Autoblog http://www.autoblog.com Autoblog http://www.blogsmithmedia.com/www.autoblog.com/media/feedlogo.gif Autoblog http://www.autoblog.com en-us Copyright 2012 Weblogs, Inc. The contents of this feed are available for non-commercial use only. Blogsmith http://www.blogsmith.com/<![CDATA[GM discovers flaw with HD pickup hill-hold assist, fast-tracks fix]]>http://www.autoblog.com/2010/07/20/gm-discovers-flaw-with-hd-pickup-hill-hold-assist-fast-tracks-f/http://www.autoblog.com/2010/07/20/gm-discovers-flaw-with-hd-pickup-hill-hold-assist-fast-tracks-f/http://www.autoblog.com/2010/07/20/gm-discovers-flaw-with-hd-pickup-hill-hold-assist-fast-tracks-f/#commentsFiled under: , , , , , ,



Last week, PickupTrucks.com held one of its periodic load lugger shootouts where it brings together the heavy haulers from General Motors, Ford and Chrysler to see which pickup truck is the top dog. After running acceleration tests at Milan dragway, editor Mike Levine and the crew moved the fleet of nine trucks to the GM Proving Ground in Milford, MI. During towing evaluations on the 7.2 percent hill, Levine discovered an issue on the Chevy Silverado 2500 while the gas-engined 3/4 ton truck was towing 10,000 pound trailers up the hill.

The GM trucks incorporate a hill-hold feature into the stability control system. Hill-hold is supposed to detect when the vehicle is on an incline with the brakes applied. When the driver releases the brake pedal, the valves in the stability control unit retain the pressure in the brake lines for up to 1.5 seconds. Once the timer expires or the driver applies the accelerator, the valves release the brake pressure.

During testing, Levine discovered that the system was not holding the pressure on the 7.2 percent hill for any of the GM trucks and notified the engineers on hand. Oddly, a later test found that the system was working properly on the steeper 16 percent grade. GM engineers investigated the issue with engineers from system supplier TRW and found an incorrect calibration value in the control software for the accelerometer used to detect inclines. This prevented the system from correctly detecting the smaller hill.

The code was corrected and updated software began rolling out to the production line this past Monday, July 19. The same software update is also going out to dealers so that trucks in stock on lots and in for service can also be updated. GM is still considering whether to issue a recall or a technical service bulletin for trucks that have already been delivered to customers.

[Source: PickupTrucks.com, TRW]

GM discovers flaw with HD pickup hill-hold assist, fast-tracks fix originally appeared on Autoblog on Tue, 20 Jul 2010 18:03:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>general motorsGeneralMotorsgm hdgm heavy duty trucksgm heavy duty trucks hill holdGM trucksGMCGmHdGmHeavyDutyTrucksGmHeavyDutyTrucksHillHoldGmTrucksheavy duty pickupHeavyDutyPickuphill holdhill hold bughill holderhill-holderHillHoldHillHoldBughillholderSierraSierra denali hdsierra hdSierraDenaliHdSierraHdsilveradosilverado hdSilveradoHdsoftware bugSoftwareBugtrwTRW AutomotiveTrwAutomotiveTue, 20 Jul 2010 18:03:00 EST http://www.autoblog.com/feed/19561787/article-comments.xml http://www.autoblog.com/feed/2010/07/20/gm-discovers-flaw-with-hd-pickup-hill-hold-assist-fast-tracks-f/19561787/article-detail.xml 19561787 http://www.blogcdn.com/www.autoblog.com/media/2010/07/silverado-72-hill_thumbnail.jpg http://www.blogcdn.com/www.autoblog.com/media/2010/07/silverado-72-hill.jpg <![CDATA[Report: Documentary on closure of Ohio GM plant earns Oscar nomination [w/video]]]>http://www.autoblog.com/2010/02/05/report-documentary-on-closure-of-ohio-gm-plant-earns-oscar-nomi/http://www.autoblog.com/2010/02/05/report-documentary-on-closure-of-ohio-gm-plant-earns-oscar-nomi/http://www.autoblog.com/2010/02/05/report-documentary-on-closure-of-ohio-gm-plant-earns-oscar-nomi/#commentsFiled under: , , ,

HBO Documentaries' "The Last Truck: Closing of a GM Plant" - click above to watch video

Workers at General Motors' Moraine Assembly plant thought they had a couple years. That's what former company CEO Rick Wagoner had said when he announced the eventual shutdown of the plant back in June of 2008. Workers were expecting to continue building Chevrolet Trailblazers, GMC Envoys, and Saab 9-7Xs until 2010. While not good news, it was tempered by the timeline, allowing workers to search for alternate employment without as much panic.

That's not how things played out, however. In October 2008, it was announced that the last day for Moraine Assembly would be December 23 of that year. Merry Christmas. HBO Documentaries' The Last Truck: Closing of a GM Plant is an in-depth look at the effect the wind-down takes on the workers and their community. The film looks beautifully produced with a story woven in the compelling words of humanity. We're not the only ones who think so, either. It has been nominated for an Academy Award for Best Documentary Short. There's a promo video after the jump so you can see what we're on about, and be sure to check HBO's schedule to see when it will air again.

[Source: The Detroit News]

Continue reading Report: Documentary on closure of Ohio GM plant earns Oscar nomination [w/video]

Report: Documentary on closure of Ohio GM plant earns Oscar nomination [w/video] originally appeared on Autoblog on Fri, 05 Feb 2010 14:29:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Chevrolet Silverado - Click above for high-res image gallery

While the current economic forecast includes much wailing and gnashing of teeth, it will eventually turn around. When it does, truck sales are likely to increase as truck-dependent industries look to replace their wares. General Motors wants to be right there on the tip of the spear with the most recently updated product. To that end, GM Chairman and CEO Ed Whitacre has given a McMahon-sized YES to redesigning the Chevrolet Silverado and GMC Sierra pickup trucks. The effort is likely to ring up a $1 billion price tag.

While the Chevrolet Silverado and GMC Sierra aren't exactly old (they were thoroughly redone in 2006), Ford and Dodge have revised their trucks in the ensuing time. While domestic rivals are the biggest competition for the Sierra and Silverado, Toyota's latest Tundra debuted in 2007, intent on mounting a serious challenge, as well. Only the Nissan Titan, enjoying a precipitous drop in sales lately, is longer in tooth. Things happen fast in truck-land. Full-size SUV sales are down and not likely to bounce back strongly, and new fuel economy provisos are coming on strong, too, but the need for working vehicles has merely waned, and General Motors is anticipating that a turnaround in industries like housing will spike truck sales. This proactive funding of a redesign will put GM's new wares in showrooms for 2012-2013.


Gallery: 2009 Chevy Silverado

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[Source: Wall Street Journal]

Report: GM to shell out $1B to update Chevrolet Silverado and GMC Sierra originally appeared on Autoblog on Thu, 14 Jan 2010 15:29:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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As General Motors seeks to streamline its production, the auto giant's medium-duty truck business is back on the block. This past summer a deal with Navistar fell through, leaving GM holding its hat, but a new deal could see the line transfer to Isuzu.

The Japanese automaker, which was due to withdraw from passenger car sales in North American as of a couple of days ago, is one of the world's largest producers of medium- and heavy-duty trucks and has had a long history of collaboration with GM. The new arrangement, which was previously rejected, would have Isuzu take over production of the GMC TopKick and Chevrolet Kodiak trucks, also rebadged as the Isuzu H-Series (pictured above), currently produced alongside the GMC Sierra and Chevy Silverado pick-ups at GM's Flint, Michigan truck plant. The deal is far from finalized, with Isuzu spokesmen apparently unaware of the negotiations reportedly in progress, but UAW officials say this could be the best way to keep its truck assembly workers employed.

[Source: Michigan Online]

GM to sell medium-duty truck business to Isuzu? originally appeared on Autoblog on Mon, 02 Feb 2009 17:31:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Word just came in from General Motors that the automaker will be reducing shifts at four different plants that produce its full-size trucks and SUVs in an effort to bring production "in line with market demand". The output slowdown will begin on July 14th at GM's Flint, Janesville and Pontiac assembly plants, which produce the Chevy Heavy-Duty Silverado, Tahoe, Suburban, Silverado and GMC Yukon, Yukon XL and Sierra. The Oshawa truck plant will also be affected starting Sept. 8th. All told, the shift reductions will nix 80,000 full-size pickups and 50,000 full-size SUVs from GM's North American production capacity.

According to GM, both vehicles have lost ground in the market across the industry, with sales of full-size pickups dropping 15-percent and SUVs down 26-percent for the first quarter of 2008. This isn't surprising considering the cost of fuel right now and the subsequent reduced demand for larger vehicles. GM didn't provide specifics about how this would affect workers, only saying that it will "result in lower staffing requirements at all four plants," and that the details "would be worked out over the next several weeks with the UAW and CAW."

Naturally, GM felt the need to brighten up the lackluster announcement by highlighting that car and CUV sales are up. However, it hasn't made a decision to boost output of either type of vehicle in lieu of said increased demand. Check out GM's full press release after the jump.

[Source: GM, Photo by Scott Olson/Getty]

Continue reading GM to reduce full-size truck production beginning in July

GM to reduce full-size truck production beginning in July originally appeared on Autoblog on Mon, 28 Apr 2008 17:02:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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