Since William Durant founded General Motors in 1908, the local market knew something was going on in the early going and it was going to be good. His talent and innovative spirit guided the automaker to switch from simply making horse-drawn carriages, to designing and building automobiles that pushed the envelope. In a few years, GM acquired more than twenty companies that delivered household vehicle names including Pontiac, Oldsmobile and the Cadillac. Soon enough, public demand grew, energized by the cars manufactured by GM, and thus its mission statement "A Car for Every Purse and Purpose" was coined.
They've experienced ups and downs over the years, and today, it faces trouble in terms of retaining its market share from rival brands, despite dabbling in electric vehicle technology. One of the segments it faces even more competition and gets lots of negative feedback from is the pickups. They're fierce and aggressive looking, but owners and other GM pickup drivers have had much to say about them. From problematic vehicle recalls that involve serious problems in manufacturing, to the interior and other issues, GM pickups aren't necessarily the best of the best so to speak, at least not today. It may have lost some of its rugged charm based on a host of reasons, like an underwhelming interior, not enough luxury, lack of electrification, among many other issues.
Here are just 20 reasons why buying a GM pickup is a bad idea.
18 Engine Issues And Mysterious Clunking Noises From Powertrain
This problem has been identified with the Chevrolet Silverado, as it is prone to a rusted out brake line that would cost buyers several hundreds of dollars a pop. The truck comes with some engine issues and mysterious clunking noises that comes from the powertrain.
Some of the Silverado’s old models also came with issues of poor engine design that made the truck hemorrhage oil and guzzle fuel.
The other dangerous problems worth worrying about in the truck include shaky and noisy suspension and its automatic transmission can at times just fail to work properly.
17 Software Glitch Could Hinder Front Airbags From Deploying
When General Motors recalled millions of its pickup trucks and sport utility vehicles back in 2016 for software glitches that could hinder the front airbags from deploying in a crash, the GMC Sierra Hybrid also featured on the lists of trucks that were recalled. This truck is identical to the Chevy Silverado and has significantly evolved over the years which included its engine – from 2005 to 2007 and 2009 to 2013 the truck’s 5.3-liter Vortec V-8 was paired to a mild hybrid system. This improvement boosted fuel economy but it later came to be a liability as the truck took on miles.
16 Ignition Switch Gets Stuck In Start
This truck came with amazing features that everyone would need in a pickup but it was later recalled since it experienced some problems in it. One of the issues the truck had included ignition-switch problem. According to Edmunds, the switch would get stuck in the start position and move into the accessory position.
This issue led to the loss of power-steering, power brakes and potentially airbag deployment in certain cases.
According to reports GM noted five shutoffs but at the time of recall had not received reports on injuries or fatalities. Either way to stay away from possible casualties caused by the problem it would be better to check if the truck does not have the problem.
15 Electrical Components That Continuously Failed
The Chevy Colorado's first generation was the replacement to the Chevy’s S-10. The truck came with its predecessor’s compact dimensions which didn’t really hold up as well as expected. The 2000s saw the black days for General Motors and the Colorado was the prey of the period. Those who bought the early generation truck – 2004 to 2012 - could complain of the truck’s body rust, fit together with electrical components that continuously failed while its cabin could leak as the truck aged. The truck’s engine sometimes couldn’t be bothered to start. Another issue that has widely been reported about this truck is that its engine stalls.
14 Temporary Loss Of Power Steering Assist
Together with its twin, this truck has once been recalled so that their power steering defect could be fixed. This light duty truck comes with a faulty electric power steering assist that could lead to temporary loss and sudden return of the system.
The problem with the EPS would occur during low-speed turning maneuvers that would lead to collision.
According to trucks.com, the problem came up from an electrical software issue where warning signs would include an alert in the Driver Information Center and temporary disabling of the radio, stabilitrack, DIC, chimes, door-lock cycling, air-conditioning or cruise control.
13 Speedometer Issues
Despite appearing on this list, the Chevrolet Avalanche has been known for good reasons from some of its features to performance. As much as it might have come with some goodies, the Avalanche was discontinued for various reason that would probably hinder you from making it a number one priority on the list of cars you would wish to buy. Some of the common issues it came with include speedometer problems. When driving this truck you wouldn’t know the speed you are driving and the cops wouldn’t take speedometer issues to be the cause of speeding. The dashboard fitted in this truck is also prone to cracks. Throw in transmission failures together with various issues related to key operations and we get a recipe for a flop.
12 Electrical And Brake Problems
The GMC Canyon compact pickup truck returned to the market with a new design in 2015 after a two-year hiatus. The Canyon and Sierra are like twins and they have almost the same problems. The older models of Canyons come with electrical and brake issues. The 2015 GMC Canyon was fitted with a dodgy automatic transmission that downshifts roughly.
Many of these trucks provide less power and are commonly used for daily commuting and not as a work horse.
Those who bought this truck complained of loud road noise and an uncomfortable ride. The other issue that came with the truck is the wiring and valve springs problems that could result in engine misfire.
11 Unreliable Oil Gauge
General Motors in 1990 fixed a 7.4-liter V-8 into the 1500 chassis Chevrolet pickup to build this truck. The performance of this truck was exceptional. The engine made a healthy 230-horsepower and 385-lb-ft of torque. Despite these amazing qualities, only a few examples of these trucks were built. The truck also came with some problems which manifested themselves throughout the lifetime of the vehicle including unreliable oil gauges, and issues with sliding rear windows which could either rattle or leak.
10 Low-Fuel-Level Sensor Could Stick
In 2017 GM recalled almost 49,000 truck all over the world to mend the fuel tank problem that would increase the risk of fire. One of those recalled included the Sierra 3500. USA Today reports indicated that the low-fuel-level sensor in front tank could stick and cause the rear tank to over-fill the front tank.
This could lead to expansion of the front tank and touch the drive shaft and may cause a hole and a fuel leak.
The truck is also said to have issues with updated software. With this kind of risk that came with the truck, if you can’t go for other trucks within the same class then you would rather check if the systems have been updated.
9 Lack Of Payload And Cabin Capacity
The retro design of this truck was a hit back in the early 2000s. During this period, vehicles that featured classic designs would automatically succeed. For this reason Chevrolet brought in a retro-styled truck having a sporty feel and retractable hard top. With this design Chevrolet thought the truck would feature as a lifestyle vehicle that most people wanted however, they were more interested in retro vibe and the speed. The performance of this car wasn’t that amazing, but could sprint to 60 mph in six seconds. Despite having relatively slow speed, the truck’s design, big wheel and unique silhouette made it peculiar and people loved it. However, the truck has a price tag of $45,000 making it unaffordable. This isn’t a real truck either – it can’t haul big loads since the cabin and bed is too small and cramped.
8 Fuel Economy And Interior Quality Issues
The 1993 Single-Cab Sierra was built to compete with other trucks such as the Ford Ranger. The truck could be categorized under the small pickups that won’t be considered as true pickups. Just like other GMC trucks the Sierra also come with some problems which include fuel economy and interior quality. This truck was built in the ’90s, a time when GM was having problems with quality in their vehicles interiors. Compared to the modern trucks, the trucks that were made in the ‘90s had poor build quality and fuel economy.
7 Frequent Fuel Pump Issues
If there is a truck that will remind you of the classic box style back in the ‘90s then it would be the Syclone. The truck came with low ride height that made it unique as compared to the other pickups. This truck had a great performance; sprinting to 60 mph in 4.6 seconds something that was made possible by its turbocharged 4.3-liter V-6 engine.
Despite the goodies the Syclone came with some issues which included the frequent failure of the fuel pump that would cause the engine to stall and not start.
The Anti-lock brake system control unit could also fail and could cause the ABS light to illuminate.
6 Rough Ride And Bulky Dimensions
Despite the fact that it is not that advanced as compared to its competitors such as Ford F-150, the GMC still has a reason to survive on the road. The truck comes with an excellent infotainment system that includes Apple CarPlay and Android Auto. It is powered by optional powertrains – including a 6.2-liter V-8 that is mated to an eight-speed automatic transmission. Some of the reasons that you should think twice before buying this truck include off-centre driving position, rough ride over rough pavements and garage-hogging dimensions. The 1999 model fell behind in performance, handling, comfort and family use.
5 Continuous Oil Leaks From The Main Seal
Some of the other GMC trucks that you should think twice before consider buying are those that are fitted with diesel 6.2-liter engines. After the production and problems of the 5.7-liter pickup trucks, Chevrolet decided to make a few changes. They hired a different engine producer to bring out a much better diesel engine which led to production of 6.2-liter. The engine isn’t that much bigger compared to the size that of Volkswagen, this clearly shows how less powerful it is. The 6.2-liter engine produces 130 horsepower which is 40 higher than the modern day Smart cars. Those who happened to buy this truck also had to make costly repairs due to the continuous oil leakage from the main seal.
4 High Compression Ratio, Lifted Cylinder Heads And Weak Torque
Not all diesel trucks are made equally and when considering buying a used diesel truck avoid looking into GMC and Chevy trucks with the diesel 5.7-liter models. The engine fitted in this trucks is the same as those in vintage Oldsmobile.
To come up with this engine, Chevrolet took the gas model and turned it into a diesel truck.
The move however didn’t make the truck more efficient but turned it into a money pit. The truck became an oil burner and also had issues with head bolts. Apart from the earlier mentioned problems, this trucks also came with issues such as high compression ratio, lifted cylinder heads and weak torque.
3 Clumpy Handling
This is a four-door luxury pickup that can carry up to five passengers. In the inside it has leather seats which are soft and quite comfortable even on long trips. This truck also features less appealing cabin materials and rear sight lines. The truck’s wood trim and metallic accents are offset with lots of hard and cheap-feeling plastics. Its visibility on the rear and side is limited by the thick roof pillars and rear buttresses on it. Despite offering comfortable ride, the truck also comes with clumpy handling and above-average ownership costs. Other issues with this truck is that it has poor fuel economy and lower towing capacity than most full-size trucks
2 High Maintenance And Repair Costs
Chevrolet S-10 has been on the roads for quite long time and this has led build-up of its miles and reduction of its reliability. These are one of those trucks that you would not want to buy a used considering the problems it comes with. It can be acquired at an affordable price but the problems is that their owners might end up spending a lot of money in repairs and maintaining it on road. Instead going for this truck it would be better to splash more cash upfront for a truck that is less costly to maintain.
1 They Are Prone To Rust
In 2015 General Motors dodged another recall which came four years after a federal investigation into many of the older trucks. Over 5 million Chevrolet and GMC vehicles were affected more so those in salt estate. The rusting occurred on the brake lines. Despite reports says that the rust doesn’t make the vehicles defective, the question is who on earth wants to ride on a vehicle with rust on them? The corrosion makes the driver of feels like the back wheels are smocking. The GMC vehicles that were affected were those built between 1997 and 2003 and some of the vehicles included Chevy Silverado and GMC Sierra Pickups.
Sources: gmauthority.com, usatoday.com, edmunds.com, trucks.com