Search the Community

So i bought my truck about 2 years ago didnt have any sign of rust. Well now im pissed. I have bubbles coming in on rear wheel wells and underside of doors. As im reading i see these truck have this problem with the 2 piece bed where the v shape of the two sheet metals met at the wheel well. I noticed the 3 rubber plugs you can remove. My question is should i just leave them out? Seriously my truck is immaculate untill now. And it went from one bubble to about 10 in less then a year. Kills me and the bottom side of doors are just as bad. Is that plastic dust gaurd on the bottom of doors what causes the problem? Should i remove those? (Crew cab). Im gonna show some pics too.

So I noticed today that my 6 month old 2017 white sierra is developing Freckles. looks like tiny rust spots all down both sides and on the front bumper. When i saw the first bits it was on the door and i thought, oh no, maybe my tires have thrown rocks n stuff up and dug right through the clear and paint etc to the metal and now it's rusting, but as i looked harder there is tiny rust spots forming over most of the truck, including places where there is no chance of road debris hitting, and parts that aren't even metal underneath, like the door trim and the pillar post sticker things. Whole truck is looking like crap now and it's not even a year old. I'm able to rub some of the spots out so it seems like it might just be rail dust in the clear coat, anyone have any thoughts on this? is it covered under warranty? Is it something i can fix myself if not? pretty much new truck looks like a fat irish kid now, not impressed at all.

I realize these trucks may not have seen enough salt, brine or calcium chloride yet. Perhaps there is a link to the previous 900 trucks. Do these new trucks have any protection or design upgrades that prevent the rockers from rotting out like the 800's and other Ford and Chrysler products? I notice the design is similar, with the multiple water/moisture drains on the bottom. Scares me a bit....

Looking for advice/opinions on some rugged step bars. I've gone through two sets of GoRhino Dominator II with no luck at all. They did warranty the first set, polished black, after they were rusting out within a year. The second set, in textured black, is rusting out and looks horrible. The new set is barely a year old. I'm in Michigan so I deal with gravel roads daily and salt in the winter. Any bullet proof steps out there with the look of the GoRhino Dominator???

I've noticed on my 2015 Silverado that the paint has been worn down to the metal along the step rail on the drivers side. I was thinking about sanding and applying a bed liner materials to this area. Curious if anyone has done this, and if so, could post any pics of the application?

I am new, guys, to painting for rust prevention. According to the research I have done, this is what I will do. Like I said brand new. 1. Wire wheel and sandpaper- taking off rust and any paint, bringin to bare metal 2. Bondo where necessary 3. OSPHO 4.sand 5.Marine Clean 6.Tape up 7.Primer (POR 15 Metal Prep), sand, clean, primer, sand clean, primer, sand clean, bondo, sand primer, clean 8.POR 15 Rust preventative coating (lightest coat, light coat, then a wooly jacket kinda coat) 9.let cure for 24 hours 10.Top Coat (What are some good brands of rubberized type top coats that arent cheap?) 11. Clear coat if Im feeling like a real pro. 12. wet sand with 15xx and 20xx 13. Drive away happy and get some cough syrup. Where am I going wrong? What extra should I do, whose back to I have to scratch to get the in on how to do this the best way? Thanks to Ya.

I know there are a ton of posts about frame rust and Fluid Film but I wanted to post my experience and to warn everyone. I like many others want to keep this truck a while. When I asked the sales rep at my dealer about the frame wax, he said to use Fluid Film... I also read both good and bad things on this forum. As the winter was fast approaching, I had to do something so went the FF route. Mostly just around where there were welds and holes in the frame. My friend has a 2014 with plenty of rust so I targeted specific areas that I saw on his truck. Well after one winter, here is the result. EDIT: Yes it was after using a regular garden hose nozzle for washing. It just peels off like black latex. I know I took a chance, (and did see the warning on the can about possible effects on different undercoats) but was hoping it would just soften and then stay "fluidy"- not actually fall off. Don't get me wrong, FF is a great product and its GM's fault that they cheaped out on the frame wax. I have since ordered and applied the Amsoil HD Metal Protectant so we'll see how that goes. I just wanted to get some solid evidence out there for others. Again, I am not bashing Fluid Film, just warning people not to use it on the frame.

New to the site and looking for some help on my recently acquired 2002 Avalanche 1500 4x4 with 140k miles. I was working on replacing the front wheel hub and half-shaft yesterday. Finally got the hub out using an air chisel and hammer. Hub was rusted in pretty tight. So after I got the hub out I used a wire brush on the steering knuckle to remove all of the rust. I put a thick layer of anti-seize on the knuckle and put the hub in. The hub slid right into the knuckle. It was actually so loose that it would fall out if I did hold it in and I could move it slightly around in the hole. I was in a hurry as I was running late for diner with the in-laws and didn’t think about it much at the time. Reassembled everything and took it for a test drive. Truck ran great ABS light went out and everything seemed fine. Later that evening I started thinking about it and remembered that every other hub I had replaced I had to pull it into the knuckle with the mounting bolts. So now I am thinking that the hub is being held in place only by the three mounting bolt rather than by the tight fit of the hub to the steering knuckle hole. So do I need to replace the steering knuckle due to the rust enlarging the hole for the wheel hub? I am worried about driving the truck with just the three mounting bolt holding up the front wheel.

2015 2500 HD with 137k miles already. I am the second owner and plan on keeping this truck for a very long time. What can I do now to help slow down or prevent rust. Iowa winters (salt, sand, and the liquid salt) are rough on frames. Fluid film? Take truck to a shop and let them undercoat the bottom? Other options? I try to wash the truck when the temperature is reasonable here.

Sorry the following is long. I purchased my 2012 Chevrolet Silverado, four door, crew cab, LT, Z71 package from Mirak Chevrolet (Mirak) in Arlington, Massachusetts in July, 2012. This is the third Silverado that I have personally owned and one of numerous vehicles that my family has purchased from Mirak Chevrolet over the years. My Silverado is one of three General Motors Vehicles that I currently own or use for work, which includes a 1975 Buick Lesabre Custom and a 2012 Chevrolet Equinox that is my work vehicle. I take excellent care of my vehicles. My 2012 Silverado looks brand new, and it has approximately 15,000 miles on it. Early this year I began to notice rust developing on the frame and that the coating on the frame was peeling off. Upon researching what was going on with my vehicle, I was able to determine that this seems to be a common issue among not only the 2012 Silverado, but also subsequent year Chevrolet Silverado’s and GMC’s. I called Mirak Chevrolet and Mirak agreed that this was an issue, and agreed to look at the issue that I was having with my vehicle. Mirak looked at the car on March 17, 2016 and subsequently advised me he placed the vehicle on a lift and observed that the frame was in fact rusted and that it was more extensive than he originally thought. Mirak MADE AN AGREEMENT to fix the frame under the warranty and according to the technical service bulletin. Mirak advised me, by email, that he wanted to set a tentative to “have the frame finish repaired as necessary. “ I made numerous calls to the dealership and the response each time was that the dealership did not have the materials to complete the repair. Mirak called me on June 29, 2016, 3 months later, and advised me that the materials had arrived and that he could take my vehicle for the repairs. I made an appointment with Mirak and the vehicle was dropped off the week of July 4, 2016. I was advised that the repairs would take a week to a week and a half and was provided with a loaner vehicle. I received the first of two telephone calls on Friday August 12, 2016 from Mirak. Mirak advised that the repairs could not be done because “there were too many rusted parts,”the rust on the frame was extensive, and that Chevrolet would not authorize the repairs. Mirak asked if I parked my car on grass and I advised him no and that it was parked in a driveway. Mirak suggested that parking on grass could accelerate the rusting issue. Mirak also stated that the vehicle could have been driven in salt water. Mirak then suggested that because the vehicle had low miles it could accelerate the rust because it was not receiving enough air flow. Mirak advised me that they had spoken to Chevrolet and that they would be willing to offer me $3000.00 towards the price of a new vehicle. I placed a complaint with GM customer service and they eventually replied that the rust was caused by excessive moisture and would therefore not be fixed according to the Technical Service Bulletin. GM customer service also advised me that it was not their issue because the dealership is an independent contractor . I received an estimate of repairs from Mirak Chevrolet. The estimate to complete the repairs was stated as $2,886.75. I am a lifelong GM customer and current owner of two GM vehicles. I purchased my Silverado believing that GM would stand by their products like they have in the past for me. Right now, I have a 2012 Silverado that is seriously deteriorating due to the coating coming off the frame. GM offered me a $3000.00 customer rebate towards a new vehicle, which I find completely unacceptable. The cost to repair is less than what was offered towards the purchase a new vehicle. My advice is to check those frames. I am now in the habit of looking at every silverado/ gmc frame, and I dont know of one that is not exhibiting some sort of issue with the wax coating coming off. Dont worry though, GM or the dealership will blame you for driving your car in the ocean or parking it under a waterfall. I purchased my 2012 Chevrolet Silverado, four door, crew cab, LT, Z71 package from Mirak Chevrolet (Mirak) in Arlington, Massachusetts in July, 2012. This is the third Silverado that I have personally owned and one of numerous vehicles that my family has purchased from Mirak Chevrolet over the years. My Silverado is one of three General Motors Vehicles that I currently own or use for work, which includes a 1975 Buick Lesabre Custom and a 2012 Chevrolet Equinox that is my work vehicle. I take excellent care of my vehicles. My 2012 Silverado looks brand new, and it has approximately 15,000 miles on it. Early this year I began to notice rust developing on the frame and that the coating on the frame was peeling off. Upon researching what was going on with my vehicle, I was able to determine that this seems to be a common issue among not only the 2012 Silverado, but also subsequent year Chevrolet Silverado’s and GMC’s. I called Mirak Chevrolet and Mirak agreed that this was an issue, and agreed to look at the issue that I was having with my vehicle. Mirak looked at the car on March 17, 2016 and subsequently advised me he placed the vehicle on a lift and observed that the frame was in fact rusted and that it was more extensive than he originally thought. Mirak MADE AN AGREEMENT to fix the frame under the warranty and according to the technical service bulletin. Mirak advised me, by email, that he wanted to set a tentative to “have the frame finish repaired as necessary. “ I made numerous calls to the dealership and the response each time was that the dealership did not have the materials to complete the repair. Mirak called me on June 29, 2016, 3 months later, and advised me that the materials had arrived and that he could take my vehicle for the repairs. I made an appointment with Mirak and the vehicle was dropped off the week of July 4, 2016. I was advised that the repairs would take a week to a week and a half and was provided with a loaner vehicle. I received the first of two telephone calls on Friday August 12, 2016 from Mirak. Mirak advised that the repairs could not be done because “there were too many rusted parts,”the rust on the frame was extensive, and that Chevrolet would not authorize the repairs. Mirak asked if I parked my car on grass and I advised him no and that it was parked in a driveway. Mirak suggested that parking on grass could accelerate the rusting issue. Mirak also stated that the vehicle could have been driven in salt water. Mirak then suggested that because the vehicle had low miles it could accelerate the rust because it was not receiving enough air flow. Mirak advised me that they had spoken to Chevrolet and that they would be willing to offer me $3000.00 towards the price of a new vehicle. I placed a complaint with GM customer service and they eventually replied that the rust was caused by excessive moisture and would therefore not be fixed according to the Technical Service Bulletin. GM customer service also advised me that it was not their issue because the dealership is an independent contractor . I received an estimate of repairs from Mirak Chevrolet. The estimate to complete the repairs was stated as $2,886.75. I am a lifelong GM customer and current owner of two GM vehicles. I purchased my Silverado believing that GM would stand by their products like they have in the past for me. Right now, I have a 2012 Silverado that is seriously deteriorating due to the coating coming off the frame. GM offered me a $3000.00 customer rebate towards a new vehicle, which I find completely unacceptable. The cost to repair is less than what was offered towards the purchase a new vehicle. My advice is to check those frames. I am now in the habit of looking at every silverado/ gmc frame, and I dont know of one that is not exhibiting some sort of issue with the wax coating coming off. Dont worry though, GM or the dealership will blame you for driving your car in the ocean or parking it under a waterfall.

My 2014 Silverado High Country is just about a year old, with 8100 miles. My wonderful $55K truck that I (mostly) love. I took it in for its second oil change and service today to my nearest GMC dealer, where I had previously taken it for two recalls and an oil change. Today, I wanted my second oil change, and I'm also having the rust issues described in this thread. These are pictures of my actual truck underside, showing some of the rusted areas underneath. So the GMC dealer refuses to look at the rust issues, though he is willing to do the oil change. He says GM will not allow him to work on the rust. I told him thanks but no thanks on the oil change, I will just take it back to my selling dealer who is 20 miles away. Question 1: Does GM really prohibit GMC dealers to work on Chevy on some warranty work and not others. Then I drive out to my selling Chevy dealer. They are unable to fit me in today; I have to make an appointment. I raised the rust issue to the service tech., plus another issue I am having with Pandora and the radio going in and out. So he says I'll need to bring it back leave the truck with them for a day (or possibly two, if I drop it off on a Saturday). I say ok, can you give me a loaner if you have to keep it? He says sorry, we can put you in a rental you have to pay for, because GM will not cover loaners for this sort of issue. Also, for that rust issue, I will need to have a manager to look at it to "see what we can do for you". The manager may or may not be in when you come by. Question 2: There is clearly visible rust in many, many spots on a 1 year old $55K truck. Does GM really need a manager to evaluate the rust to stand behind its product? Is that the way to empower its front-line employees? Question 3: When I owned a Hyundai Santa Fe, Hyundai would put me in a loaner if they ever had to keep the car for a day or more. That was a $26K SUV, and Hyundai never ever balked at standing behind their warranty, and providing loaners. Is this GM not standing behind its product or these two dealers?

Just bought a 2013 Sierra, 1500, certified pre-owned through GM with 36,000. Looks brand new inside and out, MINUS under the truck. The frame and stuff underneath is rusty, like it came from somewhere where they salt the roads. Also, the body behind the tires, on the underside, has VERY tiny spots where the rocks and stuff from the road has chipped the paint and those spots have little shades of rust in them as well. You would never see them if they were not pointed out. I negotiated them to take the truck to a shop and prep the underside, and coat with a rust inhibitor which makes me feel better. But what about the tiny spots on the body?? Would that spread and get worse? Should I spot treat those areas and hit with touch up paint? I may be too anal here but its a nice truck and want it to stay that way.....Ill post some pics tonight

Hello everyone I am a new owner of a certified pre owned 2014 GMC Sierra sle z71 (managers truck that he traded in for a 2015) the truck had barely any rust when I got it but then after two months of driving it through this rather harsh winter there has been quite a bit of accumulation lately. I just wanted to know if this amount of accumulation is normal

Has anyone installed this on their GMT800 trucks? I rather avoid a brake line rupture considering my brake lines are pretty badly rusted at the moment. http://www.amazon.com/dp/B00B4KUEM4/ref=wl_it_dp_o_pC_S_ttl?_encoding=UTF8&colid=2XLSZ133QK91Q&coliid=I1TGS88IGSZVTN

Hi new to the forum! I bought a 02 GMC sierra z71 extended cab about 3 yrs ago. I looked the truck over and it was spotless then all of a sudden after this brutal winter we had (from Ohio in the rust belt) little bubbles appeared in the passenger rocker panel just at the very back. I know these trucks are known for rusting in these areas but when I got under the truck not a spec of rust .... I am assuming it's rusting inside out. has anyone else had this issue and what can be done to stop the rust if I cant find the source of it? truck only has 80k on it so would hate to let it just rust away . any advice would be appreciated. Thanks,

So I was floating around the forums and I saw that someone had these covers that go over the 2 openings on the frame that are in the wheel well. But I forgot where that post was and now I can't find it. Does anyone have these covers or caps? or even know the name so I can buy some? If you have pics feel free to post them! Thanks

I have been looking for a while now and could not find anything. Does anyone have any good ideas for a way to cover the lower lip of a tailgate on a gmt800. On my previous truck and my current both have started to have the paint crack and a small amount of rust form there. I am trying to be preventative now and fixing it but I am looking for ways to cover the wound. I think the Avalanches come stock with this trim piece but I cannot find anything, in plastic or black, for my tailgate. It would be in the same place as the picture below but I would prefer plastic or any ideas you may have.

2013 GMC Sierra 1500, I bought it brand new less than a year ago, 16,000 miles, white... Noticed rusty specks all over it last week after washing it. Drive to dealership, "oh yeah, that's rail dust. Nothing we can do about it. You need to just wash it off and then wax it to prevent it from happening again." WTF! It looks like crap! Any chance there is a TSB out there that says the dealership has to clean it within a certain timeframe?! Chrome bumper is also all rusty where it's bolted on in the front. I pointed that out while I was there, and lo and behold, there is a recall on those, they will replace the bumper. I wanted them to replace it with a painted bumper, but they can't, only can replace it with the same thing. Handy. The rubber piece on the extended cab window, on the bottom of the window, is falling off too. I missed my Ford the day I traded it for this thing... So, GMC folks, any help getting me some backup to try to get the dealership to wash the rail dust off? It goes in Wednesday for the bumper replacement and the window piece. It would be nice if they would clean the rail dust off and wax it while it's there.

I seen some little rust spots on the bottom edge of my 2008 Sierra tailgate when I looked last summer, but wow! It is noticeably worse now! I thought the bed and tailgate were galvanized or treated somehow. I live in salt area and expect to fight rust eventually but this truck is rusting away too soon. Chrome bumpers are rusting terribly as well. Anyways, looks like a paint job for the gate before it gets much worse if I plan on keeping the truck. Not impressed with GM paint