what's your opinion? and what does this light mean?

[Beacon]

i think i want to trade my 9-7 for a rainier... the saab just seems to be a lemon, or broken inside, tonight i replaced my 4th encoder motor, it seems perpetually stuck in 4wd, even in the summer, lately it doesn't seem to be shifting right at times, and i've been smelling antifreeze. mine is a 2007 with 117k miles, pretty clean overall. i saw this buick, and if nothing else, i like the color better.

https://www.jkmotorcars.com/details/used-2006-buick-rainier/79723853

Log into Facebook

Log into Facebook to start sharing and connecting with your friends, family, and people you know.

www.facebook.com

https://www.carfax.com/VehicleHistory/ar20/t3yXDoQeGqYZxpp3cEePJ8-w6mRQhhlFu788-pa0w_SZntZ6CgOGmI5yVv3VCmoiwoDkOVuNvpu2C0RmLu73ItGAqRJkBTK5Cik

mine is showing as $2100-2200 trade in value on edmunds, the buick is showing as $4800-4900 dealer retail. i was think of offering 2500 cash and mine as trade, maybe going as high as 2800. what do you guys think? should i go higher?

as i said, i changed the encoder motor for the 4th time... tonight this light came on...
what is it? i've never noticed it before. the 1st time, i disconnect the battery, i think the 2nd time i pulled a fuse while changing it, and the 3rd time, i don't remember doing anything electrical to the vehicle while changing the motor, never had a problem, then tonight i get this light

edit. sometimes when you come to a stop, or are just getting ready to park, there is a strong vibration in the car, and a feeling of "air being concussed" kinda like when you are real close to a freight train passing by.... WTH is that?

 

[Mike534x]

That's the warning light for the AWD malfunctioning. The rainier uses the same AWD system, but maybe it'll be less of a nightmare for you?

If you go check it out, check that front bumper. It seems like there's a decent bit of gap on the passenger side between the fenders. Not sure if it may've been in an accident or if the bumper is just sagging or something. Otherwise, it does fairly clean and in decent shape.

 

[Beacon]

@Mike534x good catch... and the in the straight on front view... it seems like the bumper to headlight gap is different on each side

 

[Mooseman]

That front bumper has a weird attachment method compared to other GMT360s and has a tendency to sag over time.

Maybe your problem is not the encoder motor itself. Maybe the transfer case is stuck and the encoder isn't able to move it. Best thing is to try and get the codes read. You'd need a scanner capable of reading more than just engine codes.

Does it crow hop when you make a sharp turn on dry asphalt? That would mean that it's stuck engaged.

I'm not a fan of this "slip/bang" system. More trouble than it is useful and uses more gas even when not using it. If you can go without it, you can disable it. Some have even converted it to a real selectable 4x4 transfer case.

And yes, the Buick has the same troublesome system.

 

[northcreek]

I guess I don't see the logic of spending money to trade down a year to a higher mileage 360.

 

[TollKeeper]

@northcreek - Agreed..

I am also of the opinion that the Transfer Case could be stuck. Might warrant a pulling and rebuilding. You could just keep driving it, and pull the front driveshaft out. Of couse you are coming into winter time.. So..

 

[GeorgeF]

Yea I’m a tech so I fix what’s broken. But honestly I would never buy AWD trailvoy, although I had a 06 SS AWD never had issue except the rear air bags. AWD was ok in that.
I personally like the looks of the Saab a lot. The Buick is elderly looking.

 

[Beacon]

maybe i used the wrong words in describing my frustration. it's not stuck in 4wd now. what happens is, when it goes into 4wd, it usually stays there. and i have no idea why it would engage at this time of the year. it was stuck when i bought it, march 2019. i changed the motor.
edit and changed the auto trak II twice. end edit
everything was fine. then around april/may 2020, it gets stuck in 4wd again. change motor, everything is good. july 2021 it get stuck in 4wd. change the motor and we're good. at this point it seems like yearly maintenance, until last week, so i changed the motor again and now the light is on.
and i had to put master cylinder in it this weekend also, and i'm done with it. it's a junk (p.o.s.) vehicle

 

[gmcman]

Do you have tires of different make or wear, what is the condition of all 4 tires including tread depth?

AWD systems like tires of the same make and especially tread depth, this ensures uniformity. Any drastic change and the computer might think you are getting wheel slippage.

 

[TollKeeper]

Do you have tires of different make or wear, what is the condition of all 4 tires including tread depth?

AWD systems like tires of the same make and especially tread depth, this ensures uniformity. Any drastic change and the computer might think you are getting wheel slippage.

This is so true, and a lot of people with AWD systems dont realize it (especially Subaru owners). You cant just replace one tire with AWD, you have to replace them all. Tires of different make or size can destroy an AWD system. 1 new tire and 3 old tires can destroy an AWD system.

But I digress.. If you werent so far away, I would buy that 9-7x off you for my wife. But PA is a long way from CO.

 

[gmcman]

But I digress.. If you werent so far away, I would buy that 9-7x off you for my wife. But PA is a long way from CO.

https://imgur.com/a/FVTfr9r

 

[Mooseman]

Yea I’m a tech so I fix what’s broken. But honestly I would never buy AWD trailvoy, although I had a 06 SS AWD never had issue except the rear air bags. AWD was ok in that.
I personally like the looks of the Saab a lot. The Buick is elderly looking.

That's because the SS uses a full-time Torsen transfer case. There is no encoder motor. It has a 60/40 rear/front power split that allows some slippage between the two.

 

[Beacon]

Do you have tires of different make or wear, what is the condition of all 4 tires including tread depth?

AWD systems like tires of the same make and especially tread depth, this ensures uniformity. Any drastic change and the computer might think you are getting wheel slippage.

when i first bought it, it had different brands front and rear in pairs, the fronts were nearly bald, i drove it a month or 2, then, bought 4 new tires, and have kept sets of 4 on it since. and i rotate front to back, to try to keep them even.

 

[Beacon]

i went to look at it the Buick, less rusty spots than mine it seems like a 4 year old vehicle. the drivers side door handle doesn't open the from the outside, i was surprised by that. the seat doesn't seem to go to the floor. it seems like someone disconnected the speakers except for the front left. it's a shame that the frame and body panels are so nice and these other issues are there

 

[gmcman]

I wonder if the chain is stretched in your transfer case from the mismatched tires.

 

[Mooseman]

And have you replaced the transfer case fluid at its 50k mile interval? That and overuse from mismatched tires may have damaged it. Could explain why you had to replace the encoder motor every year. Probably got burned out.

 

[northcreek]

I wonder if the chain is stretched in your transfer case from the mismatched tires.

Speaking of chain stretchers: