Buick Rainier, Chevy TrailBlazer, GMC Envoy

ac249

Hello, I have a problem with my 04 Envoy where the cabin fan won't turn on until after a considerable delay. It doesnt matter how I set the mode, to heater, defogger, AC, the fan will not blow until after a few minutes of driving (it varies between about 1 and 5 minutes). I've also adjusted the temerature from lowest to highest 90 deg setting but it doesnt appear to make a difference. Eventually tho, after a few minutes, the fan will blow normal.

I just read some of the other posts and thought it could be a problem with the heater core, or that the engine hasn't warmed up yet, etc, but then I would expect the fan to blow even if its not throwing out hot air immediately, right or am I confused? Any insights would be appreciated. It's getting cold here in Chicago and I need the heater and defogger Thanks!

ac249

Hi, I have a 04 Envoy which I took in a few months ago for two problems -- one was fixed (under warranty, no charge) and the other problem was not fixed because they said it could not be reproduced. At the time I picked up the vehicle, they didn't charge me anything nor tell me I would be charged anything in the future. But a few days later I received a bill in the mail from the dealer for a 'diagnostic fee' of about $45. I called them and they explained that it was for checking out the problem which they could not reproduce. (The driver side seatbelt would sometimes get stuck, and with my luck it didn't show this problem at the dealer).

My question is.... should I be responsible for paying this fee and if so why don't they tell you this when you take in your car for possible warranty repairs??? Honestly, I don't think I should be charged this fee. I've owned GM cars for over 15 years and have never been charged a fee for something that they couldn't reproduce. Usually the service tech would say something like, sorry, we didnt see the problem, but bring it back if it happens again. no charge.

Any ideas of how to proceed? The dealer insists this is the way the warranty coverage works, and when I called GM customer service, they said I "shouldn't" be charged this, but that unfortunately GM can't "force" the dealer to eat this fee since they don't own the dealer, the dealer is just a franchise. GM Customer service even called the dealer to tell them not to charge me but they continue to send me bills for $45. This seems absurd. Especially because it probably took them less than 5 minutes to "diagnose" the seatbelt and determine they couldn't reproduce the problem.

I'm open for suggestions!!

(As you can see from an earlier post of mine, I have another problem with my Envoy but am reluctant to take it in again, since they might charge me again if they can't reproduce the problem!!!)

snoking

TSB 03-09-40-009 covers this issue and states:
"The only way to completely eliminate the condition is not to allow the belt to retract back all the way into the retractor quickly." Goes on to explain what to do if it happens. Sign up for http://www.infotraxx.com/signin.php, the best 12.95 you can spend each year. I got the free running boards based on the TSB about paint getting chipped. Regarding the charge, tell them to read the TSB and do not pay it. SNOKING

snoking

I got to play in the snow quite a bit last week at Sun Peaks Ski Area in BC. The Les Schwab Wintercats ST's with studs worked great. Still would like a button for manual 4x4 mode. Continuing to research that. SNOKING

cmack4

Well the problem is resolved. It turned out to be an acid leak from the battery, which is pretty common from what the dealer told me. I actually ended up diagnosing and soliving it myself rather than having them tow it in, since the battery is not covered under GMPP anyway. Funny thing is the dealer actually cautioned me by not recommending me going with the AC Delco replacement battery, because it's such a common problem! I ended up having to pull the whole tray and spraying everything down good with the acid neutralizer, the leak was that bad. It was still showing the green eye in the window though, but when I took a digital multimeter to it, it was only reading at slightly over 6V. That immediately clued me in that it was a battery problem. I am still following up on the GMPP though to make sure I'm covered, since I should still have another year!

chewie65

Fan blower settings 1 and 5 don't work and my extended warranty will not cover. 2-3-4 work fine

I need to know location and how to replace.

I saw some posts that give me a basic idea. I'm looking for details

Thanks

snoking

Board sure is quiet lately. AC249, how did you make out on the Seat Belt service charge. When it get stuck, you have to pull out fairly hard to create some slack to feel back into the unit to get it to release.

To the rest, signing up for a TSB service is really a good investment. SNOKING

gmfan

Dealer put a new AC Delco in mine when my problem was also the acid leak. They said the newer kind will not leak. We will see :surprise: Glad to hear you got it resolved and it was nothing major.

onlyagirl

I noticed recently that my '03 Envoy is vibrating alot esp when in reverse...when I'm sitting in the car , and shift to reverse it's a vibrating sound if that makes sense....it's there in N and D but most noticable in reverse....at least that is my obervations so far...will pay more attention today ....I have bought the gm extended protection plan ...but I wanted to have a few ideas before taking it in....hopefully the plan will cover whatever it is.... I also had a creaking/squeaking noise that I had checked out under the original warranty and realize that noise is still there...I can't remember what they said it was but I don't think it's "fixed" yet.... BUT other than all of that I still Love my ENvoy!! Any suggestions would be great...thanks,

Bobbie

bobby10

Just picked up my Trailblazer SS. Performace and handling is like a sports car. I know the entire vehicle is suped up but does anybody know if putting a custom exhaust such as magnaflow will make a difference? It has 395 HP off the lot, I want to get it up to at least 400 HP.

malibu99

I replaced mine took me 10 minutes...the cost of the part is under $30, you have to crawl under the glove box and undo a few screws that hold the plastic cover together ( the plastic that cover the blower duct), the resistor is there so that it cools with the air flow. Unplug the connector, unscrew the resistor and replace..easy job.

malibu99

Hello everyone

I am looking at a set of noce 20" wheels for my TB. Does anyone know if it would require modifications to install and if 20" wheels affect the speedometer reading? Any help is greatly appreciated.

01_hoe

Could you please email me regarding your TB SS experience?

dmathews3

Most likely it will affect your readings but it also depends on the tires you use. Go to http://www.1010tires.com/TireSizeCalculator.asp?ction=submit where you can plug in the sizes you have now and what you are looking at and it will tell you your answer. :shades:

malibu99

Sweeeeeeeeeet!!! And no mods needed right?

727fr8dog

I have a '02 Envoy with the same problem. I've replaced the peddle and motor driven throttle valve. Still happens. I suspect something get's wet. Dealer can't find anything but the same code. Anyone have the fix ?

HELP !

727fr8dog

quarque

If you can't find definitive information for the wheel/tire combination you plan to use there is an easy way to estimate the affect they will have on the speedometer & odometer. First, measure the circumference of your existing tire while off the ground (on jack stand). Make sure the tire is inflated per sticker on the door. When you get your new stuff installed you repeat the same process. Divide the new number by the old number to get a ratio (like 0.95 or 1.05 etc.). Now multiply that by your speed and distance to get the new speed and distance. This is only approximate because the amount the tire sags under load affects the actual circumference. But it will be pretty close. Some cars can be recalibrated for this effect - I'm not sure if the TB has this available to dealers or not. Check with a dealer service manager.

gam2

Gee, just calculate the height. It's so easy! Multiply the section width by the aspect ratio. Multiply this by 2 and divide by 25.4 (or just divide by 12.7). Add the rim size and you are done! A 245/65-17 tire is ((2X 245 X .65)/25.4)
+17 = 29.54" diameter. You can do your ratio from there!

malibu99

Hi everyone

My rear wiper motor was very lethargic today and quit. I manually moved it a bit and it started again but quit again. I then turned it OFF, manually assisted it and it parked. My question is, has anyone had this happen? If so was it the motor and is it something I can fix? If not I will have to buy a new motor and do it myself but I wasnt sure if there was some programming it would require to work. Anyone have the part number?

Thanks.

727fr8dog

Happened to me also. I took it to the dealer under warrenty. They found a broken wire under the headliner in the back.. Lift the hatch, pull down the headliner in the middle. Look for broken wire (s) there.

Anybody have a fix for the reduced engine power and check engine light ?

727fr8dog

lastar

I'm going to be towing a Pop Up Camper weighing less than 2,000 LBS. Which ratio should I get?
Please post your MPG as I will only be towing about 30-45 days annually.
Thanks

burdawg

That load won't be a big factor with either ratio, but I would go with the 3.73. It's a good midpoint to balance out power & economy.

01_hoe

Stop by a local Auto Zone and have them read the code for free.

I believe you can remove the check engine light by unhooking the negative battery terminal for a few minutes. But if something serious it will come right back on. Depending on your year of truck you could call OnStar and have them read the code. Not all vehicles can be read by OnStar though. Just the newer models.

morey000

You didn't mention whether you had the fan in the AUTO mode, or were setting the fan speed manually. If in the "auto" mode, it does wait a couple of minutes so that it doesn't blow cold air on you when you are trying to warm up the car (and vice versa). I've always thought that this was a nice feature.

However- if you are trying to set the fan speed manually- then it should blow instantly. So- I don't know if this helped you or not.

macatowa

Anyone else out there experiencing alot of front bulb failure? seems like every 5 or 6 months I,m replacing the right or left! :mad:

snoking

If you are using Silver Stars, they only last about a year! In my Dodge RAM, the right one last like 14 months the left one 12 months. SNOKING

goodstar

2002 Trailblazer had the same problem until I purchased the standard bulb but a long life bulb. Try a long life bulb, "L" after the number of the bulb...My problem went away.

macatowa

I pulled the grille apart because it is on the passenger side and found a melted harness! I had replaced the drivers side last summer with the same problem! Now I get to go buy a $20 part that cost about 50 cents top make! However the bulb looks like it didn't blow. I think there is a relationship between lights on and off and using high beams, like an :mad: over amp problem.

quarque

If the harness melted next to a connector, that can be caused by a poor connection. The resistance causes the connection to heat up and start melting things. If the melted area is not near a connector then I would suspect an abrasion on the wire causing a short. This would usually blow a fuse. I seriously doubt they would put in undersize wiring if that is what you meant by "over amp". Did you ever have any blown fuses?

snoking

Put the Mich's back on Sunday morning. Air'd them to 35 lbs all the way around. Guess what? The Rainie handles better with the Les Schwab snow tires than with the Michelins. Mich's seem soft and mushy even with the extra 3 lbs in the fronts. When they are gone, I will be looking for something stiffer, but that is a few years out. Wife's ride anyway. SNOKING

macatowa

It's the white connector that the bulb plugs into, the white connector is black and meled on one side as well as just a little bit of the wire leading to it. It is the low beam side that is doing it,I have never had a fuse blow however.

02envoyowner

Hi; has anyone had an issue w/ the driver's window sticking? The window on my '02 Envoy has a habit of not rolling up, or not rolling down (varies). When I take it to the dealer they have said, on 2 occasions, "works fine here". I am taking in today because it is frozen in the up position (fortunate); any suggestions on how to get the problem fixed? My dealer has a habit of saying "we can't just tear into a job w/o reason. The window works" Then I get it home and..........
Thanks!

malibu99

Hello everyone

I have a few questions for anyone out there who knows about the following.

I want to buy a new shifter with the aluminum insert like they use in the upper level Trailblazers...can I replace my standard shifter ( 2002 Trailblazer LS )with this shifter? Is it an easy job?

Second, I bought a set of 20" rims and I want to have them put in in the Spring...I want to use 275/45/20. Would this tire work or would it interfere with something? Has anyone put 20's on their TB?

Any assistance would be greatly appreciated

Happy motoring.

01_hoe

Brushed Aluminum shifter is p#15110837. OEM held on by one #10 torq screw. Remove screw, push in on the sides of the existing shifter at the base so the clips release. Lift up and install the new one.

Lot of TB and Envoys with 20, 22, and some 23's. With the tire being that wide, have the installer mount one and check for any interference before mounting the others. The TB SS has 255/50/20's on it. 275 is pretty wide. You will need more distance to stop with the larger wheels and tires.

quarque

The burnt connector at the back of the light is a pretty good indication of a bad connection in that socket. This can be from corrosion or a bad crimp of the metal piece to the wire. If you are near saltwater it can accelerate the corrosion process. The only cure is to chop off the burnt wires and connector and replace it all. There is a special silicone goo that is used on low-voltage connections to seal out moisture and salt. Ask your dealer to replace the whole mess and seal it up. Make sure they clean the prongs on the light too. You may want to check all the lights for hot connectors.

The company where I work makes industrial controls and we had a system nearly catch fire because of a bad connection carrying about 10 amps at 12 volts. It melted the pcb and connector. The resistance at the connection becomes just like the element in a toaster.

burdawg

10 amps at 12v = 120 watts. Grab hold of a 100 watt light bulb that has been on for some time and see how hot it is.

malibu99

Ahh perfect! I will then go with the same size as the TB SS since I like the way they look. Thanks much!

gardengal

I have am '02 Envoy SLT and the rear gate seems to have lost power. My tail lights work fine and so does the license plate lightbulb but the gate will not lock, the wiper or wiper juice does not work and at the same time this started happening my keyless entry went out. I am hoping they are related and its an easy fix.

Has anyone experienced this and if so, what did you do to fix it?

I have checked the fuse maps that are shown in the manual, but did not see one for the rear gate.

Thanks!

wapwap

My 2002 TB LT (31K) wouldn't start last night, and today dealer says its a bad starter which was covered under the extended warranty. I had noticed a something electrical burning smell when I tried to start it last night, so just curious if anyone else has had this. Dealer is still working on it now and investigating. Any other symptoms to watch for after the starter goes bad, just wondering what down the road to be ready for that could be a result of the bad starter.

wxman4

2003 EXT 5.3L
I want to add a small external tranny cooler. The factory cooler lines run in and out at the bottom of the radiator. Does anyone know which side is the return line to the tranny?

Also, is there a name for the connectors on the cooler lines? I would like to not cut the existing lines, but fashion in the external cooler using the existing connectors just to the passenger side of radiator near the air filter housing. This would give the ability to quickly reconnect the factory lines if the cooler or rubber lines developed a leak. I could also reconnect factory lines and then seal off external cooler by connecting it to itself if it caused problems during extreme cold weather or something.

Any help appreciated.
Thanks
Wxman

tblazed

Check fuse "LGM-2" in rear fuse block under the back seat. This 30A fuse supplies power to the lift gate module which has the keyless entry receiver built into it, and also supplies power to the rear wiper motor. If that fuse is blown neither of those will work. Good luck! Hope it's that simple.

n7don

On the I-6, the driver's side is the return line. To verify it's the same on the 5.3L, from a cold start put in gear, hold foot on brake and apply light to med. throttle for 30 secs. Then feel the lines. The coolest line is the return line.
Don't know the name of the connectors. After spending considerble search time I decided to buy a spare line, cut it for the end fittings and have the OE as a spare. I used barbed and flared fittings from Home Depot to hook up to the aux. cooler using hose. Unless you live in the artic, I wouldn't worry about over-cooling the fluid. If you have an Envoy it's easy to remove the grille and put a cover over the cooler if wanted. I don't.
Here's a link to what my setup looks like:
Aux. Transmission Oil Cooler

marspec

The compass indication in my rear view mirror has suddenly decided to indicate about 90 deg out. I have tried recalibrating to another operating area but that hasn't helped. Anybody had this happen and what was the fix?

gmfan

Tblazed- Did you read anything more on the wiper motor issue? The wipers on my 02 TB are starting to stick while on intermittent cycle. I had the recall work done a year ago. In regular cycle and very fast cycle, the wipers work great. :surprise:

01_hoe

When they did the recall, did the service dept replace the wiper motor, or just put a patch over the hole? If only patched, there was probably some moisture in there that is only now causing a problem.

ross1962

Move away from the North Pole.

macatowa

I checked ALLDATA and there is a TSB on this problem, the fix is to replace harness and use a Sylvania Bulb, which is what I did, I did however put in some dielectric grease in the socket based on my mechanic's advice which can help with temp build up.

03 Pewter TB LS 84K

tblazed

I was going to ask the same question - new wiper motor or just the patch job - and trusting someone's judgement simply by eyeballing it without actually disassembling the motor cover and looking inside for water marks, if any water had ever gotten into the wiper motor [non-permissible content removed]'y. before they stuck the patch over the hole.

Don't have any more info on it gmfan. Have heard of others with failing wipers after the recall was done and now well out of warranty. I would file a complaint with NHTSA. They made GM try and fix it once as a safety recall. Maybe if enough fail with the patch job, GM will get to recall 'em again.

badgerpaul

On my last car, you needed to find and empty parking lot and drive in circles (about 3 times)and it would reset itself.

gmfan

I am certain I got the patch job because I recall the job order stating wiper plug or seal work. Too little, too late. I am well out of warranty- anybody know what a new wiper motor costs and if it is easy to replace? Did the Envoys have the same issues or was it just TB's?