[AndrewGS]

So today I finally stopped by O'Reilly to have my CEL diagnosed after months of it being on and the DIC telling me to tighten the gas cap that I eventually replaced to no avail. Turns out the truck is throwing both P0455 and P0449 codes. A quick web search led me to the conclusion that it's the EVAP Vent Solenoid because it's a "common" problem as covered by TSB number 02-06-04-037F. Now here's a TSB that covers TEN (10!) years of trucks.

My question is, in over 100 years of building automobiles, how can you not only get the design of this part wrong in the first place, but why are the parts on ten years worth of trucks of the same failure-prone design? Why is it a "common" problem?

If it were just the EVAP Vent Solenoid I'd say, "hey, they can get one part wrong now and then", but there are so many "common" problems that I'm led to believe that the engineers must simply be bored and are designing-in faults. Want another example of a "common" problem? How about intermediate steering shafts? 3.1L & 3.4L head gaskets? 4L60, 4T60 and 4T65 transmissions?

I know GM isn't the only company that produces cars with "common" problems, but I'm so sick of hearing about every problem I or people I know have with their GM vehicle is "common". I mean, a TSB that covers ten years?

/vent

 

[Screw991le]

Read this,
http://www.denlorstools.com/autoblog/2010/12/evap-system-vent-problems-gas-wont-go-into-tank/

The most common reason is over filling the fuel tank, even by a bit.

 

[AndrewGS]

Read this,
http://www.denlorstools.com/autoblog/2010/12/evap-system-vent-problems-gas-wont-go-into-tank/

The most common reason is over filling the fuel tank, even by a bit.

That's not my problem though and I never fill more than two clicks. The truck problem is a design that lets dirt get into the EVAP vent.

 

[Bejeweled]

I have been thinking the same thing for years about GM. There is no reason after finding out a part is faulty they should continue to produce such part for YEARS! Is it laziness? Poor management? A combination of both? Yes.

 

[hiluxxulih]

I went through this with my 4 or 5 steering column repairs on my 2004 Silverado K1500 , the last fix finally worked which was the updated steering shaft .

 

[AndrewGS]

I went through this with my 4 or 5 steering column repairs on my 2004 Silverado K1500 , the last fix finally worked which was the updated steering shaft .

Have you had the blower motor resistor problem yet? It's so common my local AC Delco parts house keeps several in stock at all times.

 

[hiluxxulih]

I dont think so , what are the symptoms ?
My Silverado problems list
1. Cab and bed were misaligned ( fixed under warranty )
2. Parking brake cable noise ( fixed under warranty )
3. Parking Brake cable ( Replaced by me because it was fraying at the release lever )
4. Front wheel bearings R/L ( fixed by me , because it was my fault from getting stuck and the front of the truck being under muddy water over the top of the rim for about ten hours at about 7000 miles )
5. Cap and Rotors about 3 so far ( fixed by me )
6. Instrument cluster ( replaced under recall )
The truck is reliable as any Toyota or any other vehicle I have ever owned perhaps more reliable , I would get in tomorrow and drive it across country and not think twice about it .

 

[linton23]

Have you had the blower motor resistor problem yet? It's so common my local AC Delco parts house keeps several in stock at all times.

Not a good example to use because I have seen that issue on my jeep, a honda and a ford. If you are filling the tank to two clicks you are over filling it. My dad had no problem with his silverado personal truck but it happened quite often on his work colorado due to him trying to get every bit in the tank.

 

[AndrewGS]

I dont think so , what are the symptoms ?

When the resistor goes you'll have one or more blower speeds missing or your blower might not work at all as was the case with mine.

Not a good example to use because I have seen that issue on my jeep, a honda and a ford.

It happens to basically all makes, but it's very common on GM vehicles for whatever reason.

If you are filling the tank to two clicks you are over filling it. My dad had no problem with his silverado personal truck but it happened quite often on his work colorado due to him trying to get every bit in the tank.

One click when it's full and one more to make sure the pump didn't cut off early. That's not overfilling. I do the same thing on my 16 year/208,000 mile-old Buick and I've never had an issue.

Plus, if you'll read the TSB that's not the cause of the Vent Solenoid problem, the cause is a misplaced vent. Dirt and such gets in there and it sticks. GM knows what the problem is.

 

[Canuck]

That's not my problem though and I never fill more than two clicks. The truck problem is a design that lets dirt get into the EVAP vent.

Funny, when I had a Sonoma in the 90s if I stopped filling at the second click I would have about 4 gallons of empty tank left. It used to drive me crazy.

I agree common problems should be resolved as quickly as the company finds out.

I was also hoping this thread was about your Lambo

 

[prowlerjc]

After getting raped by Nissan for what amounted to a slow opening thermostat, I'm never going to respond to the emissions systems warning light going off. As long as the car is still running well, I keep on keeping on.

 

[flatblackstrat]

After getting raped by Nissan for what amounted to a slow opening thermostat, I'm never going to respond to the emissions systems warning light going off. As long as the car is still running well, I keep on keeping on.

Doesn't that just equate to a bad thermostat and a 50 dollar part that you can replace yourself? That sucks you got raped.

 

[377Z]

Yep, found similar frustration with the pi ss poor remote oil cooler lines on the Bravada. Ours was a '97, turns out they were problematic since '83 and there was no improved design, so the choice was either keep replacing old faulty lines with new faulty lines that hadn't leaked yet, or try to cobble something else up & hope it works better.

The Bravada was on its 3rd set when it got totalled.

 

[shabodah]

Ok, All these issues of which you speak are simply not GM specific issues.

The vent may not be in the best of locations, but, that is because it must be near the gas tank, and have enough airflow that there is no chance of any vapors making it into the cabin. Not that vapors are supposed to be coming out of it in the first place, but, if a malfunction (or overfilled tank) occurs, they can. So, you've got a vent that is externally exposed to the elements (and dust, dirt, whatever), is subjected to heavy usaged (open/close cycles), and corrosive/caustic fluids and vapors (gasoline). So, yeah, it's going to fail more commonly, and does so on ALL vehicles. It's the most common failure on any vehicle by any manufacturer sold in North America.

The design of a resistor for the blower fan, is by its nature, going to short out. A better resistor could certainly be designed to prevent this issue, but the cost of building it would be 10x the normal design used. This cost means that every manufacturer has this issue as well.

The clunking in the steering column, caused by the slip-yoke style U-joint is also common in many, many makes and models, but seems to be something that would be much easier to solve, as it is purely a cost issue. Proper plating of the metals would reduce the noise to nearly nothing, and would cost only 2-3x as much as the current part does to implement. I'm kinda surprised the aftermarket hasn't attack this area yet.

-Service Manager at Nissan Dealer (Formerly at Mitsubishi, Ford, Chrysler, and GM)

@Bravada concern- The oil cooler lines were redesigned multiple times - over 30 between 2001 & 2005, in fact. However, the materials were not changed, and the cause of the issue is how the metal line is crimped to the rubber hose. A custom line made from standard stainless braided line could be fabricated very easily, for about the same price the dealer charges and would solve the problem. A lot of local commercial A/C & HVAC service centers are capable and willing to fabricate them for you.

One click when it's full and one more to make sure the pump didn't cut off early. That's not overfilling. I do the same thing on my 16 year/208,000 mile-old Buick and I've never had an issue.

Actually, yes it is overfilling. Your 16 YO Buick does not have the same Federal Emissions Standards as your newer vehicle. You're increasing the pressure in the tank by a very significant amount by does this, and making it near impossible for the evaporative emissions system to perform its self test.

 

[prowlerjc]

Doesn't that just equate to a bad thermostat and a 50 dollar part that you can replace yourself? That sucks you got raped.

The thermostat wasn't even bad. Just opened more slowly than the computer thought it should.

Nissan charged $450 to replace it. And this was on a Sentra. I'll never own another Nissan again and tell people to avoid them like the plague.

And I'll never, ever get emissions crap serviced again. Car was running fine.

 

[shabodah]

The thermostat wasn't even bad. Just opened more slowly than the computer thought it should.

Nissan charged $450 to replace it. And this was on a Sentra. I'll never own another Nissan again and tell people to avoid them like the plague.

And I'll never, ever get emissions crap serviced again. Car was running fine.

That thermostat will react slower and slower until eventually, it sticks closed and the engine over heats, and then you blow a head gasket. It's not the part that is terrible, it's the labor. Thermostats are not on the top of an engine anymore, they are between the lower radiator hose and the engine, which causes them to be buried under too many things, like suspension and steering as well as engine and transmission mounts. The average Import Dealer has a labor rate of well over $100 an hour, $450 sounds like the thermostat, coolant flush/service, and labor, plus tax for pretty much any dealer for a Sentra.

There are GM thermostats that parts are over $300.

 

[prowlerjc]

That thermostat will react slower and slower until eventually, it sticks closed and the engine over heats, and then you blow a head gasket. It's not the part that is terrible, it's the labor. Thermostats are not on the top of an engine anymore, they are between the lower radiator hose and the engine, which causes them to be buried under too many things, like suspension and steering as well as engine and transmission mounts. The average Import Dealer has a labor rate of well over $100 an hour, $450 sounds like the thermostat, coolant flush/service, and labor, plus tax for pretty much any dealer for a Sentra.

There are GM thermostats that parts are over $300.

I can watch a temp gauge, car was fine.

Yeah, it was at the top of the engine, IIRC, and 450 is ridiculous to replace a t-stat on a car that was just over two years old. And it wasn't under warranty, as they called it a wear part.

Cork suckers.

 

[shabodah]

I can watch a temp gauge, car was fine.

Yeah, it was at the top of the engine, IIRC, and 450 is ridiculous to replace a t-stat on a car that was just over two years old. And it wasn't under warranty, as they called it a wear part.

Cork suckers.

I didn't say the temp was fine at the time, I was explaing the path things take further down the road.

Sounds like you have a specific dealer problem. I wouldn't say it reflects Nissan Corporate or other Nissan Dealers.

 

[DeliveryDave]

Wow, I'm at 108,257 with my RCLB 04 Silverado 4.3 V6, just had my first tune up (plugs, wires, cap, rotor)

1) Parking brake hasn't worked since shortly after warrantee expired
2) Instrument cluster as you stated was recalled
3) ICM was replaced at 2,329 miles (claimed it looked damaged in shipping)
4) 2 thermostat gaskets, first under warrantee second last year by me

Thanks for the information on the overfilling the gas tank. I grew up with the habit of topping off to an even dollar amount, never had a problem. Always made it easier to ask for a reimbursement of $20 instead of $19.32.

I dont think so , what are the symptoms ?
My Silverado problems list
1. Cab and bed were misaligned ( fixed under warranty )
2. Parking brake cable noise ( fixed under warranty )
3. Parking Brake cable ( Replaced by me because it was fraying at the release lever )
4. Front wheel bearings R/L ( fixed by me , because it was my fault from getting stuck and the front of the truck being under muddy water over the top of the rim for about ten hours at about 7000 miles )
5. Cap and Rotors about 3 so far ( fixed by me )
6. Instrument cluster ( replaced under recall )
The truck is reliable as any Toyota or any other vehicle I have ever owned perhaps more reliable , I would get in tomorrow and drive it across country and not think twice about it .

 

[377Z]

@Bravada concern- The oil cooler lines were redesigned multiple times - over 30 between 2001 & 2005, in fact. However, the materials were not changed, and the cause of the issue is how the metal line is crimped to the rubber hose. A custom line made from standard stainless braided line could be fabricated very easily, for about the same price the dealer charges and would solve the problem. A lot of local commercial A/C & HVAC service centers are capable and willing to fabricate them for you.

Well, thats even worse since the redesigns did nothing, and/or they didn't purge the known faulty designs from inventories since the third set went on in 2005 and were leaking at the crimps again. And really? 30 redesigns within 4 years? Why do it right the first time. Or the second. Or the third... you know where I'm going with this. And why did they wait some 18 years to start to try to address it?

Sure, you or I could find a permenant fix, and I would have if the car hadn't gotten totalled because everything else was basically MINT. Getting the hoses was no biggie, IIRC the hard part was mating hoses up to the block adaptor where the oil filter is on non 4WD models (I would have just machined my own oil filter adaptor with horizontal taps out of 6061).
But the average consumer doesn't see past the fact that GM has no real solution to the problem, and when you tell them you should go outside of GM to get it fixed (commercial HVAC service centers) they'll more than likely just go outside of GM for the whole car next time.