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Gmc 18" Chrome Clad Wheel Issues


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Just took my '12 Sierra in with 57,000kms and they replaced all four rims for me. Had two rims before replaced due to the chrome bubbling around 25,000kms. They replaced all four this time because the outside aluminum surround on the rim was all chewed up and pitted from rocks and salt. Not sure how the service manager got this for me considering the old service manager told me GM wouldn't replace issues like this in Western Canada due to the weather and roads. I'm not complaining though!

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I had 2 of my 18" chrome clad wheels replaced after only having it for a few months. They had bubbles in few spots. This happened before the truck ever saw salt. The dealer replaced them under warranty with no problems. I will look at them closely after a good wash to see how they held up after it's first bad winter of salt.

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My 20" ones look like crap at 30k miles. I've got rust spots that I can't polish out on them, and the chrome is flaking from the inside out. Giant POS they are. :(

 

The clear coated aluminum rims on my '00 were flawless up to the day I sold the truck. This ride has been nothing by quality problems. :devil:

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I'm the person that posted the pictures a few posts up on our newly purchased 2013 Silverado with 6900 miles (most of these prior to November as the truck was parked most of the time over the winter. Have had three separate phone calls with GM customer care. GM's position is that the wheels are defect free and they will replace the wheels one time in the 3 year 36000 mile warranty as they cannot control the environment in which the vehicle operates. Again, I pointed out all the other chrome is fine even the bumper and chrome plastic grill that sees even more abuse from road salt and slag being thrown up from the big trucks on the highway.

 

I have a company car Ford Fusion with aluminum wheels as well. It arrived new and went through the same winter with a lot more winter miles and the wheels are like new. I gave him this example and he said he cannot comment on that.

 

I also pointed out that others are seeing similar issues with their GM truck wheels as I have seen several posts listed in on line forums. He warned me to be careful reading these as anyone can post information that may not be true. Seems this is the typical response from dealers and GM. Rather than embracing the on line community, they try to discount it by claiming we are all lying about GM's quality issues.

 

Recently watched MS. Barra during the hearings on the ignition switch issue. She seemed to be very sincere claiming that today's GM is committed to producing the highest quality and safest vehicles on the road and that customers are the center of everything they do. It's too bad she's not focused on what GM is actually doing to their customer base by selling poor quality like this and not doing the right thing with the customer.

 

Rather than discounting online forums and social media and paying people to fight claims, they should be scouring these forums to identify quality issues and resolve them quickly. Just imagine the support they could build for the GM brand and all the new customers they could win over. Seems they are determined to convert their customer base to detractors rather delighted supporters.

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I'm the person that posted the pictures a few posts up on our newly purchased 2013 Silverado with 6900 miles (most of these prior to November as the truck was parked most of the time over the winter. Have had three separate phone calls with GM customer care. GM's position is that the wheels are defect free and they will replace the wheels one time in the 3 year 36000 mile warranty as they cannot control the environment in which the vehicle operates. Again, I pointed out all the other chrome is fine even the bumper and chrome plastic grill that sees even more abuse from road salt and slag being thrown up from the big trucks on the highway.

 

I have a company car Ford Fusion with aluminum wheels as well. It arrived new and went through the same winter with a lot more winter miles and the wheels are like new. I gave him this example and he said he cannot comment on that.

 

I also pointed out that others are seeing similar issues with their GM truck wheels as I have seen several posts listed in on line forums. He warned me to be careful reading these as anyone can post information that may not be true. Seems this is the typical response from dealers and GM. Rather than embracing the on line community, they try to discount it by claiming we are all lying about GM's quality issues.

 

Recently watched MS. Barra during the hearings on the ignition switch issue. She seemed to be very sincere claiming that today's GM is committed to producing the highest quality and safest vehicles on the road and that customers are the center of everything they do. It's too bad she's not focused on what GM is actually doing to their customer base by selling poor quality like this and not doing the right thing with the customer.

 

Rather than discounting online forums and social media and paying people to fight claims, they should be scouring these forums to identify quality issues and resolve them quickly. Just imagine the support they could build for the GM brand and all the new customers they could win over. Seems they are determined to convert their customer base to detractors rather delighted supporters.

I agree with you %100 but it is not just GM that thinks "What's more cost effective for the company". All automakers do this and its frustrating to the max. Things keep getting more expensive while the quality slowly slips away with a lot of things.

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Thanks for your comment Lee. Yes, the cost effective decision is the choice they make every day. It seems that more recently with GM they have been striking the wrong balance on this decision. Basically between providing a quality product that will attract delighted customers and lower quality where customers will choose to take their business elsewhere.

 

For example, the Ford I drive (choice was not up to me) did provide quality components that were designed to operate in the environment they were exposed. The truck which was driven even less in the same environment resulted in a finish that failed this exposure. I and other customers will learn their lesson and will make current and future buying decisions based on their experience with the car company. I used to work at GM in the 80's and at that time know they would have never tolerated such poor quality from their suppliers.

 

I hope that I can reach a reasonable person at GM and they will honor their warranty on my replacement wheels. That is the only thing I ask and I believe it is reasonable. If not, this experience will certainly weigh heavily on my next purchase and in the interim I will write a letter to Ms. Barra to let her know how the company she is leading is treating their loyal customers. She is second generation GM and I cannot imagine her supporting this type of customer experience.

 

While not mentioned previously, it is even more unfortunate, considering the support each of our countries provided GM so they could continue their business.

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same thing on my Malibu got them warranteed..... get them warranteed and get another set for winter....


It sucks having to run ugly wheels for half the year but it keeps the nice ones looking good... doing it to my truck this year and can actually run dedicated snow tires then too.....

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Looking at the picture of the rim, the "bubbling" is due to contaminates under the plating.

 

GM has had this problem going back to 1998 (read any Camaro board), and either they do not care, or they need to change plating facilities or practices.

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Wish they would have gone with a polished/cleared rim vs this chrome clad stuff.

 

That said, have read the same issues with both Ford & Ram on their wheels where either the chrome is peeling or the cladding is popping.

 

Makes one wonder how many pennies they save doing this crap.

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  • 2 weeks later...

Mine are doing that also, I have a 2011 with 20 inch alum clad wheels I have same issue, and wait till they start turning blue because of the heat from your brakes. Truck has 53000 on it. I hope dealer can help me with this issue.

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Same thing happened to my "chrome clad wheels". Bubbles in the chrome down in each web and some corrosion spots

on the edge of the rim where the alluminum shows. Supposed to be replaced sometime this week. 4900 miles

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It is great to hear that the above posters "are getting their rims replaced by the dealer", the problem being, WITH WHAT?.

 

If your replacement is another set of "chrome clad" wheels, you will be dealing with the same problem down the road.

 

I would have them replaced with a set of "brushed aluminum" or powder coated GM rims in the appropriate size.

 

JMHO

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I asked about that, and even suggested a couple of wheels that I saw on 2014 Sierrras. The dealer said that the zone rep didn't get back to him about making substitutions so he was gioing to replace what was on the truck. If these ones do it, and GM won't replace them again, I guess it's time to go to a third party arbitrator. This "chrome clad" stuff looks like the "chrome" parts I used to see on plastic car models I made when I was younger. :ughdance:

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