Leveling Kits causing issues on 2014-2016s

SummitWhiteSierra · August 3, 2016

I have a 2014 GMC Sierra 1500 Crew Cab with a Rough Country leveling kit installed and 40,000 miles. I started getting a creaking noise on the front drivers side so when I took my truck to the dealership for a separate issue this morning I asked them to look at why I was getting that noise. Their diagnosis is that the 2 inch leveling kit put everything at an incorrect angle causing $2000 damage and I need the front left strut and steering gear replaced on my dime. They said that GM and their dealership recently noticed this problem in the last 2 months which only affects 2014-2016s which have leveling kits and that they now require customers to sign a waiver that if the dealership adds a leveling kit they realize it voids their warranty. I asked why they weren't telling people who have leveling kits already that they might want to consider taking them off they had no comment. They also claimed lifted trucks didnt seem to have this problem, only leveled trucks. It sounds a bit ridiculous to me that something as common as a 2 inch leveling kit installed by the factory is causing damage so commonly and people are continuing to want leveling kits on their trucks. Has anyone else heard of this? This is coming from the #1 GMC truck dealership in the US.

newdude · August 3, 2016

GM has known about leveling kits for these trucks since 2007, so its nothing new. GM also states that if a dealership finds the leveling kit, lift kit, etc. the cause for an early suspension component failure while under warranty, that it is not covered. With 40k on yours, it would be at your expense as you are out of warranty. Suspension items are under the 3/36k bumper to bumper.

SummitWhiteSierra · August 3, 2016

I understand it not being covered by warranty and agree completely with that. What I don't agree with is them acting like this happens on a large amount of these trucks. That cannot be true or dealerships/people would not continue to put leveling kits on trucks. The way it was explained to me is if someone puts a leveling kit on a 2014-2016 they can basically expect what happened to me to happen to them as well. If this happens on one out of every 1000 trucks and I was the unlucky one I can live with that, but acting like this is extremely common cannot be true.

tnchevy · August 3, 2016

Leveling kits do put a strain on suspension components, that is nothing new and those looking to install one should do their homework before hand. On the other hand, suspension components also go out on unaltered suspensions earlier than usual on some trucks. It is what it is.

SummitWhiteSierra · August 4, 2016

Ya like I said I completely understand it not being covered by the warranty but them acting like this is extremely common and couldnt just be a early failure of their suspension parts cannot be true. Half the trucks on this site have leveling kits and that wouldn't be the case if this was common.

TJay74 · August 4, 2016

This is the main reason I didn't lift my previous trucks to level them, lowered the rear don't on all 3 of them with no issues.

dave07 · August 4, 2016

You have to pay to play!!!

TxTruckMan · August 4, 2016

I have a 2014 GMC Sierra 1500 Crew Cab with a Rough Country leveling kit installed and 40,000 miles. I started getting a creaking noise on the front drivers side so when I took my truck to the dealership for a separate issue this morning I asked them to look at why I was getting that noise. Their diagnosis is that the 2 inch leveling kit put everything at an incorrect angle causing $2000 damage and I need the front left strut and steering gear replaced on my dime. They said that GM and their dealership recently noticed this problem in the last 2 months which only affects 2014-2016s which have leveling kits and that they now require customers to sign a waiver that if the dealership adds a leveling kit they realize it voids their warranty. I asked why they weren't telling people who have leveling kits already that they might want to consider taking them off they had no comment. They also claimed lifted trucks didnt seem to have this problem, only leveled trucks. It sounds a bit ridiculous to me that something as common as a 2 inch leveling kit installed by the factory is causing damage so commonly and people are continuing to want leveling kits on their trucks. Has anyone else heard of this? This is coming from the #1 GMC truck dealership in the US.

FYI, there is no leveling kit installed by the factory. All are aftermarket, non-GM kits. None offer warranty on suspension components as far as I know. I guess you now know why...

It's the obvious risk that you take with non-spec modifications to your truck. Maybe it's not that common, but nobody will be surprised if/when it does happen.

SummitWhiteSierra · August 4, 2016

I stated it was installed by the factory but what I meant was the dealership. I am also well aware it is not created by GM or the dealership. If it is so common for this to happen then 50% of the people on this site have to be out of their minds for installing them. My point to them is just admit to me that I had bad luck that factory installed parts failed after my warranty expired and that the leveling kit couldve had something to do with that but we dont know. That hundreds of thousand of these trucks have leveling kits on them and are doing just fine and I had bad luck this time and I can deal with that. But don't tell me I am insane for letting them install a leveling kit on my truck and that I might as well take up base jumping because I am that much of a risk taker.

TxTruckMan · August 5, 2016

In my opinion/experience a third of the people working at dealerships are smart and honest, a third are idiots, and a third lie. I'm not trying to be mean, it's just what I've experienced over the years. You have to understand that when dealing with them and make your own judgements.

mmwest · August 7, 2016

I'm thinking about removing my 2.5" RC due to the fact is rides like crap (rough) and my truck bounces the whole time I'm towing the boat. I just ordered Bilstein 5100 for the rear and will see if that helps. If that helps I believe I'll remove the front top spacer and set the 5100 on the middle setting.

This is a dealer installed level and I have had the worst experience with this. The ride is like a roller coaster on a 50K truck........go figure!