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Have been a GM owner for three decades. Follow proper maintenance schedules and have had great luck with truck engines, normally get over 300,000 miles before selling or gifting away.
At 145,000 miles(primarily highway and weekend hunting trips), the check engine comes on, truck runs rough, acts like it has a serious miss and receive the messages: Service Stabilitrac & Traction Control. Thought maybe a plug or two had fouled out or some other minor issue. Wishful thinking... need new lifters and camshaft. Sound familiar? I've now read several examples of this exact issue. Evidently, when some of the cylinders shut down, the lifters don't get adequately lubricated, causing failure/collapse, also damaging the camshaft. This results in a several thousand dollar repair bill that GM will not cost share due to expired warranty. I think it's a design flaw they should assist with. Maybe with all the financial troubles GM has experienced, their vehicle quality has suffered. Did I mention both front power locks failed at about 120,000 miles?
If you own an AFM equipped vehicle, be sure to swap it off before the warranty period expires. My chevy experience has come to an end. It's unfortunate, as I really like the style, handling and performance other than the faulty engine.
I have a 2007 Silverado ltz 200,000 miles. Replace the throttle body, it ran good for 2 months, then started over. Cyl 7 misfire, replace bad spark plug, that fixed it. The spark plug only had 40,000 miles on them. One bad spark plug will cause it to run rough, stabilitrak light, shifts hard from 1 to 2 gear. The ceramic was half way gone on the spark plug.
I've been a loyal GM customer for more than 40 years and am finally completely fed up. Have mostly driven Jimmy's, Suburbans and Yukons as well as GM cars for my wife and kids. My latest is a 2008 Yukon 5.3l with 270,000km. Change the oil regularly and do a flush every second oil change. Lifters crapped out at 230,000km, I wasn't happy but spent the $4100.00 to repair because I love the truck. Last week the dash lit up like a christmas tree and I took it into the shop where I was informed that they think it's the camshaft as there is 0 compression in cylinder 4. Seems that GM is very aware that they have a problem with this engine but don't really give a damn. Most of my driving is on the highway and this is the first vehicle that I haven't been able to surpass the 300k mark on with most going well over 400k before I get rid of them. Someone needs to take GM to task on this and perhaps start a class action lawsuit.
I bought a 08 crew cab LT Z71 with about 60k from a used truck dealership that only sell trucks that they throw a rough country lift kit an some wheels an tires on then jack the price up. truck was very nice until about 2 weeks later during our 2 hour drive back from the beach on the interstate, i got loud afm lifter racket. lucky for me i purchased a dealership 20k mile drivetrain warrantee. because at the time my truck was just a couple of months beyond its 5 year factory. the dealership confirmed that my little bs warrantee that they hoped i wouldnt cash in was relevant and they replaced all the lifters an actually went above an beyond while having my engine apart. sold that truck to a guy with a wad of cash from atlanta .. now ive got a 04 crew cab 4x4 with about 202k with lifters ticking on cold start 😂
I posted on this thread back in June 2017 about lifter problems with my 2012 Silverado. The truck had 118,000 miles on it and the engine had to be rebuilt because of multiple DOD lifter failures. I was assured my truck was fine for a long time. Now, at 158,000 miles, the engine has been partially rebuilt because one of the DOD lifters on cylinder 1 failed. $1700 down the hole.
This is ridiculous! I kept this truck maintained on schedule at the local GM dealership. In fact, I had it serviced at the dealership the week before the lifter failure. Obviously I’ll need to get an AFM delete device for this truck before I have another failure. So much for the “most dependable trucks on the road”.
Last edited by Plainsman; January 26th, 2019 at 8:23 PM.
So sad and so glad to hear. So sad for you , I feel your pain with this mess. I am glad I took the gamble and sold my 2010 1 month before the warranty expired. I got a 2015 V6 with the 3.42 rear.
Now that is what makes a Truck a Chevy Truck. V6 4.2 with 3.42 rear out does the 5.3l V8 with the 3.02 STD rear gear. Got 67K miles and not ONE ISSUE with engine. The only problems if you want to be precise on the truck was just that recall on EPS . I had a oil line leak but that is all. I lost a load of money on that 2010 Silverado and not to happy about it. I suppose my anger and wounds have healed with the satisfaction and reliability of the 2015 V6 Silverado.
Hope you saved your receipts in case someone wins a class action on that 5.3l engine. Oil Burning, Carbon fouling, Cam eating engine. GM did not do justice on that AFM engine.
But they got it right on the V6
Long story -- I had a fantastic 2003 Silverado extended cab Z-71 off road with the 5.3 motor.
It was a weekend toy that was sometimes used to tow a car trailer.
It Never - Never had a motor problem and did not require the addition of any oil between changes but the truck had New England rust issues.
At about 130,000 mile we redid the rear wheel wells and rockers.
Then a few months ago at 200,000 it would not pass inspection because of rust and a few other things.
This time it was the rear wheel wells again, rear backing plates, and loose front suspension.
Since it was at 200,000 miles I decided to get another Silverado.
It took a bit of work but I found a rust free 2013 4X4 extended cab 5.3 with a little over 100,000 miles.
It has the GU6/G80 3.42 posi ratio, KNP trans cooler, KC4 HD engine cooler, Z85 High payload package, and among a long list of other goodies - the freekin AFM system.
It drives great but in the first 600 miles it used about a 1/2 quart of oil with no signs of smoking or leaking.
I did a web search and found that the issue is most likely the AFM .
What is GM thinking????
Who in their right mind would take a great dependable motor and turn it into a POS that uses oil?
I have ordered a Range Technology disabler to see if that will help, but can't believe GM would be that stupid.
I will make sure I change the oil every few thousand miles and use full synthetic with a good oil filter and cross my fingers.
By the way, this is my 4th GM truck in the last 30 years but may be the last.
Oil consumption on GM vehicles are related to piston rings not sealing properly. What I have read is that they will remove the plugs and pore some type of solvent to free up the rings so they can be re seated. My Tahoe suffered from this. It had carbon buildup and my son fixed it when he took the heads off while he was doing a cam swap. I would use a quart of oil within 4k miles. I hate it but the Tahoe is payment free and I like it so I just had to deal with it. I wished I could remember what stuff was used. I know it was a GM label bottle...I would ask you dealer. Surely they will tell you.
On Edit: Range Technology disabler will keep your AFM from working but just bear in mind you will still have the parts that go bad still in there. I ordered my DOD Delete kit from Texas speed and tuned out the AFM so I don't have to worry about this stupid technology that doesn't have any noticeable gains in mpg.
If I ever buy another GM and it doesn't have a warranty I will do the same thing. Just a few hours (10) and it is done. You have to remove the heads, the cam, and the lifters and of course the intake. Not hard work just alittle time consuming but in my opinion well worth it.
Last edited by sfcjones; February 27th, 2019 at 6:39 AM.
I bought a 08 crew cab LT Z71 with about 60k from a used truck dealership that only sell trucks that they throw a rough country lift kit an some wheels an tires on then jack the price up. truck was very nice until about 2 weeks later during our 2 hour drive back from the beach on the interstate, i got loud afm lifter racket. lucky for me i purchased a dealership 20k mile drivetrain warrantee. because at the time my truck was just a couple of months beyond its 5 year factory. the dealership confirmed that my little bs warrantee that they hoped i wouldnt cash in was relevant and they replaced all the lifters an actually went above an beyond while having my engine apart. sold that truck to a guy with a wad of cash from atlanta .. now ive got a 04 crew cab 4x4 with about 202k with lifters ticking on cold start 😂
Not lifters....Just some piston slap...My wifes 01 Suburban did this.
Nobody can give conclusiive proof. But I am convinced depsite all the news reports and analyis why GM laid off people. When it all comes down to where the tires meet the road. This 5.3 engine issue, while it is not the stand alone cause. I will say this single issue has been a significant cause of the loss of trust in GM.
The Ford Spark plugs issues, Focas trans, and almost all CVT transmissions make me afraid to buy a new car.
This GM engine burned me on my 2010. I lost a lot of $$ in my swap for the 2015 V6 in 2015. 1 month before PT warranty expired.
This may be a little off topic but is rooted in my losses of on my 2010 engine. 3 times repaired under warranty. 80k miles smoking, fueding and fussing with carbon,pistons and the whole AFM issues.
There are many, many, and then more voices out there preaching and warning about most car issues these days. It hard to sort the bias.
There is old ' Scotty" on the web and the CarPros show that at least seem to be the least bias for or aganst any brands.
I will say this ONSTAR is what keeps me as a GM owner. Once I got hooked on ONSTAR all other brands systems are no match.
Gm has some good stuff. I happen to have a Very good 2003 Impala and 2015 V6 Silverado Z71 Crew Cab. Impala gasket issue fixed but now fine.
But I need the Onstar built in phone and other things. GM should have given an extended coverage on this engine issue. Would have cost a bundle but made a bundle in the long hual. I know in my personal friends at least 5 lost sales that would have went to GM but were lost due to this paticular engine failure. GM must have lost millions and still counting due to this engine problem. And it now is costing people jobs at GM.
Last edited by MRIBOB; February 27th, 2019 at 10:09 AM.
July 24th, 2015, 5:34 PM
Stabilitrak, misfire shift hard first to second
