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Let us know if you have this procedure done and if it helps. I have heard from others that it may have to be done again down the road. No real 'fix' for the problem.
glsable
I am fairly certain that the smaller cargo number is with 2nd and 3rd row seats up - in this configuration the cargo space behind the rear seat of a Suburban is about the same as in the newer mini-vans, although it is packaged in a deeper, wider, less tall space in the Suburban. The new vans with the folding 3rd row seats benefit from the extra space when the seat is not folded into the rear well, which provides a significantly larger cargo area than older vans, such as our 2nd-generation Plymouth Grand.
I expect the larger cargo number is with all seats folded (or removed if they don't fold).
glsable
I know our '03 Suburban LT middle row buckets don't have heat. Does anyone have a Denali with heated middle row seats? And if so, I presume that the Caddy would have them too, then?
glsable
Stacking things above the rearmost seat height is dangerous, unless you have tall packages that extend down behind the seat back to keep them from becoming missiles in the event of a crash.
A major consideration for me was our planned vacation with 8 people on board together with luggage (preferably inside the vehicle).
All I needed was to open the back of the YXL to see that the distance from tailgate to the back of the third seat is almost twice as great as any minivan. That translates to a lot of suitcases, cooler(s) and other stuff safely tucked behind that seat leaving the view clear too.
but like dakotian said, I have been packing things into the Previa for 9 yrs, and with 7 people, there is maybe room for 3 fullsize luggage only,plus misc small bags.
OTOH, my suburban can take 8 people, and 5 full size luggage, plus many smaller bags.....and if I don't need space for suitcase, I just bolt on the rear facing seats(bench) and I can seat 2 more in the rear, with seat belts too !!!
it just seems like there is more cargo space in the suburban......period. But I just do not know if GMC measures the cargo space with all 2nd row in or out, whereas the minivans all measure it with the 3rd row folded and the 2nd row removed ???
Front foot wells
Glove box (both on passenger side and the center console)
Rear seat floorboard
Rear door side lights (It just has a reflector)
Although GM added many new features to the 04 that improved the 02 the lights were a nice touch and VERY VERY useful.
Also, in my 02 I got a third row floor mat however, my 04 with the second row captains has no floor mats. Are all others the same or did I get cheated?
I am looking for feedback. Reason being, when you purchase you generally can’t test these features and end up taking the salesman’s word.
Help me out because I have been sold on “Power goes from wheels that SLIP to wheels that GRIP!” Yeah right!
and the burb can still carry 8.....:-)
thanks..
(Highlander has heard this comment from me elsewhere on Town Hall <g>).
I did a lot of canoe trips with a friend who drove a Suburban. It would swallow up a lot of gear & people inside, not to mention 4 or 5 canoes on top.
Steve, Host
Also you don't have a subaru, which has a limited slip diffy standard. “Power goes from wheels that SLIP to wheels that GRIP!” is a Subaru buzz.
--jay (Tahoe and Subie owner)
Of course, if by "head" you actually meant the military-lingo for toilet, then theirs always the Bumper-Dumper (registered trademark) which would also be more comfortable, I'm sure, mounted on the much-higher-than-any-minivan YXL rear bumper! ;-) ;-)
As far as your traction issue--I thought that even as late as '03 the Denalis had the locking rear even though they are AWD, assuming that such is possible from an engineering standpoint. In any case, I know that the '04 Denalis don't have locking rear, according to GM literature...
They claimed that there has been a large reduction in the cost of GM`s quad steering pack - due to very poor sales, Will try to find that mag but you guys should be able to find a dealer that will advise.
Another reason it is hard to compare the vehicles is that many vans had 3rd row seats that slid forward and back to adjust the amount of cargo and people space. On our Voyager the seat could move about 6 inches, which makes a big difference. That feature unfortunately has gone away on the news vans with the folding 3rd row.
Too bad that the Suburbans/YXLs don't have something similar to add more legroom in the 3rd row when you need it.
glsable
As WAVHO mentioned, with the stability control, there are only 2 drive wheels like most 4wd's without a locking rear.
If the vehicle becomes stuck, the locking rear would offer a greater advantage in driving out of the condition by providing torque at both rear wheels and one of the front wheels while the 4wd system is engaged.
The Subaru & Mercedes vehicles offer a truly unique system with a viscous-coupling design that can transfer torque to any of the wheels.
Land Rover offers a system with both front and rear locking differentials.
On those rare cases where glaze ice occurs, the best philosophy is to stay home until it melts anyway. (You might be able to keep going under some semblance of control, but you won't have the maneuverability to stay out of the way of the other guy who thinks that having 4WD/AWD means s/he need not concern her/himself with the presence of ice!)
I ran a car on a closed wet track. I ran the first time with stability control on and the second time with stability control switched up. It is unbelievable how much stability control aided in controlling the vehicle. Like night and day....
lobsenza..I have no doubt that the stability control is well worth its price and is an excellent option to have.
One thing I failed to mention about the locking rear differential, it only "locks" while the vehicle is under a certain speed - around 8-10 mph or less.
It appears that the tether on the '04 gas cap is a bit shorter than that on the '03 version (I know this because I have an '03 YXL and an '04 DXL); on both my SUVs the tether is attached to a spot adjacent to the fuel opening. With the '03, this is not an issue since I'm able to loop the tether onto the hook located on the back of the fuel door; however, with my '04 the tether will not reach the hook unless I close the fuel door a bit. Of course, doing so makes it just about impossible to insert the gas pump nozzle into the fuel opening, so I have no choice but to either hold the cap or let it dangle off the side.
So...I asked the service advisor (not a service tech--noooo, you have to talk to the advisor first) at my local stealership about this issue; his response was that that's how it's supposed to be--namely, that the cap is supposed to dangle off to the side during refill. He continued to say this even after I pointed out that the '03 models don't have this issue. At that point I more or less accepted this unbelievable fact; however, I managed to see another '04 DXL in the service area so I decided to check the tether on it. Guess what? Although the tether on this '04 was as short as that on mine, it was attached to the backside of the fuel door! Obviously, this would make it easier for the shorter tether to reach the hook on the back of the door.
To conclude this long post, all I would need to do is relocate the binding pin/post/whatever it's called where the tether is currently attached from the side of the fuel opening to the backside of the fuel door (there is a hole on the door where the post can be inserted). FWIW--I'm gonna let this clueless service advisor know that he shouldn't be making baseless statements, especially since it would make no sense for GM all of a sudden decide that they should take away the convenience of looping the gas cap tether to the fuel door so that it doesn't dangle to the side and possibly scratch or mar the paint surrounding the fuel door.
thanks -- laura
3/4 ton = rear leaf springs (read tough, durable)
From what you have said, it appears that they made a design change for the '04s, mounting the shorter tether on the fuel door itself. My guess is that someone on the production line didn't get the news and attached the tether the old way. If this is true, your dealer should fix it under warranty.
glsable
As mentioned, the 1500s have rear coil springs and a 5.3-liter engine, the 2500s have leaf springs and larger engines. Nevertheless, the 5.3 has plenty of power and torque, and even the 1500s can tow 7,000 lbs, which is a decent size trailer. I think the 2500s with the 8.1 engine can tow up to 10,000 lbs.
glsable
glsable
as for the dashboard, i have never sit in a 'burb before and am just basing my opinion on my observation of other suvs with their more curvy dash. hope i didn't offend you, glsable. --laura
No matter...I have an appointment this Wednesday and I will definitely let the service manager know about this advisor's lack of knowledge regarding the models his dealership sells.
You make a good point that in many ways the GM trucks have not received the attention they should in interor refinement. Many features that are common in mini-van design haven't made the jump over to the trucks. Such as rear or middle row seats that can slide forward or backward to adjust the legroom as you need it between the seat rows, and padded lids for the storage areas in the 3rd row.
But they have made some big improvements, with electronic features, middle row bucket seats, and headrests in all three rows. The front and 3rd row seats also have seat-mounted shoulder belts that fit much better, especially for kids.
glsable
All that being said, my wife and I still marvel at how happy we are with almost every aspect of our Yukon XL -- from features to handling to quiet highway driving to cavernous available spaces. Give them a chance and maybe you will feel the same.
http://media.gmcanada.com/division/2004_prodinfo/gmc/yukon/specs.- html
Test drove and like the 04 1500. Worried about the trannie though. Not to mention the IM leak. Don't want to go to the 2500 because it's too stiff. I also don't want the 6.0L or the 8.1L. Things seem to burn oil like no tomorrow. That straight from GM mechanics. Thanks for any input.
As for your trannie. Depending on how many miles you should have changed it at least once based soley on time. If you tow then even more.
As for me I think I'm going to go with a 2500 afterall. Much better for towing since everything is beefed up. Other option is an Armada but lacks the cargo space. Great second row leg room though. Really a blast to drive. Got to love that 385lbs of torque at 3600 rpm. Tow package even comes with a trannie temp gauge.
I drove one and had 3 complaints:
1. The Armada seemed to lack power. I know. I know. But, it honestly did. It may have been because it had 2 miles on it when we started, but the Suburban seemed to be very peppy compared to the Armada.
2. The roof seemed to vibrate or flutter. My buddy sat in the 2nd row and was amazed at the way the plastic panels on the roof vibrated.
3. The looks and gimmicks looked like they would be tiresome after the "gee whiz" factor wore off.
When I looked at the Armada, I was very impressed before I drove it. At the time, I hadn't really considered the Suburban. So, I was dissapointed that the Armada didn't work out for me.
Of course, YMMV,
Jack
04 Suburban 1500 2WD LT, roof, DVD, 17" tires
Happy Trails,
Jack