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Chevy Colorado and GMC Canyon ABS Fault Issues

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Comments

  • tmarshfieldtmarshfield Member Posts: 3
    edited October 2011
    I had posted on here earlier when my truck starting having the ABS Break Fault issue a month or so ago. So far I haven't done anything but with winter coming up I figured I should probably get this fixed. I'm leary to take it to my GM dealer because it seems like they are pretty much useless unless you want to get screwed over with the cost to fix the issue. I have two questions if people on here could help me that would be great...

    1) What do I gain by taking my truck to GM to get a quote? I'm assuming it would be at least an hours labor to get the quote so I'm out at least $100. If GM ever gets a clue and does a recall on this obvious defect does that mean I get reimbursed? What if I do the repairs myself, would I still get reimbured for at least the parts?

    2) Where have people ordered the parts to fix this. At this point I'm just planning to replace the entire hub assembly for both right and left sides. I looked on autopartswarehouse which has great prices but not sure which hub I need and on partsgeek as well. I have a 2006 Chevy Colorado Z71 4WD truck so I just want to make sure I get the correct hub when I order.

    I did call GM parts at my local dealer but other than telling me it was $236 per hub and that was withouth the speed/ABS sensor. So why is GM so much more expensive than the replacement parts you can buy. The replacement parts online are under $200 and they include the sensors. Obviously the GM quality is crap so it can't be because the OE is better made.

    Any help on pointing me to the correct hub for my truck would be greatly appreciated. I already have info on how to replace the hubs, I just need to make sure I get the correct hub at this point.

    Thanks!
  • lynnie63lynnie63 Member Posts: 7
    I did hear from someone from GM and she wanted me to bring my truck to the dealership to have it diagnosed. (I was to pay for diagnostics) Well, because it happens so sporadically how can I just make an appt and bring it in if the warning lights for the ABS are not on there is nothing they can do. Went through that in May and the dealership charged me 36.00 to tell me they couldn't diagnose the problem without the lights on the dash being on.
    I read someone else's post that they also have problems with the ABS and no lights coming on and that happens to me as well. So far I have not had any problems with the ABS on the highway it has only been at low speeds, thank goodness!
    I have to wonder why, if my lights suddenly go on and I pull over to shut my vehicle off why does it reset and then I have no problems for another month or so?? If it truly were faulty brakes wouldn't the warning lights stay on whether you kept the vehicle running or restarted it? This doesn't make any sense and it's sad that GM won't look into this safety matter more for us.
  • kooltruck500kooltruck500 Member Posts: 5
    edited October 2011
    I see a common theme of ongoing issues in these posts on brake and ABS issue with the Colorado / Canyon. My 2008 Colorado 2WD started having ABS issues at 18k miles just before the 36 month warranty was up, I took it to the Chevy dealer thinking it would be covered under warranty. However, they told me "it wouldn't be covered because there was rust on the brakes" and "rusty brakes are not covered under warranty". I fail to see how a vehicle with 18k miles and still under warranty should have any issue with rusty brakes that would not be a warranty-related design or manufacturing flaw, but I digress.

    Now a few weeks after the warranty has elapsed, the ABS light and weird peddle shudder is becoming more frequent, and I can't help but think I was scammed by the dealer so he didn't have to deal with a warranty fix that he makes no money on (he offered to work on it if I paid). Does the GM customer service person still monitor this forum? If so, I'd like their advice ... I've never had luck with the GM customer service 800# ... they always seem to defer things back to the dealer. Bottom-line, if this problem is so common, why no tech service bulletin or recall?
  • n9cvn9cv Member Posts: 30
    From a 22 year GM mechanic, a few things about working at a dealership.
    1. Warranty work pays the technician at a lower hourly lower rate than customer paid work.
    2. The technician is seldom paid for diagnostic time on warranty work unless "the book" specifically lists the amount diagnostic time.
    3. The tech is paid for all non-warranty work diagnostic time which is billed to the customer.
    4. All warranty work and most customer paid for work is paid by "the book" hours. If "the book" says it takes 1 hour to replace the brake pads then that is what the tech gets paid no matter how little or long it takes.
    5. On warranty work, multiple part replacements are only approved in special circumstances.
    6. On a customer paid for job if the tech finds and adds additional items to the work, then the tech gets paid additional "book" time to replace those items. On a customer paid for repairs there is no one watching how many parts you replace.
    7. On a return repair the tech does NOT get paid for fixing your car with the same time problem a second time.
    7. Most younger techs only know how to read the Tech2 scanner and replace parts based on the error codes read. If there is no error code then you will be charged for his time and sent on your way.

    Under the above work rules guess where the service adviser and technician wants to steer you when you show up.

    There are some specialties like diesels, or transmissions, or engine swaps that get directed to specific techs. Other other than that, all work goes into "the pool" of techs and is usually called drivability issues. A tech in "the pool" who has never worked on a specific low volume model vehicle like the Colorado may well be assigned to work your Colorado.

    In the end, all of this encourages people to stay away from a dealership for non-warranty work and causes them to be afraid to bring in potential warranty work because they might be billed $100 or so for diagnostic time. If you bring in a low volume vehicle that requires some diagnostic time, it is a crap shoot on whether the problem will actually be found and repaired. The tech makes more money by spending 15 minutes running a scan and charging you a 1 hour minimum time for a no trouble found repair ticket.

    The only way to get these unusual or intermittent items repaired is to keep complaining to the customer service number or the zone office until you get satisfaction. Keep all repair receipts and when your problem finally does get repaired, ask GM, not the dealer, for a refund of all items that you should not have been billed for. It works some of the time.

    Good Luck
  • apiotrowskiapiotrowski Member Posts: 1
    I have always done all of my own work to my vehicles including engine swaps and building motors. I'm not a certified mechanic but know what I'm doing and have all the tools to do it. My 2004 2WD Z71 Chevy Colorado has just 55k miles on it and was just about due for new pads and rotors(before winter). I saw the issues people were having with their ABS sensors after their brake job. I thought, well they probably weren't careful during the removal/installation process. How sensitive can it really be?!? Let me tell you, I did everything perfect, to the "T"! I get the truck back on the road and no sooner the ABS engages and ding ding ding, my ABS light comes on. It's like the ABS sensors are designed to fail when you remove the rotors conveniently after the warrenty is up! Now I'm looking at a $300-$400 repair in replacement hubs w/ ABS sensor. Why would I bring it down to GM after the comments I've read? Or deal with the customer service people? It's out of warrenty, done deal! Thanks GM, should've stuck with my gut and got a Toyota!
  • gmcustsvcgmcustsvc Member Posts: 4,252
    kooltruck500,
    I apologize for your frustrations. Can you email me your VIN? Have you discussed this with GM Customer Assistance? If so, please include your case number in your email. I look forward to your response.
    Christina
    GM Customer Service
  • gmcustsvcgmcustsvc Member Posts: 4,252
    lynnie63,
    I would recommend asking the dealer about installing a recorder. Give them a call. Let me know of any updates! :)
    Christina
    GM Customer Service
  • gmcustsvcgmcustsvc Member Posts: 4,252
    I am sorry to hear about your concern. I would recommend contacting your local dealer for more assistance. We can also look into this for you on our end. Please feel free to contact Christina by email for more assistance. Thank you in advance and we look forward to hearing from you.

    Tricia, GM Customer Service.
  • kooltruck500kooltruck500 Member Posts: 5
    edited October 2011
    Hello Christina,

    Thank you for your offer of assistance. I have since e-mailed to you my truck's VIN and GM Customer Assistance case #.

    My original phone conversation with the GM customer assistance was a bit disappointing ... they were leaning on the fact that I live in NY State as the problem (road salt in winter) so it would not be covered under warranty per their reasoning. I explained to them that the ABS fault was my primary concern, the tendency for the rotors to rust is secondary. They apologized that even though my mileage at 19k is low, I'm a month out of warranty and they "couldn't help me". I reminded them that the vehicle was looked at by the dealer before the end of warranty, and they reluctantly agreed to pass the case onto a district guy for follow-up ... hopefully that will lead to a better outcome than I've had so far. I'll keep you posted. :confuse:
  • kmartickmartic Member Posts: 12
    Remind the zone tech that when you bought your truck no one said the warranty would be voided if you lived in the northeast where the use of salt on roads is comonplace! It is definitely just an ignorant response in an attempt to get out of fixing your truck. It is ridiculus, please keep us posted of your results
  • kooltruck500kooltruck500 Member Posts: 5
    edited October 2011
    I spoke with GM customer service again, but with the dealer insisting that my brakes were rusty, they are now sticking to a scripted response that rust is the issue and rust is not covered under warranty and won't let go of this angle. I asked them how an ABS issue was related to rust, but they didn't know. They told me that my "lack of maintenance" caused the rust, so I asked them for the page number in my owner's manual that listed special brake maintenance or service intervals required for this condition, but they couldn't provide that. I asked why the dealer had no diagnostic info to support the ABS brake system was working properly, they couldn't answer. I asked if they could go back and obtain the ABS error code now if they would cover it under warranty? They said "no, because my vehicle is now out of warranty." I reminded them that it was into the dealer before the end of warranty for brake problems, and they paused for a long while, then said, "rust is not covered under warranty." ... this is like a bad comedy routine, but I'm not laughing :mad:
  • heyjoeheyjoe Member Posts: 1
    hi, my wifes new car back in 2001 ,mitsubishi, had a breaking problem and the dealer kept saying that a break problem is a normal wear/tear issue and therefore not covered on warr. I,several times, argued that it only had 12,000 miles on a 36,000mi. warr. this is not normal & nobody needs to replace breaks on 12,0000miles.they would not give in on wear and tear crap. so I called the warranty people myself & same result. the girl had no clue about breaks ,never mind defining normal wear/tear issue. I hung up after a minute I called back& trhankfully another person answered. much more polite, sounded very interested and asked questions. she also said it is an issue of wear/tear item and i then explained to her how 12,000 miles is ridiculous for NORMAL wear/tear. I then asked for her name, I>D> etc. for my records and said that when the breaks fail and my wife and child end up in an accident it will be info I give the attorney to show when we originally reported problem etc. she put me on hold and came back to say the dealer will be contacted and will call me. they did the next day! yup. no argument now. they got car right in there and fixed what turned out to be a problem w/rotors and put all new breaks etc. all around. they were so polite now cuz warr. dept. ok'ed it. please give the warr. dept. a call and try more than once if you must.
  • coloradoprob12coloradoprob12 Member Posts: 1
    Apiotrowski,

    I feel your pain. I have a 2005 Chevy Colorado Z71 4x4 (120,000kms) and just had the pads and rotors replaced. 2-3 days later ABS fault lights comes on. WTF! I've had my truck for 3 over years and never once has that light come on... I'm reading the posts on here and sounds like im going to be spending some money on new Hubs w/ Senors....Good Times! Oh and my driver's power window motor is starting to die which is also a common problem with this truck. Is there no recall for this crap???!!!! I still have extended warranty for a few more months ($100 deductable) , but I'm assuming hub/senors is not covered??
    This might be the last GM this guy buys.
  • fyrinv2fyrinv2 Member Posts: 1
    I just googled abs fault and found this forum. I own a 2004 Canyon, it has 65,000 miles and I have done most of the work on the truck. Just recently, my ABS fault light came on and I have experienced the same peddle problem when the light comes on. Just as someone else posted, when you shut off and turn it back on, the light goes out and the ABS works for a while. Obviously, my warranty is up. Is this problem worth fixing? If so, should I take it the dealership? Earlier this year, I had to have the engine rebuilt since I lost compression in a cylinder due to a service bulletin for a problem. It was covered completely under warranty. Why can't this be covered, if there are so many problems with the same problem. It only makes sense to fix the problem. I like the truck and I'm also having problems with the driver and passenger side window motors.

    Can anyone offer some advice.
  • n9cvn9cv Member Posts: 30
    When the Collie first came out you had to buy the whole hub to replace a wheel sensor. We had so many of them fail that in 2006 (I believe) GM started making those sensors available as a stand alone part. You can get them aftermarket for $45.00 or less. No need to replace the whole hub.

    Also the sensor is a low voltage pickup. It's clearance is critical. Most of the time the sensor is not bad and you can make it work again by simply tapping the sensor into the back of the hub slightly with a plastic tipped or a very light hammer. The GM tech does not make much money doing this 10 minute fix so they will not try it.
  • gmcustsvcgmcustsvc Member Posts: 4,252
    I’m sorry to hear that your Colorado hasn’t been a satisfactory vehicle for you. If you were to email Christina your VIN, she could look into your extended warranty information.

    Best,
    Sarah
    GM Customer Service
  • n9cvn9cv Member Posts: 30
    I should have added that you need to look up the sensor part number in the GM parts manual for a later year. The last time I checked when GM made it available they did not go back and add it to the 2004 and 2005 parts listings. Look for a 2007 or later Colorado / Canyon.
  • kooltruck500kooltruck500 Member Posts: 5
    edited November 2011
    My case was elevated by GM customer assistance and was given to a specialist who was very helpful (thank you Cynthia!) in locating another Chevy dealership who was willing to take on this work under a "good will" warranty.

    They scanned the codes, found the source of the errors, and replaced the right front ABS hub & sensor; I only paid the NY State sales tax ($30) for the work. So far so good ... thank you Paul at Heinrich Chevrolet! It looks like I can still consider a Chevy for the future (just not my old dealer)!

    :)
  • martinpaulmartinpaul Member Posts: 4
    '05 Colorado, 40,400 miles, excellent condition, maintained, NOW IT HAS AN ABS PROBLEM.
    Every once in a while the "ABS" light will come on, the breaks might go into that ABS slipping thing... tho sometimes it is only the light.
    Took it to the Chevy Dealer.... diastonic check... $75.00 ...which I paid...... results...
    quote "Scan tested abs systems "fond" both hub assemblies and wheel speed sensor failures Vehicle needs both front wheel speed sensors and wheel hub assemblies"....
    cost (Are you sitting down?) $1,500.00....This is a crock of BS.... Can anyone HELP????
    Had planned to purchase a 2013 Colorado (new design... looked great).. Even talked my wife into a trip to Wentzvillle, MO. to see it being built ... now GM can shove it. Been a Chevy person my entie life... have a "Bow Tie" neon, a Chevy Clock, and Bow Tie shirts...
    Loved that Colorado... now it's going to be traded for a Tacoma.....
  • n9cvn9cv Member Posts: 30
    In 06 due due to so many sensor failures GM started offering the sensor without having to buy the whole hub. You can also buy just the sensor on the aftermarket.

    Usually the sensor is not bad, it is just out of adjustment. Since you paid the the dealer for diagnostic work, they should have given you the error codes they read on the ABS. The codes will tell you which sensor is reading bad. Usually the sensor is just out of adjustment and all that has to be done is to tap on the back of the sensor with a plastic hammer and seat it back in position in the hub. It is a 10 minute fix. If you do not have the codes on your receipt, go back and ask for them for the codes. I seriously doubt there were codes for both sensors stored.

    Oh yes, find another service location. There is no reason to take it back to some dealer who was trying to rip you off.
  • martinpaulmartinpaul Member Posts: 4
    To: n9cv
    Fm: martinpaul

    Thank you for the advise/direction; will keep you/and this message board updated as to the progress made.
    martinpaul
  • n9cvn9cv Member Posts: 30
    I probably should have noted that sometimes this failure is also caused by a piece of dirt getting into the area of the sensor and the ring (which looks like a gear). A simple cleaning of the ring and sensor will resolve this issue. The sensor is a very low voltage and close clearance pickup. A little bit of dirt or rust the will cause erroneous signals from the sensor.

    If you are experiencing steering wheel pull with a grinding noise from one of the wheels then the hub need to be replaced. If not, then this is a sensor problem not a hub problem. Do not confuse tire noise from poorly worn ties with a grinding noise. Many Colorados and Canyons came out with the front ride height set incorrectly (there was a service bulletin released on this). With the ride height set incorrectly, the front tires wore on the insides. When the wear is bad enough tires make noise sounding similar to a bad hub bearing.

    One of the service bulletins is 06-03-06-002 There are several other SBs that apply.

    None of this applies to your problem if you do not have front wheel noise or abnormal tire wear.
  • omaitaomaita Member Posts: 16
    I had the same problem last year with my Colorado 4x4 2006, 29K at that time. Firt time, they said loose wire. Second time, bad sensor. Third time, I just search here and printed a forum where somebody had the same issue and had been fixed replacing a bad Hub or something like that, so when I went to the delaer just gave them that paper and they replace the Hub, and problem solved. Good luck with this one and expect MORE ISSUES !!!!
    Now my 2006 43K is in the delaer, seems to be a broken transmision.
  • afante01afante01 Member Posts: 1
    Sarah,
    Can you send me Cynthia's information? My husband and I are having the same ABS problem with our 06 Chevy Colorado. We have been told we will most likely need the wheel hub and sensor replaced but the dealership is unsure how to fix the issue?
  • gmcustsvcsarahgmcustsvcsarah Member Posts: 1,964
    Hello,

    If you were to click on the link to my username, you can find an email address there. Or, if you would prefer to work by phone, please call Chevrolet Customer Assistance at 800-222-1020. They're open 8 am - 9pm EST Monday through Saturday.

    Best,
    Sarah
    GM Customer Service
  • pdurbinpdurbin Member Posts: 1
    I have also got problems with my ABS. My Colorado 66,000 miles at this time. Not sure if it would be covered under any kind of warenty or not. I'm sure it is not. I also just started having problems with my blower motor. I have done some research and found out that our colorado's have got some ground problems. Blower is working right now but not sure for how long. I have also had problems with my turning signal bulbs, I noticed others have had the same problem, I have noticed that there is no contact greese on the bulbs and they are arcing. I just pull them out and turn them around and put them back. It seems to fix it.Good luck everyone. If I have any more problems I will research and post what I find.
  • n9cvn9cv Member Posts: 30
    Go here to read how to diagnose and repair this problem. It is normally one of two issues. The ground connection on the passenger side inner fender or the resistor assembly under the dash has a burned contact. Both of there are easy to repair.

    Read posting #4

    http://coloradofans.com/forums/67-technical-questions-tips-how/146173-question-a- bout-blower-motor.html#post1876908

    I got tired of answering the same question over, and over, and over again on this problem so I put that posting together. I have not figured out yet how to imbed all of the pictures due to that site's size restrictions, but the verbage should do it for you.

    Good luck
  • martinpaulmartinpaul Member Posts: 4
    edited December 2011
    Per my post #225, dtd 11-16-11 Another Colorado ABS problem;
    Have been through the GM Customer Service "Mill", very nice people, BUT no real help in fixing the ABS problem; either for free (design fault/recall) or at a reasonable price.
    Heck, they will not acknowledge a problem exist with these trucks.
    The ABS acts up very infrequently, so I'm going to ride it out with no repair.
    Thanks to n9cv for the advise on repairing the problem... will try your advise if the situation gets worse...
    Have contacted my U.S. Congressman re this problem/issue... they have advised me to contact the "U.S. Office of Defects"...WOW!
    Oh yes...I now approach other Colorado drivers in parking lots, and ask if they have any break issues... funny... so far.. three out of three have or had ABS problems.
    Will post updates to this poll.
    GM has offered me a rebate against the purchase of a new GM vehicle... I've taken the offer, but don't know if I'm going to use it or not.
    Really don't to buy a Tacoma... and the 2013 Collie's are really sharp.
    Good Luck All.
  • brewerguybrewerguy Member Posts: 11
    I agree with martinpaul about not going ahead with any repairs. Reports from owners who did on this site prove that replacing hubs and sensors don't always work.

    My '05 with 51,000 miles has been a trouble-free vehicle except for the occasional ABS fault alerts and low-speed activation of the ABS. I really love this truck! Funny how I haven't had any ABS faults for a couple of weeks after getting them at least every other week all year! Crazy.

    I'm hoping to get a re-designed Colorado when they come out. I am retired from GM and would NEVER cut my own throat by buying Japanese, even if the [non-permissible content removed] truck is built in the U.S. the money goes back to Japan.
  • martinpaulmartinpaul Member Posts: 4
    Brewguy..

    Agree with you about the Colorado.... love the truck... want to buy a 2013 (please see the end of my post #225).....My wife thinks I'm crazy.... but you have expressed my feelings... about not buying a Tacoma.... about keeping our money here... and supporting the company that pays the pension.
    Maybe we will see you in Wentzville next summer.

    martinpaul
  • n9cvn9cv Member Posts: 30
    This vehicle may be a USA built truck (Shreveport, LA) , but unfortunately the design was a collaboration of Isuzu and GM. Many of the components show heavy Japanese influence. An example is the front grill mounting clips that are used on Hondas. The front brake rotors do not remove easily like North American designed vehicles. They used the Japanese design which requires removal of the entire front hub to replace a worn rotor. This increases service time and expense for a normal wear / replacement item.

    In a attempt to reduce production costs, everything was cheapened up wherever possible. The failure to put tooth type lock washers on electrical ground connections has lead to multiple intermittent electrical failures. GM put them on the previous North American designed S-10. The failure to use cadmium type fasteners has lead to rusted mounting bolts and adjusters for headlights. North Americans drive their vehicles many more miles and in harsher conditions than most other countries. Road salt is an issue in the northern 1/3 of the US and most of Canada. NA designs take that into account and protect fasteners against it. Unfortunately these protections were not incorporated in the Colorado design.

    The biggest design short comings was in the electrical area. Wire diameters and connector surface sizes were used that just met requirement. The biggest single complaint has been the electrical connectors in the heater / AC fan circuit. Let's not forget the brake switch problem.

    Other common failures were the evap vent solenoid and the cam solenoid. Unfortunately the evap vent solenoid was mounted under the bed where it get's dirt and salt in it from road spray. A good cleaning of the solenoid / valve fixes this problem. Finally there is the ABS sensor problem being discussed here which affects braking and Traction Control. A permanent fix for this should be released by GM

    All of these items could have been found and production changed after the first model year so following year vehicles would not have these problems. Unfortunately GM chose not to do this and the reputation of this vehicle has plummeted accordingly.

    The point of all of this is it is not necessarily the location of he manufacturing plant, it is the the initial design and the following corrections to problems that also counts. For a couple a dollars per vehicle and good follow up, this vehicle could have been a very good truck with a very good reputation.

    Will the Asian designed and built follow on truck be any better? All we can do is wait and see. I hope so. If it proves reliable I'll buy one.
  • cindythebarbercindythebarber Member Posts: 1
    edited December 2011
    I own a 2006 Chevy Colorado with 65,000 miles I purchased new in January 2006. Last year I had the blower problem where only #4 (high) worked. It is a loose wire under the glove box that is causing the short. Also, the last 4 months I've experienced the ABS fault light, along with a horrible noise when I apply the brakes. This mainly happens when it is wet outside. No loss of brakes, though. Today, the ABS fault light came on, along with the brake light. Again, no loss of brakes (thankfully!). My brakes were checked by my local mechanic 5 months ago, and did not need replacing at that time. Today, I applied the parking brake (while parked w/ motor running), and released parking brake. The warning lights all dissappeared.
  • gmcustsvcsarahgmcustsvcsarah Member Posts: 1,964
    If the brake concern should arise again and you decide to work with a GM dealership, please let us know in an email. We would like to be sure to follow up with you and the dealership to make sure things are resolved.

    Sarah
    GM Customer Service
  • brewerguybrewerguy Member Posts: 11
    N9, you sound like either a GM mechanic or engineer. Good info you posted. However, even though my truck has been driven in 6 Ohio winters, I have experienced none of the electrical, headlight bolt or evap canister problems. I do, however, regularly spray off the underside of my truck during the winter as I have done for all the cars I've owned over the years.

    As far as the Asian design flaws, what else can we do if we want a small-sized pickup? I understand GM and the others have global operations and must accomodate different design specifics and parameters. My hauling needs do not require a full-sized gas-hog truck so I choose the smaller ones.

    I've owned an '87 S10, '95 GMC Sonoma and this '05 Colorado and have had very good service from all of them. I must confess that I am particular about car care and do not abuse my vehicles, so maybe that's why mine have given me very little trouble.
  • n9cvn9cv Member Posts: 30
    I would rather not state what my relationship with GM is.

    I will state that all 6 of our 4 and 6 wheel road vehicles that we currently own are GM vehicles. We (my wife and I) have also owned a few Toyotas and Fords, but not many over the years. I too have owed two S-10 pickups and now a 2005 Colorado. As to the head light fastener problem, you will not notice it until you go to remove or adjust them. I just gave that as an example of poor fastener quality where they saved 5 or 10 cents per vehicle. The evap solenoid usually shows up as gasoline spitting back up you when you fill the tank rather than an error code. It will show up as an error code is it sticks open rather than closed.

    By far the biggest complaints have been electrical, followed by ABS / Traction Control (optional feature) issues. These ABS issues almost always turn out to be sensor related which we can call electro-mechanical problems.

    In the first years GM only offered the whole hub with sensor as a replacement part. Now you can get just the senor or the hub as separate parts. These parts are also available on the aftermarket. The issue is these are seldom defective. They are usually only dirty or out of adjustment but the GM maintenance procedures tells the tech to replace the item(s) rather than repair them.

    It is hard to gather exact "mean time to failure" or "failures per 1,000 vehicle" statistics on these parts when GM just blanket replaces them whether they are really defective or not. Also because of the high expense of parts and labor, owners take them to non-GM repair facilities after the warranty expires and use non-GM sourced parts for repairs.

    Good luck with your Colorado. I like mine over all. I use my extended cab Colorado as a truck for hauling, towing, and as a personal vehicle on a daily basis. I also live in the midwest and I try to stay off of freshly salted roads in the winter time. I seldom my other cars.
  • gmcustsvcsarahgmcustsvcsarah Member Posts: 1,964
    N9cv,

    Your loyalty to GM products is much appreciated, and I am pleased to hear that you are overall enjoying your current Colorado. If, in the future, any concerns arise and you should need customer assistance, please feel free to contact us via the email address available in my profile with more information.

    Regards,
    Sarah
    GM Customer Service
  • trans_am_76trans_am_76 Member Posts: 3
    okay, if someone can help me out here that would be great, because clearly GM has no idea and does not have any plans to resolve this issue. for starters the blower motor stopped working. first indication to me was check the fuse. it was fine. even replaced it to make sure, still nothing. Then considered maybe the blower motor went bad so for haha's I removed it and hooked it up to a battery and it turned on. So I reinstalled it. then I replaced the resistor and still nothing. But while in this process one of the prongs on the connector to the resistor looked dark brown. so went right back to GM and spent another 55.00 on the connector. Then cut out the old and spliced in the new, still nothing. Now my next guess was maybe the switch on the head unit went bad, but before i drop 200.00 to GM for a new one let me make sure it works. I tested the connection and the switch isn't getting any power. So now at this point i am checking the orange wire and the brown wire for power. power was very weak but have good power at the fuse box. Went back to GM and here's the best answer I have ever received. ** I don't know what to tell you.**. They explained to me that everything that I had already taken care of is exactly what they would have done themselves. And also I should consider bringing the truck in for diagnosis and maybe they can find a problem. and for what? to pay some yoyo to do exactly as i did and tell me i need to replace something on just a hunch? I know exactly what the problem is. These trucks have horrible electrical issue's and they intend on doing absolutely nothing about it. Just to spare everyone I wont even begin to explain all of the issues I have had with this truck. But also have had nothing but issues with the ABS sensor's as well. light came on, sure enough I replaced the Hub's on both sides. guess what. didn't solve the problem. so new hubs and sensors did nothing. i am constantly doing routine check ups on the truck. from oil changes ever 3 thousand miles to differential fluid. Just the worst GM I've ever owned. reguardless if someone could maybe point me in the right direction as far as the fan motor goes that would be great. In the mean time I will not be purchasing another GM and are very disappointed in the customer service and how unprofessional both GM dealers I went to were. Thank you For reading my rant. :lemon:
  • lynnie63lynnie63 Member Posts: 7
    Hi trans_am
    I also had problems with my blower but it would only work on the highest setting and I brought it in and they replaced the heater blower resistor and connector and told me that the wiring had actually melted. Every once in a while I have ABS problems but when I shut the vehicle off and turn it back on it clears and good for another 3+ months... I figure the next time it occurs and ABS light ACTUALLY comes on I will drive it to the nearest dealer and then see if they can diagnose it before I shut the vehicle off. A new problem arose last week....two times now when I go from Park to Reverse reverse does not engage until I return to Park. I also think that there are major electrical problems with this vehicle from the amount of bulbs I have replaced to the wiring (I can't remember what they were for) that travel thru my rear door and they told me it was from opening the door too much!
    It sounds like you have replaced everything that I had done and I know I haven't been much help to solving anything but just want you to know that you are not alone in wondering what the heck is going on and feel like we are not getting the best answers for our problems. Do the dealers really care about the satisfaction we have or just the sale of the vehicle? I personally have never spoken to our dealer after the purchase. I would never send anyone in the market there unlike the service we were provided with my husbands Jeep. Good Luck and keep us posted.
    PS My husband has 2 words to share with both of us... SELL IT! I couldn't do that to someone!
  • lynnie63lynnie63 Member Posts: 7
    trans-am check out a post from n9cv he mentioned a ground for the blower
  • trans_am_76trans_am_76 Member Posts: 3
    thanks buddy, ground's were solid. but clearly there is still an issue.
  • trans_am_76trans_am_76 Member Posts: 3
    Oh btw, this is a fun list you might enjoy.
    LIST OF REPAIRS WITHIN 2 YEAR:

    new transfer case.
    2 thermostats.
    2 wheel hubs and sensors. ** hubs still make grinding noise periodically**
    remote starter screwed up power locks and eventually wouldnt start anymore and oddly enough it screwed up the key fob so the doors wouldnt lock, or they would get stuck in lock position.
    constantly replacing parking lap bulbs and turn signal bulbs.
    factory radio burned out and was forced to use after market radio.
    leaf springs squeak depending on size of bump.
    2 front axle seals. ** still leaking **
    and seat tracks on passenger side stick some days.
    speaker on passenger side does not work. * new speaker and new wire harness*
    and constantly have to clean the throttle body otherwise it runs like garbage. and last, and im sure just for now, there is some sort of evap leak that has something to do with a valve? i was so mad i didnt bother remembering the code. truck is just a lemon and will never buy one again!
  • kmartickmartic Member Posts: 12
    There have been many posts about this issue. There is a ground wire on the the inner fender that does not always make a good conection and it needs to be cleaned and retightened. It sounds like this is your problem especially since you say you have weak power after the fuse box. Have you ever seen trailer lights that were very dim due to a poor ground-- same issue. Search the sight for this poor ground situation, there have been posts with pictures explaining it. Good luck, my truck was a nightmare until I got rid of it. GM is no help and dealers just want to rape and plunder
  • n9cvn9cv Member Posts: 30
    What you are describing here is probably the most common electrical failure on the Colorado. I have fixed many of these and I wrote a long procedure on how to diagnose this problem.

    Go to the following site and read the posting on how to find your problem. The two most common failures in the blower motor circuit are the ground connection on the right inner fender and burning the resistor connection which is mounted next to the blower motor. Both of these are fairly easy to repair. Other things that occasionally fail are the bower relay and the motor itself.

    http://coloradofans.com/forums/67-technical-questions-tips-how/146173-question-a- bout-blower-motor.html#post1876908
  • bailem2bailem2 Member Posts: 1
    edited January 2012
    The blower motor issue and the ABS faults are two very common issues on the Colorado. From what you mentioned you've done so far, you may wish to check that the ground block is not the source of the problem. You mentioned that it's solid, however it is commonly tight with no visible corrosion, but once disassembled, cleaned with a wire brush, and reassembled, it works. I've this it happen twice. The tell here is that when the blower motor starts malfunctioning, you'll find it works sometimes and not others before it finally dies altogether. A burnt connector or bad resistor will generally die at once and never work again.

    As for the ABS, the front sensors commonly malfunction for two reasons - either they fill up with debris or the ring under the magnet separates from the hub and touches the sensor magnet. Debris can be cleaned out once everything is taken apart, however if the ring separates from the hub, you have to either devise a way to reattach it with some sort of adhesive or buy a new hub assembly. Several years ago, you couldn't get sensors without buying the entire hub assembly, but recently, they have been selling sensors separately. It's quite a bit of labor to take the spindle apart to get at this, so it may be worth replacing both hubs for $250 regardless of the cause of the problem depending on how much time you have. If you have both hubs, you know you'll have the parts to reassemble it and that it will work when you put it back together. If not, you might have to wait for the appropriate parts to reassemble or be forced to reassemble without the correct parts only to have to do the job again after the parts arrive.

    If you have a scan tool that is capable of connecting to the ABS system, you can actually watch the LF, RF and rear wheel speeds while driving. If you're getting a fault, you'll likely see one or more sensors reporting MUCH slower wheel speeds than it should under certain operating conditions like turns. This morning, I was looking at mine after getting an ABS fault, and the LF sensor indicated 35MPH and the RH sensor indicated 35MPH and dropped sporadically to 5-9MPH for seconds at a time. THis is because the sensor magnet counts the speed at which cogs on the ring pass under the magnet and when the gap gets filled with crud or the ring actually comes in contact with the magnet after separation from the hub, a ABS coupouter counts less cogs then it should in a given amount of time and sets a code if this goes on for too long and illuminates the fault lamp. Timken, the hub manufacturer, also sells an ABS Repair Kit containing a cable, screw, and grease, however I'm not exactly sure what it does.

    Regards,

    Michael D. Bailey
    2005 Chevrolet Colorado Z71 LS
    Delanson, NY
  • jc2litejc2lite Member Posts: 2
    Does anyone know what these codes mean? B0035, B0040,B0899, U1000, U1026, U1064. My check engine light came 2 days ago and a friend of mine has a code reader (don't know what kind) and these came up. Also when i went to start the truck to do real time data check, my battery was dead due to leaving stereo on, the ABS Fault light came on. Charged the battery completely and started the truck to do the real time data check and no check engine light and no ABS fault. This was yesterday and still no check engine light. I forgot to mention it did throw a code P0128, which it told me coolant temperature low, that is why we ran the real time data to check coolant temperature, which we determined thermastat needs replacing.
  • jjgolfhackerjjgolfhacker Member Posts: 5
    edited January 2012
    You can google them all...just type "B0035 code chevy colorado" (as well as the other code #s) and it will come up with answers. It seems B0035 is the Left front brake sensor. B0040 is the right ABS/Speed sensor. You are going to have to do with the others. But looks like you may go thru what so many of us Colorado owners have went through with our ABS on our trucks.
  • kpokpo Member Posts: 24
    Caron and all GM/ Chevy Reps,
    I feel for you. You have an impossible job. The engineers designed (or didn't design)and built a loser of a truck and the company doesn't back their products. How many people have an ABS issue?? I traded in a 9 year old Acura with 142000 miles that just started to show mechanical wear (only brakes and tires replaced). My 2006 Colorado has had problems at 32000mi and others since (now at 53000) including rain leaks in at the windshield (puddle on the floor) and back window, ABS with shuttering loss of brakes, short in the brake light assembly, the 4WD locks in and won't go back into 2WD when selected (until it desides to) and premature rear brake wear due to a faulty parking brake design. When I went on disability I traded in my older car to get a new 2006 Colorado for reliable transportation, but got nothing but lip service from service managers and head aches with fear of losing my life on the road. Manager said, "I get hundreds of vehicles in here each week and they all leak somewhere." Now why did Chevy almost go into Bankruptcy and need a US bail out? What a waste of tax payer's money. I thought that I should support the US, but who supports us? Might as well sell out to Japan or Korea; Chevy sold out.
    KPO
  • kpokpo Member Posts: 24
    Has anyone had their '06 Colorado not start in the rain on several occations due to the truck's anti- theft system shutting down the ignition or fuel pump?
    KPO
  • gmcustsvcsarahgmcustsvcsarah Member Posts: 1,964
    Good morning,
    I appreciate your empathy, but we really do hope to do the best we can for our customers. I'm sorry to hear about the multiple issues that have come up with your Colorado; if we can look further into this with you, please send us an email with more information (name/Edmunds username, the last 8 digits of your VIN, and the name of your dealership) and my coworker Christina will direct you further.
    Regards,
    Sarah
    GM Customer Service
  • jc2litejc2lite Member Posts: 2
    So far I've had no issues with the ABS as of yet. No check engine light or codes. I do have to say fuel mileage is down. Friend told me faulty thermostat could be the problem. Will be replacing within a couple weeks and see what happens.
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