2002 Bravada AWD Engaged all the time(Maybe)

[zombe1961]

Is there afuse you can pull to see if all wheel drive is engaged?

[Chris Stewart]

I believe it's the ATC fuse. It's also a good time to change the transfercase fluid. It takes 2 quarts of the blue AutoTrac II fluid available at your local Chevy/GMC dealer.

If you find it stuck in AWD, like many have, the transfercase fluid change is the 1st course of action.

[zombe1961]

Swapped out fluid in the transfer and front diff. Still roaring. Bearings it must be!!!!

[jimlay]

I had the same complaint. The car acted oddly, and on dirt surfaces, we could hear the front wheels "trying" to turn. Heard occasional grinding noise at moderate speeds.

Took it to the dealer and they said it was the forward transfer case. They took the case apart and said it was shot. The reason it went bad was that something called the "encoder motor" was stuck always on and it tore up the gears.

As it turned out, they replaced the entire guts of the forward transfer case and replaced encoder motor at a cost to us of $2000. Got the car back and still had noises from the transfer case. Took it back and they tore it down again and told us that Mr. Clutzwrench had put one bearing in "upside down".

Turns out that GM had redesigned that particular bearing and that it was currently scarce. Finally found one somewhere in freaking Canada and shipped it down to Maine. Took the best part of another week.

NOT happy about this, as we have had other problems with the Bravada: Heated seats quit working and cost $700 to fix. The so-called memory mirrors developed Alzheimers and - to this day - never worked correctly. Numerous other little problems.

Next car will be a Toyota. Done with GM's B.S.