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XUV: In Display "See Manual-Tailgate"

58K views 61 replies 22 participants last post by  Yvonne 
#1 ·
I once had See Manual-Tailgate in my display and I didnt know what to do...It did say look at the manual but I dont remember where mines is so I went to a site online and downloaded my manual to my computer...Read up on the information and found out that your suppose to start the vehicle and put your finger on the tailgate button for two seconds down and then two seconds up and the display will clear up. The manual said that my glass for the tailgate was off track and was something new to me and I had my vehicle for 3yrs now...Anyone had that problem?:crazy:
 
#2 ·
Tailgate error

The other day I used the tailgate in the down pos. Like a pick up truck... and when I was finished, Everything worked fine but all of a sudden I got that same error you get. My window works fine but the tailgate will not open at all. I guess the tail gate is off the track. Or something. What do you think? If you can I need a picture of both of your fuse boxes so I can check them against mine. THANK YOU
 
#4 ·
I just got this message the other day. My rear window is stuck down. I tried to raise it by using the key in the tailgate, but when i tried to raise it it sounded like it came off the track. I assume based off other responses on here that this would be the first thing to check?
 
#6 ·
You can remove the interior trim panel with the door closed. Then you can access the upper and lower LH (Driver's Side) latches and push tabs on them "up" to swing the door open. They aren't necessarily marked..you will have to look for them. The swing up in little arc cutouts. Once the door is open you have more room to take off the metal covers and see what's going on.
Good luck!
 
#8 ·
I got the panel off, and finally got the door open after several cuts to the arm.

I checked it out and it looks the like window motor (Left of center when looking at the door). The metal cover had fallen off and the metal cables were out of the grooves and somewhat crossed around the yellow wheel. Another gray cable with a small ball, blue tip and a spring was dangling. It seems like that should be attached to the yellow wheel.

The cables look pretty damaged, so it seems like I'm going to have to take it to the dealer. Any idea on how much the repair will run?
 
#10 ·
The cables and guides and actuator motor are all one part number. The dealer will probably want to replace the "regulator," which is all those parts. The motor can actually be replace separately, but only aftermarket...I THINK.
Anyway, I'm guessing dealer cost for the regulator assy to be $500 - $700, guessing 2.5 hrs, minimum???
This won't be a cheap repair at the dealer, I'm afraid.

Greg
 
#11 ·
So the motor with the yellow wheel is the actuator? or the regulator?
And if i buy it, that includes all the cables with white mounting brackets?

And you're saying autozone would have this? I thought i'd have to find this at a GM dealership

Are there any diagrams for the tailgate by chance?

I would love to fix this myself, i can't really afford the mechanics but didn't think i'd be able to find these replacement parts. Plus I really just have no idea whats going on back to be able to describe the parts I need.

I can always take another picture tomorrow if someone could provide some guidance, but I cannot reopen the tailgate to take the picture. Opening those latches manually is a special occasion only task, so I can't guarantee they'll be good pictures.

I've never had to take a car to a mechanic since i've owned cars. My envoy has been really testing me with its problems but I don't want to give in yet. Forums have taught me almost everything about cars, so I have faith in you guys for some help here. Thanks guys
 
#12 ·
Pulled this from compnine.com Click the pic and it will take you to their page with the part number for the regulator (#8) and other info should you need it. Pretty sure you'll have to either go to a dealer, or maybe try a junk yard in your area and see if they have any donor XUVs you can pull the part from.

 
#13 ·
Yeah i just came across that diagram, thanks for posting it.

I checked gmpartsdirect.com and it wasn't available. That makes me nervous that its discontinued. I'll be checking with the dealer Tuesday when they open.

When we were checking out the damage, it looks like those struts and regulator will be pretty tough to get out.
 
#15 ·
Basically, you'll need to remove the rubber window squeegee seal on the top of the gate, (number 4), and perhaps the plastic 'reveal' that for the brake light that the wiper goes through. The rubber pulls off, the plastic need to have the wiper arm off (one nut), take two screws off at either end and pry the plastic. Unbolt the window from the regulator carrier, disconnect heater wires and pull the window out the top. Under the round rubber plugs are the bolts for the regulator guides (rails), take the bolts off, and the bolt holding the actuator motor, and you and can remove everything from their keyhole mounts, then collapse the whole mess and work it out through the openings.
As you found out, lots of sharp edges. Then after you find a replacement and get it all in, there are adjustments to get the glass to fit right.
Not a job for the faint of heart.
If everything goes to hell, remember you can close the midgate window, and leave the back window out to drive the vehicle around, since everything is waterproof in the back.
Maybe the second most expensive method would be to ask a auto glass replacement place about it, too.
The big downside to our cool XUVs is that they didn't make enough of them, so special parts will get harder and harder to come by!
\Greg
 
#17 ·
I just heard back from GMpartsdirect.com and that part is on backorder with no expected date scheduled for it to be back in stock. I should have known better than to get the XUV with all its fancy features that are of the highest quality :no:

Doing the junk yard thing now, very disappointed with GM on this one. My end gate saw very little use and if this product is backordered, then I'm not the only one with this issue. Thanks for the help guys, I'll be back once I can locate the parts for help getting it in.
 
#18 ·
Ouch! Yeah, I see old tailgates are going for $1000 from junkyards, too, primarily for the regulator.
I opened mine up again to inspect things, and the regulator is standard new-style GM, with the cables you mentioned. That style is common for windows for many other makes, as well, and the vendor for those things may not even be GM. I think the problem is that tailgate can get dusty and gets wet inside. There are 4 pulleys on these regulators, 2 on top and 2 on bottom of the regulator guides. The guides need to be lubricated, and the pulleys need to turn. In this area, things get washed down and start to rust. The interior of that gate isn't as protected from the environment as it looks. My guides needed grease, and I lubricated the pulleys on mine, also, using the GM recommended Super Lube. It works smoother, now.
If the pulleys jam up with rust or dirt or whatever, the cables will try to slide with a lot of friction and wear them out until they break. You might have had something hanging up, and the excessive torque caused the actuator cover to pop off as the wheel inside was torquing around against it.
With other people looking for this requlator, I hope it can become available as an aftermarket part, like you can get for the doors and even the midgate!
Let us know how things go!

Greg
 
#19 ·
Well I called the GM corporate headquarters, and I got a guy going through a dealer to try to get this part ordered. He said with their resources sometimes they can get these parts in. He asked if I was unable to use the vehicle because of the problem and I told him I can't get to the spare, so it's not really safe. Hopefully that'll help get some action on this.

I'd rather get this part new than used for the reasons you described Greg. What you described seems to be exactly what happened.
 
#20 · (Edited)
Well, GM pulled through for me, they were able to locate the regulator out of dealer in KY and got it to me today, and it works great!
It cost 145 with tax.

Gregory, your write up made things go smoothly, very much appreciated. There were a couple of things different, so I'll copy what you wrote and edit it so if anyone else gets this, they'll have the step by step.

How to fix this problem

Remove the panel piece inside the tailgate, 6 torx bolts.

Remove the black 'computer' by disconnecting the two plugs and three bolts.

Remove the black metal piece, several larger gray bolts.

Look inside the tailgate, and there are two black round pieces that control the door hinges. On each one, there are small metal tabs, push both towards the sky simultaneously. *Be careful of sharp metal* Make sure someone else is there to pull the door once you hit the manual releases, or the door will shut back on you. Put something in the hinges to make sure it doesn't close on you.

Remove the rubber window squeegee seal on the top of the gate, (number 4 from the diagram). Two torx bolts on the ends of the tailgate must be removed first. The brake light and wiper arm can stay in.

Disconnect 2 heater wires (Purple spiral cords).

Unbolt the window from the regulator carrier, and pull the window out the top.

Under the round rubber plugs there are two bolts for the regulator guides (rails) and two at the top of the door. take the bolts off, and the bolt holding the actuator motor.

Remove the braces from their keyhole mounts, then collapse the whole mess and work it out through the openings.

Remove the actuator (Motor, electrically connected) from the regulator, via three bolts.

Take replacement regulator and re-attach the actuator, and feed in the same way to took it out. Reverse steps to get it back in.

There is a chance adjustments will need to be made to get the glass to fit right.

Once everything is in, you will actually need to do what the car says and consult the manual to reset the window.
Do this by rolling it up until it closes, and hold for two second after it closes. Then roll it all the way down and hold for two seconds.
I had to do it a couple times, but i finally got it.

Unfortunately, to do this step, you have to close the tailgate, so if you didn't get everything right, you have to reopen that tailgate manually, or finish up inside the truck.

If you're reading this because it happened to you, good luck finding the parts! Don't be intimidated by this repair. It looks daunting, but if you can get good replacement parts, and an extra hand for getting the tailgate open, it's not bad at all.
Thanks again for the help guys!
 
#62 ·
Well, GM pulled through for me, they were able to locate the regulator out of dealer in KY and got it to me today, and it works great!
It cost 145 with tax.

Gregory, your write up made things go smoothly, very much appreciated. There were a couple of things different, so I'll copy what you wrote and edit it so if anyone else gets this, they'll have the step by step.

How to fix this problem

Remove the panel piece inside the tailgate, 6 torx bolts.

Remove the black 'computer' by disconnecting the two plugs and three bolts.

Remove the black metal piece, several larger gray bolts.

Look inside the tailgate, and there are two black round pieces that control the door hinges. On each one, there are small metal tabs, push both towards the sky simultaneously. Be careful of sharp metal Make sure someone else is there to pull the door once you hit the manual releases, or the door will shut back on you. Put something in the hinges to make sure it doesn't close on you.

Remove the rubber window squeegee seal on the top of the gate, (number 4 from the diagram). Two torx bolts on the ends of the tailgate must be removed first. The brake light and wiper arm can stay in.

Disconnect 2 heater wires (Purple spiral cords).

Unbolt the window from the regulator carrier, and pull the window out the top.

Under the round rubber plugs there are two bolts for the regulator guides (rails) and two at the top of the door. take the bolts off, and the bolt holding the actuator motor.

Remove the braces from their keyhole mounts, then collapse the whole mess and work it out through the openings.

Remove the actuator (Motor, electrically connected) from the regulator, via three bolts.

Take replacement regulator and re-attach the actuator, and feed in the same way to took it out. Reverse steps to get it back in.

There is a chance adjustments will need to be made to get the glass to fit right.

Once everything is in, you will actually need to do what the car says and consult the manual to reset the window.
Do this by rolling it up until it closes, and hold for two second after it closes. Then roll it all the way down and hold for two seconds.
I had to do it a couple times, but i finally got it.

Unfortunately, to do this step, you have to close the tailgate, so if you didn't get everything right, you have to reopen that tailgate manually, or finish up inside the truck.

If you're reading this because it happened to you, good luck finding the parts! Don't be intimidated by this repair. It looks daunting, but if you can get good replacement parts, and an extra hand for getting the tailgate open, it's not bad at all.
Thanks again for the help guys!
Hey Kyle! This post has saved me 10 years after you wrote it. I had to replace my back tailgate window regulator just this weekend. Getting the part was suprising easy from GMPartsDirect (took a week). For under $150 and about 90 minutes of easy work it is fixed! Mostly thanks to you and your concise instructions. These rypes of forums are life/money savings. Thank you Kyle for sharing what worled for you. My XUV is 16 years old and looks and runs great still.
 
#21 ·
Good deal and write-up! I'm glad you got through that relatively cheap!
I would keep the old pieces. One of the reasons that regulator is rare is that it has hall -effect sensors to measure window travel in it, and that is not standard. Maybe in the future you will need those things, somehow.
:)
 
#22 ·
well the only things i could salvage from my old piece would be the rails and they seem pretty sturdy. I can't imagine those failing. But the cables and everything weren't worth holding onto so I tossed em in the trash and they're already gone.

Now that I know this is a problem area I don't plan on using that window much anymore so hopefully I won't have anymore problems with it.

Thanks again.
 
#23 · (Edited)
The guides need to be lubricated, and the pulleys need to turn. In this area, things get washed down and start to rust. The interior of that gate isn't as protected from the environment as it looks. My guides needed grease, and I lubricated the pulleys on mine, also, using the GM recommended Super Lube. (quote)

Greg or Kyle, Can I lube the pulleys/cables with only removing the inside cover panel? And should I remove the pulleys to lube the shafts? I really don't want to have a regulator failure and a little PM might save me the hassle. Thanks guys ,
Mike
 
#24 ·
Mike,
I could reach everything removing the inner cover and the steel reinforcing panel fairly easily except for the top pulleys. A very long "straw" could squirt those perhaps, from the cover area. You cannot remove the pulleys to lube them. I just squirted them all over, and the stuff works its way in as I work the window up and down. I reached the top pulleys on mine by removing the seal on top of the door, and that let me reach down from top with a standard length and spray that area. I was then able to reach inside and wipe up where I had missed, and cleaned the window where I got spray on it. You may not feel its worth the effort to remove that seal and come up with another idea. Have a light handy to see around in the door. I took the opportunity to do the latches and detent stuff, too. Works much nicer.
I really think you could fend off trouble by yearly or bi-yearyl lube on the that regulator mechanism.
Greg
 
#27 ·
Get this...today driving home, I noticed my midgate window was rolled down. Tried to roll it up and nothing happened.

Checked it out later and it sounds identical to how the back window sounded when the regulator cables were broken. Two weeks after I fix the tailgate, the midgate breaks the exact same way!

I had not used the midgate glass since I fixed the rear tailgate's regulator. It was mysteriously rolled down by itself when I got in the car. Or I imagine the cables gave out or something and the window fell a little bit while driving.

Anyone have a link on how to replace the midgate regulator? :hissy:
 
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