Block heater on GM vehicles? (TOP 5 Tips)

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  • Block heater on GM vehicles Can I install a block heater on my car? GM has installed temperature sensing circuitry into the plug on factory installed block heaters. It prevents the heater from operating unless it is colder than 0°F or -18C.

At what temperature do you need a block heater?

A general rule of thumb is to plug in your engine block heater when the weather reaches -15° C or lower, just to be safe. If you drive a diesel vehicle, you may need to plug in the engine block heater before temperatures drop that low.

Do all cars sold in Canada have a block heater?

A few car manufacturers automatically include block heaters on all new cars sold in Canada. Other manufacturers, don’t include block heaters at the factory for all Canadian cars, but will make it a mandatory add-on for cars sold in certain provinces.

What is engine block heater on GMC Sierra?

The heaters are used to keep the block warm in extreme cold temperatures. GM says it has reports of 24 fires potentially caused by the problem from Dec. 3, 2019 through May 28, 2021. The company says it’s not aware of any injuries.

Where is the block heater located?

The name “block” heater refers to the lower part of the engine, known as the block. Thanks to gravity, oil collects in the pan at the bottom of the block when the engine’s shut off. Not all heaters go into the block, but most people use the term anyway.

Is it bad to leave a block heater plugged in overnight?

There’s absolutely no harm in keeping it plugged in. The only concern is it’s pretty wasteful on energy. If you use your vehicle around the same time each morning you can get a block heater timer and set it to come on 2 or 3 hours before you leave.

Can you start a car with a block heater plugged in?

It won’t hurt anything to start it while plugged in.

What can I use if I don’t have a block heater?

Aftermarket companies produce and offer alternatives to block heaters, such as pan heaters. These will attach to the engine’s oil pan by use of magnets for steel pans, or metal strapping for aluminum oil pans. When used carefully and as per the instructions, they can be a viable substitute to block heaters.

Are engine block heaters worth it?

According to The Drive’s Tony Markovich, it’s a good idea to invest in an engine block heater if you live in a climate that regularly reaches temperatures at or below 10 degrees Fahrenheit. This tool will help prevent engine fluids from freezing overnight, which in turn, will protect your engine from damage.

Do new cars need block heaters?

Engine block heaters are a simple solution to many issues caused by cold temperatures. While most vehicles should come with a block heater, some newer models or imports may not. Ask when you are looking to buy, or mark down that option when purchasing a new vehicle.

Does my Duramax have a block heater?

All Duramax engines are factory equipped with an engine block heater. The block heater plug comes taped and/or zip tied to the wire loom traveling from the passenger battery to the frame rail. Follow the negative battery cable and you’ll bump right into it.

Where is the block heater cord on a 2014 Chevy Silverado?

Block heater plug is just fwd of the fuse block on the drivers side engine bay.

How long does vehicle need to be plugged in?

Your car should be plugged in for at least four hours before driving.

GM pickups recalled 2nd time for engine block heater problem

  • General Motors is recalling more than 331,000 diesel pickup trucks in the United States for the second time because the engine block heating cables have the potential to short circuit and create a fire in the vehicle. 6.6-liter diesel engines and optional engine block heaters are included in the recall, which applies to select 2017 through 2019 Chevrolet Silverado and GMC Sierra 2500 and 3500 pickup trucks. It is claimed by General Motors in documents filed Thursday by the United States’ safety regulators that shorts can form in the heater cord or the terminals that link the cable to the block heater. It is possible for coolant to seep from the block heater and come into touch with the cable connections, resulting in a potential fire. Heating systems keep the block warm in extremely cold weather. More:GM has terminated its connection with a senior adviser to CEO Mary Barra following a public spat. More:When electric vehicles become ubiquitous, these gasoline-powered automobiles may become valuable. GM says it has received complaints of 24 fires that may have been caused by the fault between December 3, 2019 and May 28, 2021. According to the firm, no injuries have been reported. Those cars were repaired as a result of a recall issued in 2019 for the same issue. The block heaters and wires will be turned off by the dealership. Owners will begin to receive notice letters on August 16th. Replacement block heaters and cables will be made available to customers through a separate customer care initiative. Keep in touch and informed at all times. Today is the day to subscribe to the Detroit Free Press.

331,000 2017-19 Chevrolet, GMC Pickups Recalled for Engine Block Heaters

Matt Barnes photographed the 2017 GMC Sierra 3500 diesel for Cars.com. Patrick Masterson contributed to this article. 8th of July, 2021 There is a potential fire hazard in over 331,000 Chevrolet Silverado and GMC Sierra heavy-duty pickup vehicles due to an optional engine block heating cable that might produce a short circuit, according to Chevrolet. Related:More General Motors (GM) News Models from the 2017 through 2019 model years are affected. Diesel-powered Chevrolet Silverados and GMC Sierras with Duramax 6.6-liter diesel engines and the optional cable are now available.

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Dealers will disable the block heater at no cost to the customer.

The heater cord will be changed and rerouted for free for trucks that have already been recalled.

Additional Information From Cars.com:

  • Everything You Need to Know About Recall Fundamentals
  • My car has been recalled, but there is no fix at this time: What Should I Do? Why are dealers allowed to sell used cars with unresolved recalls? More Recall Information

Video related to this: The Editorial section at Cars.com is your go-to source for automotive news and reviews. Editors and reviewers at Cars.com are prohibited from accepting gifts or free vacations from automobile manufacturers, in accordance with the company’s long-standing ethical code. The Editorial department is completely separate from the advertising, sales, and sponsored content divisions of Cars.com.com.

Engine Block Heater Problems on Several Ford and GM Pickups

It has finally been a long winter, and the weather has improved significantly in most regions of the country, especially in the south. The timing of this recall is ironic because, within the past few days, both Ford and General Motors have issued a recall for their full-size pickup trucks owing to engine block heating issues. Begin with the Blue Oval, where the connections on the engine block heating cable may have been broken during the service performed as part of recall campaign 2018-718 on the affected cars.

  • Also, almost 500,000 Ford F-Series trucks have been recalled in Canada due to a block heater problem
  • Additionally, nearly 500,000 General Motors vehicles have been recalled in Canada due to two separate recalls

A total of 196,269 vehicles are impacted, including 2017-2019 Super Duty (F-250, F-350, and F-450) and 2015-2019 F-150 pickup trucks. Featured image: FordFord Canada has issued a warning to vehicle owners to cease using their engine-block heater immediately and to take their vehicle to a dealer to have the engine block heater disabled. When new components are available and ready to be installed, another notification will be sent out to remind you. A short circuit caused by an issue with the engine block heater cable or the terminals that link the heater cable to the block heater might result in damage to engine components as well as the possibility of a fire, according to General Motors.

Owners who have been impacted will be contacted via mail once more. As soon as a solution becomes available, they will be asked to bring their truck to a dealership for service. In the meanwhile, they should refrain from turning on the engine block heating system.

GM Pickups Recalled 2nd Time for Engine Block Heater Problem

DETROIT, Mich. (AP) – General Motors is recalling more than 331,000 diesel pickup trucks in the United States for the second time because the engine block heating cables have the potential to short circuit and create a fire in the vehicle. 6.6-liter diesel engines and optional engine block heaters are included in the recall, which applies to select 2017 through 2019 Chevrolet Silverado and GMC Sierra 2500 and 3500 pickup trucks. It is claimed by General Motors in documents filed Thursday by the United States’ safety regulators that shorts can form in the heater cord or the terminals that link the cable to the block heater.

  • Heating systems keep the block warm in extremely cold weather.
  • According to the firm, no injuries have been reported.
  • The block heaters and wires will be turned off by the dealership.
  • Replacement block heaters and cables will be made available to customers through a separate customer care initiative.

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GM recalls Silverado and Sierra HD diesels again for block-heater issue

Chevrolet Silverado and GMC Sierra Heavy Duty vehicles equipped with a Duramax diesel engine and an optional engine-block heater are being recalled by General Motors (GM). According to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA), a short circuit in the connection to the block heater might result in a fire. When the block heater’s coolant seeps onto the cable terminals while the block heater is connected in, the short circuit has the potential to create a fire. A block-heater problem can be identified by five indicators: smoke or a burning smell; weak or poor performance from the block heater; tripped circuits or blown fuses; damage to the block heater, heater cable, or engine components; and block-heater coolant spilling or pooling beneath the vehicle.

  • A Duramax diesel 6.6-liter V-8 engine and an engine heater power cable are included in the recall, which applies to the 2017-2019 model years of the Chevrolet Silverado 2500/3500HD and GMC Sierra 2500/3500HD pickup trucks.
  • The recall affects 208,546 Chevrolet Silverado 2500HD pickup trucks and 122,728 GMC Sierra 2500HD pickup trucks.
  • The recall remedy did not work in this case.
  • According to GM’s papers with the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, the next step may be to disable the function.
  • Dealers will do the change at no charge, and General Motors will refund owners who have already had the maintenance completed at their expense.

Chevrolet is currently determining the most effective fix, but in the interim, owners will be notified of possible replacement block heaters as early as August 16, according to the company.

Read further

GM Engine Block Heater Recall Follows 24 Fires

Vehicles with a Duramax diesel engine and an optional engine-block heater are being recalled by General Motors. The recall includes Chevrolet Silverado and GMC Sierra Heavy Duty trucks. This week, the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration warned that a short circuit in the connection to the block heater may result in a fire. When the block heater’s coolant seeps onto the cable terminals while the block heater is connected in, the short circuit has the potential to cause a fire to ignite.

  • When the block heater was plugged in, one owner reported sparks beneath the hood.
  • Heavily modified General Motors trucks without a block heater and without diesel are unaffected.
  • One or more of these vehicles had already been recalled for a similar problem that General Motors identified and tagged recall 19V328 on them.
  • Following a thorough examination, GM discovered that it had received 122 complaints and 24 reports of possible fires in a 16-month period between December 2019 and May 2021, following the repair of the vehicles in question.
  • All previously recalled and repaired vehicles will have their block heaters deactivated, and their owners will be supplied replacement block heaters and power cables as a result of this recall.
  • Chevrolet is currently determining the most effective repair, but in the meanwhile, owners will be advised of possible replacement block heaters as early as August 16 if the problem continues.
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Previous GM Block Heater Recall

After determining that the truck had been fixed as part of a prior recall in 2019, GM discovered that 19 fires had occurred in trucks that had been repaired as part of the previous recall. 122 complaints and 24 fire incidents were discovered between December 3, 2019 and May 28, 2021, according to an internal inquiry, and all of the vehicles had been fixed as part of the 2019 recall. A short circuit can cause damage to engine components as well as flames in the engine compartment. Specifically, GM states that if a block heater coolant leak develops and coolant hits the block heater cable terminals while the cable is hooked into an electrical outlet, a short circuit may occur.

A truck driver may detect that the block heater is not operating properly, that the breakers or fuses have tripped, that coolant is seeping from the block heater, or that there is burning stench and smoke.

To begin with, General Motors dealers will turn off the engine block heaters.

Owners who have paid for repairs should inquire with General Motors regarding possible compensation.

Owners of the Chevrolet Silverado 2500 and 3500, as well as the GMC Sierra 2500 and 3500, can reach Chevrolet at 800-222-1020 or GMC at 800-462-8782. The engine block heater recall from General Motors has the number 212329840.

Block heater on GM vehicles

After determining that the truck had been serviced as part of a prior recall in 2019, GM discovered that 19 fires had occurred in vehicles that had been repaired as part of the previous recall. 122 complaints and 24 fire incidents were discovered between December 3, 2019 and May 28, 2021, according to an internal inquiry, and all of the vehicles had been fixed as part of a 2019 recall. A short circuit can cause damage to engine components as well as flames in the engine bay. To be more specific, according to General Motors, a short-circuit can occur when a block heater coolant leak develops and coolant hits the block heater cable terminals while the cable is hooked into a power outlet.

  • A truck driver may notice that the block heater is not operating properly, that the breakers or fuses have tripped, that coolant is seeping from the block heater, or that there is burning aromas and smoke coming from the block heater.
  • To begin with, General Motors dealers will turn off the engine block heaters.
  • The General Motors Corporation may be able to compensate owners who have paid for repair costs in advance.
  • Contact Chevrolet at 800-222-1020 or GMC at 800-462-8782 if you own a Chevrolet Silverado 2500, 3500, or GMC Sierra 2500 or 3500.

Read further

GM Engine Block Heater Recall Follows 24 Fires

In all, more than 331,000 vehicles equipped with Durmaxdiesel 6.6-liter engines and optional engine block warmers are included in the AGM engine block heater recall. Chevrolet Silverado 2500 and 3500 vehicles, as well as GMC Sierra 2500 and 3500 trucks, manufactured between 2017 and 2019 may have electrical short circuits in the engine block heater cables or the terminals that link the heater cables with the block heaters. The block heater from a 2019 Chevrolet Silverado 3500 was subjected to an inspection by a General Motors management in February, after the vehicle’s owner observed sparking coming from under the hood when the engine block heater was turned on.

GM also discovered that the truck had been fixed as part of a prior recall in 2019.

122 complaints and 24 fire incidents were discovered between December 3, 2019 and May 28, 2021, according to an internal inquiry, and all of the vehicles had been fixed as part of the 2019 recall.

Specifically, GM states that if a block heater coolant leak develops and coolant hits the block heater cable terminals while the cable is hooked into an electrical outlet, a short circuit may occur.

According to the carmaker, it is possible that the sealing surface of the block heater heating element was damaged.

NAPA Engine Block Heater Kit for GM Vehicles 2.0L 2.2L Blazer Jimmy 605-3147 NEW

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GM Recalls Diesel Trucks After Engine Block Heater Fires

The recall affects more than 300,000 vehicles, including the 2019 Chevrolet Silverado 2500 pickup truck. (Photo courtesy of Chevrolet) Due to the possibility of engine block heater cord fires, General Motors Co. is recalling hundreds of thousands of medium-duty trucks equipped with diesel engines and storing tens of thousands of unsold trucks at dealerships. The recalled vehicles are equipped with a Duramax diesel engine with an eight-cylinder displacement of 6.6 liters and an optional engine-block heater.

It is possible for customers to detect smoke or a burning smell, poor block-heater performance, trip circuit breakers or blown vehicle fuses, damage to the block heater, the heater cable, or engine components, as well as block-heater coolant pooling under the vehicle’s chassis.

MORE THAN 300,000 RECALLED

The 2017-2019 Chevrolet Silverado 2500/3500, the 2019 Silverado 4500HD/5500HD/6500HD, and the 2017-2019 GMC Sierra 2500/3500 are among the models that have been recalled in the United States, totaling 324,226 vehicles. In order to ensure that the recalled trucks were properly repaired, about 61,418 of them were being held at dealerships. Additional recalls were issued in Canada, totaling 40,319 vehicles. In December 2018, a quality engineer submitted a report to the company’s Speak Up for Safety program, which was received positive feedback.

By the middle of April, 19 fire claims had been uncovered.

According to GM’s complaint with the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, the fires appear to have been caused by distinct factors each time.

AVOID HEATER USE

Both manufacturers advised consumers to refrain from using the engine block heater until the problem has been resolved. Engine block heating cables in unsold autos are being disabled by General Motors and Ford.

When General Motors finds a solution, the company will send letters to consumers. Repairs will be provided at no cost. The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration’s recall number is 19V-328. Continue reading The Most Recent Truck Recalls

General Motors recalls over 330,000 Vehicles because of possible Short Circuit in Engine Block Heater Cable, Fire Risk

National Capital Region (Washington D.C.)– In accordance with the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA), General Motors, LLC (GM) is recalling certain 2017-2019 Chevrolet Silverado 2500 and 3500 pickup trucks, as well as 2017-2019 GMC Sierra 2500 and 3500 pickup trucks, that are equipped with an optional Duramax diesel 6.6 liter engine and an optional engine-block heater cord. It is possible that the heater cable will short circuit, increasing the risk of a fire. ‘One of the vehicles being recalled is the 2019 Chevrolet Silverado 2500.’ The Chevrolet Silverado 2500 is one of the models that have been recalled.’ data-image-caption=’The Chevrolet Silverado 2500 is one of the models that have been recalled.’ loading=’lazy’ data-medium-file=’ data-large-file=’ data-small-file=’ ‘The 2019 Chevrolet Silverado 2500 is one among the vehicles that have been recalled.’ The 2019 Chevrolet Silverado 2500 is one of the vehicles being recalled.

src=’ data-src=’ alt=’2019 Chevrolet Silverado 2500′ ‘ width=’480′ height=’320′ width=’480′ height=’320′ data-srcset=’480w,200w,768w,1200w’ data-srcset=’480w,200w,768w,1200w’ size='(max-width: 480px) 100vw, 480px’ data-sizes='(max-width: 480px) 100vw’ The 2019 Chevrolet Silverado 2500 is one of the models being recalled.

Recall Information

Campaign ID: 21V496000 from the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration General Motors, LLC is the manufacturer. Components:Equipment The number of units that might be affected is 331,274.

Vehicles

MAKE MODEL YEAR
Chevrolet Silverado 2500 2017-2019
Chevrolet Silverado 3500 2017-2019
GMC Sierra 2500 2017-2019
GMC Sierra 3500 2017-2019

Summary

GMC Sierra 2500 and 3500 vehicles equipped with a Duramax diesel 6.6-liter engine are included in the recall. The recall also includes certain 2017-2019 Chevrolet Silverado 2500 and 3500 vehicles as well as certain 2017-2019 GMC Sierra 2500 and 3500 vehicles as well as certain 2017-2019 GMC Sierra 2500 and 3500 vehicles as part of the recall. When an electrical short circuit occurs in the engine-block heater cable or the terminals that link the heater cable to the block heater, it is known as an engine-block short circuit.

Remedy

Dealers will remove the block heater from the vehicle at no cost to the customer. Under a separate customer satisfaction effort, General Motors will supply free replacement block heaters and cables to eligible customers. The heating cord will be replaced and rerouted free of charge for cars that have previously been subject to recall 19V-328. Owner notice letters are planned to be issued out on August 16, 2021, according to the company. For further information, contact Chevrolet customer service at (800) 222-1020, or GMC customer service at (800) 462.8782.

Notes

The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration Vehicle Safety Hotline may be reached at 1.888.327.4236 (TTY 1.800.424.9153), or the website www.nhtsa.gov can be accessed by owners.

Engine Block Heater Defects in Some Silverado and Sierra Trucks

Class action lawsuit against General Motors for engine block heater defects in 2017 – 2019 Chevrolet Silverado 2500/3000, 2019 Chevrolet Silverado 4500/5500/6000, and 2017 – 2019 GMC Sierra 2500/3500 trucks equipped with a Duramax diesel 6.6.L engine and optional engine block heater designed to aid diesel engines in starting in cold temperatures continues. According to reports, the engine block heaters are susceptible to a short circuit at the connection between the engine and the heater cable, which can cause damage to the engine components or even a fire.

A Silverado or Sierra vehicle that was purchased or leased in California may be subject to the state’s lemon legislation, which may oblige General Motors to buy or replace the truck if it has suffered from repeated engine or other problems.

Please contact Lemon Law Aid for a free case review to see whether or not we can assist you.

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