Picked it up and now weird problems.

[Ron Richardson]

Sorry to say my Duramax isn't very happy. An amazing number of weird problems.

I picked up my Silverado 3500 D/A a week ago and have put on about 1500miles.

Here's that list that I'm giving my dealer on Monday:

- Check Engine light ON
- "Service 4WD" message appears
- 4WD Neutral light on while in 2WD
- 4Lo light on and seems like it went into 4Lo
- All 4WD lights out until about 5mph then 4lo on
- Both Key fobs wouldn't work then a couple hours later they both worked fine.
- Once the Cruise control wouldn't come and then later was working fine.

The biggest concern with all this was having 4Lo come on at 60mph on the freeway.

Anyone doubt that the computer is flakey as hell ?!!

[FisHn2DMax]

Ron,

Sorry to hear your having so many wierd problems.

I'll bet all or most of them stem from the same source of failure. I'm sure your probably right it's one of the computer or controller modules gone bad or loose wiring connector.

I'm sure your dealer will find the problem 4x4 problem, but my expereince is any problem that is intermittent and doesn't "throw a code" into the computer the dealer will probably not solve until three of four return visits.

Like many others, I've not had any serious problems with my 03, just minor issues. Don't get discouraged with your new D-Max, These things happen in every make, but I'm sure your probably asking why does it have to happen to my truck?

Keep smiling, you will soon again have the best truck made on the road again!
smile.gif

[scarey]

Ron, had the same problem with my 2000 gmc,
service 4wd message would come on and the truck would go in and out of 4wd by it`s self.
Ended up being a short in the switch.

[stretch]

I'm wondering if it has something to do with the new method of wiring that got implemented in th '03's. Bring it back ASAP. If the dealer can't rectify it it in short order, start screaming lemon law and demand a new truck.

[TraceF]

I agree this is probably some kind of computer or module problem. Good luck!

[Ron Richardson]

Thanks for the comments...

One more:

- The glow plug light will not come on, even at 40degrees... it did.

BTW, just went out and tried it this morning. The 2/4Hi/4Lo seems to be working ok now. Maybe a heat problem ???

[GMCTRUCK]

Doesn't sound good. My (wife's) 97 Tahoe Diesel did a 2HI to 4LO change at 45mph on dry pavement! Dealer had to change put in a new control module and servo motor. Tech told me they see it all the time and push button 4x4 is nothing but problems even on the new trucks. Glad to see GM has it all straightened out. :(

[Maxter]

I play with the push button 4x4 A LOT while driving. We have very bad roads during storms and I need to move things so I use the 4hi very often, on an icy road, it's the only way to have some stability. The only thibg is that I have to let go off the trottle for 1 second for the 4hi to disengage.

I can go back and forth from 4hi to 2hi 15 times while rolling in an hour trip on a bad road. The system works very well. The only situation where I really avoid using 4hi is dry pavement or only rain but when snow and ice is involved, I use it even at highway speeds.

The truck want's to be in neutral to go to 4lo wich is normal, I've never had any involatary changes.

However, there has been occasions when the cruise control would no engage and would work perfectly 5 minutes later without stoping the truck or changing gear. Sometimes I would have to completly stop and go into Park and the into D angain to make it work. It only happened 5-6 times since I got the truck almost exactly 1 year ago.

[Milkman]

Ron,

You need to bring your truck into the dealer and ask them to change your "encoder motor". I had the exact same problem up until 11000kms. They tried everything and it was the encoder motor that finally fixed it. The tech wrote that the motor was machined poorly and did not sit correctly causing the error message.

Hope that helps

Keith

[Milkman]

I forgot to mention that I had the EXACT same problem with the transfer case indicator. Sometimes I would start it and it showed that it was in Neutral(even though in was actually in 2WD) and another time I was travelling down the road at 100km/hr and I looked down and almost had a heart attack when I saw that the indicator light showed "4LO". Last week I could not get my transfer case to shift to 4HI and the dealer had to clear the code for me before I could do it.

Keith

[Ron Richardson]

UPDATE:

Went to the dealer today. After a full day working on it and calls to three GM engineers they believe that there is a wireing harness problem withing the dash. The dash comes apart tomorrow. They're giving me a free rental until this is fixed.

[Ron Richardson]

UPDATE

After working on it for 12 hours and taking apart the dash they found cut and frayed wires in the wiring harness to the dash. Some gorilla must have really struggled getting that harness in at the factory. I only hope that the techs at the dealers can get it all back together... sigh.

They did find a new harness and are having it over-nighted and they're trying to get me back on the road by the weekend. We'll see...

[cowboywildbill]

Well is it fixed yet? Let us know.I think you get the prize for most frustrating time with a new truck!

[Ron Richardson]

OK, here's the latest.

Two days after I got the truck I had a camper installed. The camper RV dealer added a power cutoff relay for the camper in the truck and in doing so mistakenly jammed a screwdriver or ? into the dash wiring harness trying to get a wire through the firewall.

A new wire harness was located and flown in and I'm promised that I get the truck back on Monday. I was also assured that all would be exactly like new and there will be no further problems. We'll see.

I'v taken lots of pictures of the dash torn apart and am pressuring the RV dealer for compensation. They admit guilt and seem to be upright guys. Again, we'll see.

I guess the my question to you folks would be what's the proper way to feed an added wire through the firewall. They thought jamming it through the wiring harness boot was the right way to do it. Nope !

I'll let you guys know how it goes...
=================================================

A couple of other comments about my new truck. I remember somewhere in our posts about the 0 to 60 time. I measured mine out in the eastern Washington high desert and got 10.4sec.

And, no abnormal clicking...

[ 01-10-2003: Message edited by: Ron Richardson ]</p>

[mackin]

What I have done is find a suitable spot on the firewall and drill your own hole needed with a grommet to fit....I myself don't like to jab a screwdriver into or slit an exsisting factory grommet as you problem is proof of the possible consequences....

A decent spot that I have added two holes is near the brake booster behind the insulation.....

Hope it gets fixed for you,properly....

MAC

[ 01-10-2003: Message edited by: mackin ]</p>

[Ron Richardson]

Hi guys !

Got the truck back and the dash is perfect. Had one minor problem with a blown fuse but that was fixed easily.

One thing that you might be interested in was that they fixed the "Service 4WD" message.

Quote: "Transfer case control module was out of calibration... Scan tested, DTCS C0327 and C0379 stored. Reprogrammed TCCM with latest calibration to correct various transfer conditions."

All seems fine now... WheW !

[Seattle Steve]

OK, I just have to comment... the truck is not even one month old and is on it's third dash wiring harness. Ron, you sure have my best wishes for the old adage being true: "the third time is the charm"!

[Ron Richardson]

Now they tell me it's the encoder motor. Only took them three weeks to find out what I told them weeks ago (thanks to Keith).

Now they have one on order with no delivery date.

BTW, what is the encoder motor and where's it located and how hard/long to remove and replace.

Thanks!