NHTSA Complaint #741589 — 1999 CHEVROLET SILVERADO

FROM THE VERY BEGINING, THE ENGINE, (5.3L), HAS MADE A TICKING/KNOCKING NOISE AT START UP (SIMILAR TO WHAT "NOISY LIFTERS). I WAS TOLD BY THE DEALER SOME TIME AGO, THAT IS WAS FAULTY PISTONS, ("PISTON SLAP"), WITH NO SOLUTION YET. I HAVE SINCE ALSO HEARD THIS FROM ADDTIONAL AUTOMOTIVE RESOURCES. IT HAS CONTINUED TO GET WORSE. I SPOKE TO THE DEALER AGAIN TODAY, AND AM MEETING WITH HIM TOMORROW, LEAVING MY TRUCK SO THEY CAN START IT IN THE MORNING. I JUST ANTICIPATE A LOT OF PROBLEMS. HE HAS TOLD ME THAT THEY HAVE HAD MANY TRUCKS COME BACK FOR THE SAME REASON, AND HAVE EVEN REPLACED ENTIRE ENGINES. BUT HE ALSO SAID IT COULD BE "CARBON BUILD UP". I DON'T THINK SO, BECAUSE IT WAS DOING THIS FROM THE FIRST DAY OFF THE LOT. I HOPE I AM WRONG, BUT EXPECT A VERY DIFFICULT BATTLE TO GET THE ENGINE REPLACED. ANY INFORMATION OR HELP YOU CAN GIVE ME WOULD BE GREATLY APPRECIATED. I HAVE TALKED TO NUMEROUS OTHER TRUCK OWNERS WITH THE SAME PROBLEM. SOME HAVE HAD MAJOR REPAIRS LIKE NEW LIFTERS, WITHOUT SUCCESS. BUT THOSE WHO LET THE DEALER DO MAJOR REPAIR, THEN LATER WERE TOLD CHEVROLET WOULD NOT TAKE THE MOTOR BACK AND PUT A NEW ONE IN, BECAUSE THE DEALER HAD ALREADY "BROKE" INTO THE ENGINE. (DIDN'T MEAN TO WRITE A BOOK, BUT REALLY WOULD LIKE SOME HELP/SUPPORT. THIS IS A VERY NEW AND EXPENSIVE TRUCK, AND I SHOULD NOT HAVE AN ENGINE KNOCKING WITH 40,000 MILES ON IT, PARTICULARLY FROM DAY ONE. I TAKE METICULOUS CARE OF THIS TRUCK AND CHANGE THE OIL LIKE CLOCK WORK EVERY 3500 MILES. THANKS SO MUCH FOR ANY HELP OR DIRECTION YOU CAN PROVIDE! SINCERELY, [XXX] PARTS OF THIS DOCUMENT HAVE BEEN REDACTED TO PROTECT PERSONALLY IDENTIFIABLE INFORMATION PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6).