My 2017 Chevy Silverado Shakes Like It’s Falling Apart. Is It A Lemon?

DEAR SUZANNE

By Suzanne Henderson
LETTER 4-2022 | Chevy Shook in Sacramento

Shaky 2017 Chevy Silverado

Dear Suzanne,

I bought a 2017 Chevy Silverado with 38,500 miles on it. The truck is in my son’s name. But I pay for everything, it’s my truck. I’ve driven it 3500 miles, and now, whenever I am moving between 55 and 65 miles per hour, it starts shaking. I don’t mean a little rattle; the whole truck shakes like it’s falling apart. I haven’t taken it to the mechanic yet. I don’t know what to do.

I’m really concerned because I’ve only owned it for a few months, put $23,000 down, and now I’m having transmission issues. Do I qualify for lemon law? Is there anything I can do?

Thanks,
Chevy Shook in Sacramento

 
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Required Number of Repair Attempts

Dear Shook,

Sometimes, life hands you lemons, and it sounds like this might be one of those times. Looks like your Silverado has the dreaded ‘Chevy Shake’. Don’t worry though, I know what you’ve got to do.

Get Those Repairs

First things first, make an appointment with an authorized Chevrolet dealership to have the transmission looked at. This is key. The mileage at your first repair visit will determine when the court believes your lemon issues began. Sooner is always better than later. To qualify for lemon law, you need to prove that the dealership was given the opportunity to fix the issue and couldn’t. That means, you need to let them make at least two repair attempts for the one problem, but once they do, you can proceed with your lemon law claim. So, make an appointment for this week, make another for next week. You want to make them look at your truck as many times as it takes.

Gather Repair Documents

When you bring the truck in for repairs, make sure the technicians at the dealership document EVERYTHING. This is so important. You must get a copy of the repair order describing your concerns, the mileage, and any repairs they made. This will be your evidence and will show that your new truck is actually a new lemon. Now, don’t be surprised if the technician says they can’t find or reproduce the problem. They almost always say that, sometimes it’s even true; most problems are intermittent and only like to show up when you’re driving down the highway deciding what to pick up for supper. That’s fine, so long as they write it down.

Covered By Warranty

As for cost, by my math, you are still within your manufacturer’s warranty period. The powertrain warranty on your truck covers the transmission for 5 years or 60,000 miles, which we haven’t reached yet. Meaning there should be no charge. If the dealership tries to charge you for what should be an in-warranty repair, leave. Find another dealership, call Chevy corporate, but don’t pay what you don’t need to.

No Legal Expenses

Once you have the requisite repairs, we can proceed with filing your lemon claim. Since your son is the legal owner of the vehicle, he will need to agree and sign the legal paperwork. Again, you do not need to worry about costs here. In California, lemon law cases are mainly handled on contingency, meaning the manufacturer is responsible for attorney and court fees, not you. And because the attorney has already been paid, 100% of the original settlement amount goes to you. Once a claim is filed, your attorney will begin negotiating with the manufacturer to get you the best possible settlement.

Lemon Law Buyback

In your case, I would recommend a buyback settlement. Essentially, the manufacturer will buy the truck back from you, paying back (mostly) everything you put into the vehicle. This would include your $23,000 down payment, monthly payments, fees, taxes, etc. The only amount that can be deducted from the settlement is something called a Mileage Offset – it accounts for the miles driven before the problems began and is based on the mileage at that first visit. This is why it’s best to take it in for repairs as soon as possible.

 
So, Chevy Shook, get those repairs ASAP and get the process started, because lemons only get more sour with time.

Keep it fresh,

 
Suzanne

PS. Chevrolet is a division of General Motors Company. Find out more about the GM Lemon Law buyback process, its mechanics, qualifications, covered models, reported issues, and your legal options.

Free Legal Advice About Your 2017 Chevy Silverado Lemon Law Claim

Dear reader, are your vehicle problems ruining your life? Confused about what legal route to take? We’re here to help! Find information about California’s lemon law protections here, take our lemon survey, or give us a call at (323) 553-7525 to discuss your situation with someone who understands how frustrating it can be to have a lemon car, and what to do about it.

DEAR SUZANNE is a weekly column written by Suzanne Henderson and published in LemonLawyers.ORG. If you have a defective lemon vehicle and have questions about CA Lemon Law or how to file a claim in California, please write to [email protected]. While not guaranteed, we will try to feature your letter in this column to provide you the answers you need, as well as enlighten other consumers who may have lemon problems similar to yours.

Disclaimer: Suzanne Henderson is not a lawyer and the points discussed here are intended for general information and reference purposes only and not to be construed as legal advice. Please consult a California lemon law attorney to get proper legal advice about your lemon law claim.

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