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GM opens official investigation into C8 Corvette transmission leaks

In March 2020, a month after Chevrolet began customer deliveries of the 2020 C8 Corvette, a GM dealer technician created a Reddit thread about a leaking gearbox in a Corvette with 32 miles. That car hadn't even been sold yet. Since then, as a search of "C8 Corvette transmission leak" shows, it's been tales of woe for some owners. Something in the Tremec TR-9080 transaxle in the back of the mid-engined Corvette doesn't work as it should, the fault able to cause codes that the transmission needs service, or that the driver needs to shift to park. In some cases, the battery would die because of follow-on issues after the initial transmission code, that code preventing the car from powering down. As Autoevolution reports, GM filed paperwork with the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration in August to look into what's going on. Between forum threads and GM's investigation document, there are several issues mentioned. The most common appears to be the dual-clutch transmission leaking fluid due to gasket failures like the one suffered by one owner at 858 miles, and another for an owner currently enduring a second leaking transmission. The Midengined Corvette Forum reported that Chevy engineers redesigned the TR-9080 pan, fitting Corvettes with the new unit at some point in the 2021 model year. The original pan was stamped steel unit affixed to the engine with two studs and 13 bolts, plus "reinforcement plates." The updated pan is said to be a cast aluminum unit affixed with two studs and 17 bolts, omits the reinforcement plates, and gets a new machined new groove around its edge to seat the gasket seal. The GM paperwork now at the NHTSA mentions a P1789 code, and says one reason for it could be "debris on the park position sensor magnet causing an incorrect position reading to the TCM." This might be caused by another issue mentioned in forums, which is clogged transmission filters. GM gives instructions for returning transmission filters to the company, and a poster on one forum said the Corvette tech at the dealer where he bought his Corvette told him the automaker "requires every used transmission filter to be returned to GM."  Whatever's going on, the problems haven't stopped, and they go beyond the P1789 code. Over the weekend, a 2022 Corvette owner posted on Corvette Forums that he got a check engine light on his car after just 850 miles.

Spy photos suggest more rugged GMC Sierra HD AT4X is on the way

Ford has the Super Duty Tremor. Ram has the Power Wagon. GM doesn't yet have a really serious heavy duty pickup off-roader, but these spy shots suggest that may be changing. They show a GMC Sierra HD with plenty of height, chunky tires and a prominent skid plate. We suspect it may be an AT4X trim, to slot above the somewhat trail-oriented AT4 already on sale. Despite the heavy camouflage on each end, we can see right away that this GMC has a new front bumper that's turned up at each end, likely to leave some space for getting tires up to obstacles. There doesn't appear to be the air dam that shows up on all other Sierra HD models, either. Under the front end is a very prominent skid plate. Other interesting aspects include the tires. They appear to be the same model of Goodyear Wranglers used on the Chevy Silverado 1500 ZR2, and not the ones currently in use on the Sierra HD AT4. Also, this extra rugged Sierra features a huge exhaust tip, which seems to confirm the Duramax turbodiesel V8 will be available, probably as an option over the gas V8. This is noteworthy since the Ram Power Wagon is only available with a gas engine. Of course the Ford Super Duty Tremor is available with both gas and diesel engines. The regular Sierra 1500 AT4X was only just revealed last October for the 2022 model year. So we would expect that this heavy duty version would make an appearance for either the 2023 or 2024 model year of the model. It could accompany a light refresh of the truck, again similar to the lighter duty model. We expect it will also feature some additional suspension and drivetrain upgrades to help it compete with the Ford and Ram off-roaders. Related video: This content is hosted by a third party. To view it, please update your privacy preferences. Manage Settings.

Next-gen Chevy Silverado and GMC Sierra may use carbon fiber

It's been generally accepted that the next generation of full-size GM trucks will use some sort of strong, lightweight material for the beds while retaining steel for the cab. While aluminum seems like the most obvious choice, according to Automotive News, the Chevy Silverado and GMC Sierra will incorporate both aluminum and carbon fiber in their beds. The publication cites sources from within GM, though it seems the introduction of this comparatively exotic material mix is still a few years off. While carbon fiber is both stronger and lighter than steel and aluminum, it takes significantly more time and money to produce, essentially relegating the material to small-volume cars. The main benefit for trucks is the resulting reduction in weight to improve fuel economy without sacrificing the tough, rugged capabilities truck buyers expect. The Ford F-150 made the switch to aluminum for the 2015 model year and it's proved highly successful. It seemed like it was only a matter of time before the competition followed suit. Automotive News says that the next-gen trucks will launch with aluminum beds and that it will take a couple of years before we'll see any carbon fiber incorporated into the design. Even then, only look for the composite material on higher-trim models, with a trickle down to lower-spec trucks possible further in the future. In 2011, GM announced it was working with Japan-based Teijin Limited on a carbon fiber reinforced thermoplastic. There's a good chance that material's introduction will be on trucks. Related Video: News Source: Automotive News Plants/Manufacturing Rumormill Chevrolet GM GMC Truck