2015 Chevy 2500HD Drivetrain Vibration

wms2742 · April 19, 2016

I have a 2015 Chevy Silverardo 2500HD that is about a year old with 14k miles.

Since it was a couple of months old it developed a drivetrain vibration, between 30 and 50 MPH. Between these speeds everything is fine until you apply a slight acceleration to the gas, usually when going up a slight grade, the vehicle has a significant vibration in the drivetrain. If you let off the gas, it stops. If you increase the gas until it downshifts, it stops. No vibrations of any kind at faster or slower speeds outside this range.

I have had it to the dealer several times over the past 6 months. Each time they have acknowledged the problem.

First they thought it was a tire out of balance- Did not fix the problem
Then they put it on a lift and took the driveshaft off and claimed the vibration stopped so they rotated the driveshaft 180 degrees and re-installed- Did not fix the problem
Then they claimed the drive shaft was defective and ordered a new one- Did not fix the problem.

Today they had thier "transmission guy" test drive it and he determined that it is a know issue GM has with the Fuel Management System and the Cylinder Deactivation System. GM knows about the problem, but to date does not have a fix, and there is nothing they can do to help me. I questioned the Service Manager that I didn't think the 6.0L even had cylinder deactivation (thats a 1500 feature) and he asurred me it did and there is a reading next to the odometer that tells me how many cylinders the engine in running on. When I asked him to show me the indicator he jumped in the truck and said "huh it should be right there", then said "well thats what the mechanic told me".

Anybody had or heard of this issue? Anybody know if a 2015 6.0L has cylinder deactivation? Any suggestions are appreciated...

crankman · April 20, 2016

I have a 2015 2500 also you dont have cylinder deactivation. Your service manager should know that. Might search thru the 2500HD section of this forum, there are a few vibration topics that may help you.

Edited April 20, 2016 by crankman

Nathan79 · April 20, 2016

You sure he knew you had an HD and not the 6.2? Sheesh..... amazing incompetence.

The 6.0 doesn't have AFM.

Edited April 20, 2016 by Nathan79

pm26 · April 20, 2016

Heavy duty GM trucks do not have vibration issues. Just ask some of the experts around here - some will tell you that even 1500 series vibration problems exist only in the minds of their owners. And GM will happily acknowledge that finding.

kstruckcountry · April 20, 2016

My first step would be to get to a decent dealer.

Sent from my SM-G920V using Tapatalk

HondaHawkGT · April 21, 2016

Could be transmission shudder. Sometimes my truck shudders on WOT runs just before it shifts from 3rd to 4th. 6L80/TCC issue I think.

Definitely not AFM related.

Crobinson16 · September 23, 2023

I know it's been awhile, did you ever figure it out. I'm having the same type of vibration / flutter at the same speeds. 35-55 mph. Doesn't matter what rpm or gear. Ive pulled the rear diff, axles and chewed all bearings, and replaced the joints, it's still there. I'm going to send the drive line out ot check for runout and balance. It feels like converter shudder but doesn't ack like it. I've locked and unlocked the converter and it's makes no difference.

Guy Sponaugle · September 28, 2023

On 9/23/2023 at 4:12 AM, Crobinson16 said:

I know it's been awhile, did you ever figure it out. I'm having the same type of vibration / flutter at the same speeds. 35-55 mph. Doesn't matter what rpm or gear. Ive pulled the rear diff, axles and chewed all bearings, and replaced the joints, it's still there. I'm going to send the drive line out ot check for runout and balance. It feels like converter shudder but doesn't ack like it. I've locked and unlocked the converter and it's makes no difference.

I am with you on this issue. I have been dealing with it since I bought the truck a few years ago. At first I thought it was power steering humming but it has gotten worse and worse. I have a 2014 1500 Denali 6.2L, 6L80E. I have since redone the entire top end deleting the DOD and it still does it. Dealer said they dont know what the noise and vibration is but that I need to replace the entire transmission and converter. It shifts fine though so Im not dropping $7,000 on that just to see if it helps. Please let me know if you find anything and I will do the same. It is definitely not engine related as in my case it does it regardless of engine RPMs. at slower speed its to a point it rattles loudly and at high speeds it it hums and vibrates usually only under slight load like on a gradual hill and under small amount of throttle and I can cause and stop it at any time by applying and removing small amounts of throttle. Ive got new tires, new brakes, and new top end and still it persists. I am thinking U-joints or drive line at this point. or something in connection with those parts.

Guy Sponaugle · October 5, 2023

UPDATE!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

So I took my truck to a local mechanic (not a dealer) they figured it out for me. It ended up being the transmission after all. GM FINALLY admitted the problem too and now offer a cooler running transmission thermostat which I went with another option found on Amazon for 40 bucks that makes the transmission run about 40'F cooler. Basically my fluid was totally burnt despite having paid for a trans service at the dealer just a couple years ago. This time per my mechanics recommendation I had them add a Lucas additive. No more vibration. and no new $7,000 transmission.