I’m original owner on 2005 Silverado 2500HD 4X4 w/8.1L gas engine & 6 speed manual trans. Vehicle came stock w/2 O2 sensors, no problem until this year. GM says it is suppose to have 4 sensors. Vehicle GVR is 9200lbs. Has snow plow prep, camper package, and towing package. State of NC says it only needs 2 per their inspection manual but GM disagrees. GM states it is suppose to have 4. GM went on to say that N.C. is wrong to use their manual, even though the manual they are using is required by state law. I attempted to pay to have 2 more installed, then GM said there is no place to install them. GM insinuates that I tampered (I did not) with emissions. GM refuses to provide documents I requested to state my case. GM also says that the truck can not be fixed because no wiring harness is available, nor can I sell it because it will not pass inspection legally. I even went on a Chevy forum website to look for information. I am sure I am not the only one in the USA with this problem.
Why is GM getting in your business? Are you having trouble with your State government in some way?
No, have not had problems with either. I have been very happy with my Chevy right up to this point. Not even much mechanical problems with this Chevy. Was trying to use the State to my advantage since what they say is law.
Is there a warranty problem with the vehicle that’s making GM say “no way” to a repair?
Is this GM saying this or is it the dealer?
The trucks runs great, and NC says it meets inspection requirements.
The only problem I can see in the post is that you for some reason insist on 4 oxygen sensors.
I’m confused. Is there something you haven’t included in the story? How did GM get involved?
Chevy dealership told me last week when I brought it in for state inspection that it requires 4 O2 sensors to pass inspection. So they wouldn’t pass it. It only has 2 sensors and that is all that came on the truck brand new. GM says it requires 4 per their documents, but I found thru the state that only 2 are required. GM/Chevy says that State of NC is in error. State of NC says GM/Chevy is in error. My warranty paperwork that the truck came with says that the vehicle emissions for this vehicle(heavy duty engine in light duty truck) is covered per EPA for 5 years or 50,000 miles. So if I wait until next year for the next inspection, this warranty will have expired and I will be in deeper trouble than I am now. Anyways, when I told Chevy last week to install the other 2 missing O2 sensors, they had the truck for 4 hours, then called me and told me that they couldn’t fix the truck because there is no place to plug in the 2 new sensors. I told them I wasn’t surprised, since the truck came with 2 only. So Chevy says that it can not be fixed. I asked them about selling the vehicle, they told me I am civil liable since it will not comply with law.
So since it came from Pontiac, Mi. like this, I have to chase down what happened up there from way back in 2005. The local dealership only goes by what their manuals say. The rep. in Detroit is refusing to provide the requested engineering documents that I have requested. The local dealership told me that my vehicle is “old” so I can not obtain the correct wiring harness to install, and then plug in the 2 new sensors. I demanded that it be made right as per the EPA standards that they claim it needs to meet, but then they refuse to honor the warranty standard. The only thing I can do at this moment is obtain an attorney(in progress) and back track from the manual the state uses to see where they got the info. that it is suppose to have only 2 sensors. Maybe I can find the design/engineer document from Chevy that dictates whether there are 2 vs. 4 options for this truck that vary between states, GVR’s, enigine sizes, etc…
Everything I checked shows there should be four O2 sensors. I would get the EPA involved. I’m sure they would interested about GM selling a vehicle that doesn’t meet the federal emission requirements for the year 2005.
Tester
Wow. And GM wonders why it’s having problems.
I wish I had an answer. Sincere best.
Tester, I agree. And have already contacted EPA. They will contact me in 10 business days. However, why in NC inspections manual on page 67-1 (I think it is Cascade Auto Resources) there is a footnote (#26) saying this vehicle needs only 2?
If I understand correctly the immediate problem is finding a inspection station to “pass” the truck?
Secondary is that you are worried about some kind of fraud on your part if you sell?
You have your NC manual and your footnote to fall back on.
It’s kind of obvious what happened. There is no way that GM or Chevrolet is willing to admit it or compensate you even though they could. They would rather see their reputation sink even further. Ford wins again. It’s nice for a team when it wins without even having to step on the field. If GM tried to follow instructions for burning the company to the ground, an accident would finish the job before they got to step #2.
Well I got it inspected based on the letter that NC DMV provided. But the issue still stands. And because the EPA required warranty that stands for 5 years and 50,000 miles, I can’t wait until next year to deal with the current problem.
What emissions warranty issue are you facing?
Since you are sure that the truck came from the factory with the exhaust plumbing that is in it, I’d focus on where that plumbing (and the vehicle computer which should probably – by the dealer’s “logic” – be screaming persistently about the fact that two O2 sensors are never warming up) came from. Is there a Canadian version of the vehicle that has only two O2 sensors? Or maybe the engine is used in some other GM vehicle with the exhaust system you have. Or maybe you have the exhaust system from the previous or next model year.
You might try searching around on the Internet for a guide to decoding your VIN number. Maybe it will tell you something interesting about the truck’s provenance and/or configuration.
Since the vehicle apparently runs fine, why not just keep it, find an independent mechanic who will work on it? Bad mouth GM every chance you get (They apparently have earned it). And never, ever buy another GM vehicle.
Since you apparently like the vehicle – if not the manufacturer and its minions – why not just keep it and drive it into the ground? At the end of its life, the junk yard will not care how many O2 sensors it has.
I thought that emissions equipment was covered, by federal mandate, to 8/80.
For the time being, no matter since you are under 50 and believe it is 50.
How can the Chevy dealer NOT fix it if they say it does not pass fed emissions inspection and it is under warranty? If they can’t fix it, the only alternative would be to give you another truck. I suppose it does not have to be a new truck, just a 2005 or newer that was acceptable to you.
The emissions system has not changed on this vehicle since I have owned it. Now Chevy says that it does not meet EPA requirements. My paperwork I have shows that the EPA emissions systems are warrantied for 5 years/50,000 miles. But Chevy refuses to honor this warranty, claiming “I tampered” with it.
It is covered, but Chevy refuses. Claiming that it was there when the truck was built, so that someone “must have tampered” with it! This is why I have contacted the EPA. I have also contacted a lawyer. I am being told also that I can not legally sell this truck to someone else w/o being civil liable since it can not be made to fit federal standards!
OK, first, I think you need to distinguish between GM and the dealer. THEY ARE NOT THE SAME. Dealers can and will say all sorts of stupid, untrue, stuff. Have you spoken with the GM zone office?
Second, there seems to be some untold story here. Did you buy this truck brand new? If so, was it from a different dealer? Many times dealers don’t like to handle warranty issues for vehicles they didn’t sell. They will make up all sorts of excuses why they can’t. Any GM dealer should be able to pull up the build sheet information based on the VIN. Try talking to a different dealer to see if you can get a copy of that info.