Just bought a new 2011 gmc sierra 1500. I am getting a vibration at 40 to 60 mph. Brought truck back to the dealership at 400 miles and they re-balanced all 4 tires. Didn’t work. The second time back they had the car for a week and told me they sent the tires out to be road forced balanced that this should take care of the problem. I now have the truck back and it is vibrating even worst than before.There are 20 inch tires and rims on the truck. The truck now has 1400 miles on it. Does anyone have any idea what could be going on? Thanks Jeff
Ask them to check other components like the drive shaft. Be adamant about fixing it NOW. Is it 4wd ? Before you accept the car back from any other fix, insist they test drive it before handing the keys over to you. If they keep giving you a defective vehicle back, I would refuse delivery. Ask for a rental on their tab till it’s fixed.
If all you say is true, the service department already has two strikes against them.
Take it back to the dealer. Have them ride with you in the truck to experience the vibration. Get a loaner and leave the truck with them to figure this out under your warranty. I’d suspect a bad tire. But it could also be an out of balance drive shaft, or something misaligned in the drive train.
Just got off the phone with the dealership. Now there asking me because it snowed on Saturday, If there could have been snow in the rims to cause the vibration. I am getting very frustated with these people. Can I take the truck to another dealership or am I stuck with this one? Thanks for your comments Jeff
You can take the truck to any GM dealership. Perhaps a call to GM regional office will get some action. Dealers are very aware of the “customer ratings” and if they hear from region office about an unhappy customer, they get on it. I would also go directly to the dealership owner or general manager and explain the situation and the lack of resolution thus far.
I agree with Uncle Turbo, but–before you march off to a different dealership or place a call to GM, you really should check to see if there is any ice/snow on the rims–including the side facing away from you.
Dealerships are known to spout a lot of BS, but it is true that perfectly balanced wheels/tires can suddenly develop an imbalance when ice/snow is present on the rims.
Having ice trapped in the rims is typically only a possibility with steel wheels, by design. I don’t think I’ve seen an alloy wheel that would allow water to get trapped anywhere. If your truck has the 20" wheel package I’m assuming these are alloy wheels.
As an anecdote, a few years ago I purchased aftermarket wheels from a national tire retailer and experienced a vibration immediately afterwards. After several rounds of rebalancing, and ultimately a replacement set of wheels, the vibration persisted. The shop blamed it on my u-joints (yeah, right), and then my tires, which I had them carry over from the factory wheels. They promised me that if I bought a new set of tires that my vibration would go away…it didn’t. Ultimately I found the problem on my own: the shop had lifted my Jeep by the front driveshaft instead of the frame rail and bent it. When I showed them the old one with the obvious damage they eventually covered the repair.
By your account, they have had their chance to inspect for ice/snow trap. It is a new truck and it is not your job to ascertain what is wrong. Demand they keep the truck until it’s fixed to your satisfaction and they can deliver a vibration free car that you both can agree is fixed before you leave their lot. I would not under any circumstances, drive the car anymore then to their dealership until it is fixed.
Warrenty specifically does not cover tire damage after you take delivery and building up mileage will allow them to shift the burden to you IMHO. Treating it as much as possible as a new car where all possible causes can be inspected by them would be my goal, and I wouldn’t drive it one more mile…it’s NOT your job to solve the problem.