awd not working

milk123 · #1 12-11-2005, 04:42 PM

I have a 2002 Olds Bravada with smart trac and it's not working.. I purchased this vehicle from the local dealer in August therefore at the time i coul'nt make sure the system worked..

After reading in this forum I've checked a few things and found that the ATC fuse was blown. I immediatly changed the fuse and did a road test. The AWD seemed to work for a moment but then stopped again .. When I returned home sure enough the fuse had blown again..

Anyone heard of this before and what am I in for??

milk123 · #2 12-11-2005, 07:55 PM

Update; Tried another fuse. Put it in drive and spun rear tires on ice and zap, another fuse blown..

Does this sound familiar to anyone??

Chris Stewart · #3 12-12-2005, 08:02 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by milk123

Update; Tried another fuse. Put it in drive and spun rear tires on ice and zap, another fuse blown..

Does this sound familiar to anyone??

Just a guess, you might try looking behind the transmission where the transfer case is and see if the wires are rubbing on the transfer case enough to short to ground. If not, then the encoder motor might be burned up.

milk123 · #4 12-15-2005, 01:33 PM

[quote=Chris Stewart]Just a guess, you might try looking behind the transmission where the transfer case is and see if the wires are rubbing on the transfer case enough to short to ground. If not, then the encoder motor might be burned up.[/QUOTE

Dealer has oredered an encoder motor.. They think it may be the problem. Where exactly is that located on the vehicle? What does it do? Thanks. Dave.

Chris Stewart · #5 12-17-2005, 12:06 AM

From what I've read, the encoder motor engages the front wheels through the transfer case...kinda like a servo if you follow model airplanes.

boldsmobile · #6 12-17-2005, 09:21 PM

The motor is located on the transfer case and it enages the 4wd based on the speed difference between from and rear driveshafts. I had a frozen encoder and 4wd wouldnt work. replaced it for 180 and im good to go.

[quote=milk123]

Quote:

Originally Posted by Chris Stewart

Just a guess, you might try looking behind the transmission where the transfer case is and see if the wires are rubbing on the transfer case enough to short to ground. If not, then the encoder motor might be burned up.[/QUOTE

Dealer has oredered an encoder motor.. They think it may be the problem. Where exactly is that located on the vehicle? What does it do? Thanks. Dave.

milk123 · #7 03-31-2006, 09:10 PM

Guess what.. I had the encoder motor replaced on the 9th of January and noticed a couple of days ago that it was not working again. Checked the fuse and sure enough it was blown again.. I installed another fuse and spun the back wheels and the fuse went again right before my eyes.. Same as last time .. I took it back to the dealer today and they said the encoder motor was gone again .. They were very surprized .. They checked everything that had anything to do with it and said everything checked out.. Do you think I just got a bad part or could there be something else causing it.. thanks Dave

Chris Stewart · #8 04-02-2006, 04:24 PM

Sure, some new parts do make it out of the process in faulty condition.
Cost cutting practices are getting out of hand.

ericn1300 · #9 04-03-2006, 07:41 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by milk123

Guess what.. I had the encoder motor replaced on the 9th of January and noticed a couple of days ago that it was not working again. Checked the fuse and sure enough it was blown again.. I installed another fuse and spun the back wheels and the fuse went again right before my eyes.. Same as last time .. I took it back to the dealer today and they said the encoder motor was gone again .. They were very surprized .. They checked everything that had anything to do with it and said everything checked out.. Do you think I just got a bad part or could there be something else causing it.. thanks Dave

duplicate the experiment, see if you can kill the third one too. if you do kill it that would be an indicator that you might have another problem.

milk123 · #10 05-04-2006, 08:48 PM

You won't believe this.. It's happened again.. The dealer says that they have no idea what the problem is and they are now copping out by saying that there is no snow to work on it.. What B.S... I paid alot of money for this vehicle a couple of months ago and this is ludacris.. The salesman when asked by me if it was as good as 4x4, he answered: It's better than 4x4...

Chris Stewart · #11 05-05-2006, 08:53 AM

If there's a plug to disconnect on the encoder motor, you might try unplugging it then install another fuse to be sure there's not a short in the car's wiring.
As far as required snow for AWD engagment, tell'em you're going camping with your family in no mans land with Eric's and will need AWD to get around.

milk123 · #12 05-13-2006, 01:16 PM

The sales and the service department ( both G.M ) are suppose to be meeting to see what they can come up with..

Chris Stewart · #13 05-14-2006, 08:54 PM

Sounds like a stall to me, maybe a letter from your attorney...before the warranty time runs out just to have something on record besides what the dealer claims.

ericn1300 · #14 05-15-2006, 01:15 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Chris Stewart

As far as required snow for AWD engagment, tell'em you're going camping with your family in no mans land with Eric's and will need AWD to get around.

I can't believe you can't find snow or at least a good mud hole in Canada, we still have 50 inches of snow on the mountain 15 miles from here.

we usualy head to the high country to go camping in the first week of July, crossing a lot of water on the dirt roads in and finding some snow banks at the camp ground to stash our six packs in. gives a whole new meaning to "grab me a cold one". you're welcome to join us and put your rig, and arm, to the test.

do you know what you get when the head of sales and service have a meeting of minds... a perfect vaccum. if they have you bring it in for repair again and you have no way to test it, and they know it, do two things. first, mark the encoder motor or connector with a dot of paint or nail polish (i like passionate pink) to make sure they actualy change it. second, discreetly mark a tire with chalk when you park it at the stealership and take a digital pic of it and another of the odometer to see if they even move it, or test drive it (oh yeah we gave it a good work out) some stealerships are notorious for having you bring it in, waiting a few days and telling you it's done to wait you out in the hopes that you'll just go away or that the warranties will expire without even touching it.

do you know the difference between the sales reps at the stealership and the boy scouts? the boy scouts have adult leadership... and a code of conduct.

milk123 · #15 08-05-2006, 09:23 PM

Yesterday my service awd light started coming on .. Is there a way to check the code without going to the expensive dealer or buying a bunch of tools that i will probably never use again??

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