Buick Rainier, Chevy TrailBlazer, GMC Envoy

paulpro

I am a big fan of RedLine synthetic oils. I changed the fluids in the differential and transfer case with the appropriate RedLine Oil.

I've put big miles onto past vehicles and the RedLine products perform without a hitch

Paul P

nuyorkah

"I really hate to show the vehicle with the buttons worn off and would like to know if anyone has any part numbers, diagrams, etc. to aid in replacing these worn buttons."

The buttons on the radio and A/C-HTR Control head are "Non Serviced" parts, so therefore there are no part #'s.
As far as I know only an authorized AC Delco Repair Center can get the buttons for the radio. Go to your Dealerships Parts Dept. and ask if they can call the Repair Center and see if they will sell you the radio buttons.
With the A/C buttons your only(cheaper)choice is to find a used control head in good shape and just put that one in. As far as the steering wheel buttons price the complete switches at the dealer or once again try to find them used.
Personally I don't think its worth all this effort if your selling the truck. Good Luck whatever you do.

drcsf

I just bought a 2002 Envoy SLT but the car it is supposed to replace is my 1999 Camry, a V-6,5-speed model to which I added among other upgrades a TRD supercharger, pushing the hp from 194 to 270. Most of the gains come at higher rpm's as the belt spins the charger faster and faster. A manual transmission allows you to keep the rpms up. The Whipple link says 45% increase but gives no hp or torque at specific rpm data - I'd want to know that. Also there was an article in Motor Trend about a twin turbo Trailblazer rated at 400 hp. While the engine was up to the task, I think I recall they upgraded the entire drivetain and suspension to handle the power. Maybe you should check that out and inquire about possible production of that vehicle. Craig

2k_impala_ls

I finally got around to posting the pictures sean sent me of his TB accident. You can see them on my site.
http://www.trailblazer.homestead.com/

tb4me

Hi All,

Great site!!!!!!!!!!!!!!I'm new here and have a 02 TB, LT built in July 2001. 60,000 miles and only a few problems like the muffler and 2 coil packs gone bad--ouch they get you for those! Anyhow miles are mostly highway--Travel Ice Hockey miles that is.

This may have been posted before but there are just too many pages ti go thru so if it was please direct accordingly--if not then it could be a new problem upcoming.

Wipers skip in the intermittent zone but work fine in the continous on mode. Yep it's like a tooth is missing or something in the gears of the motor. Any suggestions?

tb4me

MSC2804,

Went thru this 2 years ago with a 200 Bravada. There are Lemon Law attorny's in the Phila. area that do the work for free. What I experienced is that you are dealing with the DEALERSHIP where purchased and not GM or other Manufacturers. I kinda got beat up a little as the original transaction (old truck for Bravada) involved a trade so taxes were based upon the difference of the old -vs-new. The deal that the dealership offered did not involve this amount of cash--and the attorney told me to take the deal rather than fight it in court--the amount was just under $1000. So I took it and moved on to the new TB.

What I can say from experience is that it took 1 entire week to make the Dealership understand what original transaction took place and what money was exchanged at the date of buy, what the trade was worth and what was financed--it was a mess. Couldn't believe that they coulc not read their ouw records.. Anyhow good luck--it is a good law for us consumers when this kind of thing happens.

aviatorbob1

My 2002 Envoy developed " a sweet coolant odor" only when the heater is operating. The coolant level did drop slightly. There is no indication of a leak on the floor at the heat exchanger core. Is it possible to have an external leak inside the core that would emit this odor? Just checking if any one else had this issue before I take it to the dealer.

Also tblaze wrote:. I did find an upholstery shop that would take the seat covers off and trim off some of the cushion foam to sit down a little lower into the seat, but I never pursued that.

I had my seats re worked at an upholstery dealer. The seats were so uncomfortable at the lower lumbar area (protruded outward). None of the power adjustments helped. It was to the point I was going to trade the Envoy with only 2500 miles. The local shop removed 50% of the foam in that area with excellent results. Under warranty.

stever

Hi Tb4me, welcome to Town Hall. There are a bunch of wiper posts you can find with the Search This Discussion box. Like this one, which sounds like the same problem:

drcsf May 13, 2003 10:43pm

Steve, Host

tblazed

" The local shop removed 50% of the foam in that area with excellent results. Under warranty. "

How'd you get that covered in warranty? I was looking into having the seats modified at an upholstry shop and paying them $100-150 to do it. (Still a heck of a lot cheaper than trading off the vehicle just because of the seats and taking the depreciation hit.)

Since then though the bottom seat cushions have become more compliant to me and I haven't been compelled to do any modifying.

 Go out and "stand" on the seat cushions with your knees and mash down those cushions. I've done that too, to help speed up the process.

cparise1

It's been a couple of weeks since I checked the boards and man lots of activity.

Anyway, I am going to give my '02 Envoy XL SLT an "A" after one year of ownership and 19,500 miles. Still is rock solid quiet, smooth riding like new (has ECAS), and no rattles. The Bose stereo has given me lots of listening pleasure, glad I ordered it. The leather seats look brand new and the paint, Polo Green, is still awesome looking. Mileage is as stated on the sticker, 15 City/20 Hwy, but I've done slightly better and slightly worse at times depending on the weather and driving conditions. I get lots of compliments from co workers on the truck and I love driving it. I've had fun adding some GM accessories: bug deflector, four mud flaps, running boards. I was thinking of replacing the grill with a Denali style chrome job, but now I am going to probably opt for a low profile front bumper guard from WAAG.

We ought to start acknowledging other triplet owners on the road. Does anyone else wave at other triplet owners besides me?
If you drive I-94 between Chicago and Milwaukee keep an eye out for my Polo Green Envoy and wave!
Happy Motoring, Chris

aldan93

THERE IS GOING TO BE A RECALL ON OUR TRUCKS SOON, YOU WILL GET A LETTER IN THE MAIL THIS WEEK, FRONT LEFT BRAKE PIPE MIGHT RUPTURE, DEALER WILL REPLACE THIS ON 2003 TRAILBLAZERS, AND ENVOYS.

FYI

SILENT SO FAR, BUT GM SAID IT WILL NOTIFY OWNERS THIS WEEK OR 2.

stever

Will be the start of the notification period, acccording to this article. (nolo.com)

Steve, Host

blrmkr

I saw a M-plated Envoy on the way to work in Detroit this morning. The only noticeable exterior differences: OnStar antenna above the front passenger as opposed to the rear glass mount and no more fixed-mount AM/FM antenna.

tblazed

Since having the PCM reprog done a couple of months ago my TB has been getting about 10% better mileage. However, yesterday I topped off the tank with about 8.7 gallons (couldn't resist the $1.30.9 gas at Sam's) with 118 miles, that's 13.6 mpg. But that is also all-neighborhood short drives 0-35 mph mostly and with the A/C on. Also a different pump and station since the fillup before. Maybe not sitting at quite the same angle, so the tank might not have been filled the same as last time. So... don't expect miracles, but likely a good 10% improvement overall and especially on the highway. Sure does run a lot better with the reprogram.

js237

It has now been a week since my wife's car has been stolen. Of course it has not been found. I wanted to tell everyone that Onstar only tries to track the car for the first 48 hours. What a bogus system. Again, if the thieves know were it is located on the car they can disconnect it or just wait 48 hours!

zueslewis

but if your ride is recovered in the first 48 hours, there's no sense tracking it, because it's in pieces.

Depending on your area, of course....if you were in Kansas, maybe it was just farmers out for a joyride.

(Attempt at humor...)

stever

I think you mean if it isn't recovered in 48 hours? Then it's likely chopped?

Steve, Host

zueslewis

I caught it too late to edit.

It should say:

"Ex-cop speaking, sorry to be blunt, but if your ride ** isn't ** recovered in the first 48 hours, there's no sense tracking it, because it's in pieces.

scottc454

So how much of that 10% improvement is from the placebo effect?

How come anything bad is discounted as 0-35 mph with the air conditioning on or some other pump that's on a different angle? Applying the same logic, maybe the good is from different weather conditions or some pump that was on an angle that allowed you to fill the gas tank more a time or two or maybe you've been driving downhill a lot lately.

We don't take kindly to people bragging about good gas mileage here. :^)

js237

Again if the thieves know to wait 48hrs, why rush. Just hide it for 48 hours then drive it to Mexico or just around town. Onstar should not depend on the tracking system to sell their system. If you want directions or you need medical help, then Onstar is OK. It gives a false sense of security.

hardhawk

Hey! Let's watch it here before we bash Kansas!!! The farmers I know have their own Escalades, Navigators & Aviators, not to mention H2's, ML's etc.! Don't listen when the farm lobby tells you how bad things are down on the farm. Little old ladies who get their hair done across the street from my law office still leave their keys in the ignition when the car is parked on main street. Try that in LA!!!
Go Jayhawks!!!

Sorry, I just couldn'r resist. My Envoy has a KU Alum tag on the back. Had to mention the Envoy to keep this post legit:-)

zueslewis

just a random selection...

js237 - The OnStar system doesn't offer the guarantees that LoJack and simliar systems do.

What would you have done before OnStar and Edmunds? You'd have no one to blame and no one to complain to....

I'm sorry your rig was stolen. It's not GM's fault. It's the thieve's fault. Period. Settle with your insurance, go get a new truck.

redline65

Sorry, but car alarms, OnStar, and LoJack won't stop professionals from making off with your vehicle. They are theft deterrents, and they do a pretty good job at keeping kids and amateurs from stealing your car.

richlavoie

I am not sure where people get this idea! On Star is a safety feature and a gadget. It helps you find your way, is useful if you get stuck and need recovery. The GPS receiver is useful to locate your vehicle if you are lost or if you are in trouble. If you like it, get it. If you don't, then forget it. The trick of using it to find thiefs got old very quickly. Sure if some kid took your vehicle, you could possibly use it, but he can't be very smart. Car thiefs will beat any modern system, so please, on star??? Leave your key in the car, anyone could steel your vehicle. Take them away, you illiminated 20% of the population. Using Onstar as an alarm or thief deterrent is just like taking your keys with you. You only eliminated the dumbest of the dumbest. If you are paying onstar because you hope they will track your vehicle when it is stolen, then stop paying for it immediatly. If you have onstar and your car get stolen, sure your first idea may be to try onstar. You never know. But don't put too much hope into it. It was't build for this!

mookie14

does anyone know when the 04 tblazer will be out? plus will they take care of the things that messed on the 03. also will they continue to i say uh make it the in 5yrs?? does everyone like their tblazers.

stever

I think a pro would try to chop the car as soon as possible or get it moved out of state/country right away. If the car turns up after 48 hours, it's more likely that an amateur swiped it, and more likely that it was driven worse than any rental.

In that case you're probably better off hoping it's gone for good so the insurance will write it off instead of having the insurance company pay to do some body work on a recovered joy rider. Any insurance agents care to comment on this scenario - maybe it's an urban legend?

Either way it's a bummer.

Steve, Host

zueslewis

and most of the time, unfortunately, the company would override the adjuster's wishes to total it and would repair it - not pretty, usually.

You have a patchwork vehicle at that point, especially on a rig like an Escalade with opalescent paint and things.

jr45

If it was a pro job, another possibility is that your Escalade is on a boat heading overseas somewhere. There is a big market overseas for stolen SUVs.

tgp1810

I live in Mich and was wondering if I would be able to get by with the 2WD Envoy or TB with the traction control. Would it work in the same way as in the Impala? I plan on leasing (being a student, that's pretty much the only option right now) so the value in the end isn't really that important. Just wondering if I can save some money by getting the 2WD truck. Thanks.

rpl13026

Fog lamp is a GE 880 27W. A 893 should also work in this application. A 893 is a 37.5W bulb with exact physical dimensions as a 880.

js237

My wife's caddy is on it's way, if not already there. We had a DVD system with a screen on each headrest and custom wheels and tires. Asta la viesta baby!! These professionals will stop at nothing to get what they want. Yesterday, in LA, a carjacker shot and killed a man for his spinning wheels on his Lexus. I think I'll keep our rental, a Chevy Cavalier. Thank God no one was hurt here. It just was taken at night out of our driveway. It's disappointing that we live in a world where someone's life is taken for a car. Thanks everyone for letting me vent about Onstar. I love my Envoy and hope I have a long and healthy drive.

johntr

What happened to the built-in alarm that is in the vehicle. I'm not an alarm expert or novice, but why are you complaining so much about OnStar and not about upgrading your alarm system. I'm sure the alarm system in these triplets are very, very basic, but as everything else, it's another deterrent. OnStart is only a tool to "help" recover your vehicle and may bring your insurance premium down a couple of dollars. Also, I would never place those "protected by... " stickers on my car, I think that invites a challenge!

Let the flames begin :-P

hillfla

I have a 2WD Envoy with the traction control and limited slip differential. It has worked fine for me in the snow and rain. Please see this posting for a response I gave to someone asking a similar question. hillfla May 2, 2003 5:26pm

A question for the board. Has anyone replaced their door handles? I find these hard to use and my fingers slip out a lot while pulling open the door. I would like to have my handles replaced on my Envoy with the kind that are just a bar going across and you can reach in from the top or bottom. Like what the Sierra trucks have for example.

Thanks!

previousamigo

rpl13026, thanks for the info! Is that fog light bulb the same for each of the triplets? I had used/salvaged OEM fog lights installed in my TB LS but did not have OEM wiring. Will the 37.5W bulbs burn too hot for the wiring? Have you or anyone else installed these bulbs? The TB fog lights don't put out much light, so do these make a big difference? I recall a few earlier postings were there were electrical problems using higher wattage bulbs in the headlights.

tblazed

"So how much of that 10% improvement is from the placebo effect?"

That's why I mentioned the variables involved. The overall 10% improvement I have recorded was over a period of 2 months and 5 fillups (about 83 gallons of gas) at the same station, same pump. A different fill or top-off +/- 1/2 gallon each time will average out over multiple fillups. Just wanted to mention the worse-case scenario I have had so folks won't get their expectations up too high gas-mileage wise especially if they dog it around town with the A/C on. Worse case will always be 0-35 city driving getting all that mass moving and stopping repeatedly.

ficuss

tgp1810: do your homework before you lease a triplet. Lease prices are based on the residual value of a vehicle. This is the amount the vehicle is projected to be worth at the end of your lease period. The triplets being what they are, I don't think high resale value will be part of their description in a few years. If you need or want to lease, go for the car with the best (highest) resale value after 2 or 3 years. You will get a much better car and the cost will be about the same.

Frank

kpp14

My first year of free (base program)OnStar is finished. I never really used it at all except to play around with it. I actually used it once while trying to be lost in the mountains. OnStar directed me to the nearest tree! I got to say $300.00 will buy many maps! I do have the cell activated which is very expensive. I use it when my low watt cell phone does not work or is forgotten. I can trash OnStar easily and some of you made good points......but I have to ask.

How much money would you people be willing to gamble if god forbid, you used it only once (and it worked)for some type of true to life emergency situation.? If your ejected into a field in Kansas lets say (and the battery is not there with you). Would you pay 3 bills for the chance of having better access to emergency services than the next guy?? I think I might just do that.

crj1

tgp1810: You can't just base it on residual, you also have to factor in interest rate, if there are any cap. cost reduction rebates and the difference between MSRP and what you are paying makes a huge difference in your payment, this coming from a former GMC salesman.

ficuss

When you are ready to lease, interest rates will be the same for any car you lease. Cap cost reduction rebates are in part the reason triplets will have a lower residual value in a few years. Try trading in a 2 year old car on a new same make car when the manufacturer is offering a $3,000 rebate on the new car. Your 2 year old is now worth $3,000 less than you figured.
 Would it cost more to lease a $35,000 Infinity QX4 or G35, or a $35,000 Triplet?

Frank

vsimon1

Can somebody tell me if it is necessary to have the transmission of a 2002 Trailblazer LS 2 wheel drive model flushed? On one side of the fence I'm being told yes and on the other no. Also there are two methods available for this service. 1) A flush - where they hook the transmission lines up to a machine which pumps the good fluid in and the bad fluid out without changing the trans filter. or, 2) draining the fluid with a bit of leftover old in the converter, replacement of gasket and filter. I've been told I don't really need this done at all but I do tow an RV trailer during the summer months. This summer will also include a trip through the mountains of WV to Myrtle Beach! Help me out oh knowledgeable ones! Thanks!

pete2002

In follow up to the TX flush or change out...I too pull an RV Travel Trailer every now and then. Last week I went to my local dealer to get some warranty work done such as the infamous cooling fan roar and PCM update and asked the same question to the shop mechanic. He seemed very knowledgeable about these vehicles and likewise noticed that I too knew about them, thanks to Edmunds.com. What he told me was, if you pull a trailer, your maintenance just doubled since now you are carrying twice your weight and the drive train will experience that much more work, especially if you are driving on 3rd gear. He mentioned that the TX fluid should be completely replaced every year or 15K miles to maintain the viscosity of the fluid for proper lubrication and to maintain cooling performance.

A question to those of you who have done your PCM updates: The shop claims they did this but it only took a couple of the updates since it appeared that my PCM was nearly current. However, they did have to replace the cooling fan clutch to the new one to eliminate the roaring since the most current programming did not cure the problem. It has been a week since they did that and I have not heard the roar in the morning. The invoice did not mention the updates that were downloaded into my PCM but my service advisor mentioned that it took the oxygen sensor recalibration and some other one that he could not state exactly what it was. Were they suppose to list the calibrations on the invoice so that I can see what it was that got updated?

crj1

Interest rates are not the same for any brand you lease, the interest rate or money factor vary greatly between vehicles. For example it is 3.5 on a TB or Envoy and 6.5 on a Tahoe or Yukon. If your leasing a vehicle why would you care what the trade in value is anyways? If you wanted to trade it in then you should buy it in the first place and I know you will pay much less for a triplet than a QX4.

Chris

dnunn

Thanks for the replies about the Vortec 4200 supercharger, it's probably a waste of money for what I could do to my car with that.

I have another question. I have an 02 Oldsmobile Bravada with the air suspension system that inflates my back suspension. After sitting in my driveway for over 24 hours, almost all the air is lost and the car is practically sitting on the back wheels. I didn't think anything of this, as with an air suspension, I'd expect it to deflate (plus it kind of looks cool when real low).

However, when a friend who works at a local Chevy dealership came by, he remarked that they have several Bravadas on the lot and none of them deflate like mine does (and they sit way longer than mine does in my driveway). Is something wrong with mine? I don't suppose it's a big deal because it inflates fully after a couple minutes of use. It just seems weird that other Bravadas don't do what mine does.

Thanks,
Dan

crj1

Dan your Bravada should not do that, I had an 02 that did the same thing until I had it fixed.

Chris

tblazed

"A question to those of you who have done your PCM updates: Were they suppose to list the calibrations on the invoice so that I can see what it was that got updated? "

On my invoice under "Labor and Parts" it repeats the same number 3 times for the 3 "concerns" I told them for the repair order. It also says "reprogrammed PCM for all concerns". The way it was explained to me, the technician hooks up to your vehicle with a Tech 2 scan tool, reads the data in your vehicle, uploads that to GM then they download the revised data to the Tech 2, and the technician hooks back to the vehicle and reprograms the PCM. They don't get to pick and choose. You get whatever's been updated for the PCM all in one operation.

tblazed

you might want to go to the VIN calibration site http://calid.gm.com/vci/ and print that out to keep for future reference. That will give you the most recent versions you have. That way in a year or so you can check back and see if anything changed. Otherwise it's hard to tell.

ficuss

crj1: correct me if I'm wrong, but the 4 leases I have had have all been figured using the residual or trade in value as a basis. The lease amount is supposed to be a re-payment to the leasing company of the difference between the purchase price and the residual value of the car (the turn in value at end of lease). Add to that the cost of money (interest), and sales taxes. I have never put down anything but my signature. At the end of the lease, I have returned the car and received a security deposit refund shortly thereafter. The starting point in all of the leases has been the residual value of the car. I don't understand why it doesn't matter when you calculate the lease.

Frank

paulpro

Fluid replacement is a good thing. Much of the work done by the transmission is done with the help of the viscosity and lubricity of the fluid. Time and heat cause this to break down. When the fluid breaks down, the parts start to wear.

When automatics first came out, it was common place to trade vehicles around 70,000 miles. Most transmissions would go this long without a fluid change and work OK. Now that we are keeping them longer, it is important to keep the fluid fresh. If you review the owners manual, it calls for replacement, as I recall, around the 50K range.

I'd recommend the full fluid replacement. With the converter, a transmission has around 11 qts in it. If you only drop the pan, you will only get about 4-5 qts. Even with the fluid change thru the cooler lines, you still will have a small amount left in but you will get about 95% of the old out of there.

Changing the filter is bunk!! the filter really is no more than a fine screen, keeping the big chunks out. The magnet in the pan probably does more. Each time the transmission shuts down, fluid backdrains thru the filter, pushing anything in it back to the sump. If you are really particular, drop the pan, change the filter, then do the full fluid change.

I have access to a machines to change the fluid. being real careful, you still end up with ATF everywhere. for the $75 a local jiffy lube is going to charge, it's money well spent, in my opinion.

If you keep the fluid changed at or before the scheduled outlined, the transmission will last forever. Don't change it, you're probably good for around 150,000 miles. If you pull a heavy load, cut that in half

Hope this helps

Paul P

celebrimbor

If you're going to lease you need to pay attention to 3 things 1) Capitalized value (i.e. starting price which is NEGOTIABLE, same as a purchase) 2) Residual value at the end of the lease and 3) "Money factor" i.e., the interest rate.

Lessors hate telling you the real interest rate and will quote you a "money factor" number instead. Don't take that, find out what the real rate is (research or make them tell you). This is the easiest RIPOFF for them to pull, so push back hard. You may find them charging you 15 - 18% to lease a car you can buy with 0%financing.

Residual values are harder. You can look at Edmunds used car prices to see how far different models depreciate BUT there is a supply/demand effect as well. Right now there are lots of 2-3 year old cars available so all residual values are low. I'd be surprised if you got a residual value over 50% (4 years) for the triplets. Probably more like 40 - 45%.

crosley4

I would advise having the filter changed in the tranny of the Impala.

It is way more than simply a screen as Paul says. When the fluid drains back from the tranny over night it does not wash out muchof the particles in the filter media.

FWIW....... I built my first automatic tranny in 1974. Owned my first shop in 1980.