Comments: 1-15, 16-30, 31-45, 46-60, 61-75, 76-90, 91-105, 106-120, 121-135, 136-150, 151-165, 166-180, 181-195, 196-210, 211-225, 226-240, 241-255, 256-270, 271-285, 286-300, 301-315, 316
Well Loyal TB owners... let me join your club. My 2004 TB just turned 50,000mi and I'm also having the same problem. I already know from reading all the comments what I'm in for... But what I don't understand is why GM didn't recall this with all the complaints. To me it would be a safety hazard if on the highway and the engine decides to shut down. GM HELP YOUR LOYAL CUSTOMERS!!!
Dealership replaced the fan clutch yesterday (Friday) on my '02 Envoy (94k miles)... $486.88 for the Parts, Labor and PCM Update.
Went to work last night (27 miles away from home)... This morning, Envoy wouldn't start -- everything electrical was dead. Dealership is closed on Saturdays; $100.00 tow to another shop in hometown...
Shop manager says problem is not the battery or alternator, but rather a short... Something is draining the electrical system all of a sudden; told him of the fan clutch being replaced yesterday (surprise, it does have an electrical connection)...
Still awake and waiting to hear what's up.
Add one more to the list. I have a 2002 TB and in the past I had experienced an occasional "jet noise" as I accelerated but dismissed it after the dealership said it was nothing. Now, it is constant. The service engine soon light came on and I took it to my mechanic who I trust and he told me about a "bulletin" (No. 01-06-04-052B) that GM put out in May 2004 regarding: Service Enginee Soon Light On, Delayed Transmission Downshift and/or Excessive Fan Noise. With this, I took it to the dealership and all they did was reprogram it. As I drove away, the excessive noise started again and I called the dealership. They told me that they are only required to reprogram the system so the light doesn't come on. I asked why they didn't fix the fan noise. They told me that isn't part of the "bulletin". Apparently a bulletin is not the same as a recall and they don't have to fix it. I have to pay for it and it will cost somewhere around $500. Unbelievable!!!
I was thinking about changing it on my own, but now that I've read all of these comments, I don't want to keep a car that continually has problems and the GM company doesn't want to help the "customer".
Same old song and dance with the clutch fan!!! As I read all of these postings I now wonder that they need bailed out!!! My Trailblazer has made this jet noise, but it would go away!! Now it's here to stay!!! Will try to replace myself!!! I think GM should step up and take care of this widespread problem!!! No wonder you're going to go belly up!!!
Just had the fan clutch replaced on my 2004 Trailblazer. Cost by a local mechanic was $500.00 He said the labor was only $90.00, but the part cost over $400.00 I now see that the part can be had, on average, for about $169.00. Has anyone else paid over $200 for their OE replacement part?
Just yesterday I noticed the same thing happening on my 2002 trailblazer with 55k on it. I am not sure what I am going to do, I don't have $500 to replace this part so I might just attempt it myself but the problem is that it is 20 degrees outside. The Check Engine light is not on, does this mean that it could be something different? Is there a relay under the hood that could possibly be bad?
Okay..I've read everyone's comments prior to mine, and YES I have the SAME FREAKIN PROBLEM with my 2002 Trailblazer (60,000 miles)..."the ROARING NOISE", being a single mom doesn't help matters. In addition to that, my 4 Wheel Drive is out (light is on) and my brakes are now making a spring type sound upon stopping. I'm so confused not to mentioned angry by how these dealerships can take us for a ride. If there is in fact a list for Better Business Bureau, and Recalls. com or any other complaint for recalls, please be sure to let me know. I'm to say the least pretty p.o'd and this doesn't happen to often in my life as I am a very happy christian woman! Please let me know if anyone has any ideas regarding the brakes and 4 wheel drive problem. I already gathered the noise problem based on past postings. Bless you all the upcoming year, and I hope and pray this doesn't happen to anyone else!
Jodi in Montana (jhunter1971@hotmail.com) Thank you.
Wow I have the same problem 2003 TB LT. I replaced the fan clutch and service engine light went off but came back on today. Still sounds like a jet engine! I can't wait to get this vehicle out of my life!
I too had to have my fan clutch replaced after my dealer re-programed my computer. The dealer service manager said if that didn't work there was nothing that could be done except replace the fan clutch. I have heard of many other Envoy owners with same problem without GM doing a recall to fix this problem.
I also have the jet engine sound. I have a 2003 Trailblazer, and it has 9100k. Always had GM made vehicles & have been proud of them until I bought my 2003 Trailblazer. I also have the rattles in the front end, service 4wd, defective power window regulator etc...
I'm disgusted with GM & this 2003 Trailblazer. I will never buy another GM product again. I'll probably buy a Japanese product. In the meantime, I guess I'll just change it out in 20 degree weather.
We have a 2003 Trailblazer that we bought at 125,000 km from relatives. It now has 160,000 km. In the time we've owned it, it went from seeming "normal" (though we think the fan clutch problem pre-existed, we just didn't know any different), to having the following problems at present, most of which have occurred in a period of a few months:
- Bank 1 lean
- Rich fuel
- Evaporative malfunction
- CD player jamming
- Intermittent wiper craziness
- Thermostat malfunction
- Fan clutch failure
- 4wd front actuator
- Xfer case actuator (suspicious)
- Torsion bar links front/back rattle terribly.
In researching all of these problems, I've learned a few things.
- Any trip to the dealer for an actual repair is at minimum $500.
- People have mixed reviews of the autosense wiper function. For us, it works terrible - it's constantly running too fast, even if you slow it down a few notches, within a couple minutes it speeds back up.
- The bank 1 lean doesn't seem to have a good solution I've found, though it may be a programming issue. My opinion is that GM should supply programming to current levels on ALL modules in their vehicles for life. If you screwed up your original firmware design, it should NEVER be my problem, especially since it's extremely easy to fix. I flash all kinds of devices, and if you're experienced at it the time it takes is less than 5 minutes.
- GM audio systems are pure garbage. I've had stereo failures in 2 Grand Prixs, 2 Bonnevilles, a Grand Am, and now this Trailblazer. The 2 Bonnevilles and 2 Grand Prixs had the same "malfunctioning display" problem from 1992-1998. In 6 years these idiots can't fix a problem prevalent across multiple models.
- The front actuator for the 4wd shaft locking is a pretty flaky design - it is driven by a tiny little "model" motor, and audibly labors under its assigned task.
- Fuel filler neck fracture at the tank is ridiculously prevalent, covers multiple model years, and should absolutely be marked a "recall" under fire safety. It's a thousand dollar repair, happens over and over, and is inexcusable. Of the tens of thousands of car designs, they can be in service for decades, sit in salvage yards, be re-animated with no fuel tank problems, yet these new vehicles break time after time, and the problem isn't fixed in subsequent years.
- The fan clutch is another ridiculous issue. Almost every one of the 300 plus posts here, on just this one site, are failed fan clutches, at low mileages.
For the front actuator, the local GM dealer wanted $235 for the part (a few plastic gears, a model motor, circuit board, and sprung cylinder). They wanted 1.5 hours at $170/hr to replace it. I bought it at Rockauto.com for $85, and replaced it in literally 3.5 minutes.
My father and I just fixed the fan clutch on ours today. GM wanted $400+ for the part, and I don't recall how much labor, but I see posts indicating $700-800 to repair, and it fails on pretty much EVERY truck from what I can see, at mileages of only 50k. I bought the part at rockauto.com for $135. Replacing it was pretty miserable. The fan shroud is very difficult to remove - we ended up leaving it in place. We pulled headlights, grill, hood latch support, positioning panels for radiator. Then we unbolted the fan from the clutch, used a universal clutch wrench to remove the clutch. We removed the separated clutch by pulling hard on the rad to the front of the car, while pressing hard on the shroud and managed to squeeze the clutch in between shroud and radiator on the drivers side. We found that all but 1 of the wires on the clutch were broken, some of them in 2 places - one seemed by vibration, the other by abrasion.
In my opinion, General Motors abuses their customers by generating bad designs, refusing to correct the errors of their bad designs year after year, and harboring a feeling of complete disregard for the concerns of their loyal customers. People whose families have bought GM for generations get no respect whatsoever in fair resolution of these blatant design errors. They are treated as yet another opportunity to fleece more money from the people who are the lifeblood of the company.
The chickens have come home to roost. GM has faced an eroding market due in part to these behaviors, and is not finding finding many sympathetic ears now that the economic downturn has placed the blade firmly at its neck and pressed to draw blood.
The truth is that General Motors deserves to be eliminated from the market. I've owned 5 GM cars in my 20 years of driving, but I'm done. Screw you, GM. I hope you finish burning away the money the government has given you then die a slow, twisting death on the vine. Good riddance to you, and to the employees of GM who year after year refuse to unite and band together to force change within the company - to improve standards and take pride in your work.
I used to believe in supporting domestic manufacturers - I switched from my first 2 Datsun/Nissan products to prove it. But I'm going back to Japanese, and I won't be back. Goodbye to you, sirs, and good day.
Some of the roaring noises people are describing may be bearings going bad in the idler pulleys for the serpentine belt (s). I have a 2003 with a V-8, had these noises, replaced all three idlers (the V-8 has two idler in the main belt and one for the small A/C belt at the bottom), they are not expensive, readily available (telling you something) and not very difficult to replace. The vehicle is quiet now as it could be.
By the way, when I purchased this TB with about 30K miles there was a noise from the right front wheel bearing. The hub was replaced by the dealer on warranty. There may be something not right with these Chinese made bearings.
Good luck to all.
Add me to the list... 2002 Trailblazer LS, 83K miles and just got my brand new jet engine sound system. I took it to Auto Zone to get the code from the computer when the check engine light came on, it's a P0495. They gave me three possible things the code means:
1 - Open or short circuit condition
2 - Cooling fan relay fault
3 - Failed cooling fan clutch.
After reading page after page here, I wonder which one it is? LOL I'm about to call GM and throw a fit if there is not a recall, not sure what I'll do without one. Add me to the single mom who doesn't have hundreds (or if you want to be honest, I don't even have tens) of dollars to throw around..
If there's a recall, you'll see another post from me here shortly.. Cross your fingers.
Just to let you all know I was talking to GM customer service rep on the phone. They stated "they use TB to share information with their tech's how to make the repair, and no matter how many vehicles share the problem, until there are actually injuries that are directly linked to the fault, they will not consider that item for recall"
I have a 2003 TB with 111,000 miles, just replaced the fan clutch over the weekend. Went to EBay auto and found the part, replacement part made the jet engine noise louder. Going to Autozone to buy a new one and spend next weekend doing the exact same task. Those trying to do it themselves it's not a hard task, make sure you get the fan clutch nut lined up or you'll end up buying a new water pump also. Good luck with the recall, the transmission is also a bad design, had mine go out on me in the middle of the Williamsburg Bridge (between Brooklyn and Manhattan) in morning rush hour traffic. You know how the rest of the New Yorkers acted with their one lane blocked by my inoperative truck!