2011 Gmc Sierra Denali Crew Awd Htd Leather 20's 33k Mi Texas Direct Auto on 2040-cars

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GM warning 800,000 owners that their cars may need oil changes more frequently than they say

The days of changing your engine oil every 3,000 miles are long gone thanks to most cars having automatic oil monitoring systems, but about 800,000 General Motors vehicles apparently have incorrect monitoring software that is leading to premature engine component wear. According to Autoweek, certain 2010-2012 Buick LaCrosse, Regal, Chevrolet Equinox and GMC Terrain models equipped with 2.4-liter four-cylinder engines could be going too long in between oil changes resulting in a higher-than-normal number of warranty claims for the engine's balance chain. The balance chain links the balance shaft to the crankshaft, and a worn one can produce higher noise levels.
As a fix, GM dealers will be reprogramming the software for the monitors in an effort to reduce the interval between oil changes, which varies based on driving habits and conditions. Through February 2015, the software update will be done at no cost to vehicle owners, but since this is not a recall, after that point, it will be up to the discretion of dealers as to whether or not they will charge for the service. What isn't immediately clear is whether GM plans on giving assistance to out-of-warranty customers who are experiencing engine issues from the worn chain.

GM planning to put its fullsize pickups on a big diet, too

General Motors is just coming off a complete redesign of the Chevrolet Silverado and GMC Sierra for 2014, but in the US fullsize truck market, there is no rest for the weary. According to Reuters, plans are already unfurling for both trucks to drop pounds from their curb weight over the next few years, but this will unlikely be able to keep pace with the 700-pound diet targeted for the next-generation Ford F-150, a truck expected to debut late next year.
The biggest weight reduction for these trucks might not be available until the next full redesign, which will likely happen around 2019, but the article says that smaller updates could shave pounds in the meantime. Two examples given include an "aluminum-intensive" version of the Silverado that could shed 250 pounds and debut around the same time as the lighter-weight, aluminum-bodied 2015 Ford, and there is also talk of reducing weight for driveline components such as axles and driveshafts. These changes are all part of an attempt to meet strict new fuel economy standards coming in 2017, targets which will get even tougher in 2025.

Torque time | 2017 GMC Sierra HD First Drive

It's not the truck that counts, it's how you use it. It's the heavy stuff you fit in its bed or the extremely heavy stuff that gets hooked up to the tow hitch. The ATV, the Jet Skis, the trailer with more square footage than a Greenwich Village apartment. Perhaps you need to get Seabiscuit or, uh, Mr. Ed to wherever they need to gallop next. In our case, there's a pair of very serious-looking snowmobiles perched atop the bed of a GMC Sierra. They spread out as wide as the extended tow mirrors, and their back halves are dangling precariously beyond the truck. Sterling Archer would be giddy; I'm a little nervous. But only because canyon roads and wide vehicles with a high center of gravity go together like peas and custard. The added weight is no sweat at all. That's because this is the 2017 GMC Sierra HD Denali, a truck with the sort of enhanced power, torque, suspension, and stopping capability expected of a heavy-duty pickup. And for this year, the power and torque get a serious bump courtesy of a new 6.6-liter Duramax turbodiesel engine reengineered from almost the ground up with 90 percent new parts. It's quieter and more efficient and it emits less, while most importantly producing 445 horsepower and 910 pound-feet of torque. That's up from 397 and 765, respectively. Chevy fans will note that the same engine is also available in the updated 2017 Silverado HD. Now, for those keeping score at home, that horsepower is best-in-class but the torque number still falls short of the new Ford Super Duty and its Power Stroke diesel V8's 925 lb-ft. Aw shucks. For the record, GM's engineers didn't seem too concerned that they weren't able to eke out an extra 16 torques just to say they're No. 1. "We wanted to first meet emissions and then deliver the maximum horsepower and torque we could, and deliver it over the widest usability range possible," said chief engineer Eric Stanczak. And let's be honest here, 910 pound-feet is herculean, and once again, a jump of 145 lb-ft. Or one Subaru Impreza's worth. Or 110 more than the best Ram can do on a 2500, and its Cummins turbodiesel's 800 pound-feet was eye-popping not too long ago. (The Ram 3500 maxes out at 900 lb-ft with the right transmission.) Ah, but here's the rub. That Cummins-equipped Ram 2500 can still tow more weight according to SAE-compliant measurements – 17,510 pounds for a Ram crew cab with a short bed versus 13,000 in the similar Sierra 2500. The Ford F-250 can manage 15,000.