How to Troubleshoot a Diesel Chevrolet Silverado

The Silverado is a full-sized pickup truck offered by GM under the Chevrolet brand name. The truck offers a diesel engine option, which increases torque and therefore towing ability. Since the pickup is designed for heavy-duty use, the truck will break down or start having problems sooner or later. While there are a few common problems with the truck, it is, overall, a very solid vehicle.

Instructions

1. Check to see if your instrument panel is functioning normally. Over time, the Silverado may experience a short in the electrical wiring. There is a known issue with the heated windshield washer fluid pump causing fires in late model Silverados, but this can also affect other electrical systems. If your Silverado's speedometer, tachometer, gasoline fluid level gauge, message center, trip odometer, PRND321 lights and factory stereo all fail at the same time, this could indicate a faulty ground in your factory wiring harness, which may or may not be caused by other electrical issues. Have the vehicle serviced at a GM dealer to properly fix this problem.

2. Check for increased brake pedal feel. In 2004, Chevy issued a recall on some models and years of Silverados due to valve O-ring seal failure. This, in turn, causes increased brake pedal effort to achieve the same braking effect.

3. Check the fuel rail for fuel leaks. The Chevrolet Silverado has a known engine fuel rail pulse damper issue. The retaining clip on the damper may fracture on some Silverados, causing a fuel leak at the fuel rail, which could cause a fire in the engine bay.

References

• "Chevrolet Silverado, GMC Sierra 2WD and 4WD Repair Manual 1999-2006"; Jeff Kibler, John H. Haynes; 2007
• Chevrolet Silverado Recalls