Envoy XUV roof problem

LizaG

Original poster
Member
Aug 6, 2018
5
California
Recently bought '04 Envoy XUV, really like it but the roof quit after 3rd day. Mechanic and I have been trying to get parts for it. Really hard when they're discontinued. I found a rear roof motor at a salvage yard. When we realized we needed module as well, the guy I paid to get it went but truck was crushed the day before. Does anyone know where to get the module for sliding roof? Or is there interchangeable parts? Please post any helpful information.
 

Mooseman

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Dec 4, 2011
25,344
Ottawa, ON

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Reprise

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First...Welcome!

Besides the roof, be aware that the midgate (glass) and endgate (which can open both vertically / horizontally) tend to have problems as well. Actually, they tend to have issues much more frequently than the roof (probably only because the roof panel isn't retracted nearly as much as the mid- / endgates are).

If you run into another one of these in a local junkyard or on Craigslist - give serious thought to buying it & saving it for a parts car, if you have the room. The XUV has many 'unique' parts to it (especially the SLEs, which have the cloth-style interior).

If you can't house an entire parts car, bookmark 'XUV' in your local CL and search it every so often - everything on the body / interior from the rear doors back is XUV-specific, even the taillights & rear wiper. If you ever do a side-by-side comparo of an XL with an XUV (even online), the differences will be more apparent.

Give some thought to leaving the midgate in a permanent 'up' or 'down' position - or, don't fret if it ever gets stuck in the 'up', when you wanted it 'down' (it won't fold down unless the glass is retracted into the gate - or, to be more precise, the CAN bus *recognizes* it to be retracted). Same for the endgate, which has additional issues, since it can open two different ways.

Those XUV modules are worth gold. Get some to have as spares.

eBay is your XUV's new BFF (I've gotten lots of used parts there for my XL, way cheaper than elsewhere.) Car-part.com can net some goodies (they're nationwide), but you'll pay more (it's a nationwide junkyard / salvage network.) They're good for body parts & major assemblies (although if you have to replace engine / trans at this point, you may decide to just cut your losses, even though those parts are shared across the platforms.)

A service manual (with the XUV supplements, where applicable) will save you & your mech a lot of time / frustration. You can download them from Mooseman's link in his sig.

It was only sold for 2 years - and in such few numbers, the main parts supplier almost went under b/c GM assured them it would sell like hotcakes, and the supplier sunk a lot of capital into producing the parts - only to see GM cancel delivery of most of the anticipated shipments, as sales never materialized.

The other thing that hurts you, parts-wise, is that it was a GMC exclusive. A real white elephant, as it were.

Good luck, and don't be a stranger. Unlike many here, I liked the XUV, and wanted one when I was looking for my XL - until I found out the 'special' issues they presented. I loved the concept, and even remember the ad copy from when it was introduced back in '04. I just don't want to be constantly worrying about panels going back into place as needed. And the cloth seats are just g*d-awful ugly (sorry if I offended, but there's no gentle way to say it).
If you have leather - count your blessings (and enjoy the seat heaters! :smile:

On edit: Oops...I see you have the SLE. But - you DO have the best exterior color! :2thumbsup:
(GM later renamed it 'Spiral Gray Metallic', if you're in the market for a touch-up pen / spray can).
 
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LizaG

Original poster
Member
Aug 6, 2018
5
California
Thanks Mooseman and Reprise, I'm looking into buying a salvaged XUV, just to store for parts. It seems likely in long run, but for short term we just want our son to be able to drive. If anyone hears of a module available give me a shout out!:whiteflag:
 

xavierny25

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Mar 16, 2014
6,324
Staten Island, N.Y

Reprise

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Hmm...you sure about that 'flash'? I've never seen that in the name.

Actually, I was kinda incorrect myself - when I checked just now (on that site), it's called 'Dark Spiral Gray Metallic' (that's the real name; I've seen it elsewhere). And FWIW, there is no 'Light' version.
It really is a cool color, up close - lots of flake. GM has done some really nice paint colors from time to time. Wish the Envoy had gotten the medium blue that the TBs got - that's a really nice color, for factory paint.

If anyone hears of a module available give me a shout out!

Unless someone here with an XUV decides to part out a vehicle, I doubt we will, to be honest. I don't think any of the 'active' people still here have one. But - in case they do - you can set an alert on this thread, and have it e-mail you at an address of your choice when someone updates it.

If you live in a major metro area of Cali, Craigslist will probably be your best, closest, bet. And likely cheap, too (relatively speaking - ain't nothin' cheap over there...lol)

If you're giving it to the son, unless he's mechanically inclined, you might want to pull the electrical harnesses to the motors for the midgate & liftgate glass / roof panel. Unless you want a call from him late at night (in a rainstorm, naturally) saying "I can't close the roof!" LOL
 
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xavierny25

Member
Mar 16, 2014
6,324
Staten Island, N.Y
Hmm...you sure about that 'flash'? I've never seen that in the name
Yes I'm sure but it was only available for the 08-09 envoy from what I gathered on the interwebz. So your definitely right with your color name for the earlier models.
 

Reprise

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Jul 22, 2015
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So I SHOULD, or SHOULD NOT do this?

Before:
View attachment 85466
After:

View attachment 85465

It's been done before (not by a member here), if you're asking about 'mechanically possible'.

With enough resources, *anything* is possible, right? I've only seen pictures of the one, and it's not Cali-based, IIRC, so you'd be able to 'get your unique on', as it were.

Because of the way the XUV is constructed, it's not as hard as the casual observer would think. And the rear cargo area is supposedly waterproof. I make no guarantees how it would hold up to 24/7 exposure to the elements, but you're in Cali, so that helps, I suppose.

Now, if you're asking for our advice on how it would look / stability / etc. - as Yoda would say...
"Will or Will Not - there is no 'should' :biggrin: It's your truck. You'd probably get a few thumbs-ups from us, especially if you took pics of the build.

Personally, with the railing edge strips in your 'after' pic, it reminds me a bit of a 1st-gen Ridgeline. Or perhaps an Avalanche.
 
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LizaG

Original poster
Member
Aug 6, 2018
5
California
Hmm...you sure about that 'flash'? I've never seen that in the name.

Actually, I was kinda incorrect myself - when I checked just now (on that site), it's called 'Dark Spiral Gray Metallic' (that's the real name; I've seen it elsewhere). And FWIW, there is no 'Light' version.
It really is a cool color, up close - lots of flake. GM has done some really nice paint colors from time to time. Wish the Envoy had gotten the medium blue that the TBs got - that's a really nice color, for factory paint.



Unless someone here with an XUV decides to part out a vehicle, I doubt we will, to be honest. I don't think any of the 'active' people still here have one. But - in case they do - you can set an alert on this thread, and have it e-mail you at an address of your choice when someone updates it.

If you live in a major metro area of Cali, Craigslist will probably be your best, closest, bet. And likely cheap, too (relatively speaking - ain't nothin' cheap over there...lol)

If you're giving it to the son, unless he's mechanically inclined, you might want to pull the electrical harnesses to the motors for the midgate & liftgate glass / roof panel. Unless you want a call from him late at night (in a rainstorm, naturally) saying "I can't close the roof!" LOL
Thanks, maybe our best bet would be to sell.
 

Reprise

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Jul 22, 2015
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Thanks, maybe our best bet would be to sell.

Well, I hate to say this - but if you think that's your best bet, and you were going to get another as a parts car - why not part that one out?
You could make way more than selling it as a complete vehicle - eventually.

Put an ad in CL and run it in perpetuity until you've reached your " profit vs looking at a half-stripped car" pain threshold. The XUV-specific parts will go first, and command the highest premium - plan accordingly.

Even better - 'give' it to the son as a project, give him the quick debrief on parts of the truck common to all GMT3x0, vs the XUV-onlys, and let him know that the profits are his - you'll be surprised how quickly it goes. And he can do the dirty work of stripping it down, where needed (most of the time, you'll have the buyer remove the part - until you get down to the last few items.) If the engine / trans are good runners, sell them as complete pieces only. If your son is enterprising, he can give two prices - one for 'pre-removed', and the other for 'buyer takes it off"

For your ad, take a picture of the Service Parts Identification sticker in the glove box, and include it as one of the pics in the ad. Saves a LOT of responses to looky-loos asking "does it have <option> ?", as every RPO in the truck is listed on that sticker. The son's contact info goes in the ad, of course. :wink:
 

LizaG

Original poster
Member
Aug 6, 2018
5
California
Well, I hate to say this - but if you think that's your best bet, and you were going to get another as a parts car - why not part that one out?
You could make way more than selling it as a complete vehicle - eventually.

Put an ad in CL and run it in perpetuity until you've reached your " profit vs looking at a half-stripped car" pain threshold. The XUV-specific parts will go first, and command the highest premium - plan accordingly.

Even better - 'give' it to the son as a project, give him the quick debrief on parts of the truck common to all GMT3x0, vs the XUV-onlys, and let him know that the profits are his - you'll be surprised how quickly it goes. And he can do the dirty work of stripping it down, where needed (most of the time, you'll have the buyer remove the part - until you get down to the last few items.) If the engine / trans are good runners, sell them as complete pieces only. If your son is enterprising, he can give two prices - one for 'pre-removed', and the other for 'buyer takes it off"

For your ad, take a picture of the Service Parts Identification sticker in the glove box, and include it as one of the pics in the ad. Saves a LOT of responses to looky-loos asking "does it have <option> ?", as every RPO in the truck is listed on that sticker. The son's contact info goes in the ad, of course. :wink:
WoW, thanks for the info! Never thought of that. I'll go over it with him. I'll keep you guys posted on our decision.
 

BRomanJr

Member
Dec 9, 2011
371
@LizaG , you said "roof quit", can you elaborate?
Given this is a unique, useful and scarce vehicle, I love mine.

In reference to your issue, do any of the Endgate functions work?
What Roof function is failing?

I had an intermittent problem (2 or 3 times) with my Endgate where the window would only go down or up in "steps" each push of the switch or turn of the key would open or close the glass about 2".
But beyond that The endgate wouldn't open, nor would the roof open.
Turned out to be poor connection on the Endgate Module inside the Endgate. I removed the interior panel then unplugged and reinserted the connectors a few times and all started working again. so I added dielectric grease to the terminals and put it back together. Something to try.
 
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LizaG

Original poster
Member
Aug 6, 2018
5
California
@LizaG , you said "roof quit", can you elaborate?
Given this is a unique, useful and scarce vehicle, I love mine.

In reference to your issue, do any of the Endgate functions work?
What Roof function is failing?

I had an intermittent problem (2 or 3 times) with my Endgate where the window would only go down or up in "steps" each push of the switch or turn of the key would open or close the glass about 2".
But beyond that The endgate wouldn't open, nor would the roof open.
Turned out to be poor connection on the Endgate Module inside the Endgate. I removed the interior panel then unplugged and reinserted the connectors a few times and all started working again. so I added dielectric grease to the terminals and put it back together. Something to try.
My husband opened the roof and it stayed stuck open. The tailgate glass is also down. Mechanic has been unsuccessful in locating parts. We have resorted to finding people who pull parts at salvage yards. So far I've gotten a roof motor, now we need a module.
Thanks for the advice on wiring, will forward to mechanic.
 

groblive

Member
Aug 31, 2020
1
Roof
It's been done before (not by a member here), if you're asking about 'mechanically possible'.

With enough resources, *anything* is possible, right? I've only seen pictures of the one, and it's not Cali-based, IIRC, so you'd be able to 'get your unique on', as it were.

Because of the way the XUV is constructed, it's not as hard as the casual observer would think. And the rear cargo area is supposedly waterproof. I make no guarantees how it would hold up to 24/7 exposure to the elements, but you're in Cali, so that helps, I suppose.

Now, if you're asking for our advice on how it would look / stability / etc. - as Yoda would say...
"Will or Will Not - there is no 'should' :biggrin: It's your truck. You'd probably get a few thumbs-ups from us, especially if you took pics of the build.

Personally, with the railing edge strips in your 'after' pic, it reminds me a bit of a 1st-gen Ridgeline. Or perhaps an Avalanche.
I have rear body control module, and front body control module and the mid body control module. email me we can talk.
 

Mooseman

Moderator
Dec 4, 2011
25,344
Ottawa, ON
It's been two years so likely not a problem anymore. The OP hasn't been back since neither.
 

XUVconversion

Member
Aug 6, 2018
9
Southern CALIFORNIA
No longer a problem. Due to cost and complexity, My truck is no longer a XUV as I yanked the dead weight.

I never could resolve the issues and decided a life without complex electrics and regulators going out all the time just wasn't worth the expense and headaches.

So my garage space is being taken up with parts I cannot guarantee work but would love to get rid of. (Roof, side glass, rear glass, tail gate regulator, motors).

I'm in The High Desert SoCal if interested

Sometimes you never hear what happened after the original post. Now you know. I lived happier ever after w/out.
 

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Mooseman

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Dec 4, 2011
25,344
Ottawa, ON
I like it! Kinda like a midsize Avalanche.
 
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TollKeeper

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Dec 3, 2011
8,053
Brighton, CO
Theres a guy on the XUV Facebook page looking for the roof panel. He backed into the 5th wheel/gooseneck and crunched it pretty good.
 
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