[dgbinpc]

Done and Done. 2018 Z71 Colorado diesel no longer my problem. I have been mostly a lurker here, I am not a mechanic so a lot of the discussions go over my head. I had a diesel Colorado that I bought new. I put about 52k miles on it.
On our most recent trip, it went into limp mode YET AGAIN. This was the 5th time in limp mode, and I cannot even being to count the number of check engine lights I have dealt with. Sometimes DEF/Diesel related, other times Chevy service says not related. One time I had to abandon the truck (and trailer) in St. George, Utah, and fly home, only to have to fly back to retrieve them.
So I limped it to a dealer in Arizona. While waiting for them to evaluate it, I saw a one-year-old gasoline RAM 1500. Traded the Colorado mind trip. Like the RAM so far. Would prefer to have something that was not quite so expensive, that does not have a drinking (gas) problem, but I am happy for the towing capabilities and no longer having the anxiety of a truck having to limp to service that seems unavailable.

 

[DieselDrax]

Sorry you had so many issues, hopefully the Ram works out better for you! If it's got the HEMI and 8-speed auto you should have smooth sailing. The 3.6 V6 is also solid but a little underpowered in a full-size truck like the Ram, IMO.

 

[Iowa]

Best of luck.

 

[D&S]

Done and Done. 2018 Z71 Colorado diesel no longer my problem. I have been mostly a lurker here, I am not a mechanic so a lot of the discussions go over my head. I had a diesel Colorado that I bought new. I put about 52k miles on it.
On our most recent trip, it went into limp mode YET AGAIN. This was the 5th time in limp mode, and I cannot even being to count the number of check engine lights I have dealt with. Sometimes DEF/Diesel related, other times Chevy service says not related. One time I had to abandon the truck (and trailer) in St. George, Utah, and fly home, only to have to fly back to retrieve them.
So I limped it to a dealer in Arizona. While waiting for them to evaluate it, I saw a one-year-old gasoline RAM 1500. Traded the Colorado mind trip. Like the RAM so far. Would prefer to have something that was not quite so expensive, that does not have a drinking (gas) problem, but I am happy for the towing capabilities and no longer having the anxiety of a truck having to limp to service that seems unavailable.

Sorry to hear of your problems. I have had no issues with my 2016 2.8 Z71 other than computer issues not related to the engine.

 

[DeeK]

It'll be a sad day for me when I get rid of my 2017 2.8 and I'm sorry you had such a bad experience. Good luck with your new direction!

 

[Sluggo42]

Yea that sucks… sounds like a lemon. I’m just shy of 40k on my 2019, and it’s not had a single problem ever (knocking on wood) I tow my bass boat 165 miles round trip once a week, and it just rolls, mile after mile, day after day. But- it’s still stock as the day it rolled off the factory floor

 

[bigoilbob]

Yea that sucks… sounds like a lemon. I’m just shy of 40k on my 2019, and it’s not had a single problem ever (knocking on wood) I tow my bass boat 165 miles round trip once a week, and it just rolls, mile after mile, day after day. But- it’s still stock as the day it rolled off the factory floor

Me too. ~68K on my 2018 Z71 CCLB. I tow heavier than you, for about a third of my miles. And our share of short trips as well. One bad EGT, fixed on warranty.

GM should be reaching out to dgbinpc. If he had had these problems with a RAM 1500 3.0 diesel they would be making them right. I heard this from 3 different acquaintances who went thru this. Good service is an attitude

 

[Scarface]

Done and Done. 2018 Z71 Colorado diesel no longer my problem. I have been mostly a lurker here, I am not a mechanic so a lot of the discussions go over my head. I had a diesel Colorado that I bought new. I put about 52k miles on it.
On our most recent trip, it went into limp mode YET AGAIN. This was the 5th time in limp mode, and I cannot even being to count the number of check engine lights I have dealt with. Sometimes DEF/Diesel related, other times Chevy service says not related. One time I had to abandon the truck (and trailer) in St. George, Utah, and fly home, only to have to fly back to retrieve them.
So I limped it to a dealer in Arizona. While waiting for them to evaluate it, I saw a one-year-old gasoline RAM 1500. Traded the Colorado mind trip. Like the RAM so far. Would prefer to have something that was not quite so expensive, that does not have a drinking (gas) problem, but I am happy for the towing capabilities and no longer having the anxiety of a truck having to limp to service that seems unavailable.

Sorry for your loss

 

[Scarface]

Sorry to hear of your problems. I have had no issues with my 2016 2.8 Z71 other than computer issues not related to the engine.

Have same year including the known wiring issues that were resolved early on. 30 mpg, 15mph towing 6000lb camper.

 

[mwswarrior]

2018 ZR2 Diesel with 80K+ miles. Zero issues.

 

[Sluggo42]

I avg 21 mpg overall, and half that mileage is towing the 3500 lb boat. That’s almost double the old sequoia got- but I did like that vehicle

 

[the_uglydog]

I've always had lots of luck with long life for my trucks and cars. My best was my work truck a 97 F150 with a 4.6, it made it to 600,000+ miles with only regular maintenance, no major repairs except multiple ball joint replacements. We used to use that to tow a 20 ft cargo trailer and a flat bed trailer for our small backhoe. Our home truck a 97 K1500 so far has about 210,000 miles on it with only a timing chain replacement and normal maintenance, we still have that, we sold the F150 when we moved overseas. Over here we have a 2014 Ranger with the 3.2 diesel, a 2015 Chevy SUV and a 2020 Colorado both with the 2.8 diesel. The Ranger can carry a lot more weight than the Colorado, has a setting on the transmission for higher rpm shifts and has had no issues with about 60k miles on it. The Colorado had a return line on the fuel injectors chafe through and transmission problems which we corrected by changing the fluid and the filter and flushing out the system and we'll be adding an extra trans cooler. The SUV has about 40k miles on it and is just now starting to have issues with the 3-4 shift, so it will be given the same treatment as the Colorado. The dealers over here only want to replace the fluid by a dialysis system without changing the filter. I'll do it right myself since to me, just changing the fluid without the filter will still have the low line pressure problem due to the partially blocked filter. Personally I love the diesel trucks, I find they can, most times, last almost forever with proper care plus they require less maintenance, get better fuel economy and can carry a bigger load. The newer trucks seem to have a shift point that is too low causing an inability to carry very heavy loads and transmission problems due to the extra strain on them. I've heard the Dodges are almost bulletproof these days, but we don't have them here.

 

[SFLTruck]

I've always had lots of luck with long life for my trucks and cars. My best was my work truck a 97 F150 with a 4.6, it made it to 600,000+ miles with only regular maintenance, no major repairs except multiple ball joint replacements. We used to use that to tow a 20 ft cargo trailer and a flat bed trailer for our small backhoe. Our home truck a 97 K1500 so far has about 210,000 miles on it with only a timing chain replacement and normal maintenance, we still have that, we sold the F150 when we moved overseas. Over here we have a 2014 Ranger with the 3.2 diesel, a 2015 Chevy SUV and a 2020 Colorado both with the 2.8 diesel. The Ranger can carry a lot more weight than the Colorado, has a setting on the transmission for higher rpm shifts and has had no issues with about 60k miles on it. The Colorado had a return line on the fuel injectors chafe through and transmission problems which we corrected by changing the fluid and the filter and flushing out the system and we'll be adding an extra trans cooler. The SUV has about 40k miles on it and is just now starting to have issues with the 3-4 shift, so it will be given the same treatment as the Colorado. The dealers over here only want to replace the fluid by a dialysis system without changing the filter. I'll do it right myself since to me, just changing the fluid without the filter will still have the low line pressure problem due to the partially blocked filter. Personally I love the diesel trucks, I find they can, most times, last almost forever with proper care plus they require less maintenance, get better fuel economy and can carry a bigger load. The newer trucks seem to have a shift point that is too low causing an inability to carry very heavy loads and transmission problems due to the extra strain on them. I've heard the Dodges are almost bulletproof these days, but we don't have them here.

It's funny that you mention the shift points.

This is my first vehicle that I have owned that's an automatic. I really dislike not having a manual (wife says cuz I'm a control freak.lol). I've been driving since the 70's and the shift points just make me think "what the hell" were they thinking. When I was younger I don't ever remember anyone who had a auto complaining about them, but that level of reliability seems to have gone away. My company ride (Ford Taurus) shifts so early that if you want to speed up you have to mash the go pedal because it's gutless below 2000 rpms and that's where they shift it. At 15mph it's already in 3rd and looking for 4th so consequently it's never in a useful area of the power-band. It's also interesting to me how much more "disconnected" I feel from the vehicle with an automatic in it.

Adapt and overcome I guess.

 

[the_uglydog]

I understand completely! When I bought my first automatic pickup in 1984 I felt that way for a while. The newer ones are making me feel that way again, especially the Chevys. In order to manual shift you have to pay attention to every gear up and down, our Ford and our Toyota both have "Sport Mode" settings which make for a higher, more normal automatic shift point, plus they both have manual shift that only selects the highest gear point but allows it to shift on it's own below that. They are good for gear downs for engine braking going down mountains and with very heavy loads. I find it difficult to do that in the Chevy. As far as the "thinking", the Government mandated fuel economy is the problem. In order for the truck to not be "fined" for poor fuel economy it has to do "better", even though that destroys drivability and transmission life. They could easily fix it with a "sport mode' or similar setting. I always take the Ranger because of the higher shift points available if I need to carry anything heavy especially if I have to go into the mountains which are everywhere here.

 

[bigoilbob]

I understand completely! When I bought my first automatic pickup in 1984 I felt that way for a while. The newer ones are making me feel that way again, especially the Chevys. In order to manual shift you have to pay attention to every gear up and down, our Ford and our Toyota both have "Sport Mode" settings which make for a higher, more normal automatic shift point, plus they both have manual shift that only selects the highest gear point but allows it to shift on it's own below that. They are good for gear downs for engine braking going down mountains and with very heavy loads. I find it difficult to do that in the Chevy. As far as the "thinking", the Government mandated fuel economy is the problem. In order for the truck to not be "fined" for poor fuel economy it has to do "better", even though that destroys drivability and transmission life. They could easily fix it with a "sport mode' or similar setting. I always take the Ranger because of the higher shift points available if I need to carry anything heavy especially if I have to go into the mountains which are everywhere here.

To make matters worse, the engineering is there for silky smooth, super heavy duty manual transmissions. I agree that withholding them from us is a numbers game with CAFE standards. As a big advocate for reducing carbon emissions, I decry the faux programs designed to make the numbers artificially.

 

[HOOLIGAN]

the mistake he made was not getting tuned!!
I had the exact same truck with 60k miles, I had one limp at 250 miles because a sensor wasn’t attached properly I was told, at 4k miles I got my tune and never looked back, she was an animal.
electric is better!!!