2005 Chevrolet Silverado Suspension Problems

Suspension system potentially life threatening. On [XXX] I purchased a 2005 Chevy Silverado truck from used car dealer in Tallassee, AL/$6000. Several days after driving home at Interstate speeds, I discovered extreme rust on the underside of the truck. The spare tire rim was unusable from rust and the tire hoist was rusted beyond use--I had to cut the tire hoist cable tip with a grinder and let the tire fall to the driveway. At that point, I found an extremely unsafe and dangerous defect to the truck. The top of the right rear shock absorber was not attached to the truck frame. The connector bracket had rusted completely away from the truck frame. I texted pictures and called the dealer and was told the sale was “as is”--not his problem. I asked if he inspected, or even looked at the bottom of the truck—his text reply was “I personally did not do anything other than a walk around and test drive” He later said by text he had been a used car dealer for 32 years and had an excellent reputation. Subsequent research found NHTSA-DOT’s 49 CFR Section 570.8 -Suspension Systems-- where it states “Shock absorber mountings, shackles, and U-bolts shall be securely attached.” I believe the licensed used car dealer failed to properly inspect the used truck and clearly did not identify and report to me, the buyer, hidden potential life threatening deficiencies of the suspension system and other defects that would dramatically reduce the value of the vehicle. At that point the dealer refused to answer his phone or texts. My local mechanic advised me not to use the truck and only drive it (below 45 mph) in light traffic for short drives to keep the truck running and the battery charged. I have owned vehicles for over [XXX] and have never had any problems with any of the vehicles. I am [XXX]. I reported this to the Alabama Dept of Revenue ("ALDOR" - [XXX]) 8 Apr 25 and received a confirmation of receipt. No response yet-23 Apr 25. Please help. INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6)

03/09/2025 Purchased 2005 Chev Silverado 1500 from Tony's Trade Co, Inc. Owner stated he had been a highly respected licensed used car dealer 34 years. AutoCheck had no issues. 1-Component: Right Rear Shock absorber--critical suspension part (49 CFR Section 570.8 Suspension Systems)-mechanic agrees. Upper mounting bracket to frame totally rusted away. Bottom of shock absorber attached--top floating in the air. Shock absorber is untouched and available for inspection. 2-Truck was driven at highway speeds several time before unattached shock absorber noticed - found. One trip included a medium load for the truck. 3-Free floating shock absorber top is apparent in pictures. I sent the used car dealer a photo of the detached shock absorber top and mount. Will pay for a professional view and statement of the shock absorber if requested by you. Heavy rust under the truck bed/frame will require extensive metal replacement to make a hard connection bracket for attachment. 4-No manufacturer, police, etc inspection. Detached and severely rusted shock absorber top and frame bracket are obvious in pictures. Will get reports if needed. 5-No warning lamps, messages or other symptoms of the problem until I tried to remove the spare tire to fix and clean it. Spare hoist was severely rusted and unable to lower--cut hoist cable tip and let drop on floor. That is when I was able to see the detached right rear shock absorber. 6 EXTRA: Seller quote: "this is a good truck. I would sell to anyone. Like new tires and does not need one thing mechanical and in excellent condition." Tires range from DOT 2622 to DOT 1323-not new. Extreme frame rust. I drive truck 35-45 mph twice/week on low traffic highway to keep truck running and battery charged. Reported to AL Dept of Revenue 8 Apr 25--ALDOR-127348-said I would get response in 24 hours, none yet. I called seller was told truck was sold "as is". Seller will not answer phone or text messages.

Frame broken behind cab on both sides

OCTOBER 29,2020 I WAS TRAVELING DOWN A HIGHWAY WHEN I NOTICED TRAFFIC WAS STOPPED AND WHEN I WENT TO APPLY MY BRAKES THE PEDAL WENT ALL THE WAY TO THE FLOOR AND I HAD NOTHING NOT EVEN A LIGHT CAME ON TO NOTIFY MY OF AN ISSUE. I ALSO TRIED TO APPLY THE EMERGENCY BRAKE AND IT SNAPPED AND AT THAT POINT I HAD TO LEAVE THE ROAD WAY TO AVOID HITTING ANY CARS OR ANYONE, AND IN DOING SO IWENT TOWARDS A DITCH AND RAMPED A DRIVEWAY. WE HAVE ;LOOKED INTO THE RECALLS AND ITS THE SAME PARTS WE ARE HAVING TROUBLE WITH ON THIS TRUCK AND WHY IT CAUSED ME TO WRECK. HYDRO BOOST SYSTEM, AND THE EMERGENCY BRAKE SYSTEM. THE CODES THAT I PULLED FROM THE NHTSA. THESE ALL ARE WHATS HAS HAPPENED WITH MY VEHICLE. 04V376000 05V161000 05V043000 IF YOU NEED ANY ADDITIONAL INFO PLEASE LET ME KNOW I HAVE A VIDEO I TRIED TO SEND FROM THE HOMEOWNERS SECURITY CAMERA OF THE TRUCK RAMPING HIS DRIVE BUT IT WAS TOO LARGE TO UPLOAD AND I HAVE TO GET ANOTHER COPY OF THE POLICE REPORT IF YOU WOULD LIKE THAT.

DRIVERS SIDE REAR SHOCK ABSORBER UPPER MOUNTING CROSS MEMBER HAS CORRODED OFF THE VEHICLE. THIS SHOULD CAUSE A RECALL AS ROTTING FRAME PARTS ARE VERY HAZARDOUS. THIS TRUCK HAS 88000 MILES. RECENTLY I HAD TO REPLACE ALL THE BRAKE LINES IN THIS TRUCK AS WELL. BRAKES WERE LOST LUCKILY IN THE DRIVEWAY. HEARD A LOUD CLUNKING IN THE REAR AND FOUND THE SHOCK ABSORBER MOUNT HAD ROTTED OFF.

Well, I contacted GM years ago asking why the frames on these vehicles rot out so fast. They told me to send pics. and that’s all that came from that. So, years ago, I heard a banging noise in the right rear side of my truck. My rear shock mount rotted out and driving home later there was even more noise. The left rear shock mount rotted out also. I removed the bed to assess damage, and I couldn’t believe the amount of rust I was looking at. I bought an aftermarket kit and had the shock mounts welded back on. The company selling the kit said that they sell tons of those kits. I would say that’s a safety issue. Especially when the whole from appears to be rotting away. That seems like a mayor issue to me. I probably won’t be buying another Chevy truck seeing how my wife’s Honda is as old as my truck and has no rust under it.

RUST RUST RUST. FRAME IS SO BAD TRUCK WILL NOT PASS NYS SAFETY INSPECTION NEXT YEAR. I HAVE TO SELL IT FOR SCRAP/SALVAGE AS GM WON'T OFFER ANYTHING BUT A "POSSIBLE" CREDIT IF I BUY A NEW CHEVY TRUCK. NO WAY I'LL DO THAT:(. TRUCK ONLY HAS 25,500 MILES AS IT IS A SECOND VEHICLE. IT WAS NEVER USED OFF ROAD OR FOR SNOW PLOWING. JUST RUSTED AWAY SITTING IN THE DRIVEWAY.

MY 2005 SILVERADO THAT I BOUGHT BRAND NEW WAS BROUGHT IN FOR BODY WORK ON THE BED ON THE TRUCK. WHEN THE BODY SHOP REMOVED THE BED TO DO THE BODY WORK REPAIRS THEY DISCOVERED THAT THE FRAME, FRAME CROSS MEMBERS, LEAF SPRING SHACKLES, BRAKE LINES, SHOCK MOUNTS ARE RUSTED AND ROTTED THROUGH. NO UNDER COATING LEFT ANYWHERE ON MY FRAME OR UNDER MY GM SILVERADO. THE VEHICLE IS NOW DEEMED UNSAFE FOR THE ROAD AND GENERAL MOTORS KNOWING THE VEHICLE IS UNSAFE HAS SAID THEY CAN NOT HELP ME AND HAS NOT ASSISTED WITH REPAIRING THE TRUCKS FRAME AT THIS POINT.I AM STILL WORKING WITH GENERAL MOTORS TO ATTEMPT TO RESOLVE THIS ISSUE. THIS IS A KNOW ISSUE THAT GM DOES NOT WANT TO ADDRESS EASILY FOR US CONSUMERS. LONGEST LASTING TRUCKS ON THE ROAD IS THERE SLOGAN MY LASTED 8 YEARS. GUESS SILVER-ROT-O'S ARE DISPOSABLE TRUCKS AFTER 8 YEARS. GENERAL MOTORS WILL NEED TO STEP UP AND RESOLVE MY ISSUE OR I WILL NEVER BUY ANOTHER NEW GM PRODUCT EVER AGAIN. PLAN TO BRING THE TRUCK TO LOCAL DEALERS TO SHOW THEM THE DAMAGE WHILE THE BED IS OFF THE TRUCK. BOTTOM LINE IS THIS.... MY GM TRUCK IS UNSAFE FOR THE ROAD, GM NEEDS TO FIX MY TRUCK TO KEEP THIS LOYAL GM OWNER SATISFIED WITH THERE PRODUCT LINE. MIND YOU I OWN 5 GM VEHICLES MY WIFE'S GRANDFATHER SOLD PONTIAC'S FOR 50+ YEARS. THIS IS NOT THE WAY TO STAND BY YOUR PRODUCT GM AND THE EASIEST WAY TO LOSE A LIFE LONE LOYAL GM CUSTOMER. TOYOTA IS STANDING BY THERE TRUCKS BY FIXING FRAME ROT ISSUES FOR THEIR CONSUMERS YOU SHOULD TOO. MINE WAS BUILT IN CANADA JUST AS A SIDE NOTE. FIX MY 2006 SILVERADO TRUCK GM. STAND BY YOUR WORD AND HORROR YOUR SLOGAN AND MAKE MY SILVERADO THE LONGEST LAST TRUCK ON THE ROAD.

THE BRAKE LINES ARE ALL RUSTED, I HAVE A BIG LEAK AND GM SAYS THE DON'T SALE REPLACEMENTS, I HAVE A 2000 ALSO SAME ISSUES BOTH WITH IN A MONTH..I HAVE HAD A TON OF CARS AND TRUCKS AND I NEVER SEEN ANYTHING LIKE THIS..I FEEL I WAS HAD..I SPENT A LOT OF MONEY FIXING THE WHEEL BEARINGS AND ROTORS , 3 TIMES..NOW THE LINES.. IM GETTING PRICES LIKE 1200 TO FIX BRAKE LINES AND 1400.00 FOR FUEL LINES..THE TRUCK IN GREAT SHAPE BUT THE LINES ARE DEFECTIVE. *TR

TRUCK FRAME RUSTED SO BADLY VEHICLE CAN'T BE INSPECTED WITHOUT REPLACING FRAME. REAR SHOCK ABSORBERS MOUNTED ON CROSS-MEMBERS THAT ARE ENTIRELY RUSTED THROUGH. SAME FRAME DESIGN ON 2014 TRUCKS OF SAME MODEL. BODY IS STILL GOOD, BUT INSPECTION WILL EXPIRE AT END OF SEPT. 2014 AND THIS 9 YEAR OLD TRUCK WITH 76,000 ORIGINAL MILES WILL BE UNABLE TO BE PUT ON THE ROAD WITHOUT FRAME REPLACEMENT. PRETTY SAD WHEN '87 CHEVY'S ARE STILL ON THE ROAD AND THIS PIECE OF RUST IS ONLY GOOD FOR LOOKING AT. *TR

WHILE DRIVING, LOUD BANG. LOOKED UNDER TRUCK, DRIVER'S SIDE REAR LEAF SPRING SHACKLE HAD ROTTED OFF AND THE LEAF SPRING BUSTED THROUGH THE BED OF THE TRUCK. 2 WEEKS LATER, A BANGING ON THE UNDER SIDE OF BED. LOOK UNDERNEATH AND THE DRIVER'S SIDE REAR SHOCK MOUNT HAS RUSTED OFF THE FRAME. NOT EVEN SURE THERE IS ENOUGH METAL LEFT TO WELD OR PUT ON A NEW MOUNT! THE REAR CROSS MEMBER THAT HOLDS THE SPARE TIRE IS NON-EXISTENT. IT HAS RUSTED AWAY. THE BODY OF THE TRUCK IS IN GREAT SHAPE. IT IS JUST THE FRAME AREA AND MOUNTS THAT ATTACH TO IT. I HAVE OWNED THIS TRUCK SINCE IT WAS NEW, IT HAS NEVER BEEN OFF ROAD AND HAS BEEN KEPT IN EXCELLENT RUNNING CONDITION. THIS SEEMS TO BE AN ONGOING PROBLEM WITH GM. I HAVE SEEN MANY COMPLAINTS AND HOPES THAT THE NHTSA TAKES NOTICE AND ACTION. *TR

FRONT LEFT WHEEL BEARING ASSEMBLY FAILURE. HEARD SOUND COMING FROM FRONT END AND TOOK IT IN TO MECHANIC TO HAVE REPAIRED. BEARING ASSEMBLY WITH ABS SENSOR REPLACED. COST $450 FOR REPLACEMENT. VEHICLE MILEAGE 63,000 MILES. *TR

BROKEN LEAF SPRING, BOTH SIDES. *TR

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS 2005 CHEVROLET PICKUP. WHILE DRIVING APPROXIMATELY 25 MPH AROUND A CURVE HE HEARD A NOISE OUTSIDE OF THE VEHICLE. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO AN AUTHORIZED DEALER FOR INSPECTION. THE TECHNICIAN STATED THE FAILURE WAS CONTRIBUTED TO A MANUFACTURER DESIGN OF THE WHEEL BEARING. THE VEHICLE HAS NOT BEEN REPAIRED FOR THE MALFUNCTION. THE FAILURE AND CURRENT MILEAGES WERE 87,000.

WHEN ROTATING MY TIRES AT 29,000 MILES, I INSPECTED THE FRONT DISC BRAKES ON MY TRUCK. I NOTICED THAT TON BOTH FRONT WHEELS. THE DISC BRAKE PADS WERE ONLY TOUCHING THE ROTORS IN AN AREA OF 1/2" ON THE INSIDE OF THE ROTORS. I TOOK THE TRUCK TO THE DEALER AND THEY SAID IT WASN'T COVERED BY THE WARRANTY BECAUSE IT HAD MORE THAN 25000 MILES. I HAD TO REPLACE THE ROTORS AND BRAKE PADS AT MY OWN EXPENSE OF $400. *TR

LEFT FRONT TIRE FELL OUT FROM UNDERNEATH THE VEHICLE. WHEEL BEARING FAILED CAUSING TRUCK TO VEER LEFT DRASTICALLY. *TR

ABS LIGHT CAME ON AND FLASHED WHILE DRIVING. IT WENT OFF WHEN VEHICLE WAS TURNED OFF AND SAT FOR SEVERAL HOURS. TWO DAYS LATER, WAS DRIVING AND HEARD A NOISE FROM THE DRIVER'S SIDE FRONT WHEEL. TOOK VEHICLE INTO A MECHANIC AND DISCOVERED WHEEL BEARING WAS BAD AND HAD TO BE REPLACED. THE MECHANIC ADVISED ME TO KEEP THE PART DUE TO THE FACT OF THE NUMBER OF CHEVROLETS HE HAS SEEN WITH THIS SAME PROBLEM. MY VEHICLE HAS APPROX. 44,000 MILES. *TR

DRIVING HOME ON THE HIGHWAY THE LEFT REAR WHEEL BECAME DETACHED FROM THE AXLE AND HUB ASSEMBLY. THE TIRE AND WHEEL ASSEMBLY ROLLED AWAY FROM THE VEHICLE TO THE OTHER SIDE OF THE HIGHWAY, CAUSING THE VEHICLE TO LOSE TRACTION AND CRASH INTO THE MEDIAN OF THE HIGHWAY AND SKID TO A HALT. COMPLETELY TORE APART THE DRIVER SIDE REAR SUSPENSION AND BRAKE ASSEMBLY AS WELL AS CONSIDERABLE BODY DAMAGE TO THE REAR QUARTER PANEL, REAR BUMPER, AND TOW HITCH. VEHICLE HAS ONLY LIGHT DUTY USE, MOSTLY COMMUTER MILES, WITH GOOD TIRES, EXCELLENT MAINTENANCE RECORDS, AND LESS THAN 39,000 , JUST OUT OF WARRANTY. *TR

TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 2005 CHEVROLET SILVERADO 3500. WHILE DRIVING 10 MPH, THE DRIVER'S SIDE WHEEL FAILED. THE LOWER KNUCKLE BENT THE LOWER BALL JOINT AND CAUSED THE AXLE TO FAIL. THE MECHANIC STATED THAT THEY HAD NEVER BEFORE SEEN THIS TYPE OF FAILURE. THE MANUFACTURER STATED THAT THEY WOULD CALL THE CONTACT REGARDING THE ISSUE; HOWEVER, HE HAS NOT YET RECEIVED A RESPONSE. THE DEALER CURRENTLY HAS THE VEHICLE AND WILL NOT RELEASE IT UNTIL THE CONTACT PAYS FOR THE REPAIR WORK. THE FAILURE AND CURRENT MILEAGES WERE 88,075.

HEARD A NOISE FROM FRONT OF VEHICLE FOLLOWED BY AN ABS WARNING INDICATION, DROVE TO NEAREST DEALER. FAILURE OF LEFT FRONT HUB BEARING, REPLACED PART NUMBER 15863441. *TR