Quick grinding sound on cold start

Obscenejesster · December 9, 2017

Ok. So I'm at the GMC dealership right now, on Central Ave, Albany NY. I stopped by to take advantage of the free coffee and donuts. And this department manager is having a cow. He says your probably sitting at your table in a trailer park somewhere with nothing better to do than to follow threads/people on GMC related forums? He says GMC/Chevy trucks do not make this noise period. He was wrong!
It's 25 °F. We just started up 5 GMC pickups. 3) 2017's, 1) 2016, and 1) 2018 GMC 1500 Sierra pickups.
Everyone with the 5.3 liter engine. Each truck made the same strange noise upon start up. Each noise only varying a few seconds in duration.
The day I purchased my 2017 GMC Sierra 1500 Elevation, I started 3 different trucks without noticing this noise. Hoping this post helps?

LOL..... You should have asked him how the hell is he a department manager at a Chevy dealership and doesn't know his products as well as some random guys on a GMC Forum.

What did he have to say about the noise after that?

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Thomcat · December 9, 2017

Like I said the Bendix drive in the starter is retracting a little slower in cold weather. My Avalanches and Tahoe did it, my Silverado does it and probably every V8 rolling out for the past 20+ years if someone bothers to pay attention to it. I've never had a starter motor making this noise fail to operate with a good battery......so didn't care. Likely noise is the starter motor spinning down once disengaged from the flywheel and doesn't stop until completely retracted. Problem is if the starter makes funny noises before the engine starts......less than a second after engine "catches" the starter is clear of the engine flywheel.

I'm sure many would be more than happy to replace the starter if you complain enough......but an OEM replacement will probably continue to make the same noise.

Dmf10e · December 12, 2017

On 12/9/2017 at 10:36 AM, jimbowilly1960 said:

Ok. So I'm at the GMC dealership right now, on Central Ave, Albany NY. I stopped by to take advantage of the free coffee and donuts. And this department manager is having a cow. He says your probably sitting at your table in a trailer park somewhere with nothing better to do than to follow threads/people on GMC related forums? He says GMC/Chevy trucks do not make this noise period. He was wrong!

It's 25 °F. We just started up 5 GMC pickups. 3) 2017's, 1) 2016, and 1) 2018 GMC 1500 Sierra pickups.

Everyone with the 5.3 liter engine. Each truck made the same strange noise upon start up. Each noise only varying a few seconds in duration.

The day I purchased my 2017 GMC Sierra 1500 Elevation, I started 3 different trucks without noticing this noise. Hoping this post helps?

I believe this is the noise that some of us are referring too, only lasting a half second or so. You can hear it at the very end. Very distinct.

IMG_0549.MOV

FIREBLADE74 · December 12, 2017

I noticed my 17 do it on a below 35 degree morning yesterday. It may not be harmful but I don’t like it lol. Sounds like my ole lady’s fusion.

Thomcat · December 17, 2017

On 12/9/2017 at 10:36 AM, jimbowilly1960 said:

Ok. So I'm at the GMC dealership right now, on Central Ave, Albany NY. I stopped by to take advantage of the free coffee and donuts. And this department manager is having a cow. He says your probably sitting at your table in a trailer park somewhere with nothing better to do than to follow threads/people on GMC related forums? He says GMC/Chevy trucks do not make this noise period. He was wrong!

It's 25 °F. We just started up 5 GMC pickups. 3) 2017's, 1) 2016, and 1) 2018 GMC 1500 Sierra pickups.

Everyone with the 5.3 liter engine. Each truck made the same strange noise upon start up. Each noise only varying a few seconds in duration.

The day I purchased my 2017 GMC Sierra 1500 Elevation, I started 3 different trucks without noticing this noise. Hoping this post helps?

I can understand going for the donuts and coffee.......retired and it beats going to Starbucks and I can BS with the personnel......rotate between Chevy, GMC and Ford dealers.......and the Chevy dealer has the best coffee and quantity/selection of donuts. I'm still about 40,000 donuts and 20,000 cups of coffee short of breaking even on my rides. However, I wouldn't bother bringing this normal temperature related start starter noise up to a skilled mechanic......after hearing this noise on GM V8 starters for the past 20+ years he won't even notice it, or even if he did identify it as a defect.

Sort of like bringing a cow to a vet complaining it sometimes makes a funny MOOing noise.

Retread · June 17, 2018

I have a 2017 Tahoe with the 5.3l V8. The noise, which is like a “grinding” after startup is disconcerting. Never heard it before although this is my first 5.3l. The Tahoe is currently with the dealer. Maybe this is the new norm? I cringe every time it does it. Sounds like metal grinding against metal.

christopher12291987 · March 4, 2020

On 12/5/2017 at 10:08 PM, jimbowilly1960 said:

I just purchased a 2017 GMC 1500 Sierra Elevation. The same grinding/rattling noise comes from under the cab on the passenger side of the truck. Sounds more like emissions to me. Stops after a few minutes. Truck runs fine.

Does your noise happen at start up then last first 10-15 seconds after pulling off?

Michael Hancock · August 24, 2020

Wondering if anyone has solved this. Mine makes this same sound and its super annoying

John R Butler · May 24, 2022

On 12/6/2017 at 10:57 PM, Cadzilla78 said:

I have owned a 01 Sierra, 03 Suburban, and now a 12 Sierra. They all have made that sound on a cold morning. I though it was something with the 5.3 engine and feared it was metal on metal internally (Poor oil distribution on a cold start) I have never seen anything metallic in the oil though. That makes me feel a little better if it is just the starter.

it is the oil pump, they are a gear pump now, junk.