Buick Rainier, Chevy TrailBlazer, GMC Envoy

ross1962_99

VERY common problem. I brought my TB in for this problem, which is really very benign, and was told that they started up several new TB's in the lot and they all exhibited the same issue. I don't know if there is a real fix, or not.

dshepherd3

I don't think I would buy the normal deal, this didn't show up for 30k on my 2002 TB, so that's a lame reply by the service dept. Presently I am working with customer service on this, if they have no resolution I say, say so, not it is "normal", of course the shop is limited here, if a new tach won't fix it they are stuck with an "ineffective" warranty repair, which is a problem for the dealership.

quickdtoo

If it's normal, I guess I need to take mine in for repair cuz it doesn't do it! Sounds to me like an excuse not to troubleshoot it, or lack of interest/knowledge by your service dept to get it fixed.

tblazed

A friend had his '02 TB inst cluster-tach fixed for that problem last Feb, it has stayed quiet since. (Mine, original, is still quiet - 2 years old) They did have to send out his inst cluster for repair and kept his truck 3 days, but it remains quiet. There is a fix for that problem.

2k_impala_ls

My rear window sprayer was not spraying. I kept pushing the button and I happed to open the rear hatch to find it full of fluid arounf the latch. I tokk the rear hatch cover off and found that the line was disconnected from the rubber tee that goes through the door. I reconnected it and it works now and I saved myself a trip to the dealer. All of the plastic parts snap on and off. The only screw I had to remove was the one holding the strap and a black plastic holder you can see when you open the glass.

jjw03

My 2002 TrailBlazer is getting rust at the seams of the doors. I had a 1998 Chevy Malibu that experienced the same problem. I take excellent care of my vehicles so Chevy has a problem they need to address. Has anyone else seen corrosion at the seams inside your doors?

rad225

My 2002 TB (build date 4/02) had the entire instrument panel cluster replaced at 28K due to a noisy tach. The unit was making a scraping noise from 1000 to 3000 rpm. "Normal" sound for this tach is to make a scraping sound only at start up and shut down (from zero to 1000 and back to zero rpm). The unit was repaced under warranty with a rebuilt unit. Dealer had to order part from GM vendor. Per the dealer, cannot fix just the tach, must replace all of cluster. Don't take no for an answer, GM has a "special tech file" with this problem noted.

pepper50

I had my second tire rotation on my Envoy recently, and forgot to ask the dealer beforehand what rotation pattern they use, but mentioned it when I picked the car up. He told me that they rotate all the tires on their vehicles (GMC and Pontiac) straight front to back, and back to front without crossing sides. I said "Even though GMC in the manual recommends crossing the front to the back?" And the service guy expressed surprised, so I showed him the diagram in the manual. He said "Well, we can rotate them like that if you want next time." So my question is when it's time for my next rotation my vehicle will have 22,500 miles on them, and the wheels will have never been crossed. Will it be "too late" to cross them, or can they still be safely crossed at that time? Or *should* they even be crossed? Seems like for years tire companies didn't recommend crossing radials, but that that philosophy has been reversed in recent years? Any thoughts? Thanks.

johnnyreverb

On our 2002 Envoy SLT the Driver 1, Driver 2 thing isnt working properly. When I insert my Driver 2 key into the ignition, the seat and mirrors don't move to my Driver 2 positions. Not until I press the remote unlock button, does the DIC display Driver 2. Then I can re-insert the Driver 2 key and the positions are recalled. Driver 1 and Driver 2 positions are set to recall at "key in" mode. I hear the "beep" when I put either key in, but the car does not respond. It will respond properly after "input" from either remote. Any suggestions? Is it customary for dealerships to provide transportation while working out these bugs?

Mike

richardcoulson

I also have the tach noise. Dealer replaced the cluster once and I still have the noise. The dealer stated that GM knows about the problem, the engineers are workinig on it, but does not have a fix yet. The dealer doesn't want to put another cluster in until there is a fix.

n7don

30 years ago when radial tires first came into general use on US vehicles one of the manufacturers had some lab data suggesting radial tire durability was adversely affected if you changed rotation. Recalling this was some type of high speed dynamometer test. If you do a google search on "tire rotation pattern" the vast majority of the hits will recommend using the owners' manual recommendation. Like you, I've found you have to specifically request this rotation in most tire retail shops. I believe a cross pattern maximizes tread life however these differences are probably small. If concerned about changing rotation pattern after 22K miles call the tire mfg. toll free number. I'd be surprised if they say it's a problem. Maintaining correct tire pressure is by far the most important durability factor.

tblazed

"Per the dealer, cannot fix just the tach, must replace all of cluster."

That is interesting. My friend had his fixed last June. (I was wrong above in prior post, thought he had it done in Feb). Some paperwork we came up with said his cluster was sent out to Autocraft Electronics in Carrollton, TX for repair. Seems his was repaired, not replaced. It remains quiet to this day.

twinrotts

Jonnyreverb:
Sounds to me like your driver memory system is working perfectly. The key fob unlock is communicating the information that sets the program for all adjustments.
You may be getting confused by the meaning of "positions are set to recall at "key in" mode"
That simply means that everything will move to its predetermined position once you insert the key as opposed to setting positions immediately after touching unlock on the fob. Either way, you need to touch the unlock button first.
If you study the key closely, you will notice that there is no microchip in it. The key itself does not contain any coding. It comes from the fob.
If you think about it, how would the the system be able to set positions using the fob alone if it was depending on information from the key.
Hope this save you a trip to the dealer or at least the frustration associated with thinking you have a problem

wxman4

Absolutely correct. The "key in" mode is for those people that use the exit feature of the seat (move seat back when exiting/entering vehicle). With the key in feature selected they can unlock vehicle with fob and the seat will remain in the "exit/entry" position until they are seated and put the key in ignition.

mrau

This may help. I had a squeaky center console (arm rest) on my Envoy. Took some silicone grease and just put a dab on the inside of the console lid "latch post". The latch post is about 1/2 inch long and goes into a small hole when you shut the lid. No more squeaks from the console.

rjt2

Does anyone know if you can get chevy part numbers anywhere on the internet,I like to look up the parts myself if I can......Thanks

quickdtoo

Go to http://www.gmpartsdirect.com and you can request part numbers so you can order the parts. I've used this service for a coil pack, oil and fuel filters and skid plate pkg.

aviatorbob1

Yesterday my passenger was exiting my 2002 Envoy and a gust of wind pulled the front door out of her grasp. A typical Pennsylvania wind gust, possibly 20 to 25 knots.
Needless to say, both upper and lower door hinges proceeded to bend away from the body frame 5/32". The bend was at the middle of the hinge. The hinges were sprung so severely creating interference between the front door edge and the back of the front fender. The paint chipped away at the interference edge upon closing the door.
I assume the lightweight hinges are spot welded, since no bolts or outer weld beads are visible.
Cost to fix, $450.00. I requested that both new hinges be tig welded around perimeter to prevent this poor design from happening again. The GMC body shop states this is not the first case to repair this problem.
How prevalent is this underdesign????.Hang on to your doors.

cparise1

I appreciate you all writing in about your experiences with tach noises. It didn't crop up until 30K and is only barely detectable on slow acceleration or deceleration right at the end of coming to idle. Going to pop into the dealer this am and initiate the repair order. I'll you all know what was done.

BTW, still love the truck ('02 Envoy XL SLT)

Chris in Wisconsin

cparise1

Thanks for your response. Yes, manifold gasket is probably it Vs. head gasket. I didn't know the history of the GM V6 used in the Monte.

meyervilla

Seems to be coming from transfer case. PROM was reprogrammed, engagement motor replaced, as well as switch on dash. Car used to go into 4WH all by itself. 4WL light flashes when switch is set to this position but does not light solid. Any ideas? Envoy was zero defects until 30,000 miles; then problems surfaced. Dealer is stumped. Contemplating trading it on a Honda Pilot. The Envoy is a very comfortable vehicle but we can't put up with it becoming unreliable. My wife is afraid to drive it. We love our Envoy. Too bad it's come to this parting of the ways. So far GM has paid for all repairs however we don't want to own this vehicle when it goes off warranty.

quickdtoo

Sheesh, 30k miles on an '04 already! At that rate you might need a couple pilots. ;~) There's a tsb on noise from an output shaft caused by a seal, not sure of the number, but I thought it was only for earlier models. Do a search of this forum, you'll find it.

meyervilla

Sorry quickdtoo; mine is a 2002 Envoy SLT 4WD. I've got 2004 on the brain from shopping around. Dealer tried TSB 03-04-19-002 FEB 03 with no success. Methinks that the transfer case should be swapped out. Serves me right for buying a 4WD when I live in AZ. BTW the Envoy is the ONLY SUV I've found with a passenger side power seat. My wife and I love the Envoy can't put up with this unrealibility crap.

tblazed

You might want to go back to messages 5464 through 5686 and check out the hinge discussion well over a year ago.

The repair-replacement procedure of door hinges in the manual says to drill out the old welds and bolt on new hinges. New replacement hinges are bolt-on.

quickdtoo

Umm, make that 5654 thru 5686....;~)

aldan93

Since living in the salt belt, I have noticed rust under my hood, bubbles in the paint just under the front where my bug shield is. The bubbles/rust are near the hole where you tie in, to keep the hood up!!! Will GM cover this?

tblazed

"72 month /100000 mile SHEET METAL COVERAGE RUST THROUGH" is what the warranty says, so I interpret that to mean when you can see light through the holes they will cover it!

ross1962_99

I noticed my TB running a little rough and not as peppy as it used to be and I suspected the air filter, which is a K&N Filtercharger had gotten clogged from all the ash from the recent fires. Sure enough, it was black as coal and gunked up pretty good. The filter only has about 15K miles on it. After cleaning an re-oiling, it runs great!
Just wanted to share for all you Tripletts owners here in So. Cal. that were exposed to all the ash and soot from the fires.

nseidl

I have a 2002 TB with 29800 miles that I bought in Aug 2001. It has always ran well (horrable gas milage notwithstanding) but on a couple of occasions over the last few months I have heard a strange noise (sounded like I hit a ball of chicken wire with the oil pan) while driving on the freeway.

Well half way into work this morning while coasting along at 15-20 MPH in freeway trafic I heard it again, but this time it stalled out on me. I was able to restart it but it barely ran and sounded horrable. I had to have it towed in. Initial report is zero compression on #4 cylinder and a mangled spark plug. So I'm guessing this is the cracked cylinder sleeve issue that I received a notice about the summer.

All of the reports I'd seen here were infant mortality, but I guess it can happen any time. The service guy was new, but said he saw another one just a month ago. So I'd recommed that strange noises from the TB engine- no matter how brief and infrequent - not be ignored!

Anyway, I'm glad it happened now and not in two weeks when we were going to drive it Milwaukee to Cleveland...

babyshoes

Truck is running fine. I have been in once for seat recall.

Should I go in before warranty runs out? can I go in without any cost?

luvmytralblazr

I recently took my 2002 Trailblazer EXT to the dealer because of a resonating/vibrating noise that happens only when the truck is under torque). They replaced the drive shaft but it didn't fix the problem. Has anyone else had this problem. What was done about it?

Thanks for your help!

P.S. I've already searched previous messages and nothing has helped me with this matter.

macman246

I had a phone interview this week with the NHTSB. They are opening a formal investigation into the triplets for stalling, and wanted more info about my '02 GMC Envoy. It took them one year to contact me after entering my stalling complaint on their website. The interviewer said he's contacted at least 30 other people with the stalling problem. You may want to file a complaint.

The dealer could not fix my stalling problem. It wasn't the cylinder sleeve because it would run fine after restarting. They replaced the PCM, BCM, lift gate module, throttle body, and ignition switch, as well as updated the software several times. GM eventually did the right thing and bought back my Envoy.

pappy59

Has anybody experienced a "poping and cracking noise" that seems to be coming from the wind shield? My 02 TB is about to drive me nuts because of this very annoying noise. The noise only seems to occur when driving in fairly high cross winds and temperatures below 30 deg F. Any suggestions?

previousamigo

I have that poping noise in my windshield also. It sounds like a rock was thrown up by a vehicle in front of me and it hit my windshield. The problem is that there are never any cars in front of me when I hear the sound. I have also noticed that it has just started now that it is cold.

I did just have my door seals replace due to the crosswinds making such a loud noise. The next windy day I'll test the new seals on the interstate.

rainers

My TB 03 does this also. The weather has to be cold, around 30 degrees and high cross winds. driving over 55mph. When someone knows please report the fix

food4kp

I thought it was my imagination, but it's true. I do hear that popping noise on rare occasion, as if a pebble hit my windshield. I used to pass it off as just that until reading the recent posts. The funny thing is that there is no evidence of damage of any kind on my windshield. At this point, it's not a concern for me.

FYI, my 2002 Envoy has accumulated 48,000 trouble-free miles, and no interior rattles. Needless to say, this solid vehicle has truly exceeded my expectations, hence I'm a very happy owner.

mytrip2

I had a noise like you guys all describe with my '02 Envoy. Only with strong cross winds or meeting a semi truck on 2 lane roads. I found the problem, then fixed it. Mine was the right side windshield moulding, the bottom 4 inches tend to flutter against the windshield. To check this out tape the moulding with duct tape. If that stops the noise,then pull the moulding away from the glass and fill the bottom 3" with silicone sealer,wipe off the excess and tape it down for a day till it cures. I have had no noise since I done mine.

redline65

Does anyone own the long GM roof rack cargo carrier? I'm thinking about getting one for my Envoy XL, but I can't find how many sq. ft. of cargo it will hold. Can you fit suitcases in it, or is it just for carrying lighter stuff? Taking 7 people on a trip with luggage can be quite a challenge.

dlare

We have the Thule Cascade 1100 cargo carrier and have used it a few times. It holds 11 cu ft and up to 110 lbs. The carrier rides very nice on top of out Trailblazer EXT and even looks very nice up there.

It has quick mounting system and side opening, so you reach it by standing in the passenger side rear-seat doorway.

Dean

twinrotts

Has anyone added either a conoe or Kayak carrier to the roof of their triplet?

i'm trying to find a good source for a carrier that is designed to fit a triplet stock roof rack.

aldan93

I just noticed the other day that water was leaking in on top of the door down the window. I had around 3" of snow/ice on top, it wasn't raining but it was pouring in, anyone else have this problem?

cparise1

Coming up on 33K on my '02 Envoy XL SLT so I'm trying to get it all repaired, all minor annoyances:
1) Ticking noise noticeable on slow acceleration or deceleration is the tach. Just started at 30K, now that I've noticed it I can't stand it. Fix approach: entire instrument cluster will be removed, sent to the supplier, tach repaired, and returned to dealer all in less than 24 hours. I'll report out how that goes!
2) Replace passenger mirror for wandering. Fix: A known TSB, requires new motor.
3) Rear wiper doesn't seat properly in holder when wiper is turned off. Fix: new parts ordered.

These are all just annoyances and overall I still enjoy getting in the cockpit and driving.

My dealer is doing a pilot program where they give you are report with overall vehicle inspection on it. Pretty detailed. Includes brake lining thickness and tire depth remaining. Indicates that I've used about a 1/3 of brake lining and 1/2 of tread remaining. Brake quotes I was give are $124 for pair of pads & brake service and $90 for rotor re surfacing. We all know what tires cost. So at around 50K I'll have some substantial normal maintainance.

Chris
2)

n7don

(Rotor resurfacing)
In a past life I recall a TSB stating rotor resurfacing isn't necessary unless you have some specific issue(s) like pulsations. Couldn't find the TSB per se. I haven't resurfaced the rotors on the past two vehicles I've done. You do have to be aware of the remaining rotor thickness which is stamped on the rotor itself.

01_hoe

I have an opportunity to purchase a Volant air intake system for my '03 Envoy I6 part#15642 for $229.99 if I take part in a GP. Is this a good price? Anyone have one on their triplet? Likes / dislikes ?

melnriz

Does anyone know how to reset the change oil light on a 03' envoy?

quickdtoo

See message 11247. This procedure is for an '02, the proper procedure for an '03 should be in the owners manual.

quickdtoo

Sounds like a good price if they have reasonable shipping charges. Many online sources look good until you add shipping, be sure to compare the total cost. I had a modified volant on mine. I used a system from a previous vehicle and eliminated the intake resonator, the black box on top of the engine. The intake noise wasn't worth the minimal increase in performance so I removed it. The OEM system is already a cold air intake, IMO, the Volant isn't worth the cost. I did add a K&N filter to the OEM system for ~$50 which I think is a better improvement for the money. I also modified the OEM air box per Tim Lauro's instructions which involved cutting the box and removing restrictive parts. The last time I checked his web site the instructions and pics were no longer available, maybe someone will have those instructions or pics. He's got several posts here earlier. hth

rctennis3811

Hey everyone, I'm not here to buy a car but was just curious about everyone's opinion on something. Well, here it is: Does it bother you that the GM midsizers (TrailBlazer, Rainier, Bravada, Envoy, Ascender) don't have side-curtain airbags and have that (in my mind) chintzy feeling with all that plastic inside??? I'm just curious on how this would stack up against competitors like the Durango, Pilot, Highlander, etc...

*Any reply would be great!!

gam2

Side airbags are optional on the Triplets. I'm averaging 18-19 mpg. A friend with a Durango is lucky to get 15 mpg and gets 10-11 mpg in the winter. I wonder how they'll do with a Hemi and more weight?

GAM

pepper50

Hey everyone, I'm not here to buy a car but was just curious about everyone's opinion on something. Well, here it is: Does it bother you that the GM midsizers (TrailBlazer, Rainier, Bravada, Envoy, Ascender) don't have side-curtain airbags and have that (in my mind) chintzy feeling with all that plastic inside??? I'm just curious on how this would stack up against competitors like the Durango, Pilot, Highlander, etc...

So if you're not interested in purchasing a car, why are you losing sleep over a couple hypothetical questions that won't affect your vehicle(s)? Are you just concerned that we don't have side-curtain airbags? It's the non-SUV sports cars that are most in need of side-curtain airbags, in case they are T-boned by an SUV As more people want side-curtain airbags, they'll be included (or optional) on more models; you can get them on Envoy XL for instance and maybe on others. There are many other factors to consider as well when deciding on a car make/model; you just have to rank them in the order you are most interested in and consider the cost/benefit ratio. No one makes an SUV exactly like I would want it in an ideal world. I think it's stupid to have painted bumper fascia, for instance, but I understand how environmental whackos have forced makers to decrease weight (of course one can add bumper guards).