Question

Reliability is the probability that a machine, part, or product will function properly for a specified amount of time. A machine, part, or product can be designed and maintained to meet an expected level of reliability. In this activity, we will explore system reliability.

Identify and analyze a department in General Motors that experiences frequent equipment or process failures. Discuss what General Motors can do to improve the reliability of the equipment or processes and whether some of the improvement could come through enhanced maintenance.

Answer 1

One of the key aspects of while choosing any vehicle is how well they can sustain over a long period. Any consumer would prefer having a vehicle that is reliable and does not raise issues frequently. But even the best manufacturers face issues in terms of reliability. General Motors is a well-established firm across the globe having partnerships with multiple firms in different regions. Their partnership with Chevrolet – GMC has provided some of the best vehicles in the consumer market. But despite their prominent market success, they have been known to face reliability issues with their engine.

Studies and analysis show that GMC vehicles fitted with generation IV 5.3L V8 Vortec 5300 engine suffer from frequent engine failures. Consumers have complained that their vehicles consume significantly high engine oil leading to lower lubrication and damage to the engine. Lower lubrication leads to piston not moving properly and thereby impacting the vehicle performance and ultimately results in engine failure. This issue was observed in a series of vehicles including Avalanche, Silverado, Tahoe, Canyon, Savanna, Sierra, Yukon, etc. All these vehicles show similar damage to their engines and all show the same root cause.

From GM`s perspective, they should re-evaluate the engine design and identify reasons for this. They might not be able to recall all vehicles and fit them with better components but they can offer their services at registered service centers at cheaper costs to vehicles complaining about this matter. The R&D team should investigate reasons for such issues and also check the other models that might face similar issues to identify and resolve them at the initial stage itself. All vehicles undergo strict quality and performance checks before they are handed over to the customer. These checks must be governed ever more critically and all issues should be resolved before they are handed over to the customer. Since these issues develop over some time, vehicle owners can report the issue to GM stores and check them. If they identify cases where the lubricant is getting lower, the easiest step is to do regular maintenance and ensure piston and internal parts are not damaged. By following, regular maintenance cars will run for a longer period but it will still lead to damage in the long run.