Chevy is one of the cars on the market today. But, some consumers are reluctant to buy a used one, since some model years are plagued with some maintenance issues. Which models are the worst when it comes to reliability? Let’s take a look at the 2004, 2007, and 2009 versions and see what each of them struggled with.
2004 Chevy Silverado
Accordingly, this model year had the most problems of all, but a significant portion of the complaints against it had to do with the car’s electronics. One of the most common problems reported was with the speedometer. The owners were unhappy that the speedometer could give an inaccurate reading.
Affects 5.3-liter V8 engines. In total, about 78 complaints were posted to the site with an average mileage of 66,000. Owners report that they’ve started noticing that the truck will eat about a quart of oil every 2,000 miles. Some said it was a quart every 500-1000 miles.
Some of these people were told it was normal for several miles (100,000 miles or less), while some were told they needed a new engine. It cost one driver $4,500 to replace it, but another owner mentioned he only paid $200 for a new valve cover. In one case, a driver declared that he had suffered further damage due to an oil consumption problem.
Another common issue reported with this general mod is that the speakers are not working. The problem will occur randomly and affect any of the speakers at any time. The average mileage for a defective speaker problem was 68,000 miles.
This has been an ongoing problem, plaguing many owners. Replacing the stereo for $190 did not solve the problem for some owners.
Other reported issues for this model were cracks in the dashboard, a dead battery, and the electrical system dying while the owner was driving the truck.
2009 Chevy Silverado
The 2009 Silverado was plagued with the same engine problem as the 2007 version. With this form, 45 complaints were posted to the site, and another 6 were reported to NHTSA. This time the average mileage of the trucks that went through it was about 76,000 miles.
The symptoms mirror the same as the 2007 model in terms of the car using 1 quart of oil every 500-2000 miles. Some owners had to replace the pistons and rings, which were said to cost nearly $4,200 in total. Quoted $9,000 for a new engine with another $2,000 fee for labor to install it.
Service Bulletin published in 2012 confirms the oil consumption problem; However, it states that if the engine has an active fuel management system, the problem is caused by a pressure relief valve from the fuel management system.
To solve the problem, the technician will need to install a deflector over the valve and ensure that the pistons and rings are working properly.
The Chevrolet Silverado isn’t a bad pickup, but there it is. This will include the 2004 form for electricity issues and the 2007/2009 form for oil consumption issues.
