each tested at 19 - 22. Nothing fixed. They informed me that they opened up a report with GM and sent all the test results to them for review. GM Engineer response - everything is within spec.
I asked if the dealer checked the drive line (s) and/or make sure the differencials were perfectly matched. Although the vibration doesn't change from 2WD to 4WD, I was grasping at this point... Yes, sir; we assure you that everything is within spec.
I asked the dealer if they would put a different type of tire/sidewall on the vehicle and test. The response: we drove a vehicle same as yours with a different type of tire and it did the same thing. So, I was left to scratch...my head.
I went as far as to follow the rules of the Lemon Law in the State the vehicle was purchased. Borne from that exercise: I received a call from the General Manager of the dealership. Although a lot of quotable, non-sensical dribble came from his end, the only justification he could provide: well, we've been in business for 30 years and I've only had one vehicle that would qualify under the lemon law.
If anyone ever figures out what the fix is - please post it in big bold letters.
I hate Dodge. I hate Ford. I hate Toyota. Now I hate Chevy/GM. Does VW make a Truck? Surely they can do something with my $35K.
Mild
My Dad always said - Son, start every letter with something nice.
Dear GM: Thank you for selling me a 2012 Z71. I have the luxury of getting more than I paid for. I had no idea I was getting a personal vibrating device (PVD) at no cost when I purchased my truck.
Although the PVD was free, I continue to have vibration that I believe is in excess of what should be expected. To make sure I'm not getting more vibration than is engineered into the vehicle, I have taken a great number of steps.
I have the eco-boost, so I'm careful to distinguish between it's jiration and that which I refer to as 'vibration'.
Like many I've had the vehicle back to the shop - mine made 10 trips total. The dealership performed the tests (oval, sidewall etc). They found 2 tires not in spec once. One time they found a bent rim. Final attempt was to put 4 tires from the same lot number on the truck - each tested at 19 - 22. Nothing fixed. They informed me that they opened up a report with GM and sent all the test results to them for review. GM Engineer response - everything is within spec.
I asked if the dealer checked the drive line (s) and/or make sure the differencials were perfectly matched. Although the vibration doesn't change from 2WD to 4WD, I was grasping at this point... Yes, sir; we assure you that everything is within spec.
I asked the dealer if they would put a different type of tire/sidewall on the vehicle and test. The response: we drove a vehicle same as yours with a different type of tire and it did the same thing. So, I was left to scratch...my head.
I went as far as to follow the rules of the Lemon Law in the State the vehicle was purchased. Borne from that exercise: I received a call from the General Manager of the dealership. Although a lot of quotable, non-sensical dribble came from his end, the only justification he could provide: well, we've been in business for 30 years and I've only had one vehicle that would qualify under the lemon law.
If anyone ever figures out what the fix is - please post it in big bold letters.
I hate Dodge. I hate Ford. I hate Toyota. Now I hate Chevy/GM. Does VW make a Truck? Surely they can do something with my $35K.
Mild
ontGrowAutofit/> </w:Compatibility> <w:BrowserLevel>MicrosoftInternetExplorer4</w:BrowserLevel> </w:WordDocument> </xml><![endif]--><!--[if gte mso 9]><xml> <w:LatentStyles DefLockedState="false" LatentStyleCount="156"> </w:LatentStyles> </xml><![endif]--><!--[if gte mso 10]> <style> /* Style Definitions */ table.MsoNormalTable {mso-style-name:"Table Normal"; mso-tstyle-rowband-size:0; mso-tstyle-colband-size:0; mso-style-noshow:yes; mso-style-parent:""; mso-padding-alt:0in 5.4pt 0in 5.4pt; mso-para-margin:0in; mso-para-margin-bottom:.0001pt; mso-pagination:widow-orphan; font-size:10.0pt; font-family:"Times New Roman"; mso-ansi-language:#0400; mso-fareast-language:#0400; mso-bidi-language:#0400;} </style> <![endif]--> mild mannered mike,I’m sorry you are experiencing this condition with your truck. Would you please PM me your VIN, so I can research your case?
I look forward to your reply.
Louis
GM Customer Service
January 14th, 2013, 7:15 AM
#172
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Just because GM claims these trucks are “within spec” only tells me that GM acknowledges that this is a widespread problem. I have been involved in manufacturing for many years, and the last thing GM wants is a recall-it can be very expensive to admit a mistake was made. Apparently, their damage control calculations indicate that it will be much more cost effective to screw the unfortunate people that bought these defective trucks-rather than fix or replace them. <?xml:namespace prefix = o ns = "urn:schemas-microsoft-com
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My dilemma now is whether I should trade this truck off now and lose money, or wait until these model years get a much worse reputation and lose a lot more money. <o></o>
fficeffice" /><o></o>My dilemma now is whether I should trade this truck off now and lose money, or wait until these model years get a much worse reputation and lose a lot more money. <o
></o>
January 14th, 2013, 7:26 PM
#173
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I thought about that too - sell now. I like the style of the truck and the interior so I'm hesitating. Plus not sure I could do that to some unsuspecting soul. As mad as I am - there is no way I could justify being that big of a jerk to someone else.
If the fix is a few hundred bucks to go away, I'll just paint a big yellow sign and go sit in front of the dealer's shop.
I sent the last letter to 'Louis' at GM Customer service so I'll give it about 2 weeks.
Go from there.
Good luck with yours.
MMM
If the fix is a few hundred bucks to go away, I'll just paint a big yellow sign and go sit in front of the dealer's shop.
I sent the last letter to 'Louis' at GM Customer service so I'll give it about 2 weeks.
Go from there.
Good luck with yours.
MMM
January 15th, 2013, 6:41 AM
#174
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I like the truck as well, unless I'm driving it. And, I wouldn't have too big of a problem putting it back on the dealer that lied to me when I bought it. However, I could never sell it to an individual-that would certainly lower my moral standards to those of GM.
January 24th, 2013, 8:03 PM
#175
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Update - I engaged 'hi I'm Louis from GM and I want to help'; ended up with nothing. Just got escalated to some half-whit who simply called the dealer and talked to the same guy that told me the vehicle was fine. The dealer says it's in spec. There's nothing else to do. It's amazing to me that GM would spent time, energy and money to hire these folks to offer to help when they are not empowered to do anything but provide lip-service. What a waste of my time. Bottom line - the dealer lied to me to get me to purchase a vehicle that they knew was not repairable. There is evidence that they knew about these problems based on this forum and others. To let it continue without saying anything to perspective buyers is reprehensible. BBB is a good approach but they'll only get you back to the same place - the dealer. Next step - legal. If nothing more to have someone recognize that my dealer jammed me, that's good enough. I just hope that anyone considering purchase of a Chevy Silverado Z71 reads this and has second thoughts. Not only about the vehicle vibration but, more importantly, the lack of support by GM. Anyone in the KC Metro area - DO NOT BUY ANYTHING FROM THE DEALER ON SHAWNEE MISSION DRIVE! They are liars. I hope someday I get to repay them for the lesson.
January 25th, 2013, 8:40 AM
#176
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I just returned from my dealership - most likely for the last time - in their view anyway - on this Silverado vibration problem. Mine is a 2012 Silverado 1500 and i have vibrations at highway speeds and now I can reproduce the vibration at any speed. On this 3rd visit to my dealer for this issue I had the shop foreman ride with me and he noticed the issue - drove the vehicle himself and again agreed that there was a vibration that didn't seem normal - I thought that maybe I was getting somewhere - NOT. I left the vehicle the next day for as long as they needed it to find and solve the problem - received a call around 12:00 noon - saying no problem found - the vibration is due to the AFM - Active Fuel Management - and of course is normal and the truck is operating as expected. I didn't even know I had this wonderful feature that is supposed to save fuel by shifting from 8 cylinder to 4 cylinders - and during this transition it is expected that there will be a "noise" or "vibration"!!
Sure enough I can watch this happening using the DIC and feeling the vibration when the transition happens. There is even a bulletin from GM on this Document ID: 2725187 - #06-06-05-001E
Has anyone else been told about this?
Sure enough I can watch this happening using the DIC and feeling the vibration when the transition happens. There is even a bulletin from GM on this Document ID: 2725187 - #06-06-05-001E
Has anyone else been told about this?
January 26th, 2013, 7:05 AM
#177
I just returned from my dealership - most likely for the last time - in their view anyway - on this Silverado vibration problem. Mine is a 2012 Silverado 1500 and i have vibrations at highway speeds and now I can reproduce the vibration at any speed. On this 3rd visit to my dealer for this issue I had the shop foreman ride with me and he noticed the issue - drove the vehicle himself and again agreed that there was a vibration that didn't seem normal - I thought that maybe I was getting somewhere - NOT. I left the vehicle the next day for as long as they needed it to find and solve the problem - received a call around 12:00 noon - saying no problem found - the vibration is due to the AFM - Active Fuel Management - and of course is normal and the truck is operating as expected. I didn't even know I had this wonderful feature that is supposed to save fuel by shifting from 8 cylinder to 4 cylinders - and during this transition it is expected that there will be a "noise" or "vibration"!!
Sure enough I can watch this happening using the DIC and feeling the vibration when the transition happens. There is even a bulletin from GM on this Document ID: 2725187 - #06-06-05-001E
Has anyone else been told about this?
Sure enough I can watch this happening using the DIC and feeling the vibration when the transition happens. There is even a bulletin from GM on this Document ID: 2725187 - #06-06-05-001E
Has anyone else been told about this?
January 26th, 2013, 11:11 AM
#178
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dgriff - Yes, the 8 to 4 and back exchange causes kind of a rumble. Not sure how to describe it. My vehicle does that but my complaint is about the continual vibration (to one degree or the other) at most speeds and the extreme vibration or bounce at 68 - 72. (extreme because I've grown to be so irritated by it). Like your dealer, mine said during the several test rides that the extreme vibration isn't normal. Yet, they say there is nothing they can do because it is within GM spec for 'normal'.
mhanlen - This is very interesting news. I've never heard it before. I must have missed it if you posted this earlier. I have the 6 speed auto. Maybe GM owes you a ton of money for finding a solution. Not sure where you got this information but I have a tranny guy...so I'll dig deeper. If GM knows about this already, I'm gonna be madder than I already am so if there is a technical post you can get your hands on, please share.
mhanlen - This is very interesting news. I've never heard it before. I must have missed it if you posted this earlier. I have the 6 speed auto. Maybe GM owes you a ton of money for finding a solution. Not sure where you got this information but I have a tranny guy...so I'll dig deeper. If GM knows about this already, I'm gonna be madder than I already am so if there is a technical post you can get your hands on, please share.
January 27th, 2013, 7:27 AM
#179
mild mannered mike,
I'm sorry but I don't have access to any of the bulletins anymore. Most of the manufactures encountered at one time or another. Depending on the shift sequence it may occur at different times but the GM transmissions apply torque convertor lock up last. Since I don't have the problem and can't replicate it, try this.
1. Get in the same environment to replicate the malfunction.
2. Once you know you can make it happen, come to a complete stop.
3. Activate the towing mode and try it again by replicating the same speed, load, and accessories on.
4. If it doesn't do it, simply deactivate trailer towing mode.
(for fun try it with the cruise control on while driving over overpasses and activating and deactivating trailer tow) I'm just guessing though like everyone else but your problems sound real familiar. Some even thought it was a engine misfire, lean stfc or stumble. Ford has a bad vacuum hose on the throttle body that will do it)
5. If it does it, take it to the dealer and have them reprogram the tcm and ecm or replace the convertor.
I'm sorry but I don't have access to any of the bulletins anymore. Most of the manufactures encountered at one time or another. Depending on the shift sequence it may occur at different times but the GM transmissions apply torque convertor lock up last. Since I don't have the problem and can't replicate it, try this.
1. Get in the same environment to replicate the malfunction.
2. Once you know you can make it happen, come to a complete stop.
3. Activate the towing mode and try it again by replicating the same speed, load, and accessories on.
4. If it doesn't do it, simply deactivate trailer towing mode.
(for fun try it with the cruise control on while driving over overpasses and activating and deactivating trailer tow) I'm just guessing though like everyone else but your problems sound real familiar. Some even thought it was a engine misfire, lean stfc or stumble. Ford has a bad vacuum hose on the throttle body that will do it)
5. If it does it, take it to the dealer and have them reprogram the tcm and ecm or replace the convertor.
January 29th, 2013, 10:29 PM
#180
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More info needed
Do any of these problem trucks have the max tow package with the 6.2L engine, or are they all the 5.3L with the Z71 package. Ours is the Ext cab with the max tow, 6.2L, 3.73 and regular bed. I thought the slight "vibration" that just showed up at around 6000 miles, was just the HD package, but now I am interested in finding more info.