Buick Rainier, Chevy TrailBlazer, GMC Envoy

perkolater · April 2003

Just a quick update and another word of Thanks for ficuss!

The "belt" squeal I was hearing on my Bravada was in fact the RF Axle squeal that ficuss told me about. My dealer performed Bulletin Number: 141101 and all is well. While they had it, they also fixed my memory mirrors. No more alzheimers!

Thanks again for the info ficuss!

ficuss · April 2003

it proves that reading Edmunds.com can educate you as it did me.

Frank

2yearleaseonly · April 2003

I filled my 03 Envoy up last week before getting on America's first super highway (The New York State Thruway) and then filled it again when I got off. Traveling at an average of 75 MPH, I got 26 miles to the gallon. Today, same thing, filled the Envoy, got on the Thruway, got off, then filled it up and got an unbelievable 28 MPG. The gas needle never moved so its not an air pocket issue or anything. This winter doing the same thing with the only difference being minus 5 degrees, I was getting 15 MPG consistently. Considering I travel almost 30,000 miles a year, this is good news.

kudron · April 2003

redline65

My build date is about 02/01, I believe, so there is a lot of time between mine and yours. I wonder how many failures there of non-Edmunds owners there have been.

ltz2003 · April 2003

luxride, Mine dosent rattle and never did, at least yet. And yes i would make them fix it. I think if they want to charge 30 K plus for a car they should make you happy, or at least try.

redline65 · April 2003

Traveling at an average of 75 MPH, I got 26 miles to the gallon. Today, same thing, filled the Envoy, got on the Thruway, got off, then filled it up and got an unbelievable 28 MPG.

You might want to get that fuel gauge checked out, LOL. Do you have the standard-length Envoy with 3.42 gears?

I'll share my experience driving an average of 75 MPH. With my Envoy XL (I6, 3.73 gears) and two passengers with luggage - 20 MPG. If I drive 55 MPH with two passengers and no luggage I get 22 MPG. I am very pleased with the fuel efficiency of this vehicle.

2yearleaseonly · April 2003

He writes:
Do you have the standard-length Envoy with 3.42 gears?

I do. I thought the first reading was a fluke, thats why I waited for my second test. I will keep you posted but this seems to be for real. Does your XL have the v8, or do you have the same engine I do? Like I said before, driving this vehicle 30,000 miles a year, a swing from 15 mpg in the dead of winter to 28 mpg has a major impact on my wallet as you might imagine. As an aside, I am in the final run for a job which requires at least 40,000 miles a year of driving. I hope this mpg bump up is sustainable!

cwhawk · April 2003

I wanted to try synthetic oil in my 2002 TB in an attempt to bump up the mpg. I had used Pennzoil 5W30 for 10,000 miles. I switched to Mobile 1 5W30 only about 500 miles ago, but I actually have had a DECREASE in mpg by 5 %. It went from 15.7 to 14.9. I am very careful in driving the same way. I drive the same route each day at times with very little traffic. I will keep the numbers each week, but I am very disappointed. Has anyone else found the same thing?

richlavoie · April 2003

I like your name. When I get my TB, I will change my username to "4yearleasebutwithextendedwarrentyjustincaseigetoneoftheselemmons- ".

I must ask you, how can you lease if you drive 30,000 miles a year???

This big of a difference in your gaz mileage between winter and spring doesn't seem normal. We always get a few miles a gallon less in winter (specialy when it gets to -40C, winter tires, etc). But your example is quite extreme. I am wondering if something else may have been wrong with the truck. Did you do a tune up? Or something else? Did you change the tires from winter to all season? Did you change oil type?

Just curious

2yearleaseonly · April 2003

He writes:
I will change my username to "4yearleasebutwithextendedwarrentyjustincaseigetoneoftheselemmons

That is very very funny. Having driven GM for years, I have had my share of lemons and can relate

He writes:
how can you lease if you drive 30,000 miles a year?

Easy, just buy your miles up front at inception. GMAC has one of the most generous high mileage lease programs around. On a 2 year lease you can buy up to 100,000 miles if you wanted it.

He writes: This big of a difference in your gaz mileage between winter and spring doesn't seem normal. We always get a few miles a gallon less in winter (specialy when it gets to -40C, winter tires, etc). But your example is quite extreme.

I agree with your observation. I have to track my miles for expense reasons, so consequently I keep tight track of my mileage. Trust me, it is what I say.

He writes:
Did you do a tune up? Or something else? Did you change the tires from winter to all season? Did you change oil type?

Nope,Nope,same OEM Michelin sneakers that came with it, dealer does the oil changes, clue less as to what they use.

On a personal note, wife and I love Canada. We vacation there twice a year. We want to spend winters in Victoria when we retire. Quebec, very nice, the ethnic polarization was the only detraction. We are spending a week in Ottawa in June and cant wait.

tblazed · April 2003

Was reading the 4-03 Techlink Newsletter and noticed a revision about using silicone on the weatherstrips. Having tried one of the GM recommended products "SuperLube with Teflon®" on the door seals and finding it actually causes the body seals to STICK to the doors after it sets for about an hour, maybe they came to the same conclusion. Can someone provide the details of the "replacement" bulletin below?

99-08-64-016A; replaces 99-08-64-016; Use of Silicone for Weatherstrip Maintenance; 2003 and Prior Passenger Cars and Trucks

tjpush · April 2003

My TB EXT(4wd 3.73 rear/locker) is about 3 months old with 3000+ miles on it. I am constantly getting 14-15 mpg commute and highway and I use 87 grade gas(w/ 10% ethonal) almost all the time. The best was 17 mpg when driving back from Chicago to St. Louis(late March). The worst was 13.5mpg local drive.

I have the gas pedal vibrations from time to time esp. when going up a small incline at 40-55 mph speed with the engine laboring, but I discovered this by accident: I put in some 89 grade gas by accident 2 weeks ago, the engine sounds much quieter and I can hardly notice the vibrations now(though no improvements on mpg).

Other than the "poor" gas mileage and some wind noise on hiway, I think it is doing very well.

blrmkr · April 2003

I used to put gas from the cheapest station on the corner into my Triplet, usually the one with 10% ethanol. That was until a friend of mine at work with a C5 told me that if you spend $30k+ on a vehicle, why not spend a little a few cents more per gallon getting the "good" gas at a station like Mobil, Shell, etc.

tblazed · April 2003

"why not spend a little a few cents more per gallon getting the "good" gas.."

Because ALL gasoline sold in the USA has to meet certain EPA standards for injector clogging, vaporization, combustion chamber deposits etc with mandated additives. Of course some brands tout their specific additive package like Chevron with "Techron". I go to the cheapest high volume station close to me to ensure I get fresh gas, and not the dregs from the bottom of an old tank at a lower volume name-brand station.

16.2 city/ 22.4 Highway, 3.42 gears, 2WD TB after having the PCM recal. done one a month ago. Can't complain. Even performs better!

If you have the choice where you are located, avoid the gas diluted with 10% ethanol. Ethanol does not burn with the same amount of energy per gallon and will effect power and fuel mileage.

rye78 · April 2003

I live in the Chicago area and I agree with tblaze about the gas thing. But around here. I don't know of any gas station that sells gas without 10% ethanol. If anyone knows of a brand, let me know.
The other question is this. I have an 02 TB LS 4x4 and it has 24K miles. It is almost two years old. I haven't had a single problem with mine yet (knock on wood). I was wondering where on the internet I could find all the computer upgrades, recalls, and/or information on any service that needs to get done to the truck. Like I said, I don't have any problems but it is more for preventative measures.
If anyone wants to see my truck, its posted at "www.cardomain.com" In the trailblazer section mine is on the first page and says "Bert's TB. New K&N intake".

jnshell · April 2003

I have a 2002 Trailblazer 4WD. I'm having a problem with the transmission starting off in the wrong gear. This problem is very intermittent, and occurs usually on a cold start. When I start the car it revs extremely loud and fast, and even if I allow the car to warm up for over one minute, the revving goes on higher than normal. Then, when I put the vehicle in drive, it bogs down in a higher gear than first, and I can't get any power. I usually have to stop, put the car in park, and then back in drive once or twice to get first gear to engage. Also, when passing or accelerating on the freeway, I am losing power. When I first bought the vehicle it had lots of pep, now it is pretty much a dog. I've had it at the dealer four times, and they've changed the transmission fluid pressure valve once. The service manager told us that this is a problem that GM is aware of, even though they will deny it, and they are trying to determine if the problem is one that they should recall or not. Has anyone else had this problem, and if so, did you get it resolved? I am so frustrated I'm ready to call a lawyer and envoke the lemon law. I feel like the dealers and GM want me to believe this problem is all in my head, so I'll just go away. Overall, I really like my Trailblazer, but I feel this problem is a real safety hazard. HELP......

macman246 · April 2003

You are probably experiencing the "jet engine roar" and lack of power frequently discussed here. This typically goes away after 2-4 minutes of driving, and is considered "normal". If it doesn't go away after 2-4 minutes, it is fixed by replacing the fan clutch, fan switch, or reprogramming.

Make sure your repair orders document your specific concern VERY CONCISELY. It will help your lemon law case immensely if you can show the dealer has been unable to fix the exact same problem every time.

My '02 Envoy was great the first year, lots of power and a nice ride. Then it started to have a stalling problem, tried to get it fixed 6 times, and now GM is in the process of refunding my money.

tblazed · April 2003

"where on the internet I could find all the computer upgrades"

Go to the web site below and enter in your VIN. You won't be able to tell what you have exactly but if yours has not had any updates done since manufactured, there are some worthwhile. I ran my VIN a couple of months after I bought my 11-01 built TB in 1-02, and printed out the data. Then about 2 months ago I ran the VIN again and found several updates that had been done to improve cold performance and shift, 1-2 shift, fan control, etc. I can say that after having mine done there are more tweaks than just those. Other things have improved as well like quicker overall trans shifting, up-or-down shifting, shifts back to 1st doing a rolling stop much quicker now is ready to go in 1st rather than being in-between gears, better low-end torque, snappier throttle response, runs a HECK of a lot better when cold. And gas mileage has gone up. Can't beat that!

http://calid.gm.com/vci/

m2iceman · April 2003

I decided to change my own oil on the TB and noticed something that I have to ask a question about. When I took off the cover and saw the oil filter, I saw two plugs. One had oil on it, so I figured that was the one to drain. As it was draining, I noticed that only about 1 1/2 quarts came out. Knowing that the TB takes 7 quarts I know I didnt get it all. I noticed the plug that faces down and opened it up and drained the rest of the oil.

I just want to make sure I didnt drain anything other than oil. They both looked like oil, but did I drain something I should not have with the plug that I facing left if your looking at it from underneath? It kinda seemed weird that there would be two plugs, but having 7 quarts may be the answer. Anyone else that has changed theirs, let me know. Im making sure before I decide to drive it, if I had drained something that I have to replace other than oil.\

Thanks
Ice

scottc454 · April 2003

Real simple - just reopen the first plug - the wrong one. If another 1.5 quarts comes out, you're fine.

If not, you must have drained transfer case fluid.

m2iceman · April 2003

Ok, the oil that wasdrain wrong, was the transfer case. Now the only question I have is, where do I put it back in. I can see a line that goes to the top of the engine block, and a larger bolt on the top of the case. Just need to know where it goes so I can complete this and not have to worry.

twinrotts · April 2003

Changing out the stock exhaust to dual is supposed to be good for 30 ponies.
Anyone on this board have that done??
Was wondering who is making the equipment, what it cost and if you can really feel the extra power.
Anyone know what it does for torque??

gam2 · April 2003

30 h.p.? What a hoot! Most aftermarket systems might give 5-10 h.p. at most, and that's at high rpm's. It's only duals after the rear axle. Get it for the looks, not the performance.

I have an article on tweaks to a Z-28. They added an K&N air filter, underdrive pulleys, and a Borla exhaust. They gained 10 h.p. as measured on a dyno. If the manufacturers could find 30 h.p. by changing the exhaust, they would.

GAM

aldan93 · April 2003

Are you sure you have a TRIP? not a TRACK?, The best I could do is 22MPG, I guess if the wind was right, and I lost 50 pounds, with the windows rolled up, may just maybe. Can I ask If you drive on NEW YORK 90, do you stop in Veronia NY to get gas? I drive from Buffalo to Veronia, I thought that was an accomplishment in my FORD EXPLORER, b4 heading up to the ADAKS.. My TB at 28 mpg, maybe I can make to OLD FORGE!!!! HE HE.

momstruck1 · April 2003

I have had this noise for a little over a month now and it makes me nuts . It is in the front end and only happens at low speeds over bumps. Now it seems that the bumping noise is somehow traveling up the steering wheel. I feel a slight shake to the steering wheel after I hit a bump while the noise happens . I am thinking that maybe it has to do with the steering or tire rod or maybe an axle? It is not the hoses as the chevy tech first thought that they were miss-alined and then they thought it was the shocks but they changed those to no avail. So now i must wait till my dealership opens in about 2 weeks to have it fixed because the other dealer I was going to refuses to look at it he thinks I am nuts and supposedly doesn't hear it but two people who drove my truck last week both felt it and heard it . What does everyone think ??

baleaver · April 2003

A big thanks to tjcishere1 for message #10856 detailing the location of the frayed ignition wire. Mine was in the same location but failed at 44k miles - the purple wire appears to rub slightly on the bracket whenever the brake pedal is pressed. My guess is that this problem is going to be seen by many people - yours was an Envoy, mine is a Trailblazer.
Chevy dealer (service guy)in Golden, CO would not say if they were aware of the problem or not but would fix for $50.00 - I felt like I had just been breathed on by a Snake Oil Salesman (and this is a dealer I have bought 6 vehicles from in the last 15 years).

ficuss · April 2003

Prior to buying this 2002 TB, I had a 2001 TB. The truck had 3 incidences of frayed wires. This left such a doubt in my mind that I sold it after 6 months of owning it. The first time a wire frayed it left me stranded, I couldn't shift out of park,. It had to be towed in. The second time, the air wouldn't work, a frayed wire in the engine compartment shorted the power to the compressor clutch. The third time the entire turnsignal control stopped working due to a frayed wire. I guess the general hasn't learned much.

Frank

lockcityssr · April 2003

I just installed the Borla cat back set up on my 02 Envoy. I can't honestly say if I gained any HP but I've only driven a few miles of in town driving so far and haven't really noticed much of a difference. Borla claims 15HP/20ftlbs of torque,that's only 5% more than the 275 stock HP so you're not likely to feel it too much. The dual polished tips sticking out from under the bumper do look really cool! The sound is VERY mellow, not like what you would hear on a V8 with a performance exhaust.....it adds just a hint of rumble in the cab under load, If you're looking for hot rod loud, this is not the system for you. $800 bucks for this is not cheap but it is a very well made set-up with lifetime warranty. Custom muffler shops in town quoted me $475-$550 for regular steel that would rot out in 2-3 years here in WNY. I am expecting a Jet Stage 1 module today which promises 24HP/28 torque plus firmed up shifts.....this is the part I expect to deliver some "seat of the pants" improvement to the performance.

4jwv · April 2003

I had a JBA "EVOL" cat-back exhaust installed on my Trailblazer, last December. This exhaust did produce more upper RPM Power, less low end torque, and a very annoying low bass, droning noise, at about 1900 to 2800 rpm. Also gutted the airbox and installed a K&N airfilter. After about three weeks, I couldn't take the noise anymore. I called JBA and did some research which led me, to have the original tailpipe and small muffler reinstalled. I kept the front half of the JBA system, (bigger diameter pipe and straight-thru main muffler). Now the noise is gone, low end torque is back, midrange power is better than stock, and it has a nice muted growl!
I also tried a Volant Cool Air Intake, this replaced the entire stock airbox and both resonators, and hooked-up right to the throttle body. The Volant seemed to flow well, but was very loud, whenever the throttle was opened, even a little. I sent it back, and reinstalled the gutted "stock" airbox and both resonators.
If I was to start over, I would go with a Borla Exhaust and an Airmax Cold Air Intake.
The best improvement I have made to my Trailblazer is changing to 18" AT Italia wheels and Pirelli Scorpion Zero Tires (same tires the new Porsche SUV uses). Now the ride is firmer, I have less lean in corners and it sticks to the road like glue!

rtraversi · April 2003

Has anyone heard of this problem yet ... I have a 2003 Envoy XL. After 2 weeks, the Service 4wd light came on. THey replaced the switch for the 4wd in the truck and it still came on. They opened up a TAC case with GMC and I was told that it's a software issue and they are working on it. There is no ETA for a resolution. In the meantime, my 4wd system is flaky. Sometimes the switch has lights, sometimes two lights, sometimes no lights and sometimes lights on A4wd when it's set for 2wd. This has been going on since January 15th. I called GMC and they just say too bad, there's no resolution yet.

Since then as well, the ignition switch went, which caused the tranny to stop working. And last MOnday, the tranny went again and now they are replacing the Transfer motor and Transfer case. I've already downloaded the lemon law papers for NY.

OTher then that, my wife and I love the truck. It's rides nice, I like the interior and how it's laid out. A little too much wind noise, but I can deal with it. Not much more then my 96 pathfinder. Sometimes I wish I splurged and got the Acure MDX.

previousamigo · April 2003

You stated you have 18 inch tires. What kind of 18 inch wheels do you have and how wide are they? If one would get new wheels that were any wider than the 7 inches, would they stick out further than the body? I'm looking for some 17X8 NON-crome 4X4 wheels but they are impossible to find with this bolt pattern. I do occasionally take this off road but hate the look of my 16X7 factory wheels. I like the 17X8's on the top end Durangos.

tblazed · April 2003

A "2001" TrailBlazer? Never knew they sold the current gen 360 chassis as an '01. You must have had one of those pseudo-TrailBlazers based on an S-10 Blazer??

tblazed · April 2003

Just went out and looked for any purple wire that might be rubbing against anything metal when the brake is applied, did not see anything close. Only the part of the harness that goes to the brake switch on the arm itself. I can see how that might possibly get up against a metal edge if it weren't positioned right. Trying to visualize exactly what wire is getting damaged from the brake pedal movement and do a little preventive maintenance.

While under the dash looking around for potentially abraided wires, I did notice the way the gas pedal and its sending unit are mounted to a 90° bracket and it does seem to have a sideways resonant vibration to it when tapped or bumped. On occasion I do feel the pedal vibrate under certain engine RPM and loads but it doesn't bother me - very minor. But it looks like to me anyway it wouldn't be all that difficult for the engineers to come up with a second brace to kill that vibration people complain about.

4jwv · April 2003

I have 18"x8.5" AT Italia Presa wheels and 255/55VR-18 Pirelli Scorpion Zero Tires (they are very close to the stock tires outside diameter, so the speedometer is correct). The offset of the wheels is perfect, they do not stick out beyond the body, but close to it. I got the whole package from: www.tirerack.com they were great to deal with! I would highly recommend this tire and wheel package!

2yearleaseonly · April 2003

He writes
I ask If you drive on NEW YORK 90, do you stop in Veronia NY to get gas?

Nope, I don't buy gas from Indians. They sell without collecting sales tax or paying property tax which puts all the other busineses which has to out of business. Our spineless governor wont make them collect it like the supreme court said they had to.

I go Buffalo to Rochester and Rochester to Syracuse. I fill up right before I get on and the second I get off. I really am getting 26 to 28 MPG. Good luck to you and wave if you see a dark blue Envoy going by on the back of a flat bed, hey thats how I get the great mileage. Just kidding

ficuss · April 2003

There were Trailblazers in 2001. They were the same as the the other Blazers but had a "Trailblazer" insignia stitched onto the top front area of the front seats, as well as other small add ons. I forget what the rest of the package included, tires, wheels etc. but it was called a Trailblazer. Something like Ford's Eddie Bauer Edition. By the way, when the first wire shorted, it blew the fuse needed to power the park release solenoid. That is why it needed to be towed in. They found the wire pinched in between two sharp pieces of metal. On Star came in handy during the 6 month ownership of that POS. Looking back to that car, it also had the roaring cooling fan. It only activated a few times, when the engine was heating up. But it did make a loud roaring sound and it felt like it was robbing a lot of power.
The 02 TB is far more advanced technically than the 01 TB, but unfortunately it still has some basic design problems as well as some far more advanced design problems. I guess we'll soon have third generation design problems to deal with. Oh well. It will keep this forum going.

Frank

jr45 · April 2003

My two-week old '03 Bravada has all of 900 mis. on it now, and it has begun to shudder when turning hard - whether you're going forward or backing up. It's as if the 4 wheel drive is locked in or the rear diff is locked. Anyone had this problem?

2yearleaseonly · April 2003

He writes:
They found the wire pinched in between two sharp pieces of metal. On Star came in handy during the 6 month ownership of that POS.

I had a 2000 Blazer, a LS I believe was the designation. POS instead would have been much better "truth in advertising" frankly.

tidester · April 2003

I am sure you meant Pesky OnStar rather than something that might offend some readers. :-)

tidester, host

badgerpaul · April 2003

I had a 99 Blazer LT and in the 45,000 miles I owned it, it had only one warranty repair and that was for the digital outside temperature gauge. In the six months I've had my 03 TB LT it's been equally trouble free. So not all of them are bad.

giddens_john · April 2003

Sounds like the old binding issue. Here's the TSB on it.
02-04-21-008 Shudder, Rocking Motion, Binding, Feels Like Vehicle is Stuck in 4WD (Crow Hop) When Turning at Low Speeds.

I had the TSB above applied to my '02 Bravada last Feb. and I haven't had the binding since.

ficuss · April 2003

Host, you got the wrong impression of P O S. The 2001 TB had Positively Ordinary Styling.
Besides, who could ever be offended by something they saw or read on the internet of all places? If I had young kids, I would certainly let them read or see anything they wanted on the web. It's a safe place isn't it?

Frank

pauleul · April 2003

I think you have a problem with

hondafreak (POSts 10914 and 10915)and elswhere.

Might want to check in to it and enforce membership rules and whatever else he is violating.

macman246 · April 2003

I turned in my '02 Envoy with the random stalling problem today. GM bought it back minus a mileage allowance. They're paying off my loan, refunding my GM Card rebate points, and gave me a nice big check to deposit today for my remaining "equity". The whole process was painless and took 30 minutes with the inspection. The business manager at the dealership was polite and professional.

For those of you who haven't had any problems with your triplet, good luck. The triplets are smooth and powerful. Mine was problem-free for the first year. Hopefully subsequent years' models are improved enough to provide you many years of reliable transportation.

For those of you who aren't so lucky, here is some advice:
1. Make sure your problem is spelled out precisely in the repair order, each and every time.
2. If they can't fix it/can't reproduce it, keep taking it back. Especially if you think it's a safety-related problem. Again, follow #1 above and spell the problem out the same way, over and over again.
3. Have your service advisor get the shop foreman involved if this is your 2nd or 3rd attempt.
4. Have the shop foreman get GM Technical Assistance Center involved. The men and women who built these trucks in Detroit might have a better clue, or at least seen more unsolvable cases like yours nationally than your local shop has.
5. By your 3rd attempt, your service advisor should be upgrading your free rental car, courtesy of the dealership. Ask for the Caddy DeVille.
6. Keep all your paperwork in one spot. Never throw any of the repair orders away.
7. Borrow a camcorder to video your problem, if it's something visible. But don't try to videotape and drive at the same time. It's difficult to do and dangerous unless you have a helper.
8. Don't bother with the GM Customer Assistance Center or BBB arbitration. That will only slow you down, it won't fix your problem, and you won't be satisfied. Hire a good lemon law attorney who gets paid by the manufacturer only if you win. Your attorney will decide if you have a solid, winnable case.
9. Be polite and professional through the whole ordeal. It's easy to lose it with the service advisor and shop foreman, but you want them to work WITH you instead of AGAINST you.

stever · April 2003

I had some cable access problems and couldn't get online earlier to delete the spam posts. Apologies.

Steve, Host

tidester · April 2003

... and I was AFK for a while ... thanks to all for your patience!

tidester, host

tidester · April 2003

I'm certainly glad we got THAT straight - thanks!

tidester, host

nuyorkah · April 2003

"Was reading the 4-03 Techlink Newsletter and noticed a revision about using silicone on the weatherstrips. Having tried one of the GM recommended products "SuperLube with Teflon®" on the door seals and finding it actually causes the body seals to STICK to the doors after it sets for about an hour, maybe they came to the same conclusion. Can someone provide the details of the "replacement" bulletin below?
99-08-64-016A; replaces 99-08-64-016; Use of Silicone for Weatherstrip Maintenance; 2003 and Prior Passenger Cars and Trucks "

Info - Use of SIlicone for Weatherstrip Maintenance #99-08-64-016A - (01/21/2003)

2003 and Prior Passenger Cars and Trucks

2003 HUMMER H2

This bulletin is being revised to add model years and update the Parts Information for Canada. Please discard Corporate Bulletin Number 99-08-64-016 (Section 08 - Body and Accessories).

In the past, questions have been raised regarding the proper care and maintenance of weatherstrips. The purpose of this bulletin is to clarify which materials are recommended for use when required.

Periodically, a thin coating of silicone grease can prolong the life of the weatherstrip. The silicone will reduce wear in the contact areas as well as reduce squeaking and sticking conditions. During very cold or damp weather, more frequent applications may be necessary.

PN# U.S.12345579 Goodwrench Dielectric Silicone Grease (or the equivalent)

PN# Canadian 00992887 Goodwrench Dielectric Silicone Grease (or the equivalent)

PN# U.S.3634770 Goodwrench Weatherstrip Lubricant (Krytox) (or the equivalent)

PN# Canadian 10953518 Goodwrench Weatherstrip Lubricant (Krytox) (or the equivalent)

The use of KRYTOX for coating weatherstrips is allowed, but not required.

jr45 · April 2003

giddens_john - Thanks for the heads up on the TSB for the binding issue. It's going in the shop Monday morning for what I hope is a quick fix.

twinrotts · April 2003

I have been in the habit of using either Armour All or Meguires rubber/vinyl treatment products to both clean and preserve the door seals.
They seem to restore a rich color to them and do not cause any sticking problems.
The thought of a grease product in an area where a person might inadvertantly touch does not seem like a good idea.
Any reason why my strategy is not sound??

Buick Rainier, Chevy TrailBlazer, GMC Envoy

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