Odd hesitation/miss fire during acceleration

RyanMc · February 29, 2020

I am also having the same issues as most on here. Did anyone ever find out the real reason and fix to the issue without buying a programmer?

DBowmanEOD · April 23, 2020

I have a 2015 silverado 5.3 4WD. I've added AFE intake, AFE exhaust, Edge throttle booster, and the edge handheld programmer. Also about to hit 120k on miles. The way my truck acted its making me think fuel system. Same studder, hesitation you all describe. My truck is at a local shop. Tomorrow morning they start on it. Hoping to know something soon. I'm thinking one of the two fuel pumps. Maybe a filter? Also I'm probably going to have the plugs, wires, and maybe coil replaced. Once I know more I will bring back what I learn.

ChevyBowtieGuy · May 17, 2020

On 11/20/2017 at 7:54 PM, Cwjames said:

A little late joining in, but I purchased a 2017 sierra 1500 in June of this year. Amazing truck! It took a week or two to really tune into an issue similar to all of yours. The morning drive to work was great, and generally the evening drive as well. Though the days there were lunch errands to run, I noticed this funny hesitation, it drove like my old '89 on a rainy day! Tuning into this, I pushed the issue and would unnecessarily drive the truck at random times. (This is summertime in northern Michigan temps). I had pinned it down to any startup 3-7 hrs after a full temp drive. Any sooner, all was fine, any later, no issue. Once fully warmed up, I have no issue. It's an odd, partially cooled engine issue, only happening at low rpm. Slow acceleration through the parking lot and onto the road. I could push through it by stomping on the accelerator, but it just makes for nonsense, uncomfortable accelerations. I have watched the dash for the v4-v8 shift, there is no correlation. Never happens at speed, like on the highway in some reports. I also tow boats and campers with no issues once warm.

I took it it to the dealer, they could not reproduce, of course, and did a system update in hopes of fixing the problem, claiming the transmission needed to learn my driving habits. No fix!

Back two more times, they claim it's an emissions regulation that I cannot get around, and the Colorado's are worse. Bunch of BS. Supper happy with the truck in all other aspects, but this is annoying!

I have parked the truck for the winter, don't want the tons of salt dumped on our winter roads to eat the body up, so nothing to report on cold weather conditions.

Just plain frustrating!

Have you found a solution for it? I am having the EXACT symptoms.

Rustin · June 22, 2020

I have a 2017 Suburban with the 5.3L and have been having the same hesitation and stuttering up hills or under constant load described in this post. I thought it might be the AFM system so I purchased an S1000 AFM disabler from Diablo sports. It is easy to install, you just plug it into the OBDII port and you are good to go. Since installing it my problems have gone away. I was originally skeptical that it would help but having read this post and a few others I was at a loss and did not really like driving the vehicle so I figured it was worth the $200 to try it. It now drives like it should and is way more responsive accelerating after a brief time of light load operation.

Edited June 22, 2020 by Rustin

D Gilkey · September 3, 2020

On 6/22/2020 at 9:48 AM, Rustin said:

I have a 2017 Suburban with the 5.3L and have been having the same hesitation and stuttering up hills or under constant load described in this post. I thought it might be the AFM system so I purchased an S1000 AFM disabler from Diablo sports. It is easy to install, you just plug it into the OBDII port and you are good to go. Since installing it my problems have gone away. I was originally skeptical that it would help but having read this post and a few others I was at a loss and did not really like driving the vehicle so I figured it was worth the $200 to try it. It now drives like it should and is way more responsive accelerating after a brief time of light load operation.

I have a 2014 5.3L Silverado that is doing the same thing as everyone else is experiencing. I changed the plugs, I ran 2 bottles of injector cleaner, ran premium in it and I purchased the Diablo S1000 AFM disabler. Still no fix and throws no codes. Happens between 1500-1700 RPM.

Joe Fecher · March 29, 2021

On 9/3/2020 at 11:47 AM, D Gilkey said:

I have a 2014 5.3L Silverado that is doing the same thing as everyone else is experiencing. I changed the plugs, I ran 2 bottles of injector cleaner, ran premium in it and I purchased the Diablo S1000 AFM disabler. Still no fix and throws no codes. Happens between 1500-1700 RPM.

Joe Fecher · March 29, 2021

Same here. I’ve replaced the intake, injectors, both fuel pumps, all sensors coils wires plugs

I’m out of ideas. Paid dealer $300 to diagnose and nothing. Anybody able to fix this issue?

Big Rado21 · September 9, 2021

I have a 2016 Silverado Z71 Texas Edition! Same issue and it’s completely annoying! I’ve put new plugs wires etc it seems as if it’s not getting fuel when it needs to! Chevrolet needs to push a recall for this issue

sfargo · September 21, 2021

So after a month in the shop they replaced cam shaft position sensor and that wasn’t it. I’m pretty sure I knew what the issue is but waited for dealer to tell me first. And now my worst nightmares come true. If you’re still feeling that jerking and surging your issue is probably the same, unfortunately guys it’s a misfire caused by bad lifters. If your feeling like your truck keeps hesitating or riding over tiny bumps, surging or jerking it’s the beginning of engine failure .You need to get it in the shop before it gets worse or you could potentially destroy engine. But the bad news gets even worse Gm has so many lifter failures they can’t get the parts stocked quick enough to fix even a small portion of trucks so the wait time for lifters, rails and guides is roughly 6 weeks plus. Still yet it gets even worse I asked the technician at the dealer if this is a permanent fix or just a band aid until next lifter failure and he did not wish to answer that question which tells me it’s not a permanent fix. Even if you get it fixed your truck could fail again at any time. What a piece of crap Chevy has unloaded on the public my dealer alone has 5 truck in front of me with same issue. If you average out the number of trucks Chevy sells per year (approx. 500,0000) divide it by dealers in united states (approx. 4500) that's 10 trucks sold per month per dealer. My dealer has 6 failures this month alone. So let’s give Chevy the benefit of a doubt and say its only 3 truck out of ten that are bad although the real number is much higher. Then Chevy is experiencing 172,800 vehicles per year have engine failure of this type and there not recalling they are just going to continue to pass of this defective vehicle as ok to the consumer. I think its time everyone who bought these $50000 paper weights to start complaining to GM or we may get stuck with these trucks. GM customer service number is 1-800-222-1020 my dealer says to call them and I think we should complain until their ears bleed. Please everyone do yourselves a favor and light up their customer service phones otherwise Chevy will let us take a loss

Sambo Lester · September 22, 2021

15 hours ago, sfargo said:

So after a month in the shop they replaced cam shaft position sensor and that wasn’t it. I’m pretty sure I knew what the issue is but waited for dealer to tell me first. And now my worst nightmares come true. If you’re still feeling that jerking and surging your issue is probably the same, unfortunately guys it’s a misfire caused by bad lifters. If your feeling like your truck keeps hesitating or riding over tiny bumps, surging or jerking it’s the beginning of engine failure .You need to get it in the shop before it gets worse or you could potentially destroy engine. But the bad news gets even worse Gm has so many lifter failures they can’t get the parts stocked quick enough to fix even a small portion of trucks so the wait time for lifters, rails and guides is roughly 6 weeks plus. Still yet it gets even worse I asked the technician at the dealer if this is a permanent fix or just a band aid until next lifter failure and he did not wish to answer that question which tells me it’s not a permanent fix. Even if you get it fixed your truck could fail again at any time. What a piece of crap Chevy has unloaded on the public my dealer alone has 5 truck in front of me with same issue. If you average out the number of trucks Chevy sells per year (approx. 500,0000) divide it by dealers in united states (approx. 4500) that's 10 trucks sold per month per dealer. My dealer has 6 failures this month alone. So let’s give Chevy the benefit of a doubt and say its only 3 truck out of ten that are bad although the real number is much higher. Then Chevy is experiencing 172,800 vehicles per year have engine failure of this type and there not recalling they are just going to continue to pass of this defective vehicle as ok to the consumer. I think its time everyone who bought these $50000 paper weights to start complaining to GM or we may get stuck with these trucks. GM customer service number is 1-800-222-1020 my dealer says to call them and I think we should complain until their ears bleed. Please everyone do yourselves a favor and light up their customer service phones otherwise Chevy will let us take a loss

Sambo Lester · September 22, 2021

Agreed,I've thrown over 3k changing plugs,wires,rear end replacement,trying to fix this hesitation.a friend of mine replaced throttle app sensor in gas pedal and he says this helps

Randy Holt · June 28, 2022

Here is the answer to your problem. Your problem is the ignition coils, spark plug wires, and spark plugs. I was experiencing the same problem with my 2011 Chevy Silverado LS 1500 5.3. I replaced the ignition coils, not with after-market coils (AC Delco) and the same brand for the spark plug wires and plugs. The truck runs just like it came off the showroom floor. I know that it is frustrating, but you can thank me later!