Vibration Analysis at Dealership

14silverado4.3 · May 26, 2015

How many customers had dealerships that are actually using an Oscilloscope to determine vibration harmonics?

What are the outcomes when they use this equipment?

We read about dealers throwing the kitchen sink at the problem.

The Oscilloscope procedure is very detailed and provides data that will track down the actual root cause or causes.

Are GM dealerships even using it?

I am looking at Techlink articles posted in March of this year, is this a GM publication. The suspect vehicles are Silverados, Tahoes, Yukons!

MikeySierra · May 26, 2015

I had my 2014 GMC Sierra in two weeks ago for the vibration and they hooked up the Oscilloscope and explained it all to me. They went for a total drive of about 50 miles at varying speeds on different roads to get numerous readings. They can record up to 86 seconds continuously at each time and can record numerous times. I have been told that it is now an essential tool so all the dealers should have it by now.

Just have to keep in mind that GM is taking all these readings and adjusting the allowable ranges to meet their needs. They are no supposed to balance the tires with no more than 15lbs's during the road force but only if the scope tells them to. If the readings don't tell them anything is wrong they will do nothing. Pro's and Con's to all of this and remember GM doesn't care about us they care about their bottom line and if they don't make sure the allowable ranges are high enough that will cost them plenty.

Jackseric · May 27, 2015

Yes, they used that technology when diagnosing my truck the first time I took it in.

14silverado4.3 · May 27, 2015

And it looks like they stopped there, the procedure calls for removing the wheels on the rack and checking again.

CounterMeasure · May 28, 2015

The original dealership I was using for service told me they had the tool for a while, however, hadn't trained anyone to use it yet. As such, they were still going with the old "throw parts at it" method. In that same conversation, they also mentioned that they had one customer's truck for a number of weeks due to vibration problems, and couldn't figure out what it was. That seemed like a great opportunity to learn and use the tool to me. Especially since the tool is pretty darn easy to use per the TSB.

I no longer go to that dealership for service anyway.

tbarn · May 29, 2015

That's all good in principle, but someone has to pay the tech for countless hours of trying to fix a probable unfixable vibration. GM won't. Tech's have bills too.

Silverado915 · May 29, 2015

Yes, they used that technology when diagnosing my truck the first time I took it in.

So did they fix the vibration? It says the meter reads the same after the balance.

Jackseric · May 29, 2015

So did they fix the vibration? It says the meter reads the same after the balance.

Yes, it did fix the vibration. I'm not sure why the tech put that. I got the impression that the tech wasn't happy-go-lucky about having to use that tool. Maybe because they have to take so much time logging miles? It probably doesn't pay well...

June 1, 2015

The original dealership I was using for service told me they had the tool for a while, however, hadn't trained anyone to use it yet. As such, they were still going with the old "throw parts at it" method. In that same conversation, they also mentioned that they had one customer's truck for a number of weeks due to vibration problems, and couldn't figure out what it was. That seemed like a great opportunity to learn and use the tool to me. Especially since the tool is pretty darn easy to use per the TSB.

I no longer go to that dealership for service anyway.

Where are you located? I wonder if it's my truck you are referring to.