2000 Gmc Denali on 2040-cars

Auto blog

2018 GMC Sierra 1500 Buying Guide | What you need to know about this pickup truck

The GMC Sierra is a work-capable truck that can be optioned like a luxury car. Variety and choice are the keywords for the Sierra, not to mention close rivals like the Ford F-150, Ram 1500, and Chevrolet's own Silverado 1500. A Sierra buyer has a seemingly infinite list of choices when it comes to specifying exactly what they need in their pickup. In terms of cab length alone, there are three choices – Regular, Double, and Crew – to go along with your pick of Short, Standard, or Long cargo bed. Engines range from a 4.3-liter V6, upward to a range-topping 6.2-liter V8 available in top trim levels like the SLT and Denali. The Sierra can be ordered with a choice of two- or four-wheel drive, and transmissions include both a 6- and 8-speed automatic, depending on your choice of powertrain and trim. Changes for the 2018 model year include the standard fitment of a rearview camera, along with a Tire Fill Alert system that lets the driver know when the correct pressure has been reached. A 7.0-inch touch-screen stereo system is also now standard equipment on base Sierras. Is the 2018 GMC Sierra Safe? The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration gives the 2018 GMC Sierra 1500 an overall crash-test rating of five stars. In front and side impact tests, the latest Sierra 1500 scored a five-star safety rating. A four-star rating was recorded in the Rollover resistance test – this rating applies to Sierra trucks fitted with either rear- or all-wheel drive. Because the Sierra is such a popular vehicle, it's worth noting that the NHTSA conducted crash tests on models fitted with both these drivetrains, and in two cab lengths. The Insurance Institute for Highway Safety, which provides ratings for new vehicles based on its own comprehensive crash tests, also tested two versions of the Sierra 1500. The extended cab model registered "good" ratings in all but one of the IIHS' crash tests. Driver side protection in the small overlap test was deemed "acceptable" – front passenger-side results were not rated. Headlight effectiveness was given an "acceptable" rating, dependent on trim level selected. Meanwhile, the ease of use of the Child Seat Anchors (LATCH) was deemed "acceptable" in the extended cab Sierra. Ratings dip slightly for the Sierra 1500 in standard cab format. Driver-side protection in the front small overlap test drops to "marginal," while the available LATCH system scored a "poor" for its ease of use.

GM recalls nearly 340,000 large SUVs to fix daytime running lights

General Motors has initiated a recall campaign for more than 338,000 of its large SUVs to address a potential defect in the onboard computer software that controls the daytime running lights. In some cases, the DRLs may remain on even when the headlights are enabled, which creates additional glare for oncoming drivers at night and fails to comply with federal regulations for headlight performance.  "GM determined that the body control module (BCM) software in these vehicles, under a combination of certain pre-conditions, may fail to deactivate the DRLs when the headlamps are on," GM's recall report said. "A regulatory assessment was conducted to evaluate whether the condition presented a potential noncompliance with the DRL activation requirements in S7.10.5, Table I-a. of FMVSS 108. On October 27, 2022, GM’s Safety Field Action Decision Authority (SFADA) decided to conduct a recall for potential noncompliance with this standard." GM says the recall covers the 2021 model year GMC Yukon and Yukon XL, 2021 Chevrolet Tahoe and Suburban, and 2021 Cadillac Escalade and Escalade ESV. The company says all models produced within that operating window include the improperly programmed body control module, meaning all vehicles within the recall population may exhibit the problem. The issue was discovered by a GM engineer during validation testing in August, prompting a deeper investigation and eventually leading to the recall itself.   The module's software can be updated by GM dealers, so it should be a quick fix for customers. Notifications will be mailed to owners in December.  Related video: Recalls Cadillac Chevrolet GMC Ownership Safety SUV Luxury

The UAW's 'record contract' hinges on pensions, battery plants

DETROIT - After nearly four weeks of disruptive strikes and hard bargaining, the United Auto Workers and the Detroit Three automakers have edged closer to a deal that could offer record-setting wage gains for nearly 150,000 U.S. workers. General Motors, Ford Motor and Chrysler parent Stellantis have all agreed to raise base wages by between 20% and 23% over a four-year deal, according to union and company statements. Ford and Stellantis have agreed to reinstate cost-of-living adjustments, or COLA. The companies have offered to boost pay for temporary workers and give them a faster path to full-time, full-wage status. All three have proposed slashing the time it takes a new hire to get to the top UAW pay rate. The progress in contract talks follows the first-ever simultaneous strike by the UAW against Detroit's Big Three automakers. The union began the strike on Sept. 15 in hopes of forcing a better deal from each major automaker. But coming close to a deal is not the same thing as reaching a deal. Big obstacles remain on at least two major UAW demands: restoring the retirement security provided by pre-2007 defined benefit pension plans, and covering present and future joint- venture electric vehicle battery plants under the union's master contracts with the automakers. On retirement, none of the automakers has agreed to restore pre-2007 defined-benefit pension plans for workers hired after 2007. Doing so could force the automakers to again burden their balance sheets with multibillion-dollar liabilities. GM and the former Chrysler unloaded most of those liabilities in their 2009 bankruptcies. The union and automakers have explored an approach to providing more income security by offering annuities as an investment option in their company-sponsored 401(k) savings plans, people familiar with the discussions said. Stellantis referred to an annuity option as part of a more generous 401(k) proposal on Sept. 22. Annuities or similar instruments could give UAW retirees assurance of fixed, predictable payouts less dependent on stock market ups and downs, experts said. Recent changes in federal law have removed obstacles to including annuities as a feature of corporate 401(k) plans, said Olivia Mitchell, a professor at the University of Pennsylvania Wharton School and an expert on pensions and retirement. "Retirees want a way to be assured they won't run out of money," Mitchell said.