GM - never again!

[5Cent]

Providing a dumping ground on why you would never buy a GM product again. To help support the tow/daily driver thread, and to help keep the OEM warranty & out of pocket thread cleaner, dump away!

We'll work it backwards, new rant first, with plenty in other threads should you have a specific model/failure mode in mind.

I've had quite a few vehicles from. Nissan, Toyota, Ford, and Chevy. The GM products were by far the worst. It's not things like warranty parts because let's face it 3 year 36k is shit. It is all the other stuff that's a problem which is designed to barely outlast the factory warranty. U-joints, Hubs, Alternators and starters, shocks, painted cheap plastic interior shit that cips off after a few years, LED lights in the radio and knobs that burn out. The list goes on. Anywhere they could save a penny by using a cheaper part they would.

Uncle in laws 1993 2500HD. Single cab, long bed, farm truck used until the rear driverside spring shackle broke in 2006 with 220K miles.

My 2001 Duramax had 2 sets of injectors replaced under TSB, got rid of her with 200K miles in 2011. It was stacked with a Bully Dog and a ECM flash to help with mpg/towing/fun.

 

["J"]

I’ve owned many different brands of vehicles. GM vehicles have been my nemesis when it comes to issues after the warranty ends.

1997 Oldsmobile Intrigue had multiple window regulator issues. Trim coming apart, headliner delaminate, 3.8 motor, had a plastic intake with metal sleeves that would transfer heat and crack the plastic allowing coolant into the heads. All after the warranty and before the 100k mile mark.

2000 Oldsmobile Aurora again window regulators and trim issues. Seems their cable and drum regulator setups weren’t designed for cold weather applications.

2001 Silverado Z71 ABS sensors there was a recall, they removed and cleaned them and put them back in. Couple years later same thing. Replaced them, issue went away. Came back intermittently later on but the front wheel hubs were going out and replacement hubs came with the sensors. Later the ABS actuator went out, at that point pulled the ABS relay and disabled the system.
Drivers and passengers side window regulators replaced 2X ea.
Fuel gauge would bounce from full to empty when truck filled up. Would continue until it reached 3/4 tank then work fine.
Brake pedal always seemed stiff, had it looked at a couple different times and by a few different shops. No one could find an issue. Couple other friends said the same thing. Almost felt like the de booster was going bad. I replaced calipers and it didn’t change the problem. Again, after warranty timeframe but before 100K.
All these issues were common and across multiple model years. A lot of friends saw the same issues with their GM vehicles.

GM seems to not adapt (at least back then) to their design flaws in a timely manner. Other manufacturers seemed more willing to adapt and change or at least try to redesign what ailed them. I saw first hand the crap that all the manufacturers put out all through the 70’s and 80’s and they felt that what ever they put out someone would buy. Regardless of the quality. Pinto, Vega, Aries K car, and the list was long. But then again, crank windows, most cars A/C was an option. Bare bone cars with not a lot of standard opt we have today. So other than drivelines, there weren’t as many issues with interiors.
Drive trains had a lot of known issues that weren’t addressed either. Paper cams, plastic timing gears, plastic radiators, all seemed to have high failure rates and they still pressed on putting them out. They’d last long enough that the warranties were done before they failed.

 

[Smawgunner2]

My 2018 Colorado with 72000 miles…zero issues. But there is a class action suit regarding the transmission that I’ve seemed to have dodged.

My 2008 Corvette with 16000 miles…no issues yet but there is a plastic elbow in the fuel line that cracks and it sits on top of the fuel tank. It’s a common problem. Both tanks have to be removed…it’s about a 4-5 thousand dollar repair that GM refuses to do anything about. Fumes get overwhelming in the car and garage I’m told. Also, the harmonic balancer fails on these cars. Not if but when. A $2000 repair. These cars have countless electrical gremlins that I’ve also seemed to have dodged so far.

But I think you can name any manufacturer and any model and find an Achilles heal. They all have issues. I would not hesitate to buy another GM product.

 

[Buckmaster]

I once bought a 2000 extended cab Chevy S10 (4.3L) new. At purchase I bought the 100k mile extended warranty plan with the truck. Around 2 years later the insurance backer for GM went bankrupt and my extended warranty service was dissolved. Back to 3 year/36k miles. I replaced a couple sensors in between 36-140K miles. I traded it around 2008 with some large rust holes in the extended cab area for a partial on a zero turn mower.

Around 2005 my wife had a Chevy Equinox. Around 2007 the tailgate was starting to rust out so GM replaced it.

My family drives a Honda CRV and 2 Honda HRV's now for our $30k+ grocery getters. My work truck is a 25 Ram 1500 4x4 twin turbo L6. No complaints yet after 12k miles.

 

["J"]

How many early 2000 GM trucks did you see with rusted bumpers when they were 5 or 6 years old? There were a lot of them.

 

[hickslawns]

How many early 2000 GM trucks did you see with rusted bumpers when they were 5 or 6 years old? There were a lot of them.

Still seeing it on new ones. All brands. I'm baffled as to how most manufacturers can get 200,000 miles out of most motors but can't keep a vehicle from rusting.

Or maybe that is it. You are forced to replace due to the rust rather than mechanical failure.

 

[GoetsTalon]

Never say never!

 

[Buckmaster]

Surface Shield

 

[Clay Showalter]

How many early 2000 GM trucks did you see with rusted bumpers when they were 5 or 6 years old? There were a lot of them.

Not down here lol

 

["J"]

Not down here lol

Actually, I have seen a couple down here…. But I’m betting they were trucks from people up there.

Funny (not at the time) story, I’ll post later when I have time.

 

[Clay Showalter]

Actually, I have seen a couple down here…. But I’m betting they were trucks from people up there.

Funny (not at the time) story, I’ll post later when I have time.

Yea the Yankee's dump cars and trucks down south, where people don't know about salty winters.

 

["J"]

When my son got to his first duty station @ Shaw AFB SC. He had a 2005 Silverado Z-71. That year we were hunting Strouds and a former memeber who lived close by was showing us new to the area guys some spots to hunt. @Dannmann801 chose a spot within a couple hundred yards of each other. For those of you who’ve been to strouds or who lived around there you know the cell reception wasn’t great.
I was settled in for an afternoon hunt and my phone buzzed, my son tried to call and it wouldn’t go through but he left a voicemail. A young lady pulled out in front of her in a small car and he hit just shy of broadside.
Their insurance settled, truck was getting repaired. He called the day he was picking it up and the dealership auto body shop wouldn’t release it to him. He was 18 and not sure what to do. He called while he was still there in a panic. Told him to put the guy on the phone. Guy said he couldn’t legally allow the truck to leave the dealership with rusted brake lines. WTF? Are they leaking, does the brakes work? Not leaking and brakes work. Then WTF is the issue? The lines have rust on them. It’s an Ohio truck, they ALL have rust on them up there!
He said the only way he could release it is if it left attached to tow truck. Yeah that ain’t gonna work, write up a statement saying your issue and he knows the risk and he’s accepting the liability for any issues. They agreed and he went on his merry way…..
Why GM and a few other of the big 3 never addressed that brake line issue is part of the stack of reasons I bought a tundra….

 

[GoetsTalon]

Mine blew while I was on I-475 on the split that takes you to I-280 one lane back then traffic use to stack up there. I'm in that lane hit the brakes and they go to the floor. How I escaped injury and not wrecking or killing somebody was a miracle. Known problem by GM. They rust out right above the ABS box on the frame. Why the fuck don't they offer a northern state package with stainless lines. Same on gas. One post brought back bad memories of the abs sensors. Hubs replaced multiple times.