Anyone found a fix for the rear door fender flare that picks up all the road debris and has the paint blown off? How about running boards. Will GM install as a fix?
No, I don't work for them, but rather am amazed at the product. Works great and looks...well....no one even sees it unless I point it out. Check out the photos on my pics page and see if you can tell where all I have it.
I second Tim's response.. I decided to order a set of the Stongard Light to protect my headlamps & foglamps on my 2002 Impala LS and I have been amazed with the results. Since this acts primarily as my work vehicle, I travel ~ 3,000 miles a month via the expressway and boy has this products saved my lights from being pitted by highway debris.
I bought a second set for my Envoy but unfortunately I was in too big of a hurry to let them cure. So, after jumping on the highway to Chicago, they started to peel and trap dirt on the adhesive film.. Oh well... I did order another set to install and will DEFINITELY let them cure a couple of days before exposing them to rain, dirt, debris.
I will second that.. I got the 3.42 gears - had to go out of state 210 mi to get it - for "better" gas mileage. I am lucky to get 13 MPG in town. I did get almost 21 on a short 150 mi trip once when I filled up, did my drive, and filled up at the same pump upon return home, but that was with no A/C back in February. Very disappointed with the city MPG. Also seems sluggish from a stop to get that 4500 lbs moving. Especially with 3 adult passengers and the A/C on. Others with the 3.73 or even the 4.10 gears seem to do better. My theory is I have to drive it harder to make up for less torque to the rear wheels. Cannot figure why GM even offers 3.42s in these vehicles. A friend with the identical TB LS 1SC pkg except his has the 3.73's consistently gets about 2 MPG better in town. I am just glad I don't have to drive much or this beast would be eating up my budget!
I haven't experienced any chipping in that area, but have heard others complain of it here, so you're not alone.
I did however get a quarter size ding on my rear passenger door this weekend when parked at a friggin McDonalds. The car that did it was gone by the time I got out, but boy was I hot! The good news is that it didn't crack the paint and it's not a real sharp crease, so I'm going to try one of those ding king glue bridge pullers. Anyone have experience with them? I've seen a lot of positive results on other forums, so I figured I'd give it a shot. I'll let you know how it goes. I'll also take a before and after pic for your viewing pleasure.
Does anyone have a solution for removing wax on the gray/black plastic trim on the sides of TBLTs? I guess that I should have been more careful when I applied it to the doors. I have tried Meguiar's Trim Detailer with no success. A recent issue of Motor Trend suggested using alcohol. That did not work either. I'm out of ideas.
- If your Triplet was built between May-July 2002, then read the following. You can check build date on drivers door jam, next to tire pressure. - - The recall affects about 150,000 of 2002 and 2003 Buick, Cadillac, Chevrolet, GMC, Oldsmobile, and Pontiac cars and trucks built between May and July 2002.
These vehicles may have driver's side air bag inflator modules that could fracture during deployment.
The inflator is in the steering wheel assembly behind the cover and if there was deployment, pieces of the inflator could strike or injure the occupants.
The air bag also would not fully inflate.
GM has not received any reports of crashes or injuries related to the problem, which was discovered during routine testing.
About 8,000 of the recalled vehicles have inflator modules that will be replaced.
The vehicles involved include: Buick LeSabre, Cadillac DeVille, Chevrolet Impala and Monte Carlo, Oldsmobile Aurora, and Pontiac Bonneville passenger cars; Chevrolet Venture, Pontiac Montana, and Oldsmobile Silhouette minivans; and Buick Rendezvous, Chevrolet TrailBlazer, GMC Envoy, and Oldsmobile Bravada SUVs.
Owners of cars, trucks and SUVs involved in the recall are asked to take their vehicles to a dealer. All repairs will be performed at no cost
Took a to a trip to the mountains over the weekend, four adults + gear and A/C on the whole time. Impressed with the ride and handling on the twisty roads however, I was very disappointed with the off the line acceleration, it felt like driving a diesel. I have taken the same trip with my Grand Cherokee V8 in the past, and there is no comparison. Gas mileage wasn’t much better than the V8 either. I love almost everything about my Envoy but IMO this truck would’ve been a heck of a lot better with a V8.
I am still waiting for that "V8 power with 6-cyl economy" to kick in too, as touted by GM in their press releases last year. Seems reversed- V8 gas-guzzling with 6-cyl power!
can you let me know also about what I should pay for them. I ordered the bug guard and the window deflector thingies to.
I am a little concerned I didnt get the 4.10 rear end after reading the fast few posts. I ended up getting the 3.73. I plan on pulling a boat eventually and should have went with the 4.10. I just thought the 270 ponies would cut it. guess not. And to late to change the rear end now, its already delivered.
adjguy, no problem the molded flaps(GMC Logo) are the same for '02 & '03 Envoys F/12497606 R/12497607 expect to pay list price $29.00 each pair, your dealer may charge more or less its up to them not GM. Yes the 4.10 would have been better for towing but I don't think you'll have any problems with the 3.73. GOOD LUCK WITH YOUR NEW RIDE.
jurassic3k, SLT door handles are unpainted from GM. As far as price if you were to call 3 different body shops you would get 3 different prices, also depends on where you live. Shop around.
The new midsized SUV from Buick will offer the V8 engine on the short wheelbase unlike TB & Envoys also the rear air susp. is standard. Sounds like a Bravada of sorts.
One very easy way to remove wax from plastic parts is to use a rag with a small amount of peanut butter on it. I read this in a automotive magazine, thought it was crazy. But, when I tried it I was amazed at how well it works. I also tried the tip on using rubbing alcohol but it did not work at all.
I have the 3.42 axle and in just suburban driving I am lucky to get 13 mpg. I'm sure it uses a lot of gas on each move from a dead stop. Straight highway driving for trips however is very good at 20 - 21 mpg. At 19,000 miles now I will most likely trade it in next spring. I really do not want to be without a warranty when the factory one is done given all the electronics and problems expressed on this board.
My #1 complaint from about 20 min. into ownership of my TrailBlazer was (to Chevrolet Customer Service) about the low mounted, tight fitting restraint belt that feels like it is almost cutting into my left collar bone. ( I wear T-shirts most of the time so there's no padding) I was constantly fidgiting with the belt on my shoulder while driving trying to maintain some slack in it. I commented that even my old '88 S-10 has belt tension controllers that if you pull out the belt and release quickly it it will give you some slack. I thought I was the only one that has this problem, I posted it here and elsewhere and complained more than once to Chevrolet. They started a file of my complaints, but that was it, as far as they were concerned. I told them on the phone to be sure to contact me if they came out with a "fix". Yeah, sure.
A friend gave me a device called a "comfort clip" that I put on the belt that clamps onto the belt where it enters the seat back, and holds it out a little to relieve the tension and pressure on my shoulder. I keep maybe an inch of slack in the belt that way. Kind of a hassle but beats the discomfort. Really would prefer GM improve the belt retractor spring. They have actually addressed this problem on some other cars (maybe 2000 Buick ?? I don't remember exactly now saw something about a TSB on this) but not on the Triplets so far anyway.
Be sure to complain to Chev Customer Relations about it. They will gladly start a "file" on you too! Maybe if they get enough complaints they will come up with a "fix".
Sounds like we are getting the exact same mileage - 13 in town, 20-21 highway. Mine figured at 20.9 on my 150 mile all-highway test. Interesting that the results are so similar. If I had it to do over I would definitely get the 3.73 gears, and if I planned on towing anything would get the 4.10.
I think there is some issue with your vehicles, or maybe you just drive much differently than I do.
Since the beginning, I have kept track of the mileage in my TB-LTZ. Overall, I have averaged 18.3 MPG, but over the last 5000 miles (since "summer" began in MN), I have averaged 19.7 MPG. I drive to work every day, 8 miles, 1/2 hwy, and 1/2 stoplight every 3 blocks. I average about 17-18 when I am in the city driving, however, I have gotten over 24mpg (calculated, not the DIC, which is always 0.7 higher on every tank) on trips when I am on the freeway. I have the 3.73 gears, and the only difference might be the K&N filter (not the filtercharger) that I installed at 6000 miles. I now have 17500 on my vehicle, purchased in June 2001.
I drive 65-70 on the hwy, and can usually pull 23-25 on the DIC after a fill-up. It drops to about 22 if I have the AC on full, which has happened several times here this summer. I do use 89 octane most of the fill-ups, as there are a few stations here that have 87 and 89 at the same price (makes you wonder what it actually is), but haven't really seen a difference in mileage when I use 87 or 89.
I think you are the exception to the geneal consensus on mileage. And you have the 3.73 gears. My friend with the TB with 3.73's just completed a nearly 5000 mi trip from Texas all the way up east and back averaged about 19.3 mpg. My 13 mpg avg is based on totally in-town, 0-35-45 mph stop-and-go driving with no freeway or highway driving. If 1/3 or 1/2 of my driving was on the freeway (and the freeway wasn't a giant parking lot!) I would certainly be getting better than 13.
As far as the K&N filter is concerned, if it does improve air flow, the computer will simply sense this and add more gas to the mix to keep the air-fuel ratio correct for emissions. I doubt feeding more gas into more air will somehow improve gas mileage. At best you might get a slight power gain at wide-open throttle from the improved air flow.
Like I have said before, my TB with 3.42's runs good on the highway can probably out-accelerate most anything out there. Will zip up to 100 mph quite quickly, but that's not typical driving for me. I don't like having to wind out the engine to 4000-6000 rpms to get into that "275 lb/ft torque - 270 HP" range. The torque doesn't peak til 3600 rpm so basically seems a little mismatched for a truck engine where the torque usually comes in at a much lower rpm. I try to keep the rpms below 3000 in normal every-day driving. But that's below the power curve of this 4.2 6-banger.
The torque may not peak till 3600 rpm's, but it's a mistake to think this is some narrow power band Honda S2000 engine or something. Look at the torque curve and you'll see that it is basically flat. 90% of the torque is available at around 2000 rpm's or so. The simple fact is that 275 lb-ft of torque is not a huge amount for something that weighs 4600lb. Overall, it's a case of good power but average torque. I think they should have made a V-8 option, but we'd all have huge V-8's if gas mileage weren't a concern. I have difficulty accepting less than 20mpg on the highway, as irrational as that may be when you compare fuel cost vs. insurance costs, etc. How come nobody complains that Forerunners, PathFinders, MDX's, Rodeos, etc. don't have V-8's?
I may be the exception, as someone pointed out, but I am completely satisfied with the power and efficiency of my TB LS with 3.73 gears. I get about 18 mpg around town, about 50% traditional city driving, 50% suburban thoroughfares and country roads. My last truck was an 92 Explorer 4x4 and normal city driving for that vehicle was about 17 mpg.
On a 5,200-mile trip this summer I averaged 21.7 mpg over the entire trip. Speeds ranged from 70 mph to 80 mph with 4 people (two adults, two teenagers) and luggage for two weeks. In my 92 Explorer the best I ever saw on the highway was 21 mpg, and my family refused to ride in the beast further than 25 miles, so I was usually alone for highway trips.
As for power, I rarely exceed 4,000 rpms and I have no trouble keeping up with traffic. I have no interest in beating the teenager next to me in the pocket rocket to the next light. I pull loads up to about 3,000 pounds and notice little performance drop other than when braking (a little more stopping power would have been nice).
I have made no modifications to the truck at all, not even a bug deflector or mud flaps. The truck is completely stock. I bought it in January with a build date of 11/01. It has just about 21k on it now. I use 87 octane from any station that turns over its fuel stock quickly.
The only time I perceived a power issue is when I was forced to buy oxygenated fuel a couple of times. The power reduction was noticeable, but the mileage was about the same even when using ethanol.
Sorry guys, I don't concur with your collective assessment of the vehicle. I think GM got this one right, particularly given that we all own the first model year.
Drove about 7 miles from work, stopped at a light, felt a lurch, then the DIC said "Oil pressure low" and "Stop engine". That can't be, I just had a lube and oil last Friday at the GMC dealer. Then I noticed the engine was stalled. So I turned off the ignition, then restarted, checked the oil pressure (normal), then drove off without any other problems. After dinner, I checked the oil level and it was above Full.
I suspect my low idle got too low. Sometimes I get an engine "shudder" 1/4 mile from work at the first stop light I hit. It usually happens when the air compressor kicks in to adjust the suspension when the engine is still "cold", then the engine revs up a bit.
Anyone else have a similar problem with stalling? Is it bad to have the oil level above Full? My advisor says it's OK, the owners manual says it isn't OK. I take my Envoy in tomorrow.
Hi, macman246: I have the same problem with my TB LTZ. But it happened on a different situation. I went camping a month ago and was mostly driving on the highway (First time on the highway for my TB). The next morning, when I started the engine. It gave me this message. Did the same thing you did and found nothing wrong. Then I re started the engine and everything is A-OK. The next day, When I first started the engine, the engine stalled on me and I had to restart again. Same thing on the third and fourth day. But on the fifth day, everything is normal again. Haven't got a chance to take the truck to the dealer yet. But please keep me posted on your findings.
"I HATE this vehicle and have it two more years. I wish it would blow up."
I will never buy another GM product, I have all the issues you mentioned on my Bravada, plus the rear pull down strap is broken, the windshield molding has come off TWICE, the headliner is not held up well (VELCRO??? In a truck this expensive?)
Reformulated gas with MTBE is all we have here in D-FW thanks to the EPA and the Oxygenated Fuel lobbyists. (Which by the way has made absolutely NO difference in Ozone levels here since '95 when this stuff was forced upon us, according to EPA and Texas Natural Resources Conservation Commission data on their respective web sites)
I do agree and have stated multiple times that I am proud of GM for getting the Triplets so "right" from the get-go 1st year. I have had mine back to a dealer only ONCE since I bought it in January for the fuel filter retainer clip recall and that took all of 30 min to get done. I am very pleased with the overall quality. Just diasppointed they would make available 3.42 gears for this truck and claim it can tow 5500 lbs as equipped with a load of passengers and still get reasonable mileage and performance.
My two cents... Like the vehicle, but gas mileage definitely SUCKS..
For the most part, having owned mostly V-8 SUV's in the past, gas mileage is not that much different as compared to my 8's.. in some cases, this six is MUCH WORSE. For the most part, gas mileage doesn't bother me that much, that's kind of the price you pay to sit up high and have 4-wheel drive security underneath your seat. At this point, I still feel much safer in an SUV than I do in a regular car, therefore I will suck it up and pay the price in gas mileage. BUT.. for those of you who drive this vehicle extensively, I CAN FEEL YOUR PAIN! Luckily, since I drive ~ 3K a month for work, my 2002 Chevrolet Impala LS consistently yields me no less than 25 mpg... even in city driving. Unfortunately, this leaves my Envoy sitting in the garage, acting as a huge paper-weight until I can drive it in the evenings or weekends. Oh well..
Does anyone know if the LTZ mirrors with the turn signals retrofit on to the LS model? Is the harness there? Would it just be plug and play? I'm looking into a used pair with the turn signals and I'm not sure if it would be that easy. Anyone know?
does anyone have a problem with the passenger side restraint tightening up on them mine will almost suffocate you, everytime you move it get's tighter, also I had one more problem that was a squeak coming from the front area of the truck it will go away for a few day's after you open the hood, other than that this is the best vechical I have ever owned. I have enjoyed the site even though I only found it today.
The squeak you are hearing is coming from the driver's side hood hinge. I had this exact same squeak on my Envoy XL, as did my friend, who also has an Envoy XL. Use some white lithium grease and lubricate the hinge. Use it sparingly, as the dealer lubricated my friend's and when they slammed the hood, the grease went everywhere. A small amount goes a long way. Welcome to the board!
Jose, I installed the turn signal type mirror on my SLE Envoy. I wanted the dimming mirror, the turn signals were a bonus. After I got done, the turn signal type looks much better.
The wiring for the turn signals was in place and worked as soon as I plugged in the new mirror. I had to run a jumper to make the dimming mirror work. The wiring for the dimming mirror was missing in the door connector to control panel harness. A little ingenuity and I installed my own wire to make it work.
"How come nobody complains that Forerunners, PathFinders, MDX's, Rodeos, etc. don't have V-8's?"
Don't know if they do or don't haven't paid any attention to them. But one thing I do know - those were not promoted as GM did the TrailBlazer : "After the 270 HP Chevy TrailBlazer, everything else is just weak" I believe is how the advertizing hype went. They sell this vehicle primarily based on its perfomance and power so that's the type of customer they attract.
Our 2002 Bravada will not maintain the set temperature in the AUTO setting. Seems the RECIRC function that the Owners Manual says is automatically switched on and off, is not operating. On second trip to dealer for poor cooling, showed them operating instructions in manual and they call GM tech assistance and are told that the RECIRC function is NOT designed to operate automatically when in the AUTO setting even though the manual says it is. GM says sorry for the "misprint." Also CD changer (Bose System) often switches without reason to radio. Of course it doesn't do it for the dealer.
Anyone else had these problems?? Please let me know posting here or offline to bimmers@comcast.net
This truck has been beset with numerous build defects, most of which the General refuses to fix. The strong engine seems to be its shining star, but alas it may not be enough to cause me to keep it. Pursuing lemon law is strong possibility. Anyone else taken that route??
Lets get the facts straight, most mags get a 0-60 time of 8 seconds or less with the triplets. That beats almost everything out there except a V-8 Jeep and some Mercedes and BMW's. Check the numbers!
I'm averaging 19 mpg with my Bravada in mixed driving. Our local Durango driver get 13 mpg and has never done better than 18 mpg. A V-8 jeep driver at work get 14-15 mpg on average and gets 20 mpg on the hi-way (1000 lbs lighter!) Overall, the one thing I can't complain about is performance and gas mileage. I thinks it's pretty decent for a 4500 lb vehicle.
I'm quite satisfied with the power. Of course more low end torque would be nice, but I knew not to expect V-8 like grunt. This engine trades a little low end for a little better fuel economy.
There's something to be said for the top end. Coming back from the mountains I routinely have to come up over the continental divide at 11000 ft. of altitude. The thing does outstanding while lesser vehicles are out of breath. You just have to get it to 5000 rpm's sometimes, At least it's a smooth 5000.
I suppose there'll always be people who need a V-8. I think they should go all out and slam in a Duramax diesel. gmdrone, go tell those guys to do that.
This is for all you who have upgraded the stereo... In another post I read that the Bose stereo has an amp in the wall just behind the right rear passenger. Does anyone know if there is an amp with the non-Bose 6 disc changer stereo and is it located in the same spot? I tend to believe there has to be an amp for this system. My wife has a 01 Olds Alero with the 200 watt system and it includes an amp in the back.
Wow, has this board been busy. It took me a while to catch up!
In addition to envoy_xl_in_pa's suggestion, you might try adding silicone grease to the hood bumper stops (one on each side, near the front of the engine compartment). My Bravada developed the same symptom, but a little grease fixed it.
As for the passenger seat belt, it maybe defective. I'm not sure whether you knew this or not, but its Federal law that all vehicles have a "lock in" shoulder belt. If you pull the shoulder belt completely out, then begin to release it, you will begin to hear a clicking sound. Once you hear a couple of clicks, pull on the shoulder belt... it shouldn't pull out. This allows a person to "lock in" infant seats. Try it out!
Power - I feel the engine has good power from 2,000 RPM's and up. I agree with the board, it could use a little more low end torque, which I think is possible, due to the design of the engine. What I mean is, it has variable timing, valves, etc. All GM needs to do is pour more fuel into the cylinders and adjust the timing, valves, etc.?
Door clunk - Not sure how many other triplet owners have experienced this problem, but my Bravada makes a clunking sounds while driving over bumps. Tonight, I found the root cause to the problem. Inside the door latch, there's a small piece of rubber. This rubber piece stops the body catch from slamming into the door latch when the door is closed. It also applies a low amount of pressure on the body catch, keeping it from bouncing back and forth against the door latch. As it turns out, the rubber piece inside my door latch has broken away. In addition to this, I found that the body catch only extends into the door latch about 1/4 of an inch. This is probably what caused the rubber piece to brake down. There's actually room for about 1/2" to 5/8" of the body catch to extend inside the door latch. If anyone understands what I typed, please open each of your front doors and note the condition of the rubber stops. Report back to the board with your findings. Also, state whether your door clunks or not while driven over bumps.
jurassic3k: I have just upgraded my stereo. Put a new deck in that plays mp3s, which in and of itself is like a changer because of the amount of files it can hold. I am not familiar with the 6 disc changer in the TB. I had the regular deck, so the amp was built into the deck itself. As for the cd changer, is the changer in the deck in the dash itself? If it is, then there is a possibility that there is an amp somewhere else since there might not be enough space to put an amp in there. But...I don't think there's a separate amp, cause I kinda took apart my car to run a bunch of wires, and there's no place for an amp really. Are you looking to upgrade your stereo? or add an amp or something?
I am sure that this cd/cass/radio has an external amp. It is identical to the radio in my 2k Impala LS. I had the amp replaced in the Impala under warranty due to lack of bass. In the Impala it is in the trunk between the 2 speakers. If you would like to see what it looks like, go to my website http://www.luckyjdr.homestead.com/impala.html and click on the (how to get your bad amp replaced) button. I am working on a website for the trailblazer. I posted pictures of Impalas from the message board and could do the same for this page. I installed my GM running boards and splash guards and will have a "how to" page
Went to check my door latches, and found that all of mine are in good condition, did not find any parts of the latch missing, but I do get some small rattling coming from the passenger side. May look into seeing how much adjustments are in the latch mounts. Maybe it will not only help with rattling, but the wind noise?? too... (hoping) Heres the discovery, in playing with the latches, I found that at least on the rear doors, there are no door pins. The way the truck knows the door is open is the state of the latch. If you push the latch all the way in like the door is shut, the lights will turn off. Even with the door open. If you hold the latch and pull the handle, the lights stay off, but as soon as you let go of the latch and let it open, the lights turn on... If the front doors are like that too, its an interesting concept, i guess. Ill let you all know if adjusting the latches helps with the rattling, with two bolts on the body and 3 on the door, shouldnt be too hard to find out if it has any adjustment. Rick Edit: Calucyk- try pushing the latch in farther. Mine sounds like its latching initially, but will go in another click if you push it in. Then there is still about 1/8" left for the body catch to go in, but I'm sure thats there for adjustment...
My back door rubber stops are in good condition and they do not clunk.
I hadn't noticed how the door latch controlled the interior lights... interesting. I'll try this procedure later today.
Regarding your "Edit" section, mine functions the same way. A door has two latched positions. In the fully latched position, there is about 1/8" between the body catch and door latch. This is different from what I was trying to explain in my posting- I know, it was hard to understand...
Let me try again. If you open the passenger front door and look into the latch, on the left side, deep inside (1 1/2"), you will see a rubber stop. The rubber stop should have signs of wear where the body catch has been hitting it. On my Bravada, since the body catch only extends about 1/4" into this area, the right side of the rubber has broken away. There is room for the body catch to extend about 1/2" to 5/8" into the left side of the door latch. My back doors are quite different, each body catch extends 50%-75% into the door latch, making good contact with the rubber stop.
I don't think the door latch can be adjusted, as the three screws holding it in place are fixed. As for the body catch, its adjustable, but you need to pull the plastic door pillar off (inside the vehicle) so that you can access the back side of the door latch.
Have owned this Bravada since new, 40,000 trouble free miles. Turn signal appears to be working normally, lights work... returns to home position after turn. Problem... audio indicator continues to sound intermittently, driving my wife nuts!! Dealer wants 300 bucks for new turn signal component and 100 bucks to install. This seems CRAZY !! Must be a little speaker wire I can clip.... Help, anyone??? Bill
i was just surfing on the Chevy site and just saw that they have given the tb a northface package. I'm not to thrilled bout the 2-tone color scheme. never was. but im all for the northface gear and badging (all my outdoors gear is northface). I WISH they had this last year when i leased my tb. the front seats no longer have trailblazer on the head rests, they are embroidered The North Face. which is pretty cool, but i think the northface package only comes with leather, which i think is contrary to what the package would suggest. I mean leather is easier to clean than cloth, but nissan xterra offers neoprene seat covers as an option. I liked that option so much that I outfitted my seats with neoprene covers which fit PERFECTLY from wet okole. Leather looks nice, but neoprene is WAY more functional. ESPECIALLY for active people. I go camping/fishing/kyaking like every other weekend in the summer, and i hit as many snowboard parks as i can in the winter. AND its probably a REALLY USEFULL option for people with children who tend to spill things. Coupled with weathertech floor mats, i NEVER have to worry bout gettin my interior soaked. although its not very pleasant driving around when ur undies are soaked (heh heh).
i noticed they got rid of a few colors and they added a few more. I LOVE the dark grey metallic color. AGAIN something i wish they had last year. the Light pewter metallic looks ok but sometimes it just looks brown. The 2002 4Runner has a Gun Metal grey like color, which i think would look SOOO good. Even when i first got my tb, i photoshoped a darker grey color to see how it would look, and my-O-my did it look good. Too BAD for me.
I think i noticed also that the northface edition may have the headlight washers like the japanese version. I dont see it anywhere else (most of the other tb pics are last year's anyway), nor is there any mention of them.
I hate it when manufactures do that. but i guess thats just my wonderful luck.
I was hoping the Trailblazer would be spared the disease of getting some pseudo rugged outdoorsy marketing scheme. Alas, the Northface edition has come. Nothing against Northface gear except the price, but this is not about making it an outdoors vehicle. This marketing scheme is all about image, kind of like putting brush guards on a Merecedes SUV.
Does anyone know anything about rear foglights for the TB? I was replacing one of the fuses in the rear under the passenger seat when I noticed any empty relay spot. When cross referenced the position with the diagram it said (rear foglights) anyone know anything about this as wether its an option overseas or on one of the other triplets.
Comments
Bobbies
Under my Modifications Page
No, I don't work for them, but rather am amazed at the product. Works great and looks...well....no one even sees it unless I point it out. Check out the photos on my pics page and see if you can tell where all I have it.
tim
http://www.timlauro.com/cars/trailblazer/1-main-page.html
I bought a second set for my Envoy but unfortunately I was in too big of a hurry to let them cure. So, after jumping on the highway to Chicago, they started to peel and trap dirt on the adhesive film.. Oh well... I did order another set to install and will DEFINITELY let them cure a couple of days before exposing them to rain, dirt, debris.
My two cents!
Thanks!
IExplore2000@aol.com
-Josh
I did however get a quarter size ding on my rear passenger door this weekend when parked at a friggin McDonalds. The car that did it was gone by the time I got out, but boy was I hot! The good news is that it didn't crack the paint and it's not a real sharp crease, so I'm going to try one of those ding king glue bridge pullers. Anyone have experience with them? I've seen a lot of positive results on other forums, so I figured I'd give it a shot. I'll let you know how it goes. I'll also take a before and after pic for your viewing pleasure.
use a stiff tooth brush and work a very small area at a time and watch to make sure it's not damaging the trim's finish (it should be fine).
i've used Super Clean for years on everything from oil drips on the driveway to keeping the white letters on tires nice and white.
good luck.
If your Triplet was built between May-July 2002, then read the following. You can check build date on drivers door jam, next to tire pressure.
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The recall affects about 150,000 of 2002 and 2003 Buick, Cadillac, Chevrolet, GMC, Oldsmobile, and Pontiac cars and trucks built between May and July 2002.
These vehicles may have driver's side air bag inflator modules that could fracture during deployment.
The inflator is in the steering wheel assembly behind the cover and if there was deployment, pieces of the inflator could strike or injure the occupants.
The air bag also would not fully inflate.
GM has not received any reports of crashes or injuries related to the problem, which was discovered during routine testing.
About 8,000 of the recalled vehicles have inflator modules that will be replaced.
The vehicles involved include: Buick LeSabre, Cadillac DeVille, Chevrolet Impala and Monte Carlo, Oldsmobile Aurora, and Pontiac Bonneville passenger cars; Chevrolet Venture, Pontiac Montana, and Oldsmobile Silhouette minivans; and Buick Rendezvous, Chevrolet TrailBlazer, GMC Envoy, and Oldsmobile Bravada SUVs.
Owners of cars, trucks and SUVs involved in the recall are asked to take their vehicles to a dealer. All repairs will be performed at no cost
I am a little concerned I didnt get the 4.10 rear end after reading the fast few posts. I ended up getting the 3.73. I plan on pulling a boat eventually and should have went with the 4.10. I just thought the 270 ponies would cut it. guess not. And to late to change the rear end now, its already delivered.
Thanks for your help!
ADJGUY
good luck,
booneybra
Yes the 4.10 would have been better for towing
but I don't think you'll have any problems with
the 3.73. GOOD LUCK WITH YOUR NEW RIDE.
Sounds like a Bravada of sorts.
I guess we can't call them triplets anymore.
Good luck,
Mike
Couldn't resist, hehe...
A friend gave me a device called a "comfort clip" that I put on the belt that clamps onto the belt where it enters the seat back, and holds it out a little to relieve the tension and pressure on my shoulder. I keep maybe an inch of slack in the belt that way. Kind of a hassle but beats the discomfort. Really would prefer GM improve the belt retractor spring. They have actually addressed this problem on some other cars (maybe 2000 Buick ?? I don't remember exactly now saw something about a TSB on this) but not on the Triplets so far anyway.
Be sure to complain to Chev Customer Relations about it. They will gladly start a "file" on you too! Maybe if they get enough complaints they will come up with a "fix".
Since the beginning, I have kept track of the mileage in my TB-LTZ. Overall, I have averaged 18.3 MPG, but over the last 5000 miles (since "summer" began in MN), I have averaged 19.7 MPG. I drive to work every day, 8 miles, 1/2 hwy, and 1/2 stoplight every 3 blocks. I average about 17-18 when I am in the city driving, however, I have gotten over 24mpg (calculated, not the DIC, which is always 0.7 higher on every tank) on trips when I am on the freeway. I have the 3.73 gears, and the only difference might be the K&N filter (not the filtercharger) that I installed at 6000 miles. I now have 17500 on my vehicle, purchased in June 2001.
I drive 65-70 on the hwy, and can usually pull 23-25 on the DIC after a fill-up. It drops to about 22 if I have the AC on full, which has happened several times here this summer. I do use 89 octane most of the fill-ups, as there are a few stations here that have 87 and 89 at the same price (makes you wonder what it actually is), but haven't really seen a difference in mileage when I use 87 or 89.
Minn_tb
As far as the K&N filter is concerned, if it does improve air flow, the computer will simply sense this and add more gas to the mix to keep the air-fuel ratio correct for emissions. I doubt feeding more gas into more air will somehow improve gas mileage. At best you might get a slight power gain at wide-open throttle from the improved air flow.
Like I have said before, my TB with 3.42's runs good on the highway can probably out-accelerate most anything out there. Will zip up to 100 mph quite quickly, but that's not typical driving for me. I don't like having to wind out the engine to 4000-6000 rpms to get into that "275 lb/ft torque - 270 HP" range. The torque doesn't peak til 3600 rpm so basically seems a little mismatched for a truck engine where the torque usually comes in at a much lower rpm. I try to keep the rpms below 3000 in normal every-day driving. But that's below the power curve of this 4.2 6-banger.
The simple fact is that 275 lb-ft of torque is not a huge amount for something that weighs 4600lb.
Overall, it's a case of good power but average torque.
I think they should have made a V-8 option, but we'd all have huge V-8's if gas mileage weren't a concern. I have difficulty accepting less than 20mpg on the highway, as irrational as that may be when you compare fuel cost vs. insurance costs, etc.
How come nobody complains that Forerunners, PathFinders, MDX's, Rodeos, etc. don't have V-8's?
GM is dropping the Old's line after the 2003 model year.
~ken
On a 5,200-mile trip this summer I averaged 21.7 mpg over the entire trip. Speeds ranged from 70 mph to 80 mph with 4 people (two adults, two teenagers) and luggage for two weeks. In my 92 Explorer the best I ever saw on the highway was 21 mpg, and my family refused to ride in the beast further than 25 miles, so I was usually alone for highway trips.
As for power, I rarely exceed 4,000 rpms and I have no trouble keeping up with traffic. I have no interest in beating the teenager next to me in the pocket rocket to the next light. I pull loads up to about 3,000 pounds and notice little performance drop other than when braking (a little more stopping power would have been nice).
I have made no modifications to the truck at all, not even a bug deflector or mud flaps. The truck is completely stock. I bought it in January with a build date of 11/01. It has just about 21k on it now. I use 87 octane from any station that turns over its fuel stock quickly.
The only time I perceived a power issue is when I was forced to buy oxygenated fuel a couple of times. The power reduction was noticeable, but the mileage was about the same even when using ethanol.
Sorry guys, I don't concur with your collective assessment of the vehicle. I think GM got this one right, particularly given that we all own the first model year.
I suspect my low idle got too low. Sometimes I get an engine "shudder" 1/4 mile from work at the first stop light I hit. It usually happens when the air compressor kicks in to adjust the suspension when the engine is still "cold", then the engine revs up a bit.
Anyone else have a similar problem with stalling? Is it bad to have the oil level above Full? My advisor says it's OK, the owners manual says it isn't OK. I take my Envoy in tomorrow.
I have the same problem with my TB LTZ. But it happened on a different situation. I went camping a month ago and was mostly driving on the highway (First time on the highway for my TB). The next morning, when I started the engine. It gave me this message. Did the same thing you did and found nothing wrong. Then I re started the engine and everything is A-OK. The next day, When I first started the engine, the engine stalled on me and I had to restart again. Same thing on the third and fourth day. But on the fifth day, everything is normal again. Haven't got a chance to take the truck to the dealer yet. But please keep me posted on your findings.
I will never buy another GM product, I have all the issues you mentioned on my Bravada, plus the rear pull down strap is broken, the windshield molding has come off TWICE, the headliner is not held up well (VELCRO??? In a truck this expensive?)
I hate it!
I do agree and have stated multiple times that I am proud of GM for getting the Triplets so "right" from the get-go 1st year. I have had mine back to a dealer only ONCE since I bought it in January for the fuel filter retainer clip recall and that took all of 30 min to get done. I am very pleased with the overall quality. Just diasppointed they would make available 3.42 gears for this truck and claim it can tow 5500 lbs as equipped with a load of passengers and still get reasonable mileage and performance.
For the most part, having owned mostly V-8 SUV's in the past, gas mileage is not that much different as compared to my 8's.. in some cases, this six is MUCH WORSE. For the most part, gas mileage doesn't bother me that much, that's kind of the price you pay to sit up high and have 4-wheel drive security underneath your seat. At this point, I still feel much safer in an SUV than I do in a regular car, therefore I will suck it up and pay the price in gas mileage. BUT.. for those of you who drive this vehicle extensively, I CAN FEEL YOUR PAIN! Luckily, since I drive ~ 3K a month for work, my 2002 Chevrolet Impala LS consistently yields me no less than 25 mpg... even in city driving. Unfortunately, this leaves my Envoy sitting in the garage, acting as a huge paper-weight until I can drive it in the evenings or weekends. Oh well..
Thanks!
IExplore2000@aol.com
I installed the turn signal type mirror on my SLE Envoy. I wanted the dimming mirror, the turn signals were a bonus. After I got done, the turn signal type looks much better.
The wiring for the turn signals was in place and worked as soon as I plugged in the new mirror. I had to run a jumper to make the dimming mirror work. The wiring for the dimming mirror was missing in the door connector to control panel harness. A little ingenuity and I installed my own wire to make it work.
I'd say go for it
Paul P
Don't know if they do or don't haven't paid any attention to them. But one thing I do know - those were not promoted as GM did the TrailBlazer : "After the 270 HP Chevy TrailBlazer, everything else is just weak" I believe is how the advertizing hype went. They sell this vehicle primarily based on its perfomance and power so that's the type of customer they attract.
Also CD changer (Bose System) often switches without reason to radio. Of course it doesn't do it for the dealer.
Anyone else had these problems?? Please let me know posting here or offline to bimmers@comcast.net
This truck has been beset with numerous build defects, most of which the General refuses to fix. The strong engine seems to be its shining star, but alas it may not be enough to cause me to keep it. Pursuing lemon law is strong possibility. Anyone else taken that route??
Mike
I'm averaging 19 mpg with my Bravada in mixed driving. Our local Durango driver get 13 mpg
and has never done better than 18 mpg. A V-8 jeep driver at work get 14-15 mpg on average and gets 20 mpg on the hi-way (1000 lbs lighter!) Overall, the one thing I can't complain about is performance and gas mileage. I thinks it's pretty decent for a 4500 lb vehicle.
GAM
There's something to be said for the top end. Coming back from the mountains I routinely have to come up over the continental divide at 11000 ft. of altitude. The thing does outstanding while lesser vehicles are out of breath. You just have to get it to 5000 rpm's sometimes, At least it's a smooth 5000.
I suppose there'll always be people who need a V-8. I think they should go all out and slam in a Duramax diesel. gmdrone, go tell those guys to do that.
In addition to envoy_xl_in_pa's suggestion, you might try adding silicone grease to the hood bumper stops (one on each side, near the front of the engine compartment). My Bravada developed the same symptom, but a little grease fixed it.
As for the passenger seat belt, it maybe defective. I'm not sure whether you knew this or not, but its Federal law that all vehicles have a "lock in" shoulder belt. If you pull the shoulder belt completely out, then begin to release it, you will begin to hear a clicking sound. Once you hear a couple of clicks, pull on the shoulder belt... it shouldn't pull out. This allows a person to "lock in" infant seats. Try it out!
Power - I feel the engine has good power from 2,000 RPM's and up. I agree with the board, it could use a little more low end torque, which I think is possible, due to the design of the engine. What I mean is, it has variable timing, valves, etc. All GM needs to do is pour more fuel into the cylinders and adjust the timing, valves, etc.?
Door clunk - Not sure how many other triplet owners have experienced this problem, but my Bravada makes a clunking sounds while driving over bumps. Tonight, I found the root cause to the problem. Inside the door latch, there's a small piece of rubber. This rubber piece stops the body catch from slamming into the door latch when the door is closed. It also applies a low amount of pressure on the body catch, keeping it from bouncing back and forth against the door latch. As it turns out, the rubber piece inside my door latch has broken away. In addition to this, I found that the body catch only extends into the door latch about 1/4 of an inch. This is probably what caused the rubber piece to brake down. There's actually room for about 1/2" to 5/8" of the body catch to extend inside the door latch. If anyone understands what I typed, please open each of your front doors and note the condition of the rubber stops. Report back to the board with your findings. Also, state whether your door clunks or not while driven over bumps.
Thanks, Tony
I have just upgraded my stereo. Put a new deck in that plays mp3s, which in and of itself is like a changer because of the amount of files it can hold. I am not familiar with the 6 disc changer in the TB. I had the regular deck, so the amp was built into the deck itself. As for the cd changer, is the changer in the deck in the dash itself? If it is, then there is a possibility that there is an amp somewhere else since there might not be enough space to put an amp in there. But...I don't think there's a separate amp, cause I kinda took apart my car to run a bunch of wires, and there's no place for an amp really. Are you looking to upgrade your stereo? or add an amp or something?
Heres the discovery, in playing with the latches, I found that at least on the rear doors, there are no door pins. The way the truck knows the door is open is the state of the latch. If you push the latch all the way in like the door is shut, the lights will turn off. Even with the door open. If you hold the latch and pull the handle, the lights stay off, but as soon as you let go of the latch and let it open, the lights turn on... If the front doors are like that too, its an interesting concept, i guess.
Ill let you all know if adjusting the latches helps with the rattling, with two bolts on the body and 3 on the door, shouldnt be too hard to find out if it has any adjustment.
Rick
Edit: Calucyk- try pushing the latch in farther. Mine sounds like its latching initially, but will go in another click if you push it in. Then there is still about 1/8" left for the body catch to go in, but I'm sure thats there for adjustment...
I hadn't noticed how the door latch controlled the interior lights... interesting. I'll try this procedure later today.
Regarding your "Edit" section, mine functions the same way. A door has two latched positions. In the fully latched position, there is about 1/8" between the body catch and door latch. This is different from what I was trying to explain in my posting- I know, it was hard to understand...
Let me try again. If you open the passenger front door and look into the latch, on the left side, deep inside (1 1/2"), you will see a rubber stop. The rubber stop should have signs of wear where the body catch has been hitting it. On my Bravada, since the body catch only extends about 1/4" into this area, the right side of the rubber has broken away. There is room for the body catch to extend about 1/2" to 5/8" into the left side of the door latch. My back doors are quite different, each body catch extends 50%-75% into the door latch, making good contact with the rubber stop.
I don't think the door latch can be adjusted, as the three screws holding it in place are fixed. As for the body catch, its adjustable, but you need to pull the plastic door pillar off (inside the vehicle) so that you can access the back side of the door latch.
Dealer wants 300 bucks for new turn signal component and 100 bucks to install. This seems CRAZY !! Must be a little speaker wire I can clip.... Help, anyone???
Bill
i noticed they got rid of a few colors and they added a few more. I LOVE the dark grey metallic color. AGAIN something i wish they had last year. the Light pewter metallic looks ok but sometimes it just looks brown. The 2002 4Runner has a Gun Metal grey like color, which i think would look SOOO good. Even when i first got my tb, i photoshoped a darker grey color to see how it would look, and my-O-my did it look good. Too BAD for me.
I think i noticed also that the northface edition may have the headlight washers like the japanese version. I dont see it anywhere else (most of the other tb pics are last year's anyway), nor is there any mention of them.
I hate it when manufactures do that. but i guess thats just my wonderful luck.
ok im done.
-mike