So this week has been an electrical gremlin/partial failure week. It started with my 2017 Denali tailgate having a mind of its own. Sometimes it would open, sometimes not.
In the diagnosis it appears that the power gate latch/lock is getting flaky. Luckily I pulled off the trim cover to check it out. I found that you need a square drive to release it if it fails......but its about a 5/16" - ish (probably metric). Don't make it like a standard ratchet extension or anything.....gee wiz.
It's handy if you have that trim piece off. If it's on, I'm certain there would be many cuss words uttered and probably a broken trim piece in order to open it if the gate locked itself closed. There is a dot to drill the cover, but damn.....that would suck
I effed around with it, lubed it, and it seemed better. Closed the lift gate and then it wouldn't do a thing. After some rummaging through tools, I settled on a tap with a square drive that just barely fit and was able to release it.
The second gremlin is on my daughter's 2016 Malibu where it wouldn't release from park. She said she pressed the brake pedal extra hard and it worked. I did a similar thing a couple days later and VIOLA! So, $50 at RockAuto and a new brake switch was installed. But, it was short lived and went back to being a PITA.
I got it in the shop vs. working in 30F weather and found that there was a little solenoid in the shifter assembly in the column that releases the park pawl. I got it to act up and saw it was slow/sticky. Some spray lube and we're back in business.......hopefully for awhile.
A quick tutorial on how to remove the shifter boot to use the manual release should hopefully prevent a "Dad, my car is broke" call the next time I'm out of town. Murphy is a jerk.....LOL
In the diagnosis it appears that the power gate latch/lock is getting flaky. Luckily I pulled off the trim cover to check it out. I found that you need a square drive to release it if it fails......but its about a 5/16" - ish (probably metric). Don't make it like a standard ratchet extension or anything.....gee wiz.
It's handy if you have that trim piece off. If it's on, I'm certain there would be many cuss words uttered and probably a broken trim piece in order to open it if the gate locked itself closed. There is a dot to drill the cover, but damn.....that would suck
I effed around with it, lubed it, and it seemed better. Closed the lift gate and then it wouldn't do a thing. After some rummaging through tools, I settled on a tap with a square drive that just barely fit and was able to release it.
The second gremlin is on my daughter's 2016 Malibu where it wouldn't release from park. She said she pressed the brake pedal extra hard and it worked. I did a similar thing a couple days later and VIOLA! So, $50 at RockAuto and a new brake switch was installed. But, it was short lived and went back to being a PITA.
I got it in the shop vs. working in 30F weather and found that there was a little solenoid in the shifter assembly in the column that releases the park pawl. I got it to act up and saw it was slow/sticky. Some spray lube and we're back in business.......hopefully for awhile.
A quick tutorial on how to remove the shifter boot to use the manual release should hopefully prevent a "Dad, my car is broke" call the next time I'm out of town. Murphy is a jerk.....LOL
