2012 3500HD Shaking at Highway Speeds

sdeeter19555 · August 30, 2012

Interesting, however my vibration is apparent starting at around 68mph and gets worse as I go faster.

Steve

Mine starts about 66 to 67mph, and again; its not that bad...but I'm sure there are degrees of severity like everything else.

There is a current frame beaming discussion somewhere...I read it right after I bought this truck, and that owner was going through the same ordeal. And I am pretty sure it specified "at least 350#", whereas the old one is 200# to 500#.

I actually got to take my truck in for the cab mounts...the passenger rear cab mount looks like its squished out of the mount (sort of like the donut popped out in one spot). I almost wonder if that is possible a cause of, or a result of, the minor vibration I get?

ChevyTech77 · August 30, 2012

There is no such thing as frame beaming in an HD. It sounds like you finally used the truck for its purpose.

Then why is it listed as a cause on a lot of the diesel forums? I guess the Duramax really isn't a HD truck then??

Because someone googled vibration in Silverado?

I'm sure that all the forums know best though.

therink · September 5, 2012

Since my last update, I have no progress to report. GM was suppose to send an engineer to my dealer during week of 8/27. That did not happen. Now gm is telling me the engineer will be at my dealer either 9/19 or 9/20, but they can't tell me which day. I suppose I should continue to put my schedule on hold with little hope that this will happen. Just venting here.

GM fails to acknowledge that as a loyal customer, I have been dealing with this issue for one year, 18,000 miles, countless trips to dealers, loaner cars, my time and energy, etc. One would think that a company striving to improve the customer experience would go out of their way to resolve this issue in a timely and efficient manner. My service rep Cynthia said I should be patient as this case is relatively new. Well maybe it is a new case, but to me this issue has dragged out since day one with the truck. All I want is for GM to commit to a day and time that I can expect to meet the GM engineer ride with him/her and then go from there. I will not be leaving my vehicle for anymore repair work unless GM bellyS up to the bar and proposeSthe solution to the issue they are well aware of.The other options I will allow at that time is either a replacement truck or Lemon Law.

Steve

rt66er · September 5, 2012

From my own personal experience, the odds of GM doing something on their own is pretty much nil. I have dealt with their "customer service" reps before; their job is to obfuscate and deny history of any problem. With the internet forums, owners can now easily research and comfirm widespread common defects. And yet they always claim "that's the first time they've heard of this problem." Their first option seems to be delay and deny. If that doesn't work, they will try to buy you off with some free oil changes or an extended warranty. Excuse me, but why would I want to extend a warranty that you currently refuse to honor? I can almost guarantee that you will wind up in arbitration (lemon law). Good luck, you'll need it.

therink · September 5, 2012

Today's update: My service adviser called and informed me that the GM engineer will be at my dealer on 9/19 to look at my truck. The service adviser asked if I could leave my truck at the dealer the night before. I asked why, she said because the dealer might want to drive it ahead of time and check everything out. I told her that I will not leave my truck at the dealer and I will be there when the engineer looks at it. I refuse to leave my truck to have any further diagnostic or work done on it. GM has had 3+ documented opportunities to fix the vibration.

Does anyone here feel I am being unrealistic by not leaving my truck with the dealer, or not allowing the GM engineer to look at and drive my truck without me present?

Steve

Doug_Scott · September 5, 2012

Leave the truck on their lot, but don't leave the keys. They may want to try the truck stone cold to see if it is any different, leaving it there without the keys means you have to be there for the cold testing as well. Just to be sure, write the exact mileage down after you leave it. Make sure you explicitly state that no one is to drive/move/run the truck until you arrive with the keys. They have the means to cut a key for your truck if they sold you the truck, and likely even if they did not sell it to you as well.

8.1HD/ALLISON · September 7, 2012

I would not call that unreasonable. I would want to be there too if I had been dealing with this for a year. Not wrong for a guy to want his truck fixed right. It is wrong for GM to drag this out so long. Pooooor customer service.

jdell · September 8, 2012

I have become another victim of this vibration, just purchased 2012 2500hd crew cab z71 with 6 miles on it. Noticed as soon as I got onto the highway and hit speeds of 60mph. Next day went back to dealer and they did all of the tire tests. Told me it needs new tires and will be in Monday. They even switched tires from another 2500 and did the same. Then we took a 2013 2500 for a ride and that one did it to. Also claims this is the first of hearing this problem and even there GM rep never heard of it. I told them if they can't fix I want my old 2011 Sierra back. What are other options here. Also, are there any thoughts that the drive shaft or carrier bearing maybe bad or manufactured wrong?

therink · September 8, 2012

I have become another victim of this vibration, just purchased 2012 2500hd crew cab z71 with 6 miles on it. Noticed as soon as I got onto the highway and hit speeds of 60mph. Next day went back to dealer and they did all of the tire tests. Told me it needs new tires and will be in Monday. They even switched tires from another 2500 and did the same. Then we took a 2013 2500 for a ride and that one did it to. Also claims this is the first of hearing this problem and even there GM rep never heard of it. I told them if they can't fix I want my old 2011 Sierra back. What are other options here. Also, are there any thoughts that the drive shaft or carrier bearing maybe bad or manufactured wrong?

It is not tire related. I can assure the gm rep knows about this issue and is playing dumb. If you make enough noise on this forum, you will likely get a pm from gm customer service. I urge you to take your truck back and demand a refund or have an identical truck factory ordered as a replacement. Whatever you do, do not let your dealer continue to diagnose and rediagnose. They will not fix it and will waste your time.

If you read back in this post, you will see that I had my driveshaft checked/re alanced, which was not the issue.

Good luck and don't give in and accept this as normal. Please post any updates you may have.

Steve

Z45 · September 8, 2012

The reason they want you to leave the truck is so they can look at it without you there. The GM service rep does not deal with the customer, he advises the dealer. Also they probably do not know exactly what time he will show up, could be 7 in the morning or 7 in the evening and having to wait for when the customer wants to be there mau hinder his job. Bring the truck and let them do thier job.

jdell · September 8, 2012

I have become another victim of this vibration, just purchased 2012 2500hd crew cab z71 with 6 miles on it. Noticed as soon as I got onto the highway and hit speeds of 60mph. Next day went back to dealer and they did all of the tire tests. Told me it needs new tires and will be in Monday. They even switched tires from another 2500 and did the same. Then we took a 2013 2500 for a ride and that one did it to. Also claims this is the first of hearing this problem and even there GM rep never heard of it. I told them if they can't fix I want my old 2011 Sierra back. What are other options here. Also, are there any thoughts that the drive shaft or carrier bearing maybe bad or manufactured wrong?

It is not tire related. I can assure the gm rep knows about this issue and is playing dumb. If you make enough noise on this forum, you will likely get a pm from gm customer service. I urge you to take your truck back and demand a refund or have an identical truck factory ordered as a replacement. Whatever you do, do not let your dealer continue to diagnose and rediagnose. They will not fix it and will waste your time.

If you read back in this post, you will see that I had my driveshaft checked/re alanced, which was not the issue.

Good luck and don't give in and accept this as normal. Please post any updates you may have.

Steve

What was your outcome with this issue? You still have truck with vibration? Having them order me a identical truck from factory will not solve problem because we drove a 2013 2500hd they had on lot and it did the same thing. Will keep posted and thanks.

jdell · September 10, 2012

Well, I got it fixed. Gave back to dealer and got my old 2011 Sierra 1500 back. They tried new tires and still no good. Now they have 4 2500's on there lot that vibrate at 65mph. Good luck people, to much money for me to put out to have a truck shake.

therink · September 18, 2012

Update: I have a much fought after appointment tomorrow at 900am with the GM engineer. I will update after he looks at my truck.

Steve

therink · September 20, 2012

I met with the engineer today at 900am as scheduled. He was is very nice guy, very knowledgeable and appeared to have a genuine concern for my issue. He connected an ultrasonic diagnostic tool to the truck with a microphone on the drivers seat frame rail. We test drove at highway speeds and sure enough, he was able to verify the vibration. He said the frequencies well exceeded what he felt was acceptable. He immediately felt it was a tire concern. He took the tires to a neighboring dealer with a good road force balancing machine and rebalanced them. He determined that two of the tires are bad and would not balance to meet spec. For what it is worth, the vibration is now worse since they were rebalanced today.

He explained it like this:

The new frames/suspension on the 11+ HD's are so tight, that they are ultra sensitive to tire/wheel issues. He said that some trucks have the problems, some don't; being a luck of the draw on what tires are installed at the factory and how well they were balanced. Also, said that the dealer network as a whole does not have the correct tire balancing machines that can dial in the tires to the tolerances needed on these trucks. He denied that there was any engineering problem with the truck itself. One good point he made was that if 100 trucks have this problem, maybe only 10% of the these trucks owners would be bothered or even notice the shaking; noting that we are dealing with an HD truck. Some people just expect an HD truck to ride like that. I guess I fall into the 10% group.

Bottom line, he is ordering 8 new tires (same Michelins that I have now), and will replace mine with 4 new ones (he ordering additional ones in case any of them are out of round). He is coming back to the dealership in two weeks to oversee the balancing and installation. The tires will be balanced at a site nearby TBD. He said he needs to locate a certain brand of machine that uses some kind of laser technology or something like that.

Anyway, i have agreed to try this approach and see what happens.

Steve