Chevrolet Forum - Chevy Enthusiasts Forums

Chevrolet Silverado: Why is My Truck Acting Up?

If your Chevrolet Silverado 1500 isn't responding like it usually does, then there is probably something wrong. Read on to diagnose some possible conditions and issues.

June 4, 2015

This article applies to the Chevrolet Silverado 1500 (1999-present).

Is your Chevrolet Silverado 1500 acting up? Is it doing anything it doesn't usually do? A healthy truck should be a smooth, responsive truck. If your Chevy is lagging, shaking, vibrating, hesitating, leaking, or doing anything that it wasn't doing some time ago, then it's acting up and it's time to put it back in its place. Here are some of the things that normally go wrong with Silverado 1500s.

Burning Smell

Sticking Brake Calipers

If the rails that the brake calipers slide on are dirty or un-lubricated, then your brakes might drag and start smelling like burnt rubber. When you stop the car, go near the tire and use two of your senses. Smell to make sure the burning smell is coming from the brake caliper, and touch "near" the brakes to see if it feels hotter than it should. It should be warm but not hot.

Figure 1. Make sure the rails are lubricated.
Burning Oil

If you fill your oil too much, it could start burning it, thus smelling like burning oil. Be sure to drain any extra oil. Also, check under your truck for any leaking oil. Gaskets can fail, and when they do, your best bet is to take the truck to a professional to re-seal it. If you see leaking oil under your truck, try not to postpone a visit to your favorite mechanic.

Figure 2. Engine oil leak.

Power Loss

Dirty Air Filter

The air filter is responsible for cleaning up the air going into your engine. If it is dirty, it can get clogged and limit the amount of air going into your engine. The air filter should be replaced every 5,000 miles regardless of how clean or dirty it may be.

Figure 3. Dirty air filter.

Clogged Fuel Filter

Perhaps the most common cause of power loss is a clogged fuel filter. This can cause hesitation and even stalling if it's completely clogged. An average fuel filter's life is two years, which is about 30,000 miles. Most of the time, hesitation is directly related to a clogged fuel filter, and since it's cheap, it's recommended you replace it anyways.

Figure 4. Fuel filter, new (left) vs. old.

Faulty Injectors

The mixture of fuel and heat can create residue that forms on the injectors. The residue deposit usually blocks the fuel flow and causes some hesitation and lagging. Remove the injectors and check the tip; if it's not clear, clean it or replace it.

Figure 5. Check the injectors and clean or replace.

Worn Spark Plugs

The spark plugs need to be replaced every 10,000 to 20,000 miles, unless you're using expensive ones, in which case, check their intervals to know the exact mileage. However, you can always find out by removing the plugs and checking their tips. If it's burnt, replace it; you'll be surprised of the power difference you will experience.

Figure 6. Different conditions of spark plug gaps.

Engine Misfiring

Failing Coil Packs

Usually the culprit of a check engine light, the coil packs tend to show signs of going bad at low RPM. If your truck stumbles irregularly, it might be time to change your coils. You can check those by connecting an OBD reader and reading the code.

Figure 7. Coil packs.

Related Discussions