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Pulling/Vibration

idocpilk

Charter Member
Full Member
Joined
Mar 3, 2002
Messages
457
I've had my AV for 2 weeks and had it in the shop 2 (3rd time tomorrow). The first was the rust under the door seals...fixed fine. Second was an alignment...pulling hard to the left...gave it 500 miles to settle the springs but no better. It felt improved when I got it back but it still pulled and was harder to turn to the right than the left. I had to go on a 800 mile roundtrip over the weekend and the pulling was much worse at hiway speeds plus the front end (I think) started to vibrate at 70 mph and got worse at 75. I think it is related to the alignemt but maybe a balance issue or something in the driveline. I also have a gear noise that is noticeable when coasting to a stop from 55 mph...like an manual transmission would sound. Seems to be coming from
drivers side...possibly the front drivers side wheel area.
Maybe be normal but going to have it checked out. Anybody got any suggestions I might take to the dealer?
 
Vibration: Starting at 70 MPH and getting worse indicates a slight balance problem (only say slight because it starts at 70). Dealer may have cross rotated your tires when they did the alignment but didn't re-balance them.

Gear Noise: Are you running in Auto 4WD or 4-Hi? If you are gear noise is normal. HOWEVER the owners manual states that on dry and wet pavement, you should use 2-Hi. Running in Auto 4WD isn't bad, but the hubs are engaged and it lowers mileage and creates a bit of noise from the front. Of course I'm assuming your 4WD by the problem your describing. If you have a 2WD model it doesn't sound normal to me. If you're driving that Av in 4-Hi on pavement, especially at those speeds you're really wearing on the gear assembly.

Alignment/Spring Adjustment: This is a common Avalanche issue after delivery to the dealer. Dealer should have given you a free alignment between 500 and 7,500 miles. If it is still pulling I'd bring it back in - sounds like they didn't do it right, or just did a band-aid solution like cross-rotating the tires.
 
Thanks Chief...they've done an alignment once and somewhat better but they are going to check it out today. They think the vibration is a tire problem. My AV is 1/2" lower on the left side which I understand can be fixed by adjusting something in the torsion bar.
I have a 2wd z66...the humming noise sounds like what you would expect to hear from a manual tranny when you are coasting...not loud or annoying but it wasn't present in my other Chevys or my wifes Sequioa. It even looks like my front left tire is cupping already after 1600 miles. The dealership is huge and seems eager to help but I'm sick of taking my NEW truck to the shop after 9 years of near perfect reliability out of my 94 Silverada. My MFR date was 8/15 which I was a little concerned with but it was the only one available like I wanted and I was told the rebates were done so I pulled the trigger...I think this truck will be a great vehicle once I get it weaned off the dealer visit :)
 
Just left the Av at the dealer...again...turns out the humming noise is the ring & pinion gears...new gears going in tomorrow. The pulling was so obvious to the tech who drove it that he seemed puzzled. He wanted to balance and rotate the tires right to left to rule out the tires. Then he would check the alignment. I saw a post on Edmunds about an AV that had the REAR wheels out of alignment 3*...no fix...but they loosened the rearend and tightened it again and it seem to fix the left hand pulling. Seems like I may have gotten a piece of junk AV...I guess I should have learned after putting up with the Astro for 4 LONG years. How can a company that's been cars this long not have it figured out yet? This is why nearly 40% of all cars sold in the US are Japs. If this thing doesn't straighten out pretty quick it will be my last GM and I'll head to Toyota! I love this truck but I won't put up with a $30000 headache!
 
Question:

Did you take a long test drive prior to buying this specific AVY?

I am curious.
 
Nope...it was dealer traded out of Arkansas. I really had no choice imo because it was the truck I wanted... color and options. I had a line on an identical truck with a later build date at another dealer but they would not trade. According to the dealer (my brotherinlaw is the controller there) was told by GM the 2002 rebates were done on 2/28. I did test drive it and noticed the pull but felt assured it was easily fixed based on the posts I'd read. Didn't notice the vibration because I never went over 65 and didn't notice the noise until a few days later. So...I assumed that a brand new vehicle would be ready to drive. My mistake. I also had the rust but so did most of the ones on the lot so I figured...WTH...I'll make them fix it. You shouldn't have to test drive a NEW auto to see if it is healthy! Pick it up...drive it off...start making payments. That should be it. Don't get me wrong...like I said...I love this rig...but so far...not so good. Time will tell though...once this is over I may be off and running. I will start lemon law proceedings if they can't get it straight though. Something I don't want to do.
 
Cool.

I test drove several from several dealerships before I picked mine. I could tell a few things different about each like the pull and noises but not much more.

I ended up buying from the most reputable dealer. I noticed their inventory was larger and the ones I test drove seemed to be well better than the others I checked out.

I wonder if GM knows which are bad and sends them to the lower tier dealerships?
 
Surely if they can't figure out how to build them consistantly they wouldn't be able to deliver bad apples to selected dealers. I've noticed that dealers always seem to be clueless about common problems on the vehicles they sell. Nobody seems to know anything about the bullitens that GM sends out. My brotherinlaw has tipped me on a few models he said to stay away from. I think my AV will be fine but this is just a pain in the butt. I have a busy schedule and don't need to be running to the dealer on my day off. I hope this is the last trip...heck...I haven't even changed my oil and this my third trip in...its in overnight tonite. Enough griping...thanks for you interest.
 
:rolleyes:Had the same problem with my AV. At first my dealorship thought it was the tires. They were feathered.
Had all four replace under the bumper to bumper warranty. Still vibrated at 65mph to 75mph. After having an EVA (electronic vibration analyzer) done on the truck it was determine that the driveshaft was the problem.
The dealership dropped my driveshaft and rotated it 180 degrees. That sovled that problem! However I still have that low harmonic sound coming from the driver's front left at 30mph to 40mph. Let me know what you may find out about that.
 
The low hum turned out to be the ring and pinion gears in the rear end. They replaced them today but I haven't picked it up because they still haven't gotten the thing to drive straight down the road. They aligned it and it will still pull over the crown and off the road in 3-4 sec at hiway speeds. If the vibration is still there after they balance and rotate and get it aligned I may tell them about the drive shaft. I might just let them try to figure it out...give them 3-4 tries and make them buy the thing back. So far I'm out 5 days of 14 days ownership. I don't think they will get it straightened out tomorrow based on the fact that they already aligned it and it improved only slightly. The tech was shocked at the pull when we got on the hiway. One owner on Edmunds found out his REAR wheel was 3 degrees out of alignment for which there is no adjustment. They fixed it by loosening the rearend and retightening it. I'm not real confident in having to change out the rear gears, take the driveshaft out, align the rearend...on a NEW truck. Makes me wonder what's ahead. I tend to keep my stuff 100k or more. This one makes me nervous.
 
How did you make out with the vibration?
Did the dealer rotate your driveshaft?
How long did it take to change the ring & pinion gears?
Is it a major deal?
 
Well, things are much better. The ring and pinion gears must have taken 1/2 a day as they spent the rest of the day on the vibration and pulling. The noise is gone so that must have been it. I still think I have a vibration problem but now it seems to be a 65 mph. Feels like a bad tire to me and when they balanced the tires one had 6" of balance weights...I think that tire is bad or the wheel is bad. If I still sense the vibration next week I am going to have them check the drive shaft and then if that's ok then I am going to ask for a new tire or wheel. Otherwise I am enjoying the AV a great deal. Only problem is I miss my old truck...I haven't got the nerve to really use this one. Oh well.
 
A bad tire is a lot better than a bad differential. I'm glad you got it fixed. ;D
 
Well, the rear gears have been swapped out and the noise was gone about a week. Its back...not as loud but same noise at same speeds. Going back to the dealer tomorrow. If I hadn't already had this problem I would not have been listening for it and not noticed. I also am experiencing some vibration at 70mph but its subtle and doesn't seem consistant. I think its a bad wheel/tire or the drive shaft. This combined with my newly discovered midgate leak have me on the phone to GM customer service...we are talking about a assisted swap on a different AV. Not sure how far it will go but I don't think its reasonable to have a 3 week old truck in the shop 5 (6 next week for the leak) times. Hopefully they will consider my $70,000 worth of GM purchases over the last 7 years.
 
:rolleyes:There's a TSB bulletin on leaking. NHTSA#SB620829/Bulletin#010857001. The rear glass panel has a TSB NHTSA#SB627657/Bulletin# 010102. That also may contribute to your leaking problem. I hope the dealer fixed your vibration problem. I have not had the dealer check out the ring & pinion gears yet. I'm due for an oil change soon, I'll mention it then.
 
I took the Av in again today and fortunately the GM Rep was there and he looked at the service record and went for a ride. He agreed to dealer assist trade this for a new one. BTW...does anyone know exactly how that works. They said it would take a couple of weeks. I am glad I get a second chance. I am going to insist on a ordering one so that I know it will be a late production date. The rear gears are making noise again but they said they didn't want to repair it at this time. They just agreed to swap it out. Going to do the paper work tomorrow. Good luck on the noise.
 
Cool, let us know how it turns out. The dealer must know something since they are giving you a brand new one. ;D ;D
 
:eek: I have to add comment on this subject, My 2000 yukon had the whining noise in the transmission. at first they thought maybe alternator,,,,,,nottttttttt
but when i picked up av and was waiting it took a while walked around back kind of casually and they had it on the 4 wheel alignment machine. I asked manager about it and he said they put all new av's on allignment machine before delivery to double check. This one is supe quiet no noise like yukon and no pull or vibration. brought it in today for 3000 mile oil change and checked it before i left after sitting all night and it was maybe 1/16" low on the dip stick......cross my fingers..
zeeya
 
Not sure what the dealer may know but I will say that my brotherinlaw is the Controller and he is very well respected in the dealership. Plus, I have bought $75000 worth of GM from this place in the last 8 years. I told the GM guys that I had no confidence in this truck and this would be my last GM period, unless I had some type of assurance that GM would stand behind its customers. I told them I did not want an early production model (build date 8/1) because of all the info I had gathered on the internet but was 'forced' to take this one because they said the rebates ended 2/28. Now the rebates are still here and I could have ordered a new one by now and gotten exactly what I wanted. They were a little reluctant because they felt it didn't warrant a swap out but the dealership recommended it so I am pleased. Now I just have to do the paper work. I heard that there may be a 'mileage' charge for the 2000 miles on the truck but my brother said they would work it out.
 
My last vehicle was a 99 Silverado (Sticker price of 32,700 plus) I had all kinds of rattles and squeaks and wind noise because it was the first year for the new body style. Although I got everything fixed, I was glad to get rid of it and get my Avalanche. (Sticker price of 37,900 plus) Well, I have about $70,000 since 1999. I also had a new 97 Silverado (no problems) and my wife had a brand new 97 Cavalier Rs (no problems). I also brought my Mom in a week after I bought my AV. She bought a $30,000 Blazer. It's not the Trail Blazer, but it's a loaded LS with leather and a moon roof , etc. She's happy. Looking at this track record I've only had one bad lemon and it wasn't anything major. Just annoyances. I hope my AV doesn't have any problems, but if it does I hope it does it within the first three years.
 
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