1974 Chevrolet Cheyenne/super C10 on 2040-cars

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GM recalls 638,000 U.S. SUVs, trucks for unintended braking

WASHINGTON — General Motors is recalling 638,000 U.S. sport utility vehicles and pickup trucks because a wheel-speed sensor could fail and cause unintended braking, it said Thursday. The recall covers 2015-2020 Chevrolet Suburban, Tahoe, and Yukon and 2014-2018 Chevrolet Silverado 1500 and GMC Sierra 1500 vehicles equipped with a 5.3-liter engine, a 3.08-ratio rear axle and four-wheel drive. The sensor failure could result in unintended activation of the driveline protection system, and cause unintended braking of the wheel on the opposite side of the failed sensor. That could cause the vehicle to pull to one side unexpectedly, increasing the risk of a crash, the Detroit automaker said. GM said it was not aware of any crashes relating to the issue but found 150 field claims alleging the condition caused unintended braking or lateral vehicle motion. A GM dealer in May submitted a warranty report relating to the issue in a 2018 GMC Yukon, and two days later, a GM brand quality manager submitted the report to GMÂ’s Speak Up For Safety program that tracks potential safety issues, which prompted a GM investigation and testing. Recalls Chevrolet GM GMC Truck SUV

2021 Chevy Silverado, GMC Sierra fuel economy to go down due to global chip shortage

Production of the 2021 Chevy Silverado and 2021 GMC Sierra is continuing, but the global semiconductor chip shortage is resulting in a mid-year change. Or rather, an omission.  Basically, the availability of cylinder deactivation for the 5.3-liter V8 will be significantly reduced, resulting in a reduction of 1 mpg combined for affected models. This applies whether that engine has the six- or eight-speed automatic, as well as to both the regular Active Fuel Management and the more advanced Dynamic Fuel Management cylinder deactivation systems. DFM does remain with the pairing of 5.3-liter V8 and 10-speed automatic that comes standard on the LT Trail Boss and High Country. "Due to the micro controller shortage, the components that control AFM/DFM in the engine control module (ECM) have been removed," GM spokesperson Michelle Malcho told Autoblog. She also indicated that the engines will still have the AFM/DFM hardware in place, but that GM will not allow activation of the systems in the future with an ECM change.  Malcho also confirmed to Autoblog that the Silverado and Sierra's other engines will continue to have AFM and DFM, including the 2.7-liter turbo inline-four, 4.3-liter V6 and 6.2-liter V8. In an earlier statement to Reuters, she declined to say the volume of vehicles affected. "By taking this measure, we are better able to meet the strong customer and dealer demand for our full-size trucks as the industry continues to rebound and strengthen," Malcho wrote Reuters in an email. The change runs through the 2021 model year, she said. Malcho told Reuters it would not have a major impact on the Detroit automaker's U.S. corporate average fuel economy (CAFE) numbers. "We routinely monitor our fleet for compliance in the U.S. and Canada, and we balance our portfolio in a way that enables us to manage unforeseeable circumstances like this without compromising our overall (greenhouse gas) and fuel economy compliance," she said. GM's fleetwide fuel economy in the 2018 model year was 22.5 miles per gallon and was projected to rise to 22.8 mpg for 2019, according to a report by the Environmental Protection Agency. To meet federal CAFE requirements, automakers like GM often use credits from either earlier years where they faced less stringent rules and performed better than the requirements or buy credits from other automakers. GM said last month the chip shortage could shave up to $2 billion from this year's earnings.

2016 Technology of the Year Finalist: 2016 Chevy Volt

The 2016 Chevy Volt is in all ways an improvement over the Volts that came before. It's got a new powertrain, a new look, and new (and better) fuel economy figures. What's not to like? For the second generation, GM used the last few years of automotive battery improvements and customer data to deliver a car that took what people liked about the first Volt and offered up more of that. This means a longer all-electric range (from 38 miles to 53) and better gas-burning fuel economy (37 miles per gallon up to 42 mpg – oh, and you're not required to use premium any more, either). All of this for less money than the outgoing 2015 Volts. Chevy's new plug-in hybrid will start at $33,995, which is not only lower than the 2015's MSRP of $34,170 but it's also just a few hundred dollars higher than the average new car price in the US. In other words, the new Volt (and many other plug-in vehicles) is not out of the price range for most car shoppers. The interior has been updated as well, losing some of the oh-so-futuristic touch-sensitive center stack in favor of more realistic tactile buttons. This along makes the new Volt better than the first generation, but when it's wrapped up in the new exterior design, it just feels more appropriate for a car that's not trying to be from the future. Instead, the new 2016 Chevy Volt wants to be the best plug-in car for right now.