GM Has Found a Way to Solve the 'Service Engine Soon' Dashboard Light Malfunction on 2021 SUVs and Trucks

There is nothing more worrisome than a dashboard light coming on to warn you of a problem with your vehicle. That is exactly what is happening to owners of some of GM’s most popular new vehicles. Some owners of 2021 Chevrolet Silverados and 2021 Chevrolet Tahoes and Suburbans are reporting that the ‘Service Engine Soon’ dashboard light has been coming on. Even more annoying, some of the GM truck and SUV owners say that the ‘Service Engine Soon’ light comes on intermittently.

‘Service Engine Soon’ Light

In the past, when the ‘Service Engine Soon’ light comes on, it usually means that you have put bad fuel into your vehicle or that the gasoline cap isn’t screwed on properly. Automakers have worked long and hard to avoid these nuisance situations. It appears that the latest issue is caused by a bad engine manifold pressure sensor.

The sensor issue isn’t dangerous for the driver or passengers, but it sure can be a worry and having the light go off and on could be really annoying. It could become a concern over time if the driver ignores the light and a real engine issue actually develops. Unfortunately, it seems the only way to solve the ‘Service Engine Soon’ dashboard light issue is to replace the engine manifold pressure sensor.

GM has issued a service bulletin to dealers that they should replace the engine manifold pressure sensor in the vehicles that have the problem. The same engine manifold pressure sensor is used in a wide variety of Cadillac, Chevrolet and GMC products. The affected vehicles include the 2021 Cadillac Escalade and its 2021 SUV cousins, the Chevrolet Tahoes and Suburbans as well as the GMC Yukons. Similarly, the sensors can fail in the 2021 Chevrolet Silverados and GMC Sierras. The popular website GM Authority first reported on this issue and the solution. At this point, there is no indication of how many vehicles are experiencing the problem with the sensors.

How GM Will Fix the Problem

At this point, the engine manifold pressure sensor issue isn’t being called a recall. However, replacing the sensor can only be done at the dealer, so it is likely that the affected owners will be contacted to bring their truck or SUV in to have the sensor replaced. If an owner is already having the problem with the ‘Service Engine Soon’ light coming on, they may want to reach out to their dealer to see if they have the replacement sensors available. The sensors should be replaced at no cost to the vehicle owner.

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