Jump to content

Important NHTSA warning issued to GM truck owners in salt states


Gorehamj

Recommended Posts

I have to admit I've never heard of Fluid Film or oil undercoating. There used to be specialty shops here that would spray a thick tar like undercoating product. They've all disappeared due to car makers claiming that the treatment would void the OEM warranty for rust. I don't know of any place in this area that offers the other treatments mentioned.

 

I'll have to ask around.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

  • Replies 81
  • Created
  • Last Reply

My 07 gmt-900 popped several brake lines and the tranny lines too.

The oil cooler also rotted to pieces and we eliminated it altogether.

Also the exaust manifolds were rusting away

I note the body was perfect with no rust issues at all.owplowing

This was in 2013 so I traded it in for a new car.

Snowplowing and salt destroys vehicles in NY.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

So nice of them to notify us....took them long enough though ! Now they should force the hand of GM to do something about it !

Side Note, I replaced mine last fall with a stainless line set after I blew the rear main feed line !

 

Yup, and I just this week replaced all mine, not because I HAD to but as a preventative measure. Maybe they'll still finally issue recalls and MAYBE we'll get something back for our out-of-pocket expenses for GM's mistake? Doubt it but at least I don't worry now about my brake lines failing.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

You folks do realize that most parts on vehicles now a days are not made by the auto manufacturer but are outsourced to various companies save for things like the engines and trannies and a few odds and ends.. the factory just puts all those parts together. Many of the parts are shared across various makes/brands too.. Parts manufacturered by some independant company for GM and FORD and TOYOTA and all the other brands... Yet the Automakers are still responsible for ensuring Q/C of the parts they are getting sent to them.. go figure...

Link to comment
Share on other sites

 

Yup, and I just this week replaced all mine, not because I HAD to but as a preventative measure. Maybe they'll still finally issue recalls and MAYBE we'll get something back for our out-of-pocket expenses for GM's mistake? Doubt it but at least I don't worry now about my brake lines failing.

Rhetorical questions:

 

How is it GM's mistake? Is it GM's mistake you don't wash the corrosives off your vehicle regularly?

Is it a mistake that most of the vehicle is made of iron and steel?

 

Should someone else pay for you to take care of your vehicle?

 

My '02 Silverado's brake lines lasted ~10 years before I replaced them as a PREVENTIVE measure, as they were showing signs of corrosion. (I WASH my vehicles year round here in PA so they LAST)

 

Remember, these are RHETORICAL questions.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

And I can come back with some rhetorical answers...

 

How is it GM's mistake? They used inferior metals and opted not to coat or even paint the lines. Obviously, they have realized their error for they now coat the lines, brake, fuel and, I believe transmission on the newer trucks plus they coat the replacement line kits that they are selling to correct this issue.

 

Taking care of my vehicle is not the issue here. I gladly do all routine maintenance on all my vehicles. It's the out of the ordinary repairs that I object to.

 

My Silverado's brake lines have lasted just past 11 years and I, like you, opted for the safe, preventative replacement after I saw how terribly corroded they were. One MAJOR difference is that I only have 49,300 miles on it and it's not driven in the winter... at all. I only use it for summer towing of the boat or camper. Garaged the whole season. I also use a carwash that has a frame spray so why should my (and other folk's brake lines fail at such an alarming rate?

 

Just sayin......

Link to comment
Share on other sites

My parents live in upstate NY, and about 20 years ago I saw that my Dad had his truck up on ramps and was "painting" the underside of it with the oil he just drained when he did an oil change. I thought he was nuts at the time, but he said he started doing that each fall, after he had the brake lines rust out on him, on a fairly new vehicle. I saw him doing the same thing a coulple years ago and he claimed he has not replaced any lines since he started his "pre-winter ritual".

Link to comment
Share on other sites

And I can come back with some rhetorical answers...

 

How is it GM's mistake? They used inferior metals and opted not to coat or even paint the lines. .......

I agree 100%. Volvo used coated lines back in the late 80's. Why didn't GM even make an attempt?

 

From what I've seen over the years, they don't give a crap - it's all about money. Ethics be damned.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Wow, like Barry G stated... bizarre warning.

 

 

..... Don't use used engine oil because it's acidic and will cause more corrosion. .....

 

 

 

I have to disagree with that statement. I'm the 3rd generation of my family to be doing this to my vehicles, and compared to the vehicles that were not sprayed down with used motor oil, the difference is staggering.
Link to comment
Share on other sites

 

I have to disagree with that statement. I'm the 3rd generation of my family to be doing this to my vehicles, and compared to the vehicles that were not sprayed down with used motor oil, the difference is staggering.

 

Sorry, I should have said used motor oil is corrosive, but I agree that spraying with used motor oil will reduce corrosion significantly. I'm just saying that new motor oil should be used. That way the oil isn't contaminated with the products of combustion that causes the used oil to become acidic.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Okay, I've read all the comments on this topic and some of them are ridiculous. "learn how to drive on slick roads" "spray the undercarriage with used oil" give me a break. The fact is except for the handful of people talking about this here, the general public has no clue. I've read my owners manual and nowhere does it say spray the frame with oil. If you spend 60K on a vehicle, the last thing your thinking about is brake lines rusting out, your thinking about getting to the golf course which is where G.M. & NHTSA were for four years to come to this conclusion. Chew on that.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Awful lot of GM bashing on here. Seems like many people missed the part of the article where it says nearly ALL auto manufacturers are affected by this issue... There was an "Industry Shift" around that time because it was standard practice that they all did. Vehicles last so long now, they have realized they have to think about things that were never an issue before. What a terrible problem to have... :-)

Link to comment
Share on other sites

I just drove up to Toronto for work last week and every truck I saw on the highway that was 5 years or older had rusted out Bumpers, Rocker and Wheel Wells.The Fords looked like they were always in the worst shape but it was all manufacturers, even the rice burners. I think a lot of it is that people don't get out there and wash that crap off but up in that area ( Buffalo and Canada) not sure you really can, do to the horrible winter conditions. Just my 2 cents

Link to comment
Share on other sites

I will say that in my experience, Fords of the late 90's through the '00's are the WORST of the worst as far as corrosion goes. I've seen 6 year old, top-of-the-line Eddie Bauer Edition Expeditions so rusted they looked as if they were parked in the OCEAN ...

 

Dodge isn't much better.

 

Still, no excuses accepted here. GM needs to take pointers from Volvo on corrosion resistance. The older 940's are just amazing.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

..... Vehicles last so long now, they have realized they have to think about things that were never an issue before. What a terrible problem to have... :-)

The 1970's and 80's aside, I don't buy that argument.

 

Look at rural America - there's cars sitting outside in fields for DECADES that are still intact. Take a gander on eBay for cars build before '73 - THOUSANDS. Back in the day, the majority of people bought new cars because they COULD - not because the cars were totally worn out and unusable.

 

Cuba is a great example of this - they've been driving the same cars for over 60 years!! Just fabricating and fixing. imagine if they were stuck with modern stuff instead of 1950's relics - the new ones wouldn't make it half as long as vintage American iron has. Considering I just did hub bearings and upper control arms on my 75k mile Silverado yesterday, there's no question about it.

 

I'll bash ANY manufacturer that doesn't build quality, whether I own it or not. I just tell it like it is.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Archived

This topic is now archived and is closed to further replies.




×
×
  • Create New...

Important Information

By using this site, you agree to our Terms of Use.