Ticking sound from driver foot well when accelerating? 2016 5.3l 8sp

Criscone · March 4, 2017

I'm having this noise now as well.

It's 100% exhaust related. Mine only happens under load. I suspect manifold gasket or other exhaust flanges. Not to mention the GD exhaust valve already whistles.

They better do something about this one.

same here! under load it sounds like an exhaust leak. always present, under driver side. Dealer said "oh thats the v4-v8 mode"..whattt???? makes it in both modes, louder under load.

ct_corey · March 4, 2017

Ive been to the dealer multiple times. They have confirmed they hear it but have no solution. truck is such a turd

Edited March 4, 2017 by ct_corey

madsen203 · October 28, 2018

Found a fix for this. It's been months since I brought it home. It has been since day one after a few hundred miles that this noise has been there. Finally climbed under the truck to look. Then I lifted the carpet.

I found there is a wire (not sure yet what it goes to) that enters from under the carpet below the left rug mount towards the seat. I first moved the wire so it was routed differently because it was causing a lump under the mat that was uncomfortable. I then put a piece of DynaMat over this to seal the grommet and wrapped the wire so there was no "air gap" to allow sound to penetrate.

The sound has dropped dramatically. It is still very faint. I found the ticking is from the DI or valve train that vertebrates down under the truck past the transmission/transfer case. The sound would then come through this grommet and enter the cabin. Now that there is dynamat over this, the sound is no longer as loud (hardly notable). I only had a tiny piece of dynamat so I will order a few square feet of off-brand to put a few layers on top and one under the truck. That should eliminate ALL of the ticking sounds.

I am stoked! The truck finally feels "new" again.

gbaker211 · November 9, 2018

My Sierra was making the exact noise all of you are describing. Only happened at higher speeds under load when I was entering the freeway or passing someone on the highway. I do have a Volant cool air intake and I thought it was from that maybe. Earlier this week, I had the truck in at the dealer to fix a transmission shudder. Since then I have heard no ticking. Seems to be a mystery to all!

corndog247 · November 16, 2018

I'm having the exact same issue its hard to say when it does it and its hard to duplicate with consistency. I describe it like an old squirrel cage blower motor in the dash close to the foot well. Closest I have to duplicate it is turning to the right while stopped. I cannot hear it from outside the vehicle with all the damn ticking these engines make.

Rydog28 · January 15, 2019

On 2/24/2017 at 1:10 PM, MOhunter92 said:

Well guys, just got my truck back. The noise is gone, I've tried to get it to it several times and it's not there. The tech and I looked along the entire exhaust and there was no sign of any leaking. What he did do is replace my steering shaft for a funny noise it was making, that's about it. When I was underneath the truck, I hit the driver side cat several times with my fist to see if I could hear anything loose inside it, that's the only thing I did.

I couldn't believe driving it home not hearing a damn rattlesnake coming from my footwell. It might come back, who knows but all I do know is this truck has made the sound since it had a few hundred miles and I have 10K now still doing it until this most recent visit to the dealer. Just thought I would share and tell you guys knock on your driver side cat a little bit and see if that does anything

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Same issue on my 2018 Z71 with 4,000 miles. Dealership heard the noise but doesn’t have a fix. I still think it’s exhaust related near the drivers seat. I’m going to hit that cat tomorrow to see if it stops. Very frustrating since my buddies truck sounds perfect. Any solutions please hit me up. The random ticking/rattlesnake sound can’t me normal!

Josh 18 · March 26, 2019

Anybody ever come up with anything for this issue? My new truck is already doing it!

Rydog28 · March 27, 2019

Look up PIP5570. My steering shaft seal was loose. I tightened mine and the ticking is basically gone. I seriously couldn’t believe it. Direct message me for details.

Edited March 27, 2019 by Rydog28

Beastin · May 22, 2019

I drive a 2018 Sierra cc SLT 5.3, this is the second new GMC I’ve bought, my first being a 2016 dc SLE 5.3. After roughly 2000 miles of driving my 2016 I started hearing the DI system “tick” coming through the drivers side foot well, I’m a 10 year diesel tech and my gut told me it was an exhaust leak... after 6 trips to the dealer 6 loaners hp fuel line tsb’s performed and everything exhaust related gone through with a fine thoothed comb this issue was still present. I’m a quiet type of driver most of the time, I enjoy reflecting on what the work day will bring while listening to every sweet sound of a fine working machine while Im driving to work. This noise freaking drove me nuts!!!!!! Finally after 8 months of crossing the 2000 mile mark I had spent hundreds of hours scouring forums and I ran across a guy that had an engineer come to his dealer verify the noise and instruct the replacement of the drivers side exhaust manifold and the steering shaft boot, so I asked my service advisor if he would replace the boot on my truck and he agreed... noise was gone for about a month then came back intermittently.. if it hit a certain bump it would start. I’m now a 35000 miles on my 2018 and the noise has started... after going this long I thought they had updated the boot and fixed the issue!! I am so happy after reading some forums to see that GM has recognized this issue!! I had found the TSB and read it over earlier this evening and I decided I climb under the hood of my truck and try to find where the defect of the boot is or in other words where the gap was at that is allowing engine noise into the cab, I found that instead of updating to a positive lock seal (lip seal) like found on an engine crankshaft or a rear end pinion seal they used an o ring of sort made into the boot that is roughly .030 larger than the steering shaft WTF!!!!!!! Their update to get you out of warranty was to pack it with lithium grease like you guys are doing and let er bump... good for about 30000 miles. I will include pics of mine inside and out untouched factory condition and you can see the air gap where the lithium grease has give way to mileage and allowed the noise to intrude into the cab.. with all this bad news I believe I have conjured a solution in my discontent, tomorrow I’m going to install a hose clamp around the o ringed portion of the boot where you see the air gap in my pic to effectively shrink the seal to the size it should have been manufactured. I will give an update on the results, good luck to you guys, I feel your pain!

Beastin · May 22, 2019

If you are going to add grease you should use a white lithium complex, the smell is much more pleasant than any chassis grease or equivalent BUT the main reason is it does not change to a thin liquid state when subjected to a hot engine compartment... it wont run out of the boot “when things get hot”... It more or less stays in place until pushed or squished out That’s why Gm chose It as it’s bs half measure to correct this issue.

Beastin · May 23, 2019

update on my efforts, I installed the hose clamp but failed to realize that the inside piece Is made of hard plastic and not rubber. I have another plan in mind and will update with results.

Coledtaylor · May 25, 2019

Is this the same sound everyone is referring too?

What did we agree on the solution being?

The dealer said they fixed it but they didn’t and I’m so sick of this noise!

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Beastin · May 27, 2019

I can’t watch the clip you posted but if it’s a ticking noise coming from your footwell while driving then yes! The easiest solution I have come up with since my previously failed attempt with the hose clamp is to buy a can of spray white lithium grease, install the red straw in the spray tip and liberally spray between the steering shaft and steering shaft boot to fill the gap you see in the pic I previously posted. I’ve gone a few days and the noise is completely gone and it’s a super easy non invasive solution. I just wiped off the excess with a rag to give a clean appearance... I’m so happy to have my life back while driving and to know that’s all it takes to cure it when need be. I am still working on a permanent solution and when I get the time I’ll test it out and keep you guys informed on the results.