Problems with 2005 GMC Envoy ELECTRICAL SYSTEM

Speedometer malfunctions showing various speeds. the needle gets stuck for a moment while the car speeds up. the needle will also stay at one speed while the car slows down, thus giving no true reading of speed at any given moment. *tr

Repeat problems since car was purchased brand new at dealers. air /o2 sensors defective/replaced. defective fuel pump/fuel sensor/electronic gas gauge; flickering/dimming headlights; freezing/inability to control driver's side seat and controls. 1/4 of front instrument panel lights out; drivers side seat control lighting 1/4 out; check engine light and low fuel light on continuously since 1997. tie rods both replaced as well as both front sway bars. immediately following vehicle purchase, check engine light would continuously go off. i would call onstar at which point i was told to take car in for repair w/i 7-10 days (often told a problem w/powertrain or transmission) . at dealers service dept, told over and over again after tons of worry, concern and time spent, that electrical system on this car tends to trip/trigger check engine light and they would just reset it so after awhile, i began to disregard the light as i was in the dealership almost weekly. approx 2 yrs after purchase, filled up gas tank and fuel light showed "low fuel". went back up to full, dropped to 1/2 and back to empty. went back to full after car was turned off and continued to do this. after about 2 weeks, constantly stays at empty. called repair shop and was told approx $700-800 to drop tank and replace fuel sensor which i could not afford and began to track odometer and refill tank after 200 miles driven after fill up. have been doing this for 5 years. jan 29,2011, i go for emission test. fail d/t low fuel and check engine light being on. go to mechanic, approx $950 repair. check engine light goes off...and back on next day. read thousands of posts online and am finding many, many envoy owners experiencing same problems as mine. these are safety issues and gm should issue a recall on entire fuel and electrical system. please call for questions/clarification. *tr

I purchased a 2005 gmc envoy in september 2005. in the past year (since january 2007, at least), i have experienced several problems with my vehicle. the first problem is with the headlights. everytime i have driven the vehicle the headlights appear to dim/flicker and then return to normal. this has resulted in oncoming vehicles turning their bright lights on me thinking my brights are on when in reality my headlights are dimming and then returning to normal. the second problem concerns the passenger side airbag. anytime a certain weight limit is met or exceeded the airbag sensor is supposed to switch to on, but there have been several occasions when someone was sitting in the passenger seat and the airbag sensor hasn't recognized it. third problem, driver side power seat failure. there have been several instances when i have tried to move the driver seat forward, but nothing happened. the motor sounded like it was grinding and wanted to move, but the seat would not move forward or backward. the most extreme problem to date has been with the vehicle completely shutting off without warning while in the middle of driving and then not starting or even turning over at all. every single day for, at least, the last month when i go to start the vehicle it fails to start and it takes a minimum of 1 hour to get it started. one instance in particular when the vehicle shut off without warning was while my wife and i were on the freeway. without warning the vehicle shut down and we were forced to pull onto the shoulder. we sat there for almost an hour in temperatures of 13 degrees trying to get the vehicle restarted. there have been countless complaints and reports of other envoy owners experiencing these same problems. some dealers have actually said that these failures/problems are normal!!!! what!?!?! are you freaking kidding me?! since when is it considered "normal" when so many envoys are displaying these same problems? *tr

At the beginning of nov there was two occasions that i got into my vehicle and while i was driving to work my headlights and the lights in the dash board would dim and flash every time i let my foot off the accelerator. the gauage to the battery would drop down pass the half point.and i would here clicking in my steering column,this is something that has been going on.i told the gmc dealerabout this,they could not duplicate my concern at that time. he gave me a #02-06-03-008a form and told me it couldnt be fixed. i am very upset by this i am driving a defective suv. i am afraid of going out to start my suv and it not start.that is one of the problems it could have. *nm

2005 gmc envoy - since purchase, the headlights will dim when driving at night; seems to happen after first starting the vehicle. the battery gauge will drop down to under 11 volts when this occurs. the dealer has tightened the ground connections and replaced the alternator twice; after returning the vehicle to the dealer a third time, i was told that this is "normal". the vehicle is now out of warranty with 50k miles and the problem still exists. *jb

2005 gmc envoy. consumer writes in regards to concerns that vehicle has not been included in the ignition switch recall. *smd the consumer stated the vehicle suddenly stalled, while driving 70 mph. the speedometer went to zero, and all the lights went out. the consumer was unable to steer the vehicle. according to the repair invoice, the ignition switch dropped out voltage. *jb

Vehicle has intermittent throttle problem that causes the throttle to surge and the headlights to go dim to bright and dash lights to go dim to bright. this condition happens intermittently, and the dealership states there is no problem. this condition is most dangerous when driving in confined spaces such as parking lots. i have taken this problem to the selling dealership four times since july 2006 and continue to be told there was no problem.*ak

There are 3 consistent problems with my 05 envoy. my lights flicker and battery gauge goes down suddenly this happens about once a month. upon exiting my truck i always get a huge shock!! the knobs on the sides of my front seats keep coming off, i have had one replaced before now they are both off and missing, they must have fell out the door one day. *jb

I have an '05 gmc envoy slt. i've only owned it six months, since nov '05. i've dealt with flickering headlights and dash lights until just a couple of months ago. i had that issue looked at while installing step rails. i was told this was a typical issue with envoys and they only needed to 'tighten' some bolts. when i initially mentioned the problem i also commented that i would get the 'shock' of my life while exiting the envoy and asked if it could be a grounding issue but they said no. anyway. the problem was solved for a few days but it started all over again and it gets worse as time goes on. before i took it in the first time it was so bad i could feel the engine surge in unison with the flickering of the headlights and dash lights. i feel this could be an extreme safety issue since it involves the headlights and it more noticeable in the dark hours. *jb

Dt*: the contact stated while driving uphill at no particular speed, the engine stalls and operates at a reduced speed. additionally, the headlights intermittently work at night and the gas gauge provides an incorrect display of the proper fuel level. although the vehicle was seen by a dealer numerous times, the dealer was unable to duplicate the problem. the consumer stated the electrical system is faulty. the left front window dropped the lights became dim and the battery failed. updated 04/06/06. *jb

I was driving home from work entering the freeway on ramp. the ramp is controlled by a signal and i was waiting my turn when the engine failed. i was coasting downhill into another car when i hit the brakes and there were no brakes. i bumped the car in front of me damaging the front grill and hood of my car. submitted the car to the dealer for evaluation of an electrical problem. the dealer has been unable to duplicate. *jb

On the night of saturday (at 9 p.m.), december 10, 2005, i drove my gmc envoy slt to michael's. when driving through the parking lot, my daughter and i heard a loud grinding noise from the underside of the vehicle. we parked the car, turned off the engine, then turned the vehicle on again. several icons that had never been displayed on the dashboard screen appeared, and my vehicle's clock reflected 12:00. the clock was set for the correct time initially, and never tampered . we shopped for 20 minutes and returned to the vehicle, started it up and again several icons appeared. the clock said 12:00 though it was 9:30 p.m. we drove through our neighborhood viewing some christmas lights for about 10 minutes. as i pulled onto our driveway and began breaking to stop the vehicle and and park it outside of our garage, it did not respond to breaking. when i pushed the brake pedal down harder, the vehicle continued at the same speed. i screamed that we were going to hit the garage door, and at that moment felt the vehicle accelerate although i had the brake pedal pushed down all the way. it slammed through the garage door, i quickly shifted into park and shut off the engine. my front and my daughter's front passenger door could not be opened and we smelled gas. my husband called 911 and emergency vehicles responded. they determined it should be safe but asked the furnace be turned down so that it would not cause any combustion and to keep the area ventilated.. the garage door was totally demolished, and drywall damages in several spots. a technician from overhead garage doors removed the remnants of the door. my daughter's car had minor paint and dent damage as it was in the garage already. gm's roadside towing hauled the envoy onto a flatbed to take to the dealership. we explained the accident to gm when we contacted them for roadside assistance. the vehicle is now at our dealership, andy mohr, noblesville, in. *nm

The gmc envoy's speedometer stopped working and gmc is aware of this issue and only solution they have is 450 + labor which doesn't guarantee the issue is resolved...i have researched numerous articles as well as websites where other gm victims have reported their vehicles to do the same thing....the speedometer is something very important which shouldn't be a common problem, serious if not life taking accidents happen when drivers aren't able to be aware of their speed. i would hope that this complaint will follow with others and there will be some type recall that takes place. *tr

(2005 envoy) about 1 month ago i noticed that my headlights were dimming while driving at night . this happened sporadically. when the lights dim, the heat slows down as well. the interior lights occasionally dim when this happens, too. my husband and i thought it might be the battery and started to look at the battery gage, while one of us kept an eye on the lights. this problem has happened about 7 times over the last month. last week it happened about every 2 minutes while driving down the road. very scary, as i thought the truck was just going to shut down. i took the truck to my gm dealer and the mechanic said that there is nothing wrong with the truck. the battery, alternator and wires were fine. he stated that with new vehicles and everything that is run in them this is normal. although he also stated that he has never seen this problem before. their computer told them that nothing needed to be fixed. we have no aftermarket products in the vehicle and the only things running were the heat and radio. *nm

Tl*the contact owns a 2005 gmc envoy. the contact stated that he was experiencing issues with the headlights. when his wife would drive the vehicle at 50 mph, the headlights would get dimmer and dimmer and then brighten again. on one occasion, the lights turned off completely and his wife had to drive home with the hazard lights flashing. the issue occurred intermittently. the contact took the vehicle to the dealer at least four times and they changed the switches and recalibrated the lights. the repairs caused other failures; therefore, they recalibrated to the original lights. the dealer stated that there was no remedy for the failure. the manufacturer stated that they would start a case for him and call him back. the current mileage was approximately 41,000 and failure mileage was approximately 23,000. updated 11/14/08 *cn the check engine light illuminated. the dealer replaced the o2 sensor. updated 11/18/08. *jb

When driving - interior and exterior lights flicker/blink. *nm

Car switches into all 4w and higher by itself. i had been to a dealership 3 times in one year for which they were unable to find the problem. now my warranty is up. after that i took it to a transmission shop where they supposedly fixed the problem for over 800.$ a week later it did it again. now i have the 4wd disconnected for safety reasons. i would be driving on the freeway at 60-75 mph and if would switch and not come out no matter what i do. i have owned this vehicle for almost 5 years and it has done this the whole time. i am a single mom and i drive my 17 and 7 year old around in this car. even with it disconnected it still tries to switch. there is no specific time, temperature, or other reason this happens. it has happened when i turn on the car and sometimes i can go a couple of weeks and other times it happens daily. i also have had my lights not go on for no reason and also the doors lock and can only be unlocked by using the key. and the hatchback will not open at all when this happens. electrical?? help!! *tr

2005 gmc envoy doors and windows failed to open. consumer states that the doors and windows failed to open. he also states that the vehicle would not start when his wife tried to start it. *kb

I have a 2005 gmc envoy. while driving at night both the interior and exterior lights began to flicker periodically. i was following my wife home and she said that it was a huge distraction to her when she was driving. i took the vehicle to the dealer and they said that there was nothing wrong with the vehicle. i have less than 400 miles on the vehicle. according to my friend, his 2005 trailblazer does the same thing. nm

Dt: consumer owns a '05 gmc envoy and has difficulty towing a trailer within gm rates, gm states that his envoy can tow a weight of 5,800 pound capacity, however he feels the vehicle is unable to maneuver a travel trailer of 3,400 pound capacity. the consumer has been to the dealership twice for this. the dealer stated there was nothing they could do. consumer has pulled the trailer with other vehicles and it pulls fine but when attached to the envoy there is a problem. consumer feels it is not with the suspension of the vehicle but within the engine which is a v6. when pulling trailer for a distance as little as 2 miles the engine heats up, and he experiences a loss of speed and engine the bogs down to 30 mph. envoy is equipped with the 373 axle ratio and can not pull an enclosed 24ft travel trailer on it's 6 cylinder engine. the 2nd trip to dealer, the service manager did duplicate this problem and suggested the consumer needed a v8 engine. also, there is a electrical problem that only occurs when the engine is running. consumer gave examples of automatic door locks unlocking by themselves and the anti theft system enabling itself resulting in a shutdown of the vehicle. took to dealer 10 times for this problem. dealer could not duplicate problems. the dealer said gm would not authorize repair unless they could duplicate problem. has contacted gm customer service at least 100 times for these issues without any luck. no repairs or corrections as a result. consumer is still experiencing these problems as a result. *jb

Tl*- the contact owns a 2003 gmc envoy. the headlights, dashboard, and tail lights flashed randomly at any speed, this failure started in october of 2006. the weather and time of day were not factors in the failure. the dealership said that the failure was normal. there were tsbs for the failure, as well as for several others. the fuel neck had been replaced twice due to a design change. the seal around the licenses place holder came loose and had to be replaced. the brake pedal was squeaking, the contact took vehicle for service on three occasions, and replaced the serpentine belt twice, an airbag sensor, the rear wiper arm, the oxygen sensor twice ,the first time at 7000 miles. there were cruise control failures, when the contact tried to accelerate it hesitated and then surged. the weather stripping on the rear doors has been repaired three times. the abs would skip on a bumpy road and would not engage. at one point the contact could smell fuel in the passenger compartment and vehicle had very poor gas mileage, the dealer stated that there was nothing wrong with the vehicle, but air valve became stuck and would not close. the rear door hinges squeaked. this winter it won't go to full voltage until a minute elapsed after the vehicle has been started. the original failure mileage was 3829, and the current mileage was 23700.*ak the brakes were inoperative, the belts squeaked, there was a problem with the abs, the air bag light illuminated, the cruise control didn't work properly, the rear wiper would only wipe the middle of the back windshield. a new fuel neck was installed. updated 03/15/07. *jb

Dt: the contact stated the vehicle stalled without warning. the dealership stated the vehicle defaulted into third gear and will not accelerate. this was due to a computer problem. the dealership has been able to duplicate the problem, but was unable to find the solution. *ak

My seat covers were originally cloth but at time of purchase they were replaced with leather seat coverings and there is recall #06v417000 has me very concerned.

I was driving alone and the dash board light went out i and the 4wd light came on i could not see the speedometer. i pulled over and could not remove the key from car or put the card back into drive .the car shop had to reroute some wire but i don't have any aftermarket add ons. *jb