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Block Heater Recall Replacement

58K views 218 replies 68 participants last post by  Vroom_vroom 
#1 ·
I am very new here and to the diesel owner world and my first question is this. Do i need to purchase a new block heater and replace the old one on my truck? From what i am told the truck had a recall and the dealer just cut the cord at the base of the heater and left it. Its a 2017 6.6, Cheers!
 

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#3 ·
Recall letter I got says 'for now don't use' AND that a 'second letter will advise when parts available for repair'.


Regardless, it's a 2 stage deal, and we should be notified when parts become available.

I expect them to do it by region as more and more parts are produced.
(no need to wait until enough parts for all have been made to start the process...)
 
#5 ·
While they're nice to have for a quickly warmed up truck after start, the Dmax doesn't really need a block heater to start in the ultra cold.
 
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#9 ·
Not as important with a common rail diesel.
Old Diesels, not gonna happen.

There are blankets available for the extreme cold too.
 
#12 ·
I would purchase:

1) a grille cover (if they make one)
2) Diesel Kleen (white bottle for winter)
3) an engine blanket or magnetic heater
 
#13 ·
Grill cover (winter front) is standard equipment from GM in cold locations.

V10 Cover, 1-piece, covers radiator grille and front bumper openings for diesel engines in winter weather
1 - Requires (L5P) Duramax 6.6L Turbo-Diesel V8 engine and is required on orders with "Ship To" locations within the following states: Maine, New Hampshire, Vermont, Minnesota, North Dakota, South Dakota, Montana, Alaska, Idaho, Wisconsin, Wyoming, Michigan, Colorado and New York -- and all Canada
 
#14 ·
What year trucks is the recall for? I’ve seen this in other posts but no reference to the model years it is for.


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#15 ·
L5p
'17-?
 
#16 ·
Ah ok. Just the L5Ps. Just making sure it wasn’t an LML issue as well.


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#18 ·
Today I received a phone call from GM after they received my complaint from the Pennsylvania State Attorney General's Office. I purchased a new 2019 Chevrolet LTZ 3500 Durmax back in June. When I purchased the vehicle, I was not informed of the recall nor was I told that my engine block heater core cord was cut off. My window sticker indicates that my truck is equipped with an engine block heater. After purchase, I learned about the recall and found out my cord had been cut. I filed a complaint with GM and they did nothing. They put the responsibility on the dealership. GM has refused to repurchase the vehicle. Next, I filed a complaint with the Pennsylvania Attorney General's office regarding what I feel is consumer fraud. If a window sticker lists an item, the consumer should be able to assume the vehicle contains that item in working order and if an item is disabled the manufacturer and the dealer should notify the purchaser prior to purchase so they can make an informed decision. In my case, the dealer blames GM and GM blames the dealer.

During my conversation with GM, I asked if all of the owners of trucks with the notation on the window sticker stating the engine block heater has been disabled with a $100.00 credit will be notified of the fix. She advised that those trucks are not part of my complaint. So read between the lines.

Initially, a Senior Advisor told me the fix should be available sometime in October. This was also the time frame provided by the dealership however, today the woman could not give me a time frame of when the fix will be available.

I suggest if you live in PA and you have this same problem or similar that you contact GM and the Pennsylvania Attorney General
 
#24 ·
You don’t have to figure this out yourself, contact your local dealer and/or GM customer service, they’re the ones that’ll hopefully fix it for you, the forums can only try to guide you.
 
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#27 ·
I was in for one of my free oil changes, was told about three active recalls on my 18. Block heater, something to do with the rear defrost and a supplement for the owners manual. There was also the injector calibration update that they were going to do.

I asked them nicely not to do the injector calibration and NOT to cut my block heater cord, they complied with my wishes. I used the block heater all winter last year without any problems, I've inspected the cord and the element and can't see any problems so I will continue to use it until the parts are available for the fix.
 
#29 ·
I recently purchase a used '17 Duramax and called the dealer to inquire about the recall. They informed me that the "Fix" is still just to cut the heater cord. Can anyone post a picture and a good description of where this cord is located, so I can see if mine has been cut?
 
#32 ·
It looks worse than it is.

I have a 2019 recently purchased new as well. I would suggest that the block heater issue is nothing to get worked up about. It looks worse than it truly is. They cut the cord and that looks really hack... I am assuming the cut the cord rather than just unplug it from the block heater in order to prevent dirt and corrosion from entering the block heater electrical receptor. The end fix is as simple as just plugging in the new cord and routing it. I also assume that they had to determine what the true cause of the reported fires was. Was it an incorrect gauge of wire in the cord creating resistance? Was it the plug itself? Was it the shielding around the cord? etc. Once they have that, and maybe they do, they will install they new cord by simply plugging it in. If you can't wait, just buy the referenced cord on Amazon or Ebay...
 
#33 ·
I have a 2019 recently purchased new as well. I would suggest that the block heater issue is nothing to get worked up about. It looks worse than it truly is. They cut the cord and that looks really hack... I am assuming the cut the cord rather than just unplug it from the block heater in order to prevent dirt and corrosion from entering the block heater electrical receptor. The end fix is as simple as just plugging in the new cord and routing it. I also assume that they had to determine what the true cause of the reported fires was. Was it an incorrect gauge of wire in the cord creating resistance? Was it the plug itself? Was it the shielding around the cord? etc. Once they have that, and maybe they do, they will install they new cord by simply plugging it in. If you can't wait, just buy the referenced cord on Amazon or Ebay...
I cannot find a cord with the same factory steel retaining clip. Anyone else having the problem? I just want to fix the problem myself. Thanks.

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#34 ·
I am assuming the(y) cut the cord rather than just unplug it from the block heater in order to prevent dirt and corrosion from entering the block heater electrical receptor.
No, you're assuming the issue is with the cord...and not the heating element itself.

Disable the element, cut the cord. Which is a common practice in many tech repairs, snip the cord, disable the flaky power supply, so they don't get mixed up with the good stock on board for repairs, complicating troubleshooting on down the line on another job.

You may or may not have one of the suspect heaters, repairing the power supply could be fatal....or not.

***********
A year or so ago, there was a house fire in a subdivision on the East side of town, in the middle of the night.
Kids died, there was a big outpouring, blah blah blah....big intensive investigation.

In reading thru the FD's report, they listed the cause of the fire.
It wasn't the typical failure to extinguish smoking, as most middle of the night (calm weather) apt/house fires are.

This was an older two story home built back in the '80s rush, nothing fancy, square block with bedrooms over the two car garage. As many have done with sqft being small, the garage had been converted to another bedroom years later.

More people living in a space designed for fewer, so what remained of the driveway was full of vehicles...pulled up close to the house to fit.

One of those was an F-150.....one of the ones it turns out (along with every SUV of that era) that had a critical recall stemming from the cruise control (module?) spontaneously catching fire while the truck is off and parked. :surprise:

Not a Fjord-r, I never knew. They said owners would sell a truck, and the recall notice never made it's way to the new owner(s).

I was shocked to read the FD comment about how many times per year they encounter a Fjord committing suicide....common enough that they even have a nick name for it.

With no one around to call it in, the truck became engulfed in flames, catching the wall (previously a garage door) and 2nd floor of the house on fire. By the time that smoke alarms started going off, the two boys in the converted garage were already dead.

Personally, I'd learn to get by without the block heater. If GM has delayed the fix this long, it must be more than a wrong size wire ga. on a cord, or chafing.
 
#36 ·
Just pray this won’t take as long as our passengers side airbag took to replace, almost 2 years.
Our windshield washer heater ended up being completely removed, in Phx we don’t really need this.
 
#44 ·
A block heater in a Duramax is a nice-to-have, not a must-have. They cut the cord because it is quick, easy and effective if the problem is a fire hazard in the system. So far I don't think anyone has said whether it is a cord that is inadequate or a heater that draws too much current but what ever it is the cord starts a fire. Never a good thing.

It is not right that they are selling known defective parts but looking at it from GM's point of view, they can't just stop selling trucks until they are all fixed. They also can't afford to handle a bunch of claims from burnt up trucks. I can sympathize with what they are doing but they need to tell people about it up front.

I think it is a typical case of corporate think: What they don't know won't cost us money. Actually back in May when the problem first appeared GM told the dealers to stop selling the trucks but that didn't hold up when it became obvious that the fix would take month to resolve. Snip, Snip, and we're back in the truck business.
 
#48 ·
Well, if that is -8 Canadian degrees it is only +14 in American degrees which means the heater wouldn't run anyway because the switch built into the cord would not turn it on for another 14 degrees. Or maybe you were counting in our flaky units?

Isn't it fun what the EPA makes us do? No EPA = no testing of the IAT against the ECT = no codes = no problem.
 
#49 ·
Called dealership here in Bismarck, North Dakota as we just got hit with a crazy blizzard the past couple days and it got me thinking about this recall that i havent heard anymore on sense the paper what was mailed out. They told me that gm still doesnt have a fix and they didnt see one in the foreseeable future yet. Unbelievable when you buy a 70k truck and they dont even seem to care to fix the problem.
 
#50 ·
I agree it sucks... but a block heater is a block heater... find a GM one (or pull yours) and find an aftermarket one w similar heat look and plug size...

I think thats where we will all end up...

Or buy an aftermarket cord... they are out there...
 
#51 ·
I agree it sucks... but a block heater is a block heater...
Reminds of the little heat element I replaced in the RV water heater. :rofl
Nothing Tech-y to it.
 
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