1 Day Old, Starter Dies

Shier32 · March 1, 2014

So, I took delivery of my truck last night (2014 Silverado). The salesman delivered it to the house, I parked it, then this morning when I went to leave it wouldn't start . Dealership towed it back and installed a new starter. Hopefully it's the last of the problems....

cmpcpro · March 1, 2014

I can say your the second person I've heard of to have this issue after having the dealer deliver their brand new truck. Just be lucky yours didn't get scratched.

SLESierra · March 1, 2014

Electrical things are not 100% even though technology has made things better it is still not 100% at work I received a network chassis that had two bad power supplies in the same chassis and the chassis was 150K so nothing is immune from Murphy's law

2doorpost · March 1, 2014

Just out of curiousity, what was the year and month that your new truck was built?

I brought this very scenario up during a test drive of an "old build" , to which the salesman said , if the the starter failed, it'd be covered by the warranty.

I asked if I bought the truck..........(knowing what a lot of guys went through here recently with the cold weather)......would they install a new starter in with the deal?

Answer- No.

Unless it fails. Thats why you have a warranty.

Doesn't matter if you miss work. Or freeze in the worst winter in 38 years.

We're not fronting you a new starter on your new truck just because it MIGHT fail.

jay15892 · March 1, 2014

Why would they give you a new starter if the current one is working?

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Silverado Steve · March 1, 2014

Just out of curiousity, what was the year and month that your new truck was built?

I brought this very scenario up during a test drive of an "old build" , to which the salesman said , if the the starter failed, it'd be covered by the warranty.

I asked if I bought the truck..........(knowing what a lot of guys went through here recently with the cold weather)......would they install a new starter in with the deal?

Answer- No.

Unless it fails. Thats why you have a warranty.

Doesn't matter if you miss work. Or freeze in the worst winter in 38 years.

We're not fronting you a new starter on your new truck just because it MIGHT fail.

Interesting approach. What would you do if the dealer did all this and your truck didn't start after taking it home?

2doorpost · March 1, 2014

Have a good laugh.

And then get it fixed.

amxguy1970 · March 1, 2014

Just out of curiousity, what was the year and month that your new truck was built?

I brought this very scenario up during a test drive of an "old build" , to which the salesman said , if the the starter failed, it'd be covered by the warranty.

I asked if I bought the truck..........(knowing what a lot of guys went through here recently with the cold weather)......would they install a new starter in with the deal?

Answer- No.

Unless it fails. Thats why you have a warranty.

Doesn't matter if you miss work. Or freeze in the worst winter in 38 years.

We're not fronting you a new starter on your new truck just because it MIGHT fail.

A lot? So maybe 15 guys on a forum out of the how many hundreds of thousands of trucks that have been sold and it hasn't always been the starter... That is decimals of a percent. If I was the salesman I would have laughed. Some people are such worry warts. Do you insist all planes you fly on replace the pin that connects the engine to the wing before you fly because it failed on a few planes over the years too?

Tyler

pm26 · March 1, 2014

A lot? So maybe 15 guys on a forum out of the how many hundreds of thousands of trucks that have been sold and it hasn't always been the starter... That is decimals of a percent. If I was the salesman I would have laughed. Some people are such worry warts. Do you insist all planes you fly on replace the pin that connects the engine to the wing before you fly because it failed on a few planes over the years too?

Tyler

GM has the true numbers of these starter failures. This forum cannot be used as a baseline for how prevalent the problem is. And if something as serious as airplane angine mounting pins fail, they will ground the fleet and remove and inspect all the remaining ones with some kind of volumetric NDE technique (X ray or ultrasonic) or replace them if necessary. A totally diferent hazard level, and totally diferent issue that cannot be compared to an automotive starter failure.

2016 Sierra Owner · March 1, 2014

Just out of curiousity, what was the year and month that your new truck was built?

I brought this very scenario up during a test drive of an "old build" , to which the salesman said , if the the starter failed, it'd be covered by the warranty.

I asked if I bought the truck..........(knowing what a lot of guys went through here recently with the cold weather)......would they install a new starter in with the deal?

Answer- No.

Unless it fails. Thats why you have a warranty.

Doesn't matter if you miss work. Or freeze in the worst winter in 38 years.

We're not fronting you a new starter on your new truck just because it MIGHT fail.

Might as well sign the papers and hand the keys back to the salesman. That way they can park it in the shop till something goes wrong. Because you never can tell what MIGHT happen.

Badass69 · March 1, 2014

Just out of curiousity, what was the year and month that your new truck was built?

I brought this very scenario up during a test drive of an "old build" , to which the salesman said , if the the starter failed, it'd be covered by the warranty.

I asked if I bought the truck..........(knowing what a lot of guys went through here recently with the cold weather)......would they install a new starter in with the deal?

Answer- No.

Unless it fails. Thats why you have a warranty.

Doesn't matter if you miss work. Or freeze in the worst winter in 38 years.

We're not fronting you a new starter on your new truck just because it MIGHT fail.

A lot? So maybe 15 guys on a forum out of the how many hundreds of thousands of trucks that have been sold and it hasn't always been the starter... That is decimals of a percent. If I was the salesman I would have laughed. Some people are such worry warts. Do you insist all planes you fly on replace the pin that connects the engine to the wing before you fly because it failed on a few planes over the years too?

Tyler

I work with 3 guys with new 2014s and all 3 intermittently do not start. Pretty bad being 3 for 3 lol.

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pm26 · March 1, 2014

I work with 3 guys with new 2014s and all 3 intermittently do not start. Pretty bad being 3 for 3 lol. Sent from my SGH-I747M using Tapatalk

That would be quite understandable for 1914 models. Except those had a hand crank as a backup.

Badass69 · March 1, 2014

I work with 3 guys with new 2014s and all 3 intermittently do not start. Pretty bad being 3 for 3 lol. Sent from my SGH-I747M using Tapatalk

That would be quite understandable for 1914 models. Except those had a hand crank as a backup.

Lol. Well having you heard.... GM will be releasing the hand crank backup for disgruntled owners.... then like when they swapped back to drum rears on the gmt800 and gmt900s read all the raves from the fanboys telling you about the superiority of the hand crank system.... lol.

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Shier32 · March 2, 2014

I believe it was built 9-2013. Does anyone here track maintenance/repairs on new vehicles?

jenga · March 2, 2014

Same thing here. August build date (8/13).

Picked up truck on a Monday night. Next morning (-12 degrees outside) nothing but a click from the starter. It took about 10 times with the key (battery was strong). Called and made an appointment for that Wednesday for service. Parked in the sun at work (about 16 out in the afternoon) - used remote start got the starter to turn over about 1-2 turns then stopped. Turned over on the first try with the key. That Wednesday morning, about 5-10 degrees outside, it took about 15 attempts with the key from the inside before it started. (Solenoid was clicking each time)

They swapped out the starter with an updated one per my request. The replacement starter is pn 12655055 B-(S) starter. My has started great ever since the replacement and it has been cold here.

From what I have gleaned from the webomatic, there was an issue regarding too much dielectric grease used on the starter. When it is really cold outside, I think the excess grease prevents the contacts from touching each other in starter, thus not powering the starter motor. Repeated attempted starts probably has the solenoid hammering (and heating up) at this grease coating until contacts can touch each other. I think GM is hoping that from extended use in hot conditions (like summer), this grease will migrate away from the contacts.

Seems there is a simple test for this at the dealership...go out and try to start each vehicle when it's cold. If the solenoid just clicks and does not start...probably a questionable starter. This condition probably shows up more in the colder regions than down south.

My opinion is there probably a fair amount of these starters out there and gm is playing a costing game...how many will they need to possibly tow and replace the starter, how many are on the edge of this condition and start mainly on the 1st time or 2nd attempt versus waiting it out for warmer weather and the grease works it way out through daily use and are fine afterwards when it gets cold again. This winter has been very cold and very long, so maybe that also why more people are commenting about this.