2016 Chevrolet Silverado 3500

2016 SILVERADO 3500 EQUIPPED WITH "DIGITAL STEERING ASSIST" THIS IS A KNOWN PROBLEM. AT APPROXIMATELY 11,000 MILES STEERING BECAME EXTREMELY LOOSE WITH ABOUT 3-4 INCHES OF FREE PLAY AT THE STEERING WHEEL. TOOK TO 1ST DEALER, STEERING GEAR BOX WAS REPLACED ACCORDING TO CHEVROLET TSB AND SYSTEM WORKED AS DESIGNED FOR APPROXIMATELY 3-4K MILES. AT THAT TIME STEERING AGAIN BECAME LOOSE BUT NOT AS BAD AS THE FIRST TIME, ABOUT 1-2 INCHES OF FREE PLAY AT THE WHEEL WITH WHAT FEELS LIKE TOO MUCH POWER STEERING, VERY LIGHT, DANGEROUSLY LIGHT STEERING. VEHICLE TAKEN TO DEALER 2, SECOND REPAIR ATTEMPT DEALER STATED SYSTEM WORKING AS DESIGNED, AT THIS TIME THE DIGITAL STEERING ASSIST WORKED AS IT SHOULD FROM 0 MPH TO 45 MPH ABOUT 1-2 INCHES OF FREE PLAY AT THE WHEEL WITH WHAT FEELS LIKE TOO MUCH POWER STEERING WITH VERY LIGHT STEERING FROM 46-74 MPH, THEN WORKS AS DESIGNED FROM 75 MPH ON. I WENT FOR A TEST DRIVE WITH THE SERVICE MANAGER, HE STATED "I FEEL EXACTLY WHAT YOU ARE DESCRIBING TIGHT FROM 0-45 THEN LIGHT FROM 46-74 THEN TIGHT FROM 75 ON BUT THE SYSTEM IS WORKING AS DESIGNED". IN SPITE OF THIS THEY CHANGED STEERING GEAR BOX AGAIN, 3RD PART, WITH SAME RESULT. WORKS AS IT SHOULD FROM 0 MPH TO 45 MPH ABOUT 1-2 INCHES OF FREE PLAY AT THE WHEEL WITH WHAT FEELS LIKE TOO MUCH POWER STEERING, VERY LIGHT STEERING FROM 46-74 MPH, THEN WORKS AS DESIGNED FROM 75 ON. TRUCK IS USED TO PULL 9.000 LBS ENCLOSED TRAILER. PULLING ENCLOSED TRAILER AT INTERSTATE SPEEDS IN WINDS IS EXTREMELY DANGEROUS AND REQUIRES EXHAUSTING CONCENTRATION AND CAUSES SEVERE FATIGUE AFTER ONLY 150-200 MILES. THIS IS THE VERY THING DIGITAL STEERING ASSIST WAS SUPPOSED TO ELIMINATE. VEHICLE IS DANGEROUS TO DRIVE BETWEEN THE SPEEDS OF 45-75, AND ESPECIALLY DANGEROUS WHILE ACCELERATING OR DECELERATING THROUGH THE 44-46 MPH RANGE WHILE TURNING DUE TO SUDDEN CHANGE IN STEERING PRESSURE FROM SYSTEM SUCH AS ON/OFF RAMPS

GAS EXPLODED OUT THE TOP OF THE TANK - CAUSING GAS TO FLOW OUT OF THE TOP. NO FIRE STARTED SINCE IT HAPPENED RIGHT AS THE FIRETRUCK WAS PASSING THE AREA. THEY HEARD THE NOISE AND SMELLED THE GAS. THEY DISCONNECTED THE BATTERY AND MARKED OFF THE AREA. THEY ALSO ASSISTED IN CLEANING UP THE SPILL. VEHICLE WAS IN MOTION WHEN THE EXPLOSION TOOK PLACE AND THEY CONTINUED TO COAST TO A SAFE SPOT SINCE THE TRUCK NO LONGER WAS GETTING FUEL.

THE TRUCK IS A 2016 CHEVROLET 3500 HD DIESEL, WHEN THE TRUCK GOES INTO REGENERATION MODE THE TRUCK ACCELERATES WITHOUT NOTICE. IT DOESN'T MATTER IF IT'S IN PARK, REVERSE, NEUTRAL OR DRIVE, THE RPM OF THE ENGINE SPEEDS UP TO ABOUT 900 RPM. IN A FORWARD MOTION IT WILL SPEED UP FROM 6 MPH TO 10 MPH IN DRIVE WITHOUT NOTICE. IN REVERSE IT WILL SPEED UP TO 5 MPH WITHOUT NOTICE. IF YOU ARE AT A STOP LIGHT AND IT GOES INTO REGENERATION MODE IT WILL ALMOST PUSH THROUGH THE BRAKE, INADVERTENTLY CATCHING YOU OFF GUARD AND HAVING TO PUSH ON THE BRAKE WITH EVEN MORE PRESSURE. I'VE TAKEN THE TRUCK TO THE DEALER AND WAS TOLD TWICE THAT IT'S A CHARACTERISTIC OF THE COMPUTER AND CAN NOT BE CHANGED.

P2636 TRANSFER PUMP - DRIVER INDICATED FUEL GAUGE WAS FLUCTUATING FROM FULL TO EMPTY. CHECK ENGINE LIGHT CAME ON AND GAUGE DROPPED TO EMPTY. DRIVER SAW SMOKE COMING FROM LEFT SIDE OF ENGINE. UPON INSPECTION STRONG FUEL ODOR. DEALERSHIP FOUND CLEARED CODE AND FOUND GAUGES READING NORMAL, THEN PUMP "GOT LOUD AND HOT AND QUIT OPERATING". REPLACED FUEL TRANSFER PUMP. VEHICLE HAD 40,396 MILES. BELIEVE THIS TO BE A HAZARD TO OUR DRIVERS, WITH FUEL LEAK/FIRE AND STALLING POTENTIAL OUTCOMES.

WHILE DRIVING WITH THE WINDOWS CLOSED, THE AIR CONDITIONER ON, WITH THE RECIRCULATE BUTTON LIT AND DASH LEVEL VENTS SELECTED, I WAS OVERCOME BY TRUCK EXHAUST FUMES (A TRUCK PULLED IN MY LANE AHEAD OF ME ON THE ROADWAY) AND BRIEFLY LOST CONTROL OF MY VEHICLE FROM CHOKING AND COUGHING ON IT'S FUMES FROM THE TRUCK EXHAUST. THE FUMES CAME THROUGH THE AIR CONDITIONING SYSTEM WHICH PUMPED THE FUMES INTO MY VEHICLE CABIN. I WAS ON A HIGH SPEED LIMITED ACCESS HIGHWAY AND WAS IN A BUSY AND DANGEROUS AREA AS TWO HIGH SPEED ENTRANCE RAMPS CAME FROM THE RIGHT, ALSO NO SHOULDERS TO STOP DUE TO THE BEGINNING OF A BRIDGE. I WAS ABLE TO SLOW DOWN MY VEHICLE AND STOP COUGHING, SEE AGAIN AND REGAIN CONTROL AFTER OPENING THE WINDOWS AND LETTING THE BAD AIR OUT. *TR

THE SAFETY CONCERN ON THIS ISSUE IS THE SIGNIFICANTLY ELEVATED POTENTIAL FOR LOSS OF VEHICULAR STEERING CONTROL. AFTER THE TRUCK WAS DRIVEN TO 1,700 TOTAL MILES ON THE ODOMETER, THE TRUCK'S STEERING CONTROL BECAME SLOPPY IN 70MPH + INTERSTATE HIGHWAY DRIVING RESULTING IN HIGHWAY WANDER SIMILAR TO DRIVING IN WIND GUSTS OF 60 MPG+ (WHERE AT TIMES IT IS DIFFICULT TO MAINTAIN POSITION IN YOUR HIGHWAY LANE). SUBSEQUENT EXAMINATION OF THE STEERING BOX SHOWED THAT THE STEERING GEAR PITMAN ARM LASH ADJUSTMENT SCREW ON THE STEERING BOX HAD BACKED OFF APPROXIMATELY 3/8", THE STEERING HAD EXCESSIVE PLAY AND THE STEERING BOX WAS LEAKING POWER STEERING FLUID. THE STEERING SYSTEM ON THIS TRUCK IS A DIGITAL STEERING ASSIST SYSTEM. THE TRUCK WAS RETURNED TO THE DEALER AND UNSUCCESSFULLY (NO CHANGE IN FUNCTIONALITY) REPAIRED UNDER GM TSB #PIT5501C (REPLACEMENT OF THE STEERING BOX) AND SUBSEQUENTLY SUCCESSFULLY REPAIRED (TO DATE) UNDER GM TSB #PIT5501D (REPLACEMENT OF THE STEERING GEAR PITMAN ARM SHAFT WITH AN UPDATED DESIGN GM P/N 84240812. CURRENTLY HAVE APPROXIMATELY 5,500 TOTAL ODOMETER MILES ON THE TRUCK. *TR

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2016 CHEVROLET SILVERADO 3500. THE CONTACT STATED THAT FUEL MONITORING SYSTEM MALFUNCTIONED DUE TO TRANSFER FUEL PUMPS. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO THE DEALER WHERE IT WAS DIAGNOSED THAT THE FUEL SYSTEM SOFTWARE NEEDED TO BE UPDATED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS MADE AWARE OF THE FAILURE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 20,000.

WE HAVE HAD REPEATED INSTANCES, WHERE ENGINE LIGHT COMES ON, AND FUEL GUAGE FLAT LINES. IF YOU CAN NOT GET TO A QUALIFIED DEALER SOON ENOUGH, VEHICLE SHUTS DOWN WITHOUT WARNING[ACTUALLY IT REMAINS RUNNING UNTIL IT ALMOST COMES TO A COMPLETE STOP]. WE HAVE HAD TO INSTANCES OF SHUT DOWN, AND AT LEAST 6 INSTANCES ALTOGETHER OF ENGINE LIGHT/ FUEL GUAGE FLAT LINE. THIS HAS ALL HAPPENED SINCE VEHICLE WAS PUT IN SERVICE IN JANUARY / 2016. WE USE THIS VEHICLE TO TRAVEL ACROSS THE LOWER 48, AND PARTS OF CANADA, TO PICK UP BREEDING BULLS, THAT HAVE VALUES RANGING AS HIGH AS 1 MILLION OR MORE. THESE ANIMALS HAVE ALL BEEN TESTED FOR TRANSPORT BACK TO OUR FACILITIES IN PLAIN CITY, OH, AND ONCE ON THE TRAILER, ARE NOT TO BE REMOVED, UNLESS IT IS AN ABSOLUTE EMERGENCY, BECAUSE OF REGULATIONS. OUR CONCERN IS THAT, WHAT HAPPENS IF THIS VEHICLE IS GOING UP A MOUNTAIN HWY OR ANY OTHER SITUATION WHERE THERE IS ANOTHER VEHICLE FOLLOWING TO CLOSELY AND THEY HIT US AND END UP KILLING THE ANIMALS, ME, THE PERSON THAT HIT ME, OR ALL OF US OVER A FUEL TRANSFER PUMP THAT GM SAYS IS NOT PART OF IT'S POWERTRAIN WARRANTY OR NO LONGER IN IT'S BUMPER TO BUMPER WARRANTY. THEIR LINE IS, THAT THE VEHICLE IS CURRENTLY REPAIRED, AND FUNCTIONING PROPERLY, THEREFORE THERE IS NO ISSUE OR ANY REASON TO KEEP A CASE FILE # ON IT. WE HAVE LEARNED THRU OTHER INSTANCES, THAT THERE IS A DEALER SERVICE BULLITEN FOR THE SAME PROBLEM WE HAVE BEEN EXPERIENCING, AND SUPPOSEDLY THEY ARE TRYING TO FIND A SOLUTION, WHICH HAS YET TO COME TO LIGHT. ALL INSTANCES ON THIS MATTER HAVE HAPPENED IN VARIOUS STATES ACROSS THE COUNTRY, WHILE CRUISING AT SPEEDS BETWEEN 65 & 70 MPH ON INTERSTATE HWY TO THIS DATE, WITH THE LAST INSTANCE BEING ON 12/01/2016. WE HAVE EXPRESSED CONCERNS TO GM OF SAFETY, AND AN ACTUAL FIX FOR THIS ISSUE, AND SO FAR THE BEST WE GET FROM THEM IS, WE'RE SORRY FOR YOUR INCONVENIENCE.

NEW TRUCK HAD LOSE STEERING WHEN I TOOK DELIVERY, REQUIRING OVER CORRECTION. WITH JUST 4529 IN MILEAGE ON IT I TOOK IT BACK TO MY DEALER. WAS TOLD THEY ALREADY HAD MADE REPAIRS TO FOUR OTHER TRUCKS WITH THE SAME ISSUE. THEY REPLACED THE HYDRAULIC RECIRCULATING BALL STEERING GEAR. STEERING GEAR ADJUSTER WAY TOO FAR OUT, LEAKING AT SHAFT SEALS. REPLACED GEAR AND THE NEW ONE WAS BAD AS WELL, WITH STEERING STICKING AND THEN SLIPPING. REPLACED WITH SECOND NEW GEAR AND VEHICLE CHECKED OUT AND WAS RETURNED TO ME. THIS IS A MAJOR SAFETY ISSUE IN MY OPINION FOR A TRUCK DESIGNED TO TOW HEAVY VEHICLES.

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2016 CHEVROLET SILVERADO 3500. WHILE DRIVING APPROXIMATELY 70 MPH HAULING A GOOSE NECK FLATBED DUEL TANDEM TRAILER, THE POWER BUS BAR SHORTED. IN ADDITION, THERE WAS A FAILURE WITH A LOOSE WIRE ASSOCIATED WITH THE STARTER. THE RADIO WOULD NOT TURN OFF AND THE CONTACT WAS LOCKED IN THE VEHICLE. THE CONTACT WAS ABLE TO EXIT THE VEHICLE AFTER SEVERAL ATTEMPTS. THE VEHICLE WAS TOWED TO THE DEALER. THE DEALER TIGHTENED THE WIRES AND REPLACED ALL OF THE BUS BARS. THE NEXT MORNING, WITHIN LESS THAN 20 MILES, THE BUS BARS FAILED AGAIN. THE BRAKE, TRACTION CONTROL, AND OTHER WARNING INDICATORS AND GAUGES ILLUMINATED. THE CONTACT WAS LOCKED IN THE VEHICLE AND HAD TO MOVE THE KEY BACK AND FORTH AS WELL AS USE THE KEY FOB TO EXIT THE VEHICLE BECAUSE THE LEVER WOULD NOT RELEASE. THE VEHICLE WAS TOWED TO THE DEALER A SECOND TIME. THE DEALER FAILED TO ROUTE THE WIRES CORRECTLY, IN WHICH THE EDGE OF THE BRACKET RUBBED A HOLE IN THE POWER CABLE. THE TAILGATE FRACTURED AND SHORTED DUE TO THE FAILURE, BUT THE DEALER AND MANUFACTURER REFUSED TO REPLACE THE PART. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO THE DEALER TWO ADDITIONAL TIMES, BUT THEY WERE UNABLE TO REPLICATE AND DIAGNOSE THE FAILURES. WHEN THE CONTACT TOOK THE VEHICLE TO THE DEALER A FOURTH TIME, THE DEALER REPLACED THE AIR INTAKE HEATER. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURES. THE VIN WAS NOT AVAILABLE. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 4,000.