I have a 04 LB7 CC LT that I bought new. First 10K miles were fine, then nothing but problems. You name it, it's probably happened to this truck.....some even twice....injectors (2x's), egr (2x's), vacuum pump, glow plugs (3X's), transmission (at 37k miles !!!), waterpump, tensioners, and the list goes on.....not to mention interior and other issues.... every 2-3 mos, it was in the dealership for atleast an overnight...if not longer...:mad:

Now, at 103K miles, I have just finished fighting my way into a new GM target motor after 3 mos of horrible smoking and oil/antifreeze loss. Just as I thought the troubles were over, with just 1815 miles on the new motor, I'm throwing the P040 code AGAIN and a P0238 code that the dealer keeps saying is nothing... but has been intermittenly coming on for about 15 mos.....
to make this worse, I just had the EGR and vac pump replaced last Aug at 89,xxx miles.....
....soooooooo the dealership is saying that:
1) I am out of the OEM warranty being over 100k
2) GM PP extended warranty doesn't cover the EGR
3) I'm over the 12mos/12K miles replacement warranty from the repair last August
AND
4) the new warranty on the new motor (3yr, 50K miles) doesn't cover it either.....

AND ...too kick me in the balls while I'm down.....at roughly 2500 miles on the new motor, I just notice what appears to be an oil leak from the rear main seal....

Chevrolet/ GMc has always been my truck of choice (and cars too), but after all the problems I've had with this (my first) diesel, I'm really looking seriously elsewhere...... Christ, my wife's 2000 Accord had something like 118,000 on it, with no extended warranty or anything, when the driver's door latch mechanism broke. Honda covered it FULLY..... WITHOUT US HAVING TO ASK......that's why we just bought a new Acura instead of the Caddy CTS we were thinking about....and kept the accord for a winter car.

Anyway, to get back on topic, I'd love to hear any advise/ suggestions anyone has on how to haddle this....

If I have to drop one more cent into this truck, it will be the end of my relationship wiith GM for quite awhile.........

All I can say is I know your frustrations and feelings right now, been there.

Have you talked to the dealer about repairs? Have you talked to GM about what they are willing to do? Might want to start there and then see what happens.

Geez, I feel bad for you man, I think you got a lemon. My 04 LB7 has been flawless other than the steering clunk issue which I've just accepted. That happened to me once with an 87 Ranger 4WD EC loaded out and after 12 months when it went out of warranty I sold it and swore I'd never buy another Ferd. Why didn't you try to lemon law it?

trade it in

Wow, As a gm tech i rarely see a list like that on these trucks!, sorry to hear about all you problems, all i can say try to call gm, explain that you bought this truck new and give them the list and see what they say, hopefully they will help you out.....

To try to mass-answer....

Dealership is going to repair the oil leak..which means pulling the motor, and more time without my truck.....BTW..I DID NOT get a loaner while they took 11 weeks last time to replace the motor..... I was told by GM that I'd have to pay for a rental myslef UNTIL a warrantiable (sp??) diagnosis was found....

I tried to lemon-law it, but couldn't because it isn't registered as person use vehicle ( I am self-employed and it's registered under my DBA name) and you can't use lemon-law for business vehicles (why, I don't know)

I have called GM "Customer Service" (yeah...right....) and Corperate office just like I have everytime I've had a problem with this truck. They can, and do, look at my history every time, and each new advisor says the same thing....Wow, you have quite a file history. I'm sorry to see you've had so many problems......blah blah blah.....but seeing as you now have "enjoyed" your vehicle for xyz miles, we can only do this (which is never much of anything). The latest "offer" to help is to have the dealership do the EGR repairs, pay for them myself and then submit the invoice along with this and that document, my left testicle, right thumb, etc...and they will "review" my file and see if I am "eligible" for any reimbersement......I have traveled down that path before and gotten shafted by GM on another repair on this truck that I paid up-front for (a steering shaft replacement per a GM tech support bulletin when the real cause of my front end clunk was the torsion bar mounts...I paid for both of these repairs out of pocket)....Sorry, not again...

AND...I would love to trade it in.....or sell it out-right even....but with the SES light on AND the oil leak, red flags go flying and would lower the value I could get because of the "unknown" repairs that could be needed....

Also, I'm not the type to pass my problems on to someone else, otherwise I would have traded it in when the smoking started instead of pushing to have it repaired.......maybe I shouldn't have......

Any suggestions on how to get the SES to stop coming on ? Anything the dealership might have damaged when installing the new engine...or that might have come unplugged ?? I've spent most of my life working on gas engines, but don't have much time on any diesels at all...

To try to mass-answer....


Also, I'm not the type to pass my problems on to someone else, otherwise I would have traded it in when the smoking started instead of pushing to have it repaired.......maybe I shouldn't have......
...

I was hoping you'd say that...So good on ya :bow: :thumb:

I really hope GM steps up and helps you out with these problems.

I have an 03 LB7 POS too. not quite the experience you have had, but I wish you well in your endevor with yours... I'm still fighting mine.

Sorry to hear about all your problems I can understand your frustration.

I have 97k miles on my '03 without major issues. I don't want to buy a new truck because of horror stories like yours. I know this one is solid so might as well keep it.

Good luck.

And today, GM says the profits are back over last year at this time!

Im in your boat. I bought my truck myself for my 20th bday. since then ive had nothing but problems and no answers. Im just driving like it is not making any power and surging all the time. I am extremly frustrated with my purchase. Raised GM I hate to say it but I probably shouldve gotten a old 12 valve cummins truck, cheaper and more reliable cant go wrong there.

Geez, I feel bad for you man, I think you got a lemon. My 04 LB7 has been flawless other than the steering clunk issue which I've just accepted. That happened to me once with an 87 Ranger 4WD EC loaded out and after 12 months when it went out of warranty I sold it and swore I'd never buy another Ferd. Why didn't you try to lemon law it?

Steering clunk is probably your steering shaft. Had same thing on 04 Chevy crew cab. replaced shaft and haven't had a problem since.

This is rediculous,GM should back their products better than they do.
Hope you guys find an answer soon. I had an atv like this once :mad: .

update....truck back at the dealership since Monday for the oil leak and CES light.....
I still have no answers on the oil leak. However, I erased the P0404 code three times and since the third time, it still hasn't come back on....so we'll see what's going on with that.......still no reassurance from GM or anything enticing to get me to take the chance on a new one......

UPdate on my p0404, New vacuum pump should be here on Saturday, and that should eliminate my Knocking and other racket coming from the old pump that no longer draws any vacuum. Oh well, affter 178,000+ miles, I guess I have to do something other than change the ouil in this truck.............

To try to mass-answer....

Dealership is going to repair the oil leak..which means pulling the motor, and more time without my truck.....BTW..I DID NOT get a loaner while they took 11 weeks last time to replace the motor..... I was told by GM that I'd have to pay for a rental myslef UNTIL a warrantiable (sp??) diagnosis was found....

....

Any suggestions on how to get the SES to stop coming on ? Anything the dealership might have damaged when installing the new engine...or that might have come unplugged ?? I've spent most of my life working on gas engines, but don't have much time on any diesels at all...

So, are they warranteeing the leak at the rear main, or not? It can't be anything but an installation problem.

Just like modern gassers, the duramax has every manner of electrical sensor connection that can be installed improperly or forgotten entirely. There are a couple threads going on the 0404 code that you should read if you haven't already. If the problem persists after they get the motor back in you might just double-check all the sensor connections, clean them with some QD electrical spray.

The P0238, as you probably know, is high voltage on the boost sensor circuit. You didn't say whether you were running any performance tuning, but this can sometimes be a problem. More likely the sensor needs to be replaced. I don't actually know whether this refers to the MAP sensor or the barometric pressure sensor.

Also, from an earlier post, I can't understand why they wouldn't do anything about the EGR. It's an emissions issue and should be covered under the extended warrantee.

Got truck back today.....they "raised to motor" and unbolted the pan to do the repair.....saying it was just the oil pan leaking from around the rear of the block........let's see how long this lasts.........

I took the connectors apart for the erg and sprayed them out and re-connected them....so far no code/ SES light BUT it's only been about 100 miles since getting truck back and cleaning the connectors.

Supposed to call GM Customer Service when I get the truck back ,but I'm going to wait a couple days to make sure nothing returns or new comes up.

You didn't say whether you were running any performance tuning, but this can sometimes be a problem.



I do have a juice w/attitude (and a hyper tech that I use to recalibrate for larger tires), but since the new motor was installed, I have not used either ...so right now it's all stock....

Sorry to hear the probs that yas are havin there.gets costly out of pocket for sure.(as i knock on wood) i am fotuneate enough to have an 01 no mods or programmer and other than a boost sensor once and replaced 1 front hub due to ABS i have done no other repairs to the truck since new.I bought it used in 03.it now has 266,000 KM on it and still running strong. Doesn`t burn any oil never had injectors done just regular maintenance which i keep up on and sometime a lil too soon but better to be early than late right?Once again sorry to hear the issues ya have had witht he truck and GM.

You say you disconnected the plugs to the EGR, which ones?
The little vacuum solinoids on the filter housing?

I changed my pump today, and I am getting 30" vacuum at idle instantly when the truck is started, so I have that part fixed, but I still get the P0404 light when the engine is at operating temp, and I let it idle for more than 20 seconds. I am just tryuing to get the light to go away, and am now looking at the solinoids.