Very Low Mileage! Just Serviced!new Tires!professional Package!4x4!no Reserve!03 on 2040-cars

Auto blog

GM tells NHTSA pickup truck electronic glitch is 'inconsequential'

General Motors has been enduring some serious problems with recalls recently, and it is hoping to avoid launching another major safety campaign. 200,921 2014 Chevrolet Silverado and GMC Sierra pickups are under the microscope due to a rare problem with their instruments, an issue GM calls calls "inconsequential to motor vehicle safety." The Detroit-based automaker believes that the glitch is so minor that it has filed a petition with the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration asking the government safety watchdog for permission to pass on recalling the vehicles.
The fault at issue can occasionally cause the instrument cluster to reset when drivers use the steering wheel controls to browse songs from an external media device connected to the truck's USB ports. If a song's title information exceeds 2,000 bytes, according to The Detroit News, then the instrument panel can reset, which in turn causes the gauges, shift position indicator and cruise control telltale to turn off briefly. When rebooting, other instrument panel lights may briefly illuminate without their functions actually being activated. GM claims that if this does happen, the instrument display lights go out for about 1.5 seconds and the bulb check lasts a further five seconds. However, this snafu has no actual affect on the truck's operation. The glitch is present in trucks built between January 29, 2013, and October 28, 2013.

GM earnings rise 1% as buyers pay more for popular pickups

DETROIT — General Motors said Thursday that higher prices for popular pickup trucks and SUVs helped overcome slowing global sales and profit rose by 1% in the second quarter. The Detroit automaker said it made $2.42 billion, or $1.66 per share, from April through June. Adjusting for restructuring costs, GM made $1.64 per share, blowing by analyst estimates of $1.44. Quarterly revenue fell 2% to $36.06 billion, but still beat estimates. Analysts polled by FactSet expected $35.97 billion. Global sales fell 6% to 1.94 million vehicles led by declines in North America and Asia Pacific, Middle East and Africa. The company says sales in China were weak, and it expects that to continue through the year. In the United States, customers paid an average of $41,461 for a GM vehicle during the quarter, an increase of 2.2%, as buyers went for loaded-out pickups and SUVs, according to the Edmunds.com auto pricing site. The U.S. is GM's most profitable market. Chief Financial Officer Dhivya Suryadevara said she expects the strong pricing to continue, especially as GM rolls out a diesel pickup and new heavy-duty trucks in the second half of the year. "We think the fundamentals do remain strong, especially in the truck market," she said, adding that strength in the overall economy and aging trucks now on the road should help keep the trend going. Light trucks accounted for 83.1% of GM's sales in the quarter, and pickup truck sales rose 8.5% as GM transitioned to new models of the Chevrolet Silverado and GMC Sierra, according to Edmunds, which provides content to The Associated Press. As usual, GM made most of its money in North America, reporting $3 billion in pretax earnings. International operations including China broke even, while the company spent $300 million on its GM Cruise automated vehicle unit. Its financial arm made $500 million in pretax income. Suryadevara said GM saw $700 million in savings during the quarter from restructuring actions announced late last year that included cutting about 8,000 white-collar workers through layoffs, buyouts and early retirements. The company also announced plans to close five North American factories, shedding another 6,000 jobs. About 3,000 factory workers in the U.S. whose jobs were eliminated at four plants will be placed at other factories, but they could have to relocate. GM expects the restructuring to generate $2 billion to $2.5 billion in annual cost savings by the end of this year.

2018 GMC Sierra Denali 1500 Drivers' Notes | Chrome cowboy

No matter how much automakers want to charge for trucks, it seems there will be a market. Ford, Ram and GM all have trucks that can push well over $60,000, something that would sound unbelievable even 10 years ago. That brings us to the 2018 GMC Sierra Denali, GM's top dog in the pseudo-lux truck segment. It's packed with tons of goodies and features, but it's starting to feel a little long in the tooth. Still, GM trucks are some of the best selling vehicles in America, so it seems customers don't mind the age. Associate Editor Reese Counts: I've said it before, but I'm not a big truck guy. Give me a Colorado or Tacoma over any of the full-sized behemoths rolling off assembly lines today. Still, I do enjoy taking one home on occasion, especially one as comfortable and well appointed as this Sierra Denali. There's leather and wood and contrasted stitching throughout. The problem is that it's all a veneer over what's becoming an extremely dated truck, though a new one is on the horizon. There's one big thing that truly bothers me about this truck: no keyless entry or ignition. Don't get me wrong, I have no problem doing things the old-fashioned way, but when literally every other competitor at this price has keyless as standard equipment, the fact that GMC (and Chevy for that matter) still require you to pull out a fob and stick a key into an ignition is really glaring. It has to have something to do with the platform, as GM makes plenty of vehicles that don't require a key. One thing that doesn't feel dated is the ride and performance. This truck is equipped with GM's Magnetic Ride Control, and it works wonders for the Sierra's comfort. It would be even better if it wasn't wearing some gaudy 22-inch wheels, but it's still better than a lot of trucks out there. The powertrain, too, is a nice bright spot. The eight-speed automatic is smooth and never feels lost in the hunt for better fuel economy. The 6.2-liter V8 feels strong, and power comes on smooth and easy. Ford's EcoBoosts may win on fuel economy, but there's nothing like a big, burly V8. Senior Editor, Green, John Beltz Snyder: Despite the massive amounts of guilt I feel every time I put my foot to the accelerator, big trucks — something of which I used to steer well clear — are beginning to warm up on me. That being said, others have made more of an impression on me than this Sierra.