One week review; GMC Sierra SLT w/6.2 NHT

99-ls1-ss · March 21, 2016

The truck is a crew cab short bed and all in all, I really like my truck and I'm happy with it.

The ride is smoother than I thought it would be since I have the Max Trailering package. I bet the Denali rides like a Cadillac.

I actually really like the parking assist having the option to vibrate or beep. I chose the vibration since the beep makes my ears bleed from being so loud.

I was super excited about the center console being able to charge your device without having to plug it in only to be disappointed to find out that this feature only worked if you have a certain type of device case.

It appears that the hands free microphone does a better job than the one in my wife's Tahoe. This is probably due to reduced cabin noise.

I didn't think I would like the towing mirrors as much as I do. The lower convex mirrors really help with blind spots that the upper adjustable mirrors have.

As gimmicky as it might seem the soft open tailgate is a nice feature.

I ended up turning the auto dimming headlights feature off. It doesn't seem to work quite as well as I want.

My wife has a '13 Tahoe and the throttle response feels better on it than the truck. Once the throttle it pressed all the way to the floor, the truck runs good. It just seems like I have to apply more throttle on a motor that has almost 100 more horsepower than I should have to. I will have to tune that out once I drive the truck for a while and make sure there aren't any major drive train issues that the dealer will have to fix.

The other thing is, being an 8 speed transmission, it feels like the truck is shifting all the time when taking off from a start. When I take off from a light with light acceleration, the shift time between the first 3 or 4 gears is slower or less smooth than I like. It almost feels like I'm letting off the accelerator so it can take its sweet time shifting to the next gear. So, it feels like I'm accelerating, letting off slightly, accelerating, letting off slightly and so on until I get to the upper gears. Even in Tow\Haul mode it is a little better but not where I want it to be. The Tahoe has much smoother acceleration than the truck. I will tune that out too, eventually.

My last one is my only real gripe. I wanted to do a burnout in the truck because I'm a redneck from way back and burnouts are fun to me. I hold the traction control button off and continue holding it until the stability control cuts off too. I stomp the gas and it lights the tires up in first gear. The second it shifts to second gear it feel like I have jerked the emergency brake up and it, fairly violently, stops all tire spinning. I tried to power brake and got the same results. That will also go when I tune the truck.

BigBadSierra · March 21, 2016

The truck is a crew cab short bed and all in all, I really like my truck and I'm happy with it.

The ride is smoother than I thought it would be since I have the Max Trailering package. I bet the Denali rides like a Cadillac.

I actually really like the parking assist having the option to vibrate or beep. I chose the vibration since the beep makes my ears bleed from being so loud.

I was super excited about the center console being able to charge your device without having to plug it in only to be disappointed to find out that this feature only worked if you have a certain type of device case.

It appears that the hands free microphone does a better job than the one in my wife's Tahoe. This is probably due to reduced cabin noise.

I didn't think I would like the towing mirrors as much as I do. The lower convex mirrors really help with blind spots that the upper adjustable mirrors have.

As gimmicky as it might seem the soft open tailgate is a nice feature.

I ended up turning the auto dimming headlights feature off. It doesn't seem to work quite as well as I want.

My wife has a '13 Tahoe and the throttle response feels better on it than the truck. Once the throttle it pressed all the way to the floor, the truck runs good. It just seems like I have to apply more throttle on a motor that has almost 100 more horsepower than I should have to. I will have to tune that out once I drive the truck for a while and make sure there aren't any major drive train issues that the dealer will have to fix.

The other thing is, being an 8 speed transmission, it feels like the truck is shifting all the time when taking off from a start. When I take off from a light with light acceleration, the shift time between the first 3 or 4 gears is slower or less smooth than I like. It almost feels like I'm letting off the accelerator so it can take its sweet time shifting to the next gear. So, it feels like I'm accelerating, letting off slightly, accelerating, letting off slightly and so on until I get to the upper gears. Even in Tow\Haul mode it is a little better but not where I want it to be. The Tahoe has much smoother acceleration than the truck. I will tune that out too, eventually.

My last one is my only real gripe. I wanted to do a burnout in the truck because I'm a redneck from way back and burnouts are fun to me. I hold the traction control button off and continue holding it until the stability control cuts off too. I stomp the gas and it lights the tires up in first gear. The second it shifts to second gear it feel like I have jerked the emergency brake up and it, fairly violently, stops all tire spinning. I tried to power brake and got the same results. That will also go when I tune the truck.

At a certain speed the the Stability Control automatically turns back on.

This is due to Federal regulations.

Someone will chime in at what speed it turns back on at I think it's 35Mph.

See http://www.gm-trucks.com/forums/topic/155583-disabling-stabilitrak/

Steveman · March 21, 2016

I'm assuming you have an iPhone or an older model android phone, if that's the case, then yes you will need a special phone case to use the inductive charging. Only new generation (within the last 2 years or so) of a couple android phones have inductive charging built in. For example, my Samsung Galaxy S6 has it.

TJay74 · March 21, 2016

Correct, the power brake option is also something the ECM will keep under control as well to limit abuse to the drivetrain.

shanedaniel · March 21, 2016

I too just bought a new truck with the 6.2 & 8 sp tranny. Taking off from a red light it constantly shifts & searches for gears, it's quite annoying! My 2012 with 5.3 & 6 sp felt much more powerful. Outside the seats being rather firm and the new tranny, this truck is awesome!

Congrats on the new truck

SouthPawCO · March 21, 2016

Torque management plays a huge role in trying to do a burnout from a dead stop. There are tuners that will delete that but I wouldn't advise it. My 5.3 has no problems lighting the tires up with a power brake and TC turned off.

m3n00b · March 22, 2016

For those complaining about the 8 speed in their new trucks, mine is currently at 1350 miles and I think it's starting to learn as it's much better than 800 miles ago. Supposedly by 1800 miles it's fully educated and should behave better. Also, the throttle response does suck. I can't wait until my warranty is done so I can tune it.

gmckenzie · March 22, 2016

I'm assuming you have an iPhone or an older model android phone, if that's the case, then yes you will need a special phone case to use the inductive charging. Only new generation (within the last 2 years or so) of a couple android phones have inductive charging built in. For example, my Samsung Galaxy S6 has it.

I was able to add it to my Note 4 without changing the case. Just a doohickey that sits inside the normal case. Add a tiny bit of thickness but feels no different once I put my Otterbox on and it still charges.

99-ls1-ss · March 23, 2016

For those complaining about the 8 speed in their new trucks, mine is currently at 1350 miles and I think it's starting to learn as it's much better than 800 miles ago. Supposedly by 1800 miles it's fully educated and should behave better. Also, the throttle response does suck. I can't wait until my warranty is done so I can tune it.

Do you have any other information on this? I haven't heard about it yet.

m3n00b · March 23, 2016

Do you have any other information on this? I haven't heard about it yet.

No, sorry. I've heard it learns during the first 1800 miles. Mine is improving every day.

-tapa

Jacksfan98 · March 24, 2016

Has anyone tried a sprint booster to improve the throttle response? I drove a 6.2 at the dealer with the sprint booster installed and it made the 6.2 come to life. So I had the dealer set one aside for me when my truck comes in. I paid for 420 hp and I want to feel it when I put the hammer down.

Badass69 · March 24, 2016

My throttle response was good enough stock we didn't even play with it tuning wise....... I must have a freak lol. My tranny does one weird thing now since it's tuned....... it flares on shifts for a certain amount of time after startup.... then gets it's act together. Must be a timer of some kind that with the limters removed is allowing the engine to overpower the transmission somehow..... stupid stuff lol. My truck was pretty strong stock..... unlike the junk dogs most of you get lol........ just stronger now. Like a tuned 2012 5.3 truck feeling stronger...... pull that 6.2 out in a field and burn it.... it's beyond help.

redwngr · March 24, 2016

For those complaining about the 8 speed in their new trucks, mine is currently at 1350 miles and I think it's starting to learn as it's much better than 800 miles ago. Supposedly by 1800 miles it's fully educated and should behave better. Also, the throttle response does suck. I can't wait until my warranty is done so I can tune it.