Ventilator

Just went over 50,000 last week on my 2014 Sierra Z71 4x4 SLE 5.3L 3.42 Double Cab. In service on September 2013, 44 months. Went through all the recalls, tsb's, headlight upgrade (if you can call it that). The POS Vosla headlights burn out every year in March, so far. Installed in March 2015, burned out in March 2016, and again in March of 2017. Right now, the door lock actuator is bad on the rear passenger door. Sticks in the locked or unlocked position, and the dealer wants $100 just to look at it. I'm betting on this being another recall at some point. It could be a serious safety issue if you had small children riding in the back, and the door did not lock, or stay locked with the child lock function. They could open the door while the vehicle is moving down the road. Since it doesn't lock when putting the vehicle in gear, or with the key fob, or door lock controls on the front doors. You have to manually lock it or unlock it. They have had recalls on previous year vehicles as late as 2014 for the door lock actuators. I don't think they have a long term fix, at least on the 2014 model year vehicles that were produced in 2013. Now it is starting to show up on these vehicles. Other than that, and a few interior rattles, the truck mechanically has been fine. Knock on wood! Still have the original 265 65 18 W.O.L. Good Year Wrangler tires, and they have plenty of tread left. No shake or shimmy, ever. Overall, it's been a great truck. I'm going to stick with it, at least for now.

My 2014 Double Cab rear passenger door started doing this a couple weeks ago. It will not work with the key fob, or with the door lock/unlock controls on the front doors. The first time I noticed it was when I needed to get in that door. It was stuck in the locked position. Once in awhile it will actually unlock with the other doors, then when you lock it up, it sticks in the up position. This is bad, thinking it's locked. So I have to look every time I lock it now. Just had an oil change at the dealer, and they want $100 just to look at it. I'm thinking this will be a safety recall down the road. If you were to have the child locks on the doors, thinking it was locked, they could actually open the door from the inside. That would not be good. I don't have any grandchildren yet, or anyone that rides back there. I think GM is going to have a lot of complaints on these door lock actuators. It's not like they haven't had this exact same problem on previous models that were recalled back in 2014. My 2014 has 50,000 on it and is 44 months old. Looks like history is repeating itself, and GM doesn't really have a fix for it? I think I'm going to make a formal complaint, for what it's worth.

Nope, found out they are all using the same exact filter. They do list them as a high capacity air filter on my window sticker for the Z71 package. Just marketing BS left over from previous packages in older series trucks. I checked with every place I could find, and there is only one part number. I ordered it from the GM Dealer parts department. All the same filter and part number. So either they are all high capacity, or none of them are. It does have pretty deep pleats, and a lot of them, so I'd say they are all high capacity. I get great gas mileage with mine, so I just went with OEM AC Delco to keep everything the same. They were. Unless he was talking about a 2500 HD? They could have more than one filter. The 1500 with 5.3 only have one per GM Parts.

I've never had an issue until the station I use put in all new tanks and a brand new type of pumps. Can't go all in with full lock. I hate it when that happens!

My 2014 don't have the gravel guard behind the rear wheels. When I first noticed it on some other 2014's, it was about 50/50 on the lots. No rhyme or reason as far as trim level, cab configuration (Ft Wayne, Silao), or build dates. It really ticks me off, because I live 2-1/2 miles off the pavement grid. Yes I have several chips in that area, that the steel could have been at least protected.

I've got 29,500 miles on my 2014 Sierra, and this just started. When I'm bucking a headwind even at 55 mph, it happens on the drivers door. I'm pretty sure most of it was coming from my mirror cap but I'm also getting some noise from the leading edge of the doors weatherstripping. I have tried banging on the mirror cap to tighten it up, as I think they snap on and off? The noise only happens with a strong headwind at 55 mph, and I haven't been out on the expressway going 70 mph since this started. I'm sure that the extra 15 mph might be enough to make it happen as well? Up to this point, it has been as quiet as a Caddy. Going to monitor it for awhile to see if it comes back. I think the cold weather is a contributor but, this is also my third winter, so something is just not quite right. It changes in intensity whenever another wind gust hits you.

Where are you located? This happens every year here in MI. The winter blend gas can easily rob you of 1-2 MPG. Also, as the ambient temp drops, it takes longer for your truck to reach normal operating temp. The main one being your tranny fluid temp. The colder it gets, the longer it takes, and there is a direct correlation between your engine staying in V8, until the tranny temp reaches the certain level. I've been through two winters already, and the colder the outside temp, the higher your tranny temp needs to be before it will go in V4 more. During the warm weather it will switch to V4 as soon as you are in 3rd gear or higher. When temps start closing in on the freezing mark, your tranny temp will need to be in the mid 90º's F. When temps drop to around the Zero mark, your tranny temp will need to be up in the 113ºish F range before it will go into V4, and this can take 5-8 miles or so. When temps drop to -40º F, it can take 10-15 miles of rural highway driving before the tranny temp is warm enough. Not to mention, your engine temp also needs to be up to NOT for best mileage. If you remote start your vehicle in the colder months, this also robs from your gas mileage a great deal, however you may gain a little back driving as things will be up to temp faster. Longer trips will see the most gain, shorter trips in the winter will be just like a full time V8. I drive 28 miles one way to work. Guys that live within a few miles will never experience the full potential of what these trucks can do in the MPG dept. Of course they don't have the high mileage on their truck or have to buy as much gas. I'll take the country living, myself. These trucks can still get good mileage on rural highways in the cold winter, but not until things are up to temp. If your drive is short enough that it don't get up to temp, not so much. I guess it all weighs out in the end. I get an average of 21.5-22.5 MPG in moderate temps, that can easily drop 3-4 MPG during the extreme cold months of the winter. On Star remote starts before leaving work in the winter, playing in the snow, living 2-1/2 miles from the nearest pavement, last road in the county to get plowed out, etc,. IIRC, my worst tank MPG was 17.1 on the DIC, and hand calculated at 16.9, in the coldest and snowiest winter.

Last 13 months. Includes a 5+ month Michigan winter and winter blend gas.

I still have the original W.O.L. Good Year Wrangler SR-A M+S P265/65R18 on there. I know most don't like them, but they have been very good tires except for a little lacking in deep snow. Stay balanced, no vibrations, and with 25,000 on them, have a lot of life still in them. I've had one puncture that must have been a sharp rock, but has been doing well after the repair. I also have a double-cab 5.3, 6sp, w/3.42 gear ratio. What tires do you have, and your truck stats? You must travel some long slopes out West?

That ties my best 50 @ 37.6, but what was your best 25 and 400? Mine was 25 @ 52.1, and 400 @ 26.

749 IIRC, but unfortunately I didn't get a picture of it. It has nothing to do with your trip meters, but everything to do with your recent running MPG. I averaged just under 27 MPG on the prior tank while driving 45 MPH in Yellowstone, then going out of the East side down the switchbacks during a severe rainstorm. Not only raining cats and dogs, but also overhead rocks to dodge on the way down. Cannot remember my last 25, 50, and 400 for that tank, but they were extremely high numbers. I've seen the 6 hundreds several times, so I'm thinking it must be based off your last 25, 50, or even possibly another unknown number between 50 and 400. I just don't think it could be based on the last 400, or most would only be seeing numbers up to the high 5 hundreds on a good day. It does recalculate while you are driving, both adding to or removing range, depending on your current running MPG.

I tried it a year ago, and again last week. I actually got worse gas mileage, but my regular gas station is putting in new tanks and pumps. It didn't stay in V4 any longer than normal, maybe less for my driving. I tried it with both Shell 93 and Citgo 87 octane. It could have been the different brand of 87, but the Shell 93 is the same brands as my normal 87. Back in drive for me. Should be back to normal gas this week, I'll give it another shot then.

I have the receipt dated July 22, 2014 and diodes sitting right in front of me. Haven't even broke them out of the package yet. How sad is that? I was waiting for the headlight update, and it is much better driving at night now. Now I can't decide which way I want to go with it, so I am at a stalemate, or impass, or procrastination, or something like that? I may get around to it someday?

I just finished running four consecutive tanks of Shell 93, and have been running Shell 87 since September 2013, prior. The gas mileage was no better. It cost me $8-$10 more to fill up, and I really could not feel any difference in performance. I have had to use other brands of fuel on occasion, like when I took my trip out West last fall. The local Shell is getting a complete overhaul right now, new tanks and pumps. Last week I tried gas from Citgo, and my gas mileage went down. I filled up with AGO gas towards the end of last week, and already seeing an increase in gas mileage over the Citgo branded. I know some of the tanker trucks go from one brand station to the next, but apparently there must be a difference in these two brands. I'm going to stick with the manufacturers rating of 87 octane and not worry about it. I haven't seen anything to convince me otherwise. If someone can get better gas mileage than I am getting on Shell 87, I'd love to see it. As far as engine knock, I've never heard it, or pinging of any type. Of course the DI engine has its own special sound, so who knows for sure. I have a 5 year/100,000 mile Powertrain Warranty if there is a problem down the road. I know I'm not going to lose any sleep over it, but I am going to save the extra $10/week, $500+/year by buying regular 87 over premium 93.

Nice truck! I like that old Chevy in the background. Looks to be a late model '49 or a '50? Without the running boards.

Adam, Good job. I like it!

Disregard.

No sound on the videos for me. Other youtube videos work fine in another window off this site?

I hope it's durable, otherwise you are more than likely going to be wearing it out quick. Don't take your finger off the trigger.

If you zoom in close on that Ram all the way to the back, you'll see a pair of legs under the back doors. Wonder why he's hiding?

Yes, the garage definitely helps.

It's actually waiting for your tranny fluid to get up to temp. The colder it is outside, the higher your tranny fluid temp needs to be. On mine in extreme cold 0ºishF it needs to be above 113ºF. That can take 8-10 miles some times. This is my second winter, and if the air temp is around 32ºF, it might switch around 95ºF on the tranny fluid temp. There is a definite correlation between the two temps. In the summer, mine will switch as soon as I get into 3rd gear and above 15 MPH. The tranny fluid is already warm enough, and the engine is no where near 210ºF yet.