- Faulty throttle body causing a check engine light
- Malfunctioning brake light switch disabling cruise control
- Broken steering wheel position sensor causing a stability system warning light
- Worn out steering intermediate shaft causing excessive noise
As pickup trucks go, the 2007-2014 generation of both the Chevrolet Silverado and the GMC Sierra, is especially reliable. Like any vehicle, things can go wrong as the miles pile up, but luckily for owners this truck’s most common issues are relatively easy to address. Here’s the scoop.
Faulty throttle body causing a check engine light
2009 Chevrolet Silverado 1500 | General Motors
Stepping on the gas pedal of your Silverado/Sierra opens up a valve in its throttle body and allows more air to flow into the engine. If you have a check engine light with the corresponding code P2135, than you know you have a throttle body issue. But wait! You might not need to replace the entire unit.
It is important that your truck’s PCM unit knows the position of the throttle body’s valve. Therefore, your throttle body has two sensors that read the valve plate’s position. When one of them wears out, it will cause a check engine light. Luckily the throttle body is on top of the engine, and it is easy to troubleshoot these sensors and their wires, as well as replace the units.
Malfunctioning brake light switch disabling cruise control
2009 GMC Sierra 1500 | General Motors
There’s a simple pressure switch at the top of your brake pedal lever that activates your brake lights. When this swtich fails, your lights either fail or—sometimes—stay on all the time. You may not notice this, but the sensor failure can also cause an ABS warning light on your dashboard and even your cruise control to stop working.
This is also a relatively easy fix. Simply buy a new pressure sensor and replace the old one. You can get to the sensor from the floor of the driver’s side of your truck. You only need to undo one screw and one clip to remove the old one.
Broken steering wheel position sensor causing a stability system warning light
2009 Chevrolet Silverado 1500 | General Motors
The 2007-2014 Chevrolet Silverado/GMC Sierra had a relatively advances stability system. The system includes a yaw sensor that tracks how the vehicle is moving down the road and a steering wheel position sensor. If the two sensors disagree, then the onboard computer can activate the stability system. But if you see the stability system light come on when you’re driving straight down the road, you may have a broken steering wheel position sensor.
Because the steering position sensor is at the base of the steering column, replacing it can be a an involved process. 1A Auto warns that you will need to remove the entire steering column. And while this doesn’t take as much mechanical know-how as other automotive repair procedures, it is a job with many steps.
Worn out steering intermediate shaft causing excessive noise
2013 GMC Sierra 1500 | General Motors
The front wheels of your Silverado/Sierra must be able to move up and down while your steering wheel stays in one spot. For this reason, your steering shaft can telescope up and down. On some Chevy/GMC trucks this flex point wears out and causes excessive clunking noises when you go over bumps.
Some model years of the 2007-2014 Sierra/Silverado actually have a greased telescoping joint in the intermediate steering shaft. In this case, a short-term fix for a “clunking” joint is to regrease it. But A1 Auto warns that the noise will start up again within 5,000 miles. Eventually, you will have to replace its telescoping joint.
So there you have it, the top five issues with the Chevrolet Silverado/GMC Sierras from model years 2007-2014—according to 1A Auto. While there are no substantial powertrain safety concerns on this list, there are a few components that are prone to wearing early that it’s a good idea to check up on.
Next, read up on the most common F-150 EcoBoost problems or watch 1A’s Youtube video for yourself below:
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Keyword: 4 Top Issues With an Old Chevrolet Silverado or GMC Sierra—According to a Mechanic