GM Warranty

wickedone · October 7, 2014

So I bit the bullet and finally bought a new 2015 Sierra 2500HD last Monday (9/29/14). Love the truck!

However, I found out something many of you may not know. I've owned a lot of vehicles over the years but this was the first time I purchased the extended warranty.

So why did I get the warranty? When I was talking with the salesman he told me something I didn't know about GM's (and ALL manufacturer's for that matter) warranty policies.

As pretty much everyone knows the new trucks come with a 3 year/36,000 mile warranty and a 5 year 100,000 mile powertrain warranty. What the salesman told me that was news to me is ALL manufacturer's policies are that once the 3 year/36,000 mile warranty expires, ANY powertrain problem caused by the computer(s) that control the transmission or any other powertrain component ARE NOT COVERED by the 5 year/100,000 mile powertrain warranty.

So if your basic (3 year/36,000 mile) warranty has expired and there is a powertrain failure caused by a computer related issue GM AND EVERY OTHER MANUFACTURER DO NOT CONSIDER REPAIRS VALID UNDER THE POWERTRAIN WARRANTY! However, they WILL fix those problems if you have the extended warranty. While not cheap ($2,400.00) I decided the risks and potential costs without the warranty were too great to go without it.

There are also some threads on here about installing the "new" power folding mirrors. From what I understand, if your truck has the (non camper) power folding mirrors you can install the "new" power folding mirrors and everything pretty much works plug and play. However, if your truck has the non power folding camper mirrors you would need to do some gerry rigging to get the mirrors to operate as intended. So the question then becomes will GM void your warranty?

Since I just purchased this truck I asked my dealer's accessories guy about getting the new power folding mirrors. Here's his response I received yesterday (10/6/2014) -

I have been checking with some of our GM technicians in the shop about changing out the towing mirrors to the power folding towing mirrors and they don’t think that you can do it. Everything is run through the body control module and we would not be able to get the computer reprogrammed for the power folding mirrors. We would be willing to try but you would have to pay for the labor whether or not it worked, unfortunately.

I personally think it's a matter of the field not having all the necessary programming information from corporate - would GM develop a completely new BCM just to accommodate the new power folding mirrors - seems highly unlikely - easier to reprogram the existing BCM, I would think (and a heck of a lot cheaper).

But then again it begs the question would installing the new power folding mirrors in place of the non power folding camper mirrors as a DIY project void the warranty? (Not to mention the absurd $900+ for the mirrors and associated components.)

LakeSpeed · October 7, 2014

Thanks for the info. I did not know that. Anyone else with thoughts about purchasing the extended warranty, please chime in

wickedone · October 7, 2014

Sorry as I left out one VERY IMPORTANT LITTLE WORD - manufacturers DO NOT consider the powertrain warranty valid for ANY powertrain failure caused by a vehicle computer malfunction if the 3 year/36,000 mile warranty has expired.

wberg · October 12, 2014

Would like to hear from more people their view on warranty.

wberg

kstruckcountry · October 12, 2014

Well yeah. Once the warranty is up you're on your own. Can't think of why it'd be any different?

wickedone · October 12, 2014

The point of the post was that if your transmission is within the 5 year 100,000 mile warranty and fails because the computer controls fail, which are not part of the powertrain, GM will not fix your transmission under the powertrain warranty - you will bear all costs for repair of the transmission even though it's still under warranty.

kstruckcountry · October 12, 2014

Got it, thanks

Stevens03 · October 12, 2014

I think that guy fed you a line of crap and you bought it hook line and sinker. Certain parts like the pcm and cats have their own warranties longer than the 3-year/36,000 miles

Daryl LBZ · October 12, 2014

I think that guy fed you a line of crap and you bought it hook line and sinker. Certain parts like the pcm and cats have their own warranties longer than the 3-year/36,000 miles

Not to get off topic, but WHERE HAVE YOU BEEN???

[emoji1]

Stevens03 · October 12, 2014

Playing with my 2012 SRT8 Charger but I'm back now for a while...he he

Emissions and pcm are covered for 8 years / 80,000 miles BTW.

Kent2500 · October 12, 2014

The point of the post was that if your transmission is within the 5 year 100,000 mile warranty and fails because the computer controls fail, which are not part of the powertrain, GM will not fix your transmission under the powertrain warranty - you will bear all costs for repair of the transmission even though it's still under warranty.

That does make sense. If a component not under warranty causes the engine/transmission to fail, then that failure is not covered. Doesn't matter if that component was a lift, tune, or even GM's own computer that causes the engine/transmission failure. Like any non-warranty component, I guess they would need to "prove" it caused the engine/transmission failure. That said, one would think a computer failure would result in reduced power/safe mode most of the time. Would require a rather specific/interesting failure to trash the engine/transmission with no engine check light. I sure a full reading of all paperwork before signing would make this clear...

wickedone · October 12, 2014

There's an interesting (and timely) post on the Duramax forum that is specifically related to this issue -

http://www.duramaxforum.com/forum/2011-lml-duramax-powertrain/372666-tcm-transmission-control-module-3.html

A number of members stated their TCM failed and was not covered under the powertrain warranty because their basic warranty had expired and their mileage was above the 50,000 mile cutoff for the federal emissions on diesels.

Reading these posts, the failure of the tcm could do some dramatic transmission damage if the vehicle were traveling down the highway. (One poster stated his tcm failed while stopped at a light and locked his vehicle in Park and it had to be towed to the dealer.)

SirManny · October 12, 2014

Um I dont believe this to the degree your salesman told you. My 2013 Mustang powertrain warranty will cover the PCM and TCM under the powertrain warranty. GM is the only one to my knowledge that has changed their comprehensive powertrain warranty. On my 09 G8 GT the powertrain covers the PCM, TCM, and seals as well as other things. Under the new GM warranty that I think has been in effect since 2010-11 they wont cover the PCM and such. Hence why at the three year/36k mark I will be getting rid of my Sierra and my wife as well. GM has lost my faith dont tell me that if a computer part that I didnt alter fails and damages my trans or engine that Im on the hook for repairs. If thats the case these trucks shouldnt be as expensive as they are. Just my opinion.

Daryl LBZ · October 13, 2014

A coworker of mine's son had his ECM fail on his 09 G8, and the local Chevy dealer replaced it out of warranty with no charge to him. He told me because it had to do with emissions or something along those lines... I think it had around 60k miles on it if I remember it right.