2001 Gmc Sonoma Sl Standard Cab Pickup 2-door 4.3l, Runs Good, A Bit Rusty, Depe on 2040-cars

Auto blog

UAW rejects GM contract proposal but makes a counter offer

The United Auto Workers union said a new comprehensive offer made by General Motors Co late Monday to end a two-week-old strike was not acceptable and said it had made a new counterproposal. UAW vice president Terry Dittes said in a letter to members "there are many important issues that remain unresolved." The union is awaiting GM's next proposal. He said GM's offer came up short on many issues.  Dittes said GM made a "comprehensive proposal" at 9:40 p.m. Monday. "This proposal that the company provided to us on day 15 of the strike did not satisfy your contract demands or needs. There were many areas that came up short like health care, wages, temporary employees, skilled trades and job security to name a few." Dittes is the union's vice president for GM relations and the UAW's lead negotiator in these contract talks. "We have responded today with a counterproposal and are awaiting GM's next proposal to the union," he wrote. "Regardless of what is publicized in print or social media, etc., there are still many important issues that remain unresolved." The strike, in its third week, has cost GM more than $1 billion, according to J.P. Morgan analyst Ryan Brickman. He said the cost per day in potential profit is $82 million. However, another analysis, by East Lansing-based consultant Anderson Economic Group, put the losses at $25 million a day. And the effects of the strike are expanding. GM said Tuesday the strike has created a parts shortage that forced the automaker to halt production at its pickup and transmission plants in Silao, Mexico, temporarily laying off 6,000 workers. Silao is where GM builds its highly profitable four-door crew cab Chevy Silverado and GMC Sierra pickups. The strike has also forced GM to idle some Canadian workers, and many suppliers have been forced to halt operations. About 48,000 UAW members went on strike on Sept. 16 seeking higher pay, greater job security, a bigger share of the leading U.S. automaker’s profit and protection of their healthcare. 

GM recalls 3.8 million vehicles in North America due to braking issue

WASHINGTON — General Motors Co said Wednesday it was recalling 3.46 million U.S. pickup trucks and SUVs to address a vacuum pump issue that could make braking more difficult and that has been linked to 113 accidents and 13 injuries. The recall covers 2014-2018 model year vehicles, including some Cadillac Escalade, Chevrolet Silverado, Chevrolet Tahoe, GMC Sierra, Chevrolet Suburban and GMC Yukon vehicles. In late June, GM recalled 310,000 vehicles in Canada for the same issue. GM did not immediately explain why the Canadian recall occurred more than two months before it called back the vehicles in the United States. The recall was triggered because the amount of vacuum created by the vacuum pump may decrease over time, GM told the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) in documents posted on Wednesday. The NHTSA opened a preliminary investigation into the issue last November, and said it had reports of nine related crashes and two injuries. It provided GM in July with additional field reports that prompted the automaker to open an investigation. GM said it could affect braking in "rare circumstances." The NHTSA said in a statement the "vehicles may experience brake boost failure, which would require increased brake pedal effort, leading to a hard brake pedal feel, and potentially increased stopping distance." GM said dealers will reprogram the electronic brake control module to improve how the system utilizes the hydraulic brake boost assist function when vacuum assist is depleted. GM said the vacuum assist pump, which is lubricated with engine oil that flows into the pump through a filter screen, can in some cases lose effectiveness over time, as debris such as oil sludge can accumulate on the filter screen. GM told NHTSA that prior model years used a different brake assist system design, and vehicles manufactured after 2018 were not equipped with the affected pump design. Separately, GM said on Wednesday it is recalling 270,000 additional U.S. vehicles in three smaller recalls, including 177,000 2018 Chevrolet Malibu cars with 1.5L turbo engines because an error in the engine control module software may result in the fuel injectors being disabled.

Redesigned 2021 GMC Yukon gets a diesel, AT4 model, Denali-exclusive interior

GMC's most robust family hauler is getting a complete redesign for the 2021 model year, including a new, off-road centric AT4 model, an upscale interior exclusive to its luxurious Denali model, an available air suspension, and, last but not least, a diesel engine.  With Americans obsessing over trucks, it's no surprise that GMC is going hard with its AT4s-for-everybody strategy; the Yukon is no exception. This will be the first model year for the new trim on GMC's largest SUV. This off-road model gets all the goodies you'll need to veer off the beaten path with confidence, including an extra 2.0 inches of ground clearance with the adaptive suspension option (more below), a two-speed transfer case, standard Goodyear all-terrain tires, an off-road mode for GMC's "Traction Select" drive mode system, hill descent control, and some extra underbody skid plates. Since GMC is a premium brand, even the AT4 gets some luxury appointments, such as a heated steering wheel, heated and ventilated front seats, and heated outboard second-row seats. The interior is also adorned in black leather with tan accents and "AT4" embroidery in the seat backs.  Speaking of premium, GMC will introduce an air-ride adaptive suspension with an off-road ground clearance mode as a late-availability option for several Yukon models, and this feature will be included on the Denali trim.  The Yukon and Yukon XL are GMC's variants of Chevrolet's full-sized SUVs, the Tahoe and Suburban. Their fundamental body-on-frame architecture is also shared with GM's half-ton pickup trucks, and thanks to that common engineering, they can also share powertrains. That's normally just a trivial side note when it comes to a new GM SUV announcement, but this time around, it's a bit more meaningful thanks to the introduction of a new light-duty, inline-six diesel in GM's truck lineup last year.  Yep, that means that for 2021, like the Tahoe and Suburban, the Yukon is getting a diesel option. The 3.0-liter Duramax makes the same 277 horsepower and 460 pound-feet of torque as it does in GM's trucks.  GMC's standard engine is still the 5.3-liter V8 that makes 355 hp and 383 lb-ft of torque. The 6.2-liter V8 is also an option like before, producing 420 hp and 460 lb-ft of torque. All engines come with a 10-speed automatic and a choice of rear- and four-wheel drive.