Buick Rainier, Chevy TrailBlazer, GMC Envoy

agenteleven · December 2001

One morning a few days after I got my TB LTZ, I started it and applied the brake. I heard the clicking relay, and was surprised because I had not heard it before.

I let up on the brake thinking maybe I broke something. I pushed it down again and heard the same noise. I immediately let up, sat for a minute and decided to go. I tried to shift the lever out of park but it wouldn't budge. I turned the truck off and back on but still couldn't shift the thing out of park.

About two minutes later I finally realized that I had not been pushing the brake to get out of park. The loud clicking noise had confused, hypnotized, or mesmerized me into not remembering how to drive my truck. What an idiot.

I pushed the brake, heard the click, and shifted smoothly to reverse.

Sorry for the long story. I just wanted you to know I have a loud brake relay, too. Loud enough to break my concentration.

Turning the radio up shortly after starting the truck usually helps.

iws · December 2001

Coolsly2---List of recalls and TSB's available at www.nhtsa.gov. Then you call your dealer with your VIN and ensure they were done.

mgrcm · December 2001

agenteleven:I have that same clicking noise in my Envoy every time I push on the brake to get out of park.Going in for first oil change next week,maybe have them look at it with all my other complaints,I'm sure they'll tell me its normal.I've had the engine knock since the beginning,my plastic center caps on the wheels are turning green around the edges(paint fading away),liftgate window leaks water and air compressor seems to run a lot.I,ve had it since Sep. and a couple of weeks ago the battery died,had to be towed to nearest dealer and nobody came up with a believable reason why,also had recall done while there,notice no change in transission still plenty of slop.Most of the other problems I had I fixed myself,I see when they towed it in someone put a big scratch in the front bumper so anytime I can keep it from going in for service the better,believe me these service people could care less about your car.

agenteleven · December 2001

I agree with your opinion of the service people! I get frustrated whenever I have to deal with them. I'm due for an oil change soon, and I think I'd rather do it myself than take it in.

How many miles are on your Envoy?

By the way, My rear window leaked a very small trickle at the top in heavy rain. I cleaned the window and the rubber gasket/weatherstrip. It seemed to help. If your Envoy is like my TB, the back glass has a texture on the inside that doesn't seem to seal well.

mgrcm · December 2001

I've got 3200 miles on my Envoy.I changed the oil already at 500 miles myself,now I've got a few things that need to be taken care of and I'll get my free oil change done with and hopefully I won't have to go back again HA HA HA.I noticed the window leaking the other day when I was washing it,I didn't think it was that bad till I saw all the streaks in the film on the inside of the glass.I still don't know how to rate this thing,it is better in some ways worse in others compared to my Durango,and I hate that stinkin small gas tank,a little over 200 miles and you gotta start thinking about a gas station.

Rick

agenteleven · December 2001

I feel your pain about the small gas tank.

Did you change your oil filter yourself, as well? I haven't looked at it yet, and don't know how hard it will be to get to.

quickdtoo · December 2001

I haven't changed my oil yet but I have checked out the filter location. On a 4x4, under the front axle is a composite skid plate, in the middle of it is a rectangular plate with 2 self retaining screws. Remove the screws(~1/2 turn) and swing the plate out of the way to reveal the oil drain plug and oil filter, looks like an easy job to me. Tim

hmaximo · December 2001

I found an Envoy with every option I want on it except it only has the standard stereo in it.I realize the Bose is an upgrade but in my past GM experience stock radios were horrible.Does anyone have the standard stereo and if so do you like the sound?I hope it does not break up easily when turned up loud or with any bass.

agenteleven · December 2001

Thanks quickdtoo. I found that swing-away plate under mine, too. Mine's not a 4x4 by the way.

I located what I believe to be the drain plug there, but wasn't far enough under the vehicle to see the filter at that location, I guess.

I did see the filter from the passenger's wheelwell, but it looked like a difficult job to break my arm in three places to get to it from there. That access cover would make more sense. I'll check that tonight.

green07 · December 2001

I recently bought an Envoy. So far I do not have any dissapointment. Right now I am thinking of getting an extended warranty. I would appreciate if someone can shed some light on this issue - what is covered, whether it is good or bad for this vehicle. Thanks in advance.

agenteleven · December 2001

I have the non-Bose stereo in my TB LTZ. I'm happy with it. It plays loud and sounds good doing it. I haven't noticed any distortion or break up with any of my bass-heavy material.

The one thing I wish it had were speakers/tweeters in the dash. There are speaker grills up there, and for a long time, I thought there were speakers under them. But the six-speaker specification refers to one each in the back doors and two each (woofer and tweeter) in the front doors. It sounds good, but the highs would be a lot crisper with speakers at the dash. I think the Bose adds these.

I don't know if Envoy's have the same setup

mfullmer · December 2001

I've been away for a while but read through all of the posts I had missed. Here are some questions?

I've posted before about the strange happenings with my transmission - HARD downshifts while sitting at a stoplight while cold, HARD up and downshifts while driving when cold, no power but a large "growl" when cold. Has anyone with a Bravada had a problem like this and, if so, have they had a problem getting it taken care of?

Also, I have a loud, high pitched, hum that occurs all of the time, even with the stereo off. Does anyone know what this could be?

I also have many, many squeaks and rattles that are "repaired" and then reappear. I guess GM just doesn't build them to withstand the terrible Atlanta roads!

agenteleven · December 2001

I'll bet that high pitched hum is your inside rearview mirror. Mine squeals like a stuck pig and drives me nuts. I think the electronics for the compass or electrochromatic function are resonating against the glass.

Try this: pinch the mirror on the right side like you were squeezing it back together. When I do this to mine, the squealing gets louder and then gets much softer when I let go.

It's not a permanent fix, and it may not work with your mirror. I've heard of one or two other people complaining about the squeal.

vplaza · December 2001

Just a note to other Envoy owners out there (especially the ones with the black Envoys), check the paint around the plastic moulding that goes around the area where the license plate goes on the rear door. The plastic appears to expand and contract with heat, causing it to scrape the paint off the rear door where it meets the paint.

I've had it repainted twice now and the the body shop added more of bevel to the plastic so that it has more room to expand and not scrape the paint. It sounds iffy to me, but I'll have to see the results.

So far, with 9000 miles on the car, we've been happy, with just minor gripes:

- Broken pull down strap on rear hatch lid
- Sagging headliner near sunroof
- Driver and Passenger seat losing power (loose connection under seats?)
- Clunking noise when backing up with wheel turned all the way (relubed steering stops?)
- Seemingly low gas mileage (avg 16.7) in mixed driving
- That friggin' paint problem on the rear hatch lid!!
- Annoying noise coming from the left rear when you hit a bump, just behind the driver (turned out to be the plastic panel not installed properly on the I beam, so popped it back in and it hasn't come out since)

VP

hrunting · December 2001

vplaza, that paint problem is a known issue with both the Envoys and the TBs. I have a TB LS and it has the same problem. The dealer tells me that GM is working on a gasket design that will fix it but they don't know when it will be available. I just got the TB back from the dealer last week and had it repainted for the third time (in addition to recall work, etc.). This time, they ground down that plastic piece, and supposedly they put a piece of 3M clear plastic film for that plastic piece to rub against (although I can't see it or tell if it's there). That was the recommended interim fix from the dealer. They said they would install the gasket when it comes in, so at least someone knows about it. As far as I know, GM customer support doesn't have an open campaign on that problem, though (call them; maybe if enough people bother them, they'll give it a higher priority).

allroy · December 2001

Are they making you pay for repainting?

dyfine · December 2001

Hi all! I just purchased my new Envoy SLE last Saturday and love it so far. I have to admit that I laughed at my brother, who just purchased a new car a few months ago, for religiously checking the "town hall forum" for his car. Now I'm hooked! You have all done a great job documenting/acting as a resource for the little oddities that seem to pop up. I've read through most of the messages posted and almost all of the issues/questions I've had were addressed at some point or another! The only one I haven't read anything about yet is regarding a "shifting" I've seen when I put my car into park. When I do so, the casing surrounding my gear shift visibly moves over. It happens only when it I finally shift into park (no movement in the casing from D into R, etc). Has anyone else seen this? A normal occurance? Anything to be concerned with? Thanks to everyone for the great forum!

calienvoy · December 2001

I have a Envoy and have too experienced these problems with the transmission. The transmission jerks into gear at stops and I get a loss of power and high rpms like the tranmission is not shifting and a loud fan noise is heard. The first time I brought it in they installed a new fan clutch but this did not fix the problem. The second time I brought it in they said it was the computer program that was reprogrammed. I am still having these problems but it does not happen that often and it is hard to get it to duplicate when I bring it in to the service department. I have filed a complaint with the BBB about this problem and would suggest that anyone else with this problem that is not fixed after multiple visits to the service department to contact the customer service for GMC, Chevy etc... The number is in the back of the manual. The next step is to file a complaint with the BBB for failure to comply with the warranty under the lemon laws of your state. If anyone else has had this problem please email me or reply with a post.

baitisj · December 2001

First off, I love my Envoy. Glad I bought it 3 wks ago. Great car. Only a couple problems so far...

Has anyone else noticed, now that winter has set in, that their climate control is wacky? I set mine to 75 degrees, and it seems to give me cold air. I'll set it all the way up to 89 degrees, and it's a bit warmer than room temperature. Then, I pop it to 90 degrees, and it blasts me with furnace heat.... ???

Anyone else experience this?

Also, someone else posted earlier that their windsheild was leaky. Mine leaked the first rainy day after I bought the car here in LA. The service department re-sealed the windshield.

-Jeff

tlauro · December 2001

I'm glad you posted. I just got my LTZ back after a full week of it staying at the dealer for the climate control issue. I personally spent 4 hours there with them the other day watching as they tested and recalibrated the sensors in the dash, under the dash in the pillars. They replaced a few other items to be safe that all was perfect but I still am disappointed.

I took it home last night and while it wasn't a far drive, the Triplets Auto Climate is nothing like the ones I've had in the past. In the summer it does fine, but in the winter......crudely said....it sucks.

There is no reason why even now, I should have to set the temps in the mid to high 80's to stay warm. Even with the rear vents on to equalize the temp of the entire truck a bit more, it still isn't what it should be.

My GTP can be set to 76 and after full warm up and driving, kicks the fan to low...occasionally speeding up and the tempeture even and comfortable.

My LTZ however, seems to blow cool air and the best way to stay comfortable is to keep the heat at 90 and the fan low in manual mode with heat in from the dash and floor vents.

I'll post back more feedback as time goes on and temps drop more, but honestly, it's the the thing that bothers me most and if I had known...would have kept me from buying the truck. Otherwise I love it and can't say enough good things. But the darn heater aggrevates me.

indyguy3 · December 2001

The sunroof on my 2002 Trailblazer exploded a few days ago while driving down the interstate. I had just closed it, and all my windows were closed. I also had just gone under a bridge, so I can't be sure someone did not throw something off the bridge and broke it. ANYONE ELSE HAVE A SIMILAR PROBLEM?

My dealer called GM to see if it could be a warranty issue and due to compression or a defect but they declined to consider it warranty so I want verify if others have had the same issue.

immoe · December 2001

mfullmer: My Envoy is a carbon copy of your truck. MY dealer has three Envoys with the problem. The service mgr even took my truck home so he could drive it cold. Still no fix. When the truck warms up it is like a different vehicle. I will keep you up to date, please do the same. My e-mail is immoe@hotmail.com. Other than this problem the SLT is FANTASTIC!!

vplaza · December 2001

No, they are repainting the rear hatch lid under warranty. And if they need to repaint it again, they should.

VP

minn_tb · December 2001

I have 6000 miles on my LTZ TB. I love it. I have had no issues, other than the right side mirror losing the memory about once a week, and the TSB for the tranny, which I have noticed no problems.

I feel badly for all who have problems with their trucks. I love mine, especially the bose stereo, and the heated seats here in Minnesota.

FYI- I am getting 18.55 MPG total (kept this very close since day 1), my average speed is about 35 MPH, about 50/50 of city and highway. I have this speed by keeping the miles and the timer and resetting at every fill. The computer comtinues to be 0.7 mpg above the actual, almost exactly. The mpg has risen about 1/2 MPG from 3000 miles. My last trip I got 20.4 mpg, averaging 44 mph, mostly highway driving at about 70. Much better than my Durango SLT, even with the smaller V8, and the TB has a lot more power.

brh

agenteleven · December 2001

vplaza, you're not alone with your problem. Check a few posts back and you'll see that myself and others have had the same problem with the paint in that area.

I called Chevy about my black TB LTZ, and the person told me she was investigating it. I never heard anything else.

It's interesting to hear from hrunting that there's a gasket in the works. I hope it's available soon.

I have not let them touch my chipping paint until there is a permanent fix. Based on my initial experiences with dealer, I'd be more inclined to fix it myself than let those people mess it up.

Call GMC or Chevy... let them know what's going on. That's the ONLY WAY you're gonna know that Chevy knows about this. Otherwise, you're trusting your dealer to relay the information, and frankly, the dealer could care less.

GMC 1-800-462-8782
Chevy 1-800-222-1020

agenteleven · December 2001

baitisj, tlauro:

Just curious, but have you folks manually turned the A/C OFF during your heating ordeals?

I notice that when I hit the snowflake button, the words AC OFF appear on the screen. I don't know if that means the A/C was ever really ON before I hit the button. It hasn't been cold enough here lately to determine whether there's a difference in air temperature after I hit the button.

My initial thought is that the AC is probably off and just doesn't show up on the screen in auto mode, just like the fan speed and airflow mode don't show up until you adjust them manually. But it might be worth checking.

hambone7 · December 2001

Gee thanks, I didn't notice the clicking sound before y'all mentioned it...

vplaza · December 2001

agenteleven,

I actually have a file open with GMC's customer service through the Internet. I sent them an email about the minor gripes that we had with the car and they got in contact with the dealer's service department to have them straighten things out for us. The first time they repainted, they actually picked up the car from our house.

I would suggest other GMC Envoy owners who prefer not to call the GMC line to send an email to GMC customer service. They seem to be fairly responsive that way too.

vplaza · December 2001

FYI, I just received an email offering us a 24 month/24,000 GMPP Smart Care plan for free for our troubles. Sounds like a fair offer. Saves me from having to pay for oil changes and tire rotations for a while.

allroy · December 2001

How did you manage that?

tpellow · December 2001

Went to the dealer this week about double vision mirrors, service tech looked at it for less than a minute to confirm and ordered a replacement. Not a big deal, although the parts are back ordered 2-3 weeks.

tlauro - not having had an auto climate system before I guess I didn't know what to expect with mine but I do seem to remember that the Owner's manual had something in it about having to turn the heat to 90 to get the max heat and then back the thermostat down to your desired level. Anyway I'm still learning.

Tim
TB LTZ

vplaza · December 2001

I had emailed GMC Customer Care with my gripe list after going to the dealer to get them addressed. I just wanted to let them know that I was not 100% satisfied with the car since it had those minor things, especially the paint problem.

They emailed me to assure me that the dealer would get the problem fixed. Shortly after that, the dealer called us and picked up the Envoy from our house to take it to the paint shop. When we got it back, it looked okay, but the very next day, the paint was scraped off again. Needless to say, I was not very happy about it and emailed them back with my case number.

Again, they emailed to let me know that they were contacting the dealer to get it fixed. Finally, after the I dropped off the car and had it repainted, I told GMC Customer Care that it looked like it was finally repainted properly, but that I believed this to be a defect that will most likely come back without a permanent fix.

That's when they said they understand, and if a recall was made, they would let me know via mail. Then they made the offer to give me the GMPP Smart Care plan.

Sorry for the long story, but that's how I got the free Smart Care plan from them.

tlauro · December 2001

"tlauro - not having had an auto climate system before I guess I didn't know what to expect with mine but I do seem to remember that the Owner's manual had something in it about having to turn the heat to 90 to get the max heat and then back the thermostat down to your desired level. Anyway I'm still learning.
"

I know...I read through it, and perhaps that's just the way the TB is going to be. My GTP manual says the same thing. However, backing down the temp once the truck is warm does nothing but let in cooler air......too cool.

With my GTP, once the temp is good, I back it down to 76 and it's fine. Warm air at very low speed, but not cool air.

So basically I have been having to drive around with it at 90 degrees and just lower the fan. Not much Auto involved in that.

quickdtoo · December 2001

Just received mine today and installed them, they are nice looking and fit well. For those of you that are considering buying the OEM version by Ventvisor or GM, please do yourself a favor and check out the Weatherflectors first, you won't be sorry. They fit in the window channel instead of sticking to the painted surface of the door with 3M tape. They're very low profile and look great.
http://www.macneil.com is the source.

Tim

baitisj · December 2001

Tlauro:

Thank you for your prompt and informative post! So, after calibration, are things working substantially better? I'm going to copy your post and bring it with me when I take my car in to the dealership for recalibration. Thanks!

Agent Eleven:
Yes, I have tried turning the A/C off. However, when the temperature drops below something like 40 deg., the A/C compressor will not be turned on, according to the car manual. It seems the colder it gets outside, the warmer I have to set the climate control in order to get warm air to come out. Also, I would think that the climate control would accommodate for colder air intake caused by the A/C compressor.

Also remember that GM's system intelligently uses the A/C compressor to dehumidify the air when you use defrost. This is an old trick that everybody in Seattle WA and in Corvallis OR knows about: if you turn on your A/C with the heater on and the temp max, water will condense in your A/C compressor and dehumidify the air, causing the windshield to defog very very quickly. Seems like the manual makes it clear that it should still maintain the temperature set in the climate control if you have the defrost on...

But you're right, tlauro, the climate control problem is the thing that aggrivates me the most, especially if I wonder what the auto climate control will cost me to fix after my warranty period is over... and I'm experiencing this problem at 260 miles. Damn! 1 week of service -- that's rediculous! I HOPE YOU READ THIS, GM...

earlc · December 2001

What E mail address did you use for your complaints to GM?

vplaza · December 2001

earlc,

I went to this website to send my first message to them:

http://www.gmc.com/contact/email.html

From there, I've corresponded with them through the following email address:

info@gm.com

I think you need a GMC file number in the subject to route it to the appropriate person, so I suggest going to the website first.

Good luck.

vfont · December 2001

I agree. I just got mine and put the front ones on without a hitch. The back ones though were a problem. They didn't seat right in the window channels. At first the windows wouldn't go up. After making a minor adjust, the windows went up with a clunk everytime it hit the edge of the 'flector. I tried to adjust it a little more and...snap! The passenger side rear reflector was in two pieces. I threw the other one away, too. I guess my Envoy will live with the front ones only.

vfont · December 2001

I just received my winter floor mats for my Envoy from gmpartsdirect.com after about a six-week wait. The backs fit perfectly, but the fronts seemed like they were made for a different car. It turns out I received two passenger side mats. The passenger side fit perfectly. The driver side can be made to fit but it just doesn't look right. I'm waiting to hear back from them to see if there really is a different right front mat. Anyone know for sure???

quickdtoo · December 2001

Vfont:
I would contact Macneil or whomever you ordered them from and request a replacement, they do have a warranty on them. Macneil's customer service is top rate, they shouldn't challenge a claim. My rears also stopped the window the first time but a little adjustment and all was fine.

Tim

hmaximo · December 2001

Does anyone else have this problem? On the drivers door there is a weatherstrip or seal that runs along the rear of the front door glass.The problem on almost every Envoy I've seen is that it bulges out from the door frame while the passenger sides all seem fine?

indyguy2 · December 2001

Has anyone else had problems with the sunroof on their 2002 Trailblazer? I have an LTZ with 8,000 miles on it and when driving home on an interstate last Thursday the sunroof shattered. The dealer called GM and they are not willing to pay under warranty.

I suppose something could have flown from a bridge, but it is more likely it was defective. There are not dents or scratches in front of or behind the sunroof....

I thought if someone else has heard of this problem I could dispute the GM ruling.

hardhawk · December 2001

There are different rubber mats for each side in front. Mine fit perfectly on both sides. The GMC logo faces out near the back of the mat on both sides. Yours only took 6 weeks, mine took over 6 months! They took so long I got them free! The mats look great and are two tone like the leather.

labrecque · December 2001

Where did you get them? What is the part number for them? I a m looking for tan ones for my Envoy.

marsha7 · December 2001

and a Bravada today...I like the floor shifter and wish everybody would place the parking brake as a hand brake instead of a foot brake...the AWD Bravada felt sluggish and both vehicles had much body roll...also the grab handles were loose, and a friend always had his detach and the dealer could never make them stay attached...do SUVs just have body roll, something everyone gets used to???...for 270 HP, did not seem to accelerate well at all, even if somewhat heavier than an auto, isn't that why everybody raved about 270 HP and low torque curve???

quickdtoo · December 2001

Bob: Maybe you should check out this roadtest...

Are you sure you drove a 2k2 TB? I've read a lot of reviews and NO one has complained about acceleration being slow! 0-60(7.7)time is less than the Acura RL(7.9).

Tim

http://www.mpt.org/motorweek/reviews/rt2033.shtml

pbusa · December 2001

LABRECQUE;
The mats were purchased on line at GM Parts Direct.com for about $73.00 for front and back for the envoy. The part # for grey was 12497716 & 12497749. I didn't have the part # for tan mats. I got them about a month ago, took 3 weeks.

rjsnyder2k · December 2001

Hey all, I've monitored this forum for a few days now and am glad to see you have the same enthusiasm as I do for the TB. Based on the previous gas mileage posts, I think I may have a problem. I have an LTZ with 2300 miles and a 3.73 rear. I have consistently got 13.4mpg per tank in all driving conditions. Being the DIC is about .7mpg higher than actual, that brings me to a whopping 12.7! A 5.9L Durango gets better! I thought maybe the tranny recal would help but after finishing the first tank 12.7! Has anyone else seen such poor mileage?

dallasenvoy · December 2001

I've got an Encoy with 3.73 rear axle and I'm getting about the same mileage. Last tank was the first above 13 at 14.1. I've also got rear view mirrors that have minds of their own. Is there a real fix for this yet? Hate to have them futz around with my vehicle if it's not going to fix it.

bobmn · December 2001

I did a factory order for 4WD Trailblazer LS in July and picked it up on August 23rd. There are a lot of things I still like about this vehicle but I've had a lot of problems. The truck has been back to the dealer 5 times. They have had it for a total of 28 day out of the 3+ months I've owned it. I currently have 1670 miles on it. On the night I picked it up the engine developed a miss before I could get it home, 13 miles. Steering wheel was off center. I took it back and they repaired a faulty ignition module connector and replaced the fouled spark plug. Drove it home and there was a ticking coming from the engine. I took it back. They thought a spark was arcing but couldn't find it. After a couple day they said they needed to call GM, would I pick it up for now, it wouldn't hurt to drive it. Picked it up and there was grease all over the floor mat. They asked me to bring back a week later, they had it for 3 days again. They swapped out all the ignition modules. Didn't help. They also did an alignment but made the steering worse. They again called me, said they are stumped, they had called GM and it was indicated to me that GM was going to fly someone in from Flint, MI. They asked me to pick up truck again, it might be awhile, won't hurt to drive it. Foolishly, I did. They called a month later, said bring it back, GM wants them to replace the camshaft actuator. They had the truck for 19 days. I dropped in after three weeks and was surprised to see the hood off, the top and front of engine was torn apart. The radiator, grill and headlights were removed. The A/C was disconnected, wheels, brakes, axle, rack & pinion unit, oil pan etc were all on the floor. I at this point called GM and logged a complaint. I wanted either a new vehicle or a new engine but they were adamant they didn't agree with me and the repairs would fix everything. I picked it up and in looking it over found someone at dealership had put a chip in the paint on the edge of my right rear door. It seemed to drive much the same going home and the ticking is gone but the engine seems to have more of growl at lighter throttle than before. Previously I lost all my dash gauges for a short period of time but they could not find the problem. I also received the recall for the transmission re programming so that was done while it was there also. The truck was taken back last week for the bodyshop to fix the paint chip, they did a mediocre job. The alignment was done again and it steers nice now. As I said before, I still like driving this truck but I don't feel as good about it any more after having so much of it tore apart and put back together. I usually keep my vehicles 10 years and I'm very fussy in taking care of them but this one may go before the warranty expires.

Buick Rainier, Chevy TrailBlazer, GMC Envoy

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