Sick of My Truck

[mcmonroe]

I am sick of my truck and dont have any to vent to -- so -- I am going to share my thoughts with the group.

I bought my truck brand new in July of 2004. It's about 14 months old and has just over 25,000 miles it.

The truck has been in the shop 10-15 times. I lost track a while back. 3/4 of those trips to the shop have been for steering related matters. I actually think that they break more stuff than they fix when they attempt to make repairs.

They have replaced two intermediate shafts, upper shaft bearings, and today they replaced the steering pump. The truck has been really making a lot of "steering" noises when its cold and I guess they thought they would try a pump. We will see how it does in the morning when cold.

I am really sick of this truck. All of the joy and fun related to it have flown out the window. In fact I dread the thought of even getting into now. I traded a 2001 Z71 that had ZERO problems and in its place I have a truck that goes to the shop every 3-4 weeks for something.

I am probably screwed by now after 14 months -- but -- I have decided that I am going to raise some serious hell with anyone that will listen if their last attempt to fix this terd is unsuccesful.

I have always had Chevy's through the years and have had everything from Chevy Trucks, Corvettes, Chevelles, and whatnot. I have just about lost hope that this truck is ever going to be right, however, I am not sure what I am going to replace it with if things get to that point (they are close to that point). I wish that Toyota had their 3/4 tons out.

Random thoughts...... <deep breath>

Mark Monroe
Harrisburg NC

[mcmonroe]

The truck went back to the shop this morning. The pump they replaced yesterday didnt fix the "groaning" problems.

Not only did it not fix the problem that I had taken it in for service on, but they created a new problem when they replaced the pump. The entire steering box is covered in fluid and there is fluid all over the frame rail and that area in general.

It is leaking enough to completely cover the a-arm and blow back onto the transmission cross member. did they even check for leaks when the replaced the pump?

So today they are challenged to fix the new problem they created yesterday and take anohter stab at fixing the original problem that still exists.

Will it ever end........

Mark Monroe
Harrisburg NC

[Chris611]

Doesn't sound like you are having much fun. Also sounds like the dealer is most of you problem. Are there any other dealers around? With warranty work, you are sort of locked into a dealership. Sometimes there is only one nearby so you are stuck. Hope things get better. Does the lemon law apply here? Isn't it if the dealer tries to fix it 3 times with no success, its a lemon? Maybe someone else can help out here.

Chris

[LeroyR]

I wouldn't be happy either. Have you checked to see if the Lemon Law applies?

[mcmonroe]

I am working on the Lemon Law stuff as we speak.

http://nclemonlaw.com/

Wish me luck guys....

Mark Monroe
Harrisburg NC

[Kennedy]

I have a bit of a steering groan with my 2005. Seems to happen when warm anfter heat soaking. It goes away eventually so I haven't really worried about it. I enjoy driving the truck and towing with it and figure if a little noise once in a while is the worst of it, I can live with it. Thinking I'll try a synthetic fluid once. My 2002 has the steering clunk. I had the shaft replaced once but it is still there so I put in a Borgeson shaft and it is still there if not worse. I think it is up in the column itself like the tilt section. Again, if a little noise is the worst thing I can find to complain about...

[mcmonroe]

It's just more than a little noise. I would never complain about a slight rattle or whatnot. This noise is to the point to where passengers are continually asking me "gee - whats wrong with your truck".

I love the trucks and I love driving it. I just think that if there are things wrong with it that GM should fix them within a reasonable number attempts.

Mark

[markrinker]

Mark - How much do you want for your truck?

I am upgrading my trucks to all Duramaxs for my various businesses - hauling, snowplowing, some landscaping and general contracting.

We would never hear the steering groan over the grind of the snowplow against concrete, or feel the bump in the steering while bouncing over landscaping projects.

Sorry your dealership sounds like the real problem.

[Subzilla]

Mark,
Just curious, which dealership are you using? My good friend runs Liberty Pontiac/GMC over on Independence. I know he'll be honest with you and should take of you. I'm not sure how much diesel stuff they do, though. But if you need somewhere else to go, I can plead your case.

BTW, didn't know another DPer was so close! I'm all over Harrisburg all the time with kid's soccer, relatives, church, R&R BBQ,...

[mcmonroe]

Originally posted by Mark Rinker:
Mark - How much do you want for your truck?

I am upgrading my trucks to all Duramaxs for my various businesses - hauling, snowplowing, some landscaping and general contracting.

We would never hear the steering groan over the grind of the snowplow against concrete, or feel the bump in the steering while bouncing over landscaping projects.

Sorry your dealership sounds like the real problem. I would entertain selling the truck. I am not sure what the value of it is. I am currently looking into those details.

2004.5 Dura/Allison 2500HD
Crew Cab
LT Trim with all options
25,000 miles
Truck is very nice and never been hit

Mark

[mcmonroe]

Originally posted by Subzilla:
Mark,
Just curious, which dealership are you using? My good friend runs Liberty Pontiac/GMC over on Independence. I know he'll be honest with you and should take of you. I'm not sure how much diesel stuff they do, though. But if you need somewhere else to go, I can plead your case.

BTW, didn't know another DPer was so close! I'm all over Harrisburg all the time with kid's soccer, relatives, church, R&R BBQ,... Howdy neighbor!! <grin>

I bought the truck and have been getting it serviced at Park's off of North Tryon. I work a couple of miles from there so it works out nice.

The truck has been there three days this week and will be back there tomorrow. They are ordering some boot or whatnot that they want to put on there in the morning. Tomorrow will be 4 full days with the truck in the shop.

We will see how it goes. Thanks for the offer of assistance. I really appreciate it.

Maybe this is a sign that I need an LBZ?

:)

Mark

[William Lee Gingerich]

Sounds to me like the first thing you need to do is find a different dealer. Just my two cents.

[bajaman21]

toyota?, the last truck they made was an fj40, I don't think chevy ford or dodge could ever **** me off enough to buy a yoda, Id rather walk

[Dave]

Originally posted by Mark Monroe:
I am sick of my truck and dont have any to vent to -- so -- I am going to share my thoughts with the group.

I wish that Toyota had their 3/4 tons out.

Mark Monroe
Harrisburg NC I hear you, my 4 month old 05 is the biggest POS I have ever owned! :mad: Since 82 I have purchased 13 new GM products, and 1 other brand. Currently have 4 GM's in the drive way. However if GMC does not fix my POS or buy it back I will never own another GM.

I have a File # with GMC customer assistance center on my POS 05. I also have a complaint with the BBB on the 05.

I can not wait until Toyota realeases their 1 ton Diesel. I hear it will be 07 or 08.

No wonder GM is loosing business fast. They will not fix vehicles that they know have problems. In fact they deny the vehicle has a problem. They claim my truck is the only one they have ever heard of that has overheated. Yet I know of several that have and a couple that have been bought back for it.

[rat4go]

Like many have said, it seems the dealer is the problem. Unfortunately, many dealers' service guys don't have the time or take the time to even access the stuff that GM provides to help them diagnose things! I had another GM vehicle (Pontiac) that had it's console shifter replaced by a dealer for a definate part-related problem. Then the vehicle did strange stuff (disabled traction control for no apparant reason on an inconsistant basis). Dealer returned it to me with 'no trouble found' 3 times over the next year.

I had a buddy at another dealership (Chevy dealer) do a search for info on the GM system. The short story is that a mis-adjusted shifter cable can set a code that doesn't trip a 'check engine' light, but will disable traction control. The code goes away after the test passes a few times. My Chevy dealer buddy said he did a search on the GM system for 'Traction Control' and found it right away. Basically, the idiots changed the shifter and (probably) didn't adjust the cable (a 5 minute job with a flat screwdriver), then couldn't diagnose the problem they caused because they didn't use the tools they are given by GM. I don't go there for any reason now, even though, like you, they're accross the street from work and VERY convenient.


I'm a GM fan, and related to a GM employee, so I get the discount, which makes the price on new stuff 'fixed'. I'm in a fairly urban area with lots of dealers. I select the dealer that I buy from purely based on service reputation since price is not a factor. I refuse to buy from dealers that have lousy service - they do a disservice to me and to GM. I also tell everyone I know about the lousy service at one place, and the decent service at another (including the dealership service managers, and when possible, the overall dealership manager).

It sounds like there's another dealer in the area that has the respect of another Page member - I'd think really hard about going there for your next service, and if they do right by you, venting to GM customer service not about the truck so much as about the dealership that is GETTING PAID by GM to keep screwing up and taking multiple trips to fix the problem!

Good luck!

Rich

[DucksnDiesel]

I thought I was reading about my truck at first. Two trips to grease the intermediate shaft (lasted about a month), then a new bearing (lasted about a year), then replaced the intemediate shaft (lasted about six months). Then a grinding sound started in the steering column - 4 more trips to the dealer and he could not locate or duplicate the problem (yet it made the sound when leaving the dealership each time!). I drove with the aggrevation for another year before taking it back. This time they replaced the steering box. Grinding was gone but then it made a loud pop when starting every turn. Also upon getting it home, it immediately began leaking fluid all over the driveway (after never leaking a drop in almost 4 years). Took it back again - leaking was due to a faulty gasket on the oil sending unit (funny - it never leaked a drop before they worked in that general area). Poping sound was "loose" cross members (they were not loose and it did not make the sound before they worked on the steering box). I also had them check out the rough idle and wound up with all new injectors. Been almost a week now with no problems in the steering (probably a record for this truck) although they did screw several other things up while in the shop this last time. At least I've gotten my money's worth out of the extended warranty but I think I have paid about 6 or 7 deductible on steering related items alone. Good Luck.

[Turbo Al]

Mark,
I just have to agree with you and some of the other members that GM is no longer pulling it's weight in the warrenty dept. In the last few years I have noticed they don't seem to want to fix things that they used to fix.
In 1989 I got a NEW lemon Ford and it was also in the shop weekly -- they never did fix it. I switched to Chev in 1991 and again right back into a Lemon -- they did fix it again and again without any further problems so I stuck with Chev for the next 14 years and $140,000 in new cars and trucks later I think they are really starting to two-bit me to death. I still haven't forgotten the Ford but hopefully this will be my last new truck form anyone.
I have worked on machinery all my life and most recently on the John Deere assembly line for forestry excavators and can tell you plain and simple NEW IS NOT NEW everybody is using the cheapest parts (insert CHINA here) that they can find and even SOME of the American (sorry guys) made stuff was out of wack. I can't work on the line because I CARE and was fixing everthing I saw that was wrong I.E. costing the company money because I work slow :rolleyes:
I think -- without looking at it -- you have an alingment problem which probably stems from the original placement of the frame holes or main mounting area. Jig slipped or something to that effect, seen it dozens of times on other machinery, or they are replacing a "CHINA" part with another "CHINA" part instead of upgrading a problem area.

Best of luck
Al

[SLT556]

Originally posted by Mark Monroe:
The truck went back to the shop this morning. The pump they replaced yesterday didnt fix the "groaning" problems.

Not only did it not fix the problem that I had taken it in for service on, but they created a new problem when they replaced the pump. The entire steering box is covered in fluid and there is fluid all over the frame rail and that area in general.

It is leaking enough to completely cover the a-arm and blow back onto the transmission cross member. did they even check for leaks when the replaced the pump?

So today they are challenged to fix the new problem they created yesterday and take anohter stab at fixing the original problem that still exists.

Will it ever end........

Mark Monroe
Harrisburg NC I was under my truck today. Giving it a good once over before going into the shop tomorrow for flash updates. This is an 05 I have had for 11 months. It has never been back to the dealer before tomorrow. While examining my truck, I noticed the steering was soaked in PS fluid. I checked the reservoir, and it was low. No problems yet, and I hope there won't be.

[Jim Brzozowski]

TurboAl, what we are all experiencing is called Global business, where the only interest is on how much money can the company make i.e. how high will our stock prices go so I can get may executive bonus of a few million bucks paid quicker so I can go to another company and manage it----- type of management.

I've never liked global trade and global business. If you loose the local guy you can talk to that you can come see and discuss technical issues with, then you have lost a bunch more than just money, and getting warranty work really doesn't do what it should, which is to be a lesson learned for the company that made the lousy part.
We all have to do our part, not by just going to another brand, but by giving them hell until they get it right so somebody else doesn't have to go through the same thing just to get something fixed.
Advice to all, If you think your getting a raw deal, call up the television stations in your area and ask them to send an investigative reporter to see you--you have a story they may want an exclusive on. Once it starts airing, that ususally gets action from those that need to act to fix your vehicle.
Sad to say, but I think American businesses are going to be a thing of the past, unless of course they are privately owned and operated. I wonder if GM, Ford, or Chrysler will stll be building cars or trucks in 10 years??

The honest hard working red blooded American wants vehicles that are absolutely totally dependable and reliable.

[wigma]

Mark,

I am sorry to hear about your difficulties with the Duramax; you are not alone. I am also from NC, Bryson City area, with a 2004.5 DMax with most of the same problems.

To date, I have had two GM steering shafts, a new steering box and idler arm, as well as any number of adjustments on the steering. I also went the John Kennedy route with a Borgeson shaft, which made more noise than the GM shaft.

The Borgeson shaft was completely tight and rattle free; I believe that the noise is/was coming from the upper column area. Of course the dealership did not want to check the upper shaft area and I quit pushing due to lack of time.

Basically, the steering wheel on the Dmax has more play than the steering wheel on my 93 Toyota with 160,000 miles on it. The dealership says the play is due to the steering shaft design.

I dealt with GM directly and they were courteous and professional. To their credit, my rep. returned every call he committed to exactly on time, which in this day and age is saying something. I did let my rep know that while he had done a nice job, the different dealerships that I had dealt with were at best mediocre.

As GM's front line representation, the dealership's staff had dismal people skills, difficulty honoring commitments and in general were frustrating to work with. In particular, the first service manager I dealt with was flippant and had the habit of not really listening to the customer, which I could accept if the truck had been fixed.

Given that the nearest dealership is an hour away, time becomes an issue which exacerbates the frustration when leaving the dealership with the same noises that the truck had when I brought it in. Basically, wasting time and money to leave frustrated simply isn't worth it.

Having spent a number of years in the corporate world and involved with customer service, I have at least a passing knowledge of dealing with customer service issues. Listen to the customer's problem, apologize for the problems and inconvenience, outline options and execute a resolution. While this is somewhat simplified, the basic guidelines hold in most situations.

In dealing with GM directly, I informed them that not a single person I had dealt with on the front line had ever said "we are sorry that you are having this problem", which is pretty basic in the customer resolution equation.

Having worked in the corporate world and been party to "high level strategic discussion", I can only imagine the GM execs. discussions in the diesel truck division. Given that the Dodge's have a percieved 300,000 mile to 500,000 mile Cummins motor wrapped in a Dodge that won't last and Ford has the 6.0 which has been plagued with consistent problems that most others pale in comparison to, how much does GM have to change to at worst maintain their market share? The frustrated consumer really does not have any viable options and I suspect GM is aware of that.

Because of the aforementioned "high level strategic discussions" and what I percieved as the erosion of ethical focus, I left the corporate world to start my own building company. What I have seen of the corporate world was somewhat, shall we say, distasteful in the least. I can only imagine what GM's strategic discussions are like.

In the diesel truck segment of the market, consumers really don't have too many options. Hopefully, Toyota's diesel will raise the bar and the impending competition will force the big three to improve their quality and warranty service. To that end, do not produce something that the front line service staff cannot support. The level of ineptitude that I witnessed at the dealership level was both appalling and discouraging, from people skills to mechanical hard skills.

While there will be some noise in anything mechanical, it should be resolvable. As the GM service manuals state, noises can be resolved by "insulating, lubricating or isolating". None of those three have worked on the steering shafts and front end problems; given what these trucks cost, it should not be so difficult to resolve.

Well, that was quite the digression. I apologize for the rant; I did not realize how weary and frustrated I was with the whole truck issue till I read Mark's post. At least I know that I am not the only one with steering problems that are not being fixed by a steering shaft replacement.

I would concur with some of the other posts; some of the problems with Mark's truck are in my experience dealership related. Trying another dealership might help. In this day and age, the technicians are not particularly adept at diagnosing; they are reading the manual and replacing parts. I have seen plenty of techs that I wouldn't let touch my truck.

Good luck with the truck. Again, I am sorry to hear that you are going through the same issues that I have had. On the bright side, at least the dealer is closer.

Regards,

Mark Wiggins

[FleetFilter.com]

A few bad trucks doesn't mean America going down the tubes. When I have a problem, I go up the ladder and stop dealing with those who don't solve my problem.

You start with the service tech. Then go the Service Mgr. Then go to the dealer owner. Then to the Area rep. Then to the corporation. Then to the freakin' CEO if you have to.

Eventually, you'll find someone who's responsible enough to solve the problem.

[cowboywildbill]

I know what a pain a bad dealer can be. But I hear just as bad or worse horror stories from Ford and Dodge owners also, and some of them owned Dmax's, and now they want to go back but can't afford to. I love my DMax, but if Toyota makes a big truck with a big diesel, I might have to check it out. I know Toyota isn't quite as good as it was ten years ago, but all of the emmission laws and such have made more things to have problems with. But they are still tough well made vehicles. Good Luck with your problems.

[Dave]

Originally posted by wigma:

In dealing with GM directly, I informed them that not a single person I had dealt with on the front line had ever said "we are sorry that you are having this problem", which is pretty basic in the customer resolution equation.
You hit that nail right on the head. Everyone I have spoke wiht about my truck, from the service writer to the service dept manger, not a one was sorry I had a problem with my truck. In fact they all stated nothing is wrong with my truck. The service tech on the other had told me he was very sorry I was un happy with my truck. He is also trying to figure out why it gets so hot.

GMC customer assistance center is even worse. They have yet to say they are sorry I am on happy. They also say nothing is wrong with my truck.

Just yesterday had it in so the Tech could ride in it again while towing. I was at 18552 combination weight. Outside temperature was 71 degrees. In a 15 mile loop on the interstate near knoxville the engine coolant temperature hit 233 once and then 227 once and then 225 two other times. Tech could see this on his Tech II. There was no mountain grade, not even a long hill. It was rolling hills with the longest being 0.3 miles. Could not even maintain 65 mph on that hill, in 4th.

Service Tech say is sould not get that hot. He also said that there is nothing GMC will let him do for my truck until it boils over and leaves me stranded. He does feel in 90 degree weather on a couple mile grade of 6% it would do just that, boil over.

Loved my 01 Duramax, hate my 05 duramax.