Shake or Vibration Issues

[Greenagekc]

I've been reading up on this forum for a couple months now and figured I would go ahead and join and add one more problem truck to the list! I purchased a new 2014 Sierra SLT crew cab short bed, 4wd w/ Z71. I have had it for 2 months today and it is at the dealer for the 2nd time already for the same issue! Terrible vibration around 45mph and more vibrating over 72 or so. I noticed it with 9 miles on the truck on the drive home from the dealership. Even though I had been searching this forum for several weeks prior to purchasing the truck I didn't pay super close attention to this area of the forum. Heck, I have had over a dozen GM vehicles and no real issues at all. I told myself it must be because I don't have a tonneau cover on yet, right? Or not! I am so frustrated right now and I don't have much hope things will get fixed soon if ever! And of course I have the seat issue as well! Ugh!

[Greenagekc]

And I have a 2014 Silverado LT crew cab short bed, 4wd as a loaner right now. It has 7,500 miles on it and of course it drives perfect!!

[Boughtalemon]

I spoke with my dealer today (who I like and feel comfortable saying they're trying and have been good to me) and have an appointment to bring in my truck next week. They tell me they fixed another Silverado that had the same vibration issues I'm experiencing...by switching shocks. Lets see if this is the fix guys...wouldn't that be awesome? I'm choosing to remain optimistic. If anyone else is heading in maybe mention that you heard that shocks fixed another truck so try it on yours? Cant hurt right? Lets stay positive and see where this leads.

My shocks were changed. Did not fix anything.

[Fishingbear]

Has anyone had a GM Field Service Engineer (FSE) test drive their truck? I'm waiting to hear back from my dealer on when a FSE is scheduled to drive mine. If he drives it and can't fix it or says it's within spec then I'm filing a Lemon Law notice with the state. The vibration and shaking my truck does on the highway is unacceptable and makes the truck not enjoyable to drive. My service technician thinks it's a "harmonic" issue similar to the vibration problems on the F150 a few years ago that took Ford about a year to resolve. Apparently Ford had to install a harmonic balancer to eliminate the vibration.

[Silverado-Hareek]

Has anyone had a GM Field Service Engineer (FSE) test drive their truck? I'm waiting to hear back from my dealer on when a FSE is scheduled to drive mine. If he drives it and can't fix it or says it's within spec then I'm filing a Lemon Law notice with the state. The vibration and shaking my truck does on the highway is unacceptable and makes the truck not enjoyable to drive. My service technician thinks it's a "harmonic" issue similar to the vibration problems on the F150 a few years ago that took Ford about a year to resolve. Apparently Ford had to install a harmonic balancer to eliminate the vibration.

 

I personally haven't, but a few people in this thread have had engineers drive their trucks. The engineers offered more possible solutions to try but overall, the trend remains the same with this problem: Some people get it fixed, some don't, and there still seems to be no rhyme or rhythm as to why that is. The biggest issue is that the cause of the vibration is not consistent. For some guys new tires fixed the issue, for some getting new rear ends or drive shafts helped, but the solution isn't consistent because the source of the vibration is not consistent. Compounding the problem is the fact that most trucks on the road do not vibrate at all which eliminates the source of the problem being a design issue but rather an issue of quality control either with assembly of the trucks or manufacturing of the parts before assembly.

[courts94s]

I have had two 14 Silverado's and haven't really notice it. One 5.3L double cab built 9/13 (10,500 miles) and one 4.3L Crew cab built 11/13 (400 miles), both out of Mexico. The 5.3L had Continental CrossContact LX20 w/ EcoPlus Tech (nitro filled), the 4.3L has Goodyear Eagle LS-2. Both are on the 20" Texas edition wheels. Both ride very smooth on the highway. I thought I felt vibration on the 4.3L w/ Eagle LS-2's for about 5 seconds while going 73 mph around a highway curve. I read this and other forums for about a day and was freaking out! I've tried to replicate the vibration (which feels like a balance issue) again and have not felt it since. I've tried 4cyl and 8cyl mode and it still rides smooth. I know this doesn't help y'all's situation, just thought some addition info on other's wheels and truck my help ease (or further frustrate) someone mind. I think the continental tires feel like a smother ride even though I had the inflated to a higher pressure 35-38. The Eagle LS-2s are steady at 31-32 psi. Good luck to everyone with issues!

Edited July 17, 2014 by courts94s

[MJFlores]

Yes, if this were easy to pinpoint and nail down then we'd all be fixed by now. I'm trying to remain positive, and am willing to let them install shocks to see if this fixes it. Personally, I don't expect it will but why not let them try. After everything has been replaced, they'll have to do something. Each month that goes by, my loan principle gets smaller making it easier to bail out. Meanwhile, everyone I know keeps seeing me driving rentals and they'll remember what they're seeing when it's their time to buy. Maybe they'll fix it, maybe they wont. I have a case open with GM and have been e-mailing back and forth daily. I will ask when I drop it off on Wed, what's the next step when the shocks don't correct the issue? We're already into Lemon Law territory here so I'll have to point that out if things begin to stall. Crazier things have happened..maybe shocks will do it. I have been looking at other model trucks, and none of them including the Ford Ecoboost gets close to the gas mileage we're getting. The last few tanks I've averaged 20.5 mpg so, it's worth it to let them try to fix it. Who knows, the 2015 trucks should be out soon and they're going to owe us a final fix or a hell of a deal into a new truck. As an aside, if it were a transmission issue...we'd have noise and low speed issues too...for me it's stricktly highway, after a few miles of driving at speed and it's better when cool. That doesn't have the symptoms of torque converter or pump. Later today I'll check the trans fluid and see what it looks like. Personally I think this whole vib problem is going to come down to something really stupid...maybe just like Ford's harmonic balancer issue. Time will tell but until them try to remain positive...it's very hard but dont let a truck wreck your life.

[Chappy 1901]

Not that a play by play is needed but..... The service manager just called me from the dealer. Told me that the GM field engineer is there today and HE is the one reassembling my rear end and then they are going to put it on the machine that balances the driveshaft/rotors etc... The only concern I had with the conversation was the end statement of "we want to make it as good as it can be...." LOL Will keep you all posted....

[TxTruckMan]

TCM is being updated. That is transmission control module, this is the brains for the transmission.

I don't trust what is told to the owner from GM....remember Toyota no hardware/software issue there until the dead were counted by lawyers.

Conspiracies asside - read the Recall thread on this site. There's a dealership tech posting in there confirming that the recall is only a flash to the transfer case, not the transmission.

[tbarn]

Probably just confusion. TCM = transmission control module. TCCM = transfer case control module. There so may acronyms with GM, it might be worse than the military. I was going to copy/paste them but there are 96 just in the letter A.

Edited July 17, 2014 by tbarn

[Chappy 1901]

Got the truck back tonight. Drum roll........ Fixed. No vibration.

 

Before I took it in you could stand on it from a stop and from 20 to 37 you would have a launch vibration and then it would go away until 67-68ish then vibrate all the way to 98.

 

You do this now and no vibration at all to 98. I have to say I am nervous to post this as I have only driven it about 40 miles but it is not the same as before and if it maintains, I want to put this issue behind me and never deal with it again... Service manage has been GREAT at my dealer. Bob Brown GMC. Could not be happier with them.

 

The FSE was the one who put the truck back together and then did the balancing. For the record so you don't have to back track; New ring and pinion. Old one was 8000ths 3/4 of the way around it then went to 2000ths. The GM FSE has replaced others and actually in our area about 8. After the re installation of the ring and pinion they balanced the driveline. It was 2 ounces off. The shop Forman and GM FSE took it for a test drive and said it was as smooth as any they had ever been in. Again, I don't want to be to premature but it really does seem like a different truck and is like glass..... I certainly hope to not have to deal with this again. I also hope all of you get yours fixed. -All the best!

Chappy....

Edited July 17, 2014 by Chappy 1901

[MJFlores]

Awesome news! Sounds like yours is fixed. Any idea what the field engineers name is? I may want him fixing mine!!

[20SierraL8T24]

Got the truck back tonight. Drum roll........ Fixed. No vibration.

 

Before I took it in you could stand on it from a stop and from 20 to 37 you would have a launch vibration and then it would go away until 67-68ish then vibrate all the way to 98.

 

You do this now and no vibration at all to 98. I have to say I am nervous to post this as I have only driven it about 40 miles but it is not the same as before and if it maintains, I want to put this issue behind me and never deal with it again... Service manage has been GREAT at my dealer. Bob Brown GMC. Could not be happier with them.

 

The FSE was the one who put the truck back together and then did the balancing. For the record so you don't have to back track; New ring and pinion. Old one was 8000ths 3/4 of the way around it then went to 2000ths. The GM FSE has replaced others and actually in our area about 8. After the re installation of the ring and pinion they balanced the driveline. It was 2 ounces off. The shop Forman and GM FSE took it for a test drive and said it was as smooth as any they had ever been in. Again, I don't want to be to premature but it really does seem like a different truck and is like glass..... I certainly hope to not have to deal with this again. I also hope all of you get yours fixed. -All the best!

Chappy....

So the problem is infact the rear end. I must have gotten a second defective rear end on my first... So happy for you and your family! You're the second one to receive a rear end or in your case r&p and fixed it. This is great news for our community here as well. If this is the main vibration source, there will be a lot of axles that fail prematurely... Edited July 18, 2014 by 20Bowtie14

[Chappy 1901]

So the problem is infact the rear end. I must have gotten a second defective rear end on my first... So happy for you and your family! You're the second one to receive a rear end or in your case r&p and fixed it. This is great news for our community here as well.

Thank you. I am happy. I hope it doesn't come back like we have all witnessed.

 

On yours, have they measured the backlash on each one of the gears? It has to be done while still installed in the truck. They measured my old one first then when the new one came in, they measured it once installed to make sure it was good. My new one measured 10,000ths all the way around.

 

Hope this helps! I really want to start "enjoying" this truck.

 

:-/

[20SierraL8T24]

Thank you. I am happy. I hope it doesn't come back like we have all witnessed.

 

On yours, have they measured the backlash on each one of the gears? It has to be done while still installed in the truck. They measured my old one first then when the new one came in, they measured it once installed to make sure it was good. My new one measured 10,000ths all the way around.

 

Hope this helps! I really want to start "enjoying" this truck.

 

:-/

Yea they measured the backlash while it was all still assembled on my first truck and it was off but I forgot by how much. They ordered a complete axle, put it in and it was still vibrating bad. That's why I traded out of that truck and my second has been (knock on wood) flawlass so far. I go on a 2000 mile trip starting tomorrow and a vibration is the last thing I want lol.