I purchased a 2016 Duramax GMC Canyon Crew Cab SLT on June 9, 2016 and it currently has rougly 13,000 miles on it. I have been experiencing cold weather issues with my Duramax, but much worse than jeffparkcity has experienced, with it stalling twice at intersections, with the last occurrence being by far the worse.
The first time it was 36 degrees outside when I cranked the truck. I let it idle for approximately 15 seconds then pulled out of the parking spot. The engine was surging between approximately 500-750-1,000 RPM, which required additional brake pedal pressure to keep the truck from surging forward. After pulling out of the parking lot and onto the road, as I applied throttle, the truck started jerking around like the engine was missing or cutting out. After approximately 1/4 mile as I was pulling up to a red light the truck was down shifting extremely violent, it felt like the truck was trying to snap itself in half. Upon coming to a stop the truck started shuddering and shaking violently, much like jeffparkcity describes, then stalled. Upon cranking back up the truck would instantly stall again. After multiple attempts to get running, I turn on the emergency flashers so traffic would go around, and continued to try to get the truck to run. Eventually I treated the truck like it was an old school carbureted engine and starting throttling immediately upon it cranking before it could stall, and as it picked up RPMs, I dropped in drive and headed to highway entrance. That was last of problem for that day.
The next morning, approximately 32 degrees out, I remote cranked the vehicle and let it run until it turned itself back off. I experienced no problems that day.
A couple days later, and still in the 30’s outside, I only let the Duramax warm up for approximately 3-4 minutes. Upon leaving the driveway and stopping at a red light approximately 300 yards away, the truck was stuttering again. This time I placed transmission in neutral and slightly revved engine until the light went green, then dropped in drive and headed out onto highway. The truck shuttered multiple times coming up to highway speeds, but once at speed it stopped shuddering. That was last of problem for that day.
The last time it occurred was on 15 Jan 2017, and it was approximately 40 degrees outside, the truck had 12,335 miles on it, and I’d let the truck warm up for at least 5 minutes. This time my girlfriend was in the truck and we managed to record what occurred after the truck stalled, to include recording of the gauges and the DIC while trying to start back up, and after it started, as it displayed a multitude of faults. Again, on this occurrence the engine was surging, started shuddering at the first and second stop sign that we pulled up to, and then stalled at the third stop sign. Upon slowing for the third stop sign, the truck down shifted violently, shuttered, then stalled. Again, I had to eventually turn on the flasher lights, and tell people to go around as I tried to get the truck running. This time, the truck displayed a multitude of problems on the DIC, listed out in the sequence of events below, the engine would not turn over on multiple attempts to crank, and once cranked would not respond to throttle input on multiple occasions, to name a few. Sequence of events as they occurred, all captured in video, except the stall itself:
1) Vehicle down shifted violently upon coming to stop, started shuddering, then stalled.
2) The DIC displayed “Engine Power Dismissed.”
3) With the ignition key still in the run position I attempted to crank, the DIC went blank and vehicle would not turn over.
4) Afterwards I turned the ignition switch completely off and attempted to start two more times, each time turning the ignition completely off. Neither time would the engine turn over and after the second attempt the DIC displayed “Engine Power Reduced.” Of note, DEF tank was filled at 10,965 miles.
5) On the next attempt to crank the engine it started, but the DIC displayed “Service Stabilitrak”, the Traction Control/StabiliTrak lights, and the Check Engine light came on.
6) Immediately thereafter the engine would not respond to throttle input, it simply idled, with engine surging between 750-1,000 RPMs.
7) After a few moments the engine started responding to throttle and I revved it up slightly, dropped in gear, and started to make my way to a gas station parking lot approximately 200 yards away, but the truck would hardly go, it managed to pick up to approximately 30 MPH.
Of note, somewhere during this process the DIC displayed a message stating something along the lines of “Power Reduced – Max Speed 32MPH.”
8) Upon pulling into the parking lot, I placed the truck in park as the engine acted like it was trying to stall. The truck started to shudder; you can watch the RPMs on the tachometer drop from 750 to roughly 500 RPM, and then surge up to approximately 1,000 RPM.
9) After approximately one minute I placed the transmission back in drive so I could drive approximate ¾ mile back to the house. Again, the engine would not respond to throttle input initially, but after a few attempts started to respond. I then drove the truck, limping, back to the house.
10) After turning engine/ignition off and I cranked it back up. The Traction Control/StabiliTrack lights cleared, but the “Check Engine” light remained on. I turned the truck off and took the car!
11) After letting the truck sit for approximately 5 hours, I wondered if the “Check Engine” light would clear itself? Upon cranking, the “Check Engine” light was no longer on and truck runs normal. However, I have no doubt that when it gets colder it will act up again.
I chose not to take the truck in afterwards as I figured all the dealership would do is state without a code/warning light showing there would be nothing they could do.
Prior to experiencing colder weather here in Maryland, the truck RPMs would surge, but never had any other issues. I referenced the Duramax Diesel Supplement Manual after my first cold weather issue, but it does not mention any possible problems associated with cold weather above 0 degrees, little lone at 40.
GM is welcome to my short 2-1/2 minute video showing the gauges/DIC and actions that occurred immediately following the stall, along with a 2 minute video of the display/DIC as I drove it home.
Lastly, after multiple bad experiences with our local GMC Dealer, to include using DEXOS-1 engine oil in my new Duramax, please don’t ask me to take it to them!
Good luck.
