Silverado LED Radio/HVAC knobs: part #'s & warranty claims

Silverado Steve · February 17, 2014

It's just that you made it sound as if you had a right to test it out before you drove off the lot but not complain later, as if it was sold AS IS. And you also made it sound like it was an option item which it isn't. Options are listed as RPO codes and none ever existed regarding these lights. No biggie... just saying.

I'm confused now what you are trying to say. If the LED backlights are not an option or listed as such on an RPO code, why would GM be responsible for fixing the lights for those who don't have them?

Silverado Steve · February 17, 2014

That's pretty much how I feel. If an owner wants them repaired, GM should do it no questions asked. Once my dealer saw the difference and agreed they should be lit, I went ahead with the process of having it done. Sent from my DROID RAZR HD

I agree with this. So when they fix the issue, they are not replacing the radio right? Just the control panel for the radio and the climate control? Sounds like a quick fix based on what some of those who had it done say.

kdj14 · February 17, 2014

Steve, for the same reason that they'd be responsible for fixing your parking lights if one on each side suddenly stopped working (or never worked to begin with). They ain't listed as options either and only two are required by law. As proven by many members here, the lights are there, they just don't work cause the manufacturer of the components failed to install the resistors. That's enough reason to expect them to fix them even though they may B.S. their way into not doing it.

ShotgunZ71 · February 17, 2014

That's pretty much how I feel. If an owner wants them repaired, GM should do it no questions asked. Once my dealer saw the difference and agreed they should be lit, I went ahead with the process of having it done. Sent from my DROID RAZR HD

I agree with this. So when they fix the issue, they are not replacing the radio right? Just the control panel for the radio and the climate control? Sounds like a quick fix based on what some of those who had it done say.

Correct. They are just replacing the two plug-n-play modules for the radio and HVAC. Service tech said less than 30 minutes, so not too bad.

Sent from my DROID RAZR HD

Silverado Steve · February 17, 2014

Steve, for the same reason that they'd be responsible for fixing your parking lights if one on each side suddenly stopped working (or never worked to begin with). They ain't listed as options either and only two are required by law. As proven by many members here, the lights are there, they just don't work cause the manufacturer of the components failed to install the resistors. That's enough reason to expect them to fix them even though they may B.S. their way into not doing it.

Where does it say the lights are standard for the radio? You're missing the point my friend. Parking lights, headlights, brake lights are all required by law. Radio lights? No. You're comparing apples to oranges. I think you're not catching what I'm throwing. If you go back and look at the original post your quoted me on, you missed out totally on the sentence right after the part you highlighted in red. Let me reiterate. For those who want the fix as painless as possible, say "My radio lights worked and now they don't" The dealer will not deny a fix for something that was working on your truck under the 3yr/36K mile warranty. If you go in there saying "Other trucks have it" or "The Silverado/Sierra brochure shows them with them" You're dealer may side with you, but if they say they have to go to GM headquarters for guidance or approval, you will more than likely be denied since GM has already said as have the GM reps, it was a design change, the lights were never supposed to work on earlier models.

Silverado Steve · February 17, 2014

Correct. They are just replacing the two plug-n-play modules for the radio and HVAC. Service tech said less than 30 minutes, so not too bad. Sent from my DROID RAZR HD

Interesting, it doesn't sound like they have to tear the dash apart too much. Did anybody's dealer list the price they charged against the warranty? As simple of a fix as this is....GM should just flip the bill instead of taking the position they have. It doesn't make sense to piss of their customer base for a couple $100 bucks?

kdj14 · February 17, 2014

Where does it say the lights are standard for the radio? You're missing the point my friend. Parking lights, headlights, brake lights are all required by law. Radio lights? No. You're comparing apples to oranges. I think you're not catching what I'm throwing. If you go back and look at the original post your quoted me on, you missed out totally on the sentence right after the part you highlighted in red. Let me reiterate. For those who want the fix as painless as possible, say "My radio lights worked and now they don't" The dealer will not deny a fix for something that was working on your truck under the 3yr/36K mile warranty. If you go in there saying "Other trucks have it" or "The Silverado/Sierra brochure shows them with them" You're dealer may side with you, but if they say they have to go to GM headquarters for guidance or approval, you will more than likely be denied since GM has already said as have the GM reps, it was a design change.

That's exactly why I originally said I agree with you, except for the part where you stated the could tell you to take a walk because you had the opportunity to check everything out before you drove off the lot. You are 100% correct in your reasoning of the best way to go about it. Hotheaded demands won't go far anywhere.

And no state requires more than two parking lamps front and rear.

Silverado Steve · February 17, 2014

Let me ask you this. If GM decided mid model year to say throw a high resolution back up camera on the Silverado/Sierra and didn't advertise they did, is GM on the hook to replace the camera for all of those who bought the earlier model? How is that different than the radio light issue?

Isn't it the responsibility of the buyer to know what they buy and what they are paying for? How does this differ from buying the truck "As is"? Many people buy cars thinking they were supposed to get something....cooled seats, Nav, heated mirrors....etc only to find out they bought the wrong package, or the manufacturer didn't offer that feature on the vehicle. So is that on the dealer, or buyer? Bottom line its the buyers responsibility to do the research on the vehicle they are buying. Personally, if the backlit radio light is a big thing, the buyer needs to check this out while test driving, or looking at the vehicle. I maintain 90% of the owners have/had no idea this was an issue before finding this thread. All this doesn't mean that i don't think GM couldn't handle this issue better.

Last, i had no idea that no state required both front and rear tail lamps....funny, cause i remember the DMV checking to make sure all lamps were present and operational when i took my drivers test 22 years ago.....hmmm learn something new everyday.

kdj14 · February 17, 2014

And by the way, I'm an automotive tech in the private sector but have worked in a dealership before and I know how they work. Service advisors act like insurance adjusters for the most part. If they can see a way out of it they will.

You should have heard the lame crap I got when I inquired about my remote start not working in "extended run time" mode. He told me no remote starter would do extended run time and that you have to wait till it shuts off to restart it, and it's just a misprint in my owners manual. Haha. My bad, I just misunderstood how it works. Wait 5 minutes and re-activate it and you get a total of 15.

Silverado Steve · February 17, 2014

And by the way, I'm an automotive tech in the private sector but have worked in a dealership before and I know how they work. Service advisors act like insurance adjusters for the most part. If they can see a way out of it they will.

You should have heard the lame crap I got when I inquired about my remote start not working in "extended run time" mode. He told me no remote starter would do extended run time and that you have to wait till it shuts off to restart it, and it's just a misprint in my owners manual. Haha. My bad, I just misunderstood how it works. Wait 5 minutes and re-activate it and you get a total of 15.

That was my point all along...some members have issues lying about the lights working. I know service depts are saying tough, you should of made sure the lights were installed before you bought the truck, or at least think that because the do act like insurance adjusters. The dealer has to make sure GM is going to pay them for the warranty work. My statement was that of devil's advocate...

kdj14 · February 17, 2014

Let me ask you this. If GM decided mid model year to say throw a high resolution back up camera on the Silverado/Sierra and didn't advertise they did, is GM on the hook to replace the camera for all of those who bought the earlier model? How is that different than the radio light issue?

Isn't it the responsibility of the buyer to know what they buy and what they are paying for? How does this differ from buying the truck "As is"? Many people buy cars thinking they were supposed to get something....cooled seats, Nav, heated mirrors....etc only to find out they bought the wrong package, or the manufacturer didn't offer that feature on the vehicle. So is that on the dealer, or buyer? Bottom line its the buyers responsibility to do the research on the vehicle they are buying. Personally, if the backlit radio light is a big thing, the buyer needs to check this out while test driving, or looking at the vehicle. I maintain 90% of the owners have/had no idea this was an issue before finding this thread. All this doesn't mean that i don't think GM couldn't handle this issue better.

Last, i had no idea that no state required both front and rear tail lamps....funny, cause i remember the DMV checking to make sure all lamps were present and operational when i took my drivers test 22 years ago.....hmmm learn something new everyday.

Mine is a Aug. build and they work yet others don't. Some Sept. builds work and others don't. As of Dec. builds, they all work.... Are you thinking this is a design change back and forth until they could decide which they preferred. That design change line is a cop out and a way to deny they dropped the ball. And I said two parking lamps front and rear, maybe I should have said two on front and two on the rear. I actually had a judge embarrass a cop in court for writing me a bogus ticket for a burned out tail light because the law says a minimum of one light per side.

kdj14 · February 17, 2014

That was my point all along...some members have issues lying about the lights working. I know service depts are saying tough, you should of made sure the lights were installed before you bought the truck, or at least think that because the do act like insurance adjusters. The dealer has to make sure GM is going to pay them for the warranty work. My statement was that of devil's advocate...

Ah, I see. I missed the sarcasm. Lol

Silverado Steve · February 17, 2014

Mine is a Aug. build and they work yet others don't. Some Sept. builds work and others don't. As of Dec. builds, they all work.... Are you thinking this is a design change back and forth until they could decide which they preferred. That design change line is a cop out and a way to deny they dropped the ball. And I said two parking lamps front and rear, maybe I should have said two on front and two on the rear. I actually had a judge embarrass a cop in court for writing me a bogus ticket for a burned out tail light because the law says a minimum of one light per side.

That's why i call BS on GMs claim...what do they define as early build? So was it a resistor shortage...doubt it. I think the real reason was their vendor, or GM themselves had a QA issue. If GM were serious about Customer Service, they'd fix the radio lights for those who complained for the couple hundred bucks vs losing a customer who would come back and buy another truck....GM makes up to $10K for each truck they sell.....$100 vs $10K....hmm the math seems clear to me.

kdj14 · February 17, 2014

That's why I said it's no biggie. They fix it for those who complain and do a charge-back to their supplier. It's a win-win situation for everyone but the vendor who screwed up to begin with. Even then they'll refurbish them and send them right back to GM as new units so it's a small loss of a few bucks each including labor. I think the whole issue with them is admitting there's an issue to begin with. Then they'd have everyone coming up with this... say 100,000 trucks at 0.4 hours per repair... Ouch!