NHTSA Complaint #10043293 — 2003 GMC ENVOY

COMPRESSOR FOR AUTOMATIC LOAD-LEVELING REAR SUSPENSION CYCLES ON AND OFF INTERMITTENTLY WHILE THE VEHICLE IS OFF. THIS HAPPENS EVEN AFTER THE VEHICLE HAS BEEN TURNED OFF FOR SEVERAL HOURS. IF NOT NOTICED, COMPRESSOR WILL CONTINUE TO CYCLE ON AND OFF AND RUN DOWN THE BATTERY. USUALLY CAN HEAR A "PUFF" OF AIR BEING RELEASED FROM THE SYSTEM RIGHT BEFORE THE COMPRESSOR CYCLES ON. THE COMPRESSOR CAN STAY ON FOR AS LITTLE AS SEVERAL SECONDS OR FOR UP TO A FEW MINUTES. THE CYCLE CAN LAST FOR WHAT SEEMS TO BE AS LITTLE AS 5 MINUTES OR UP TO A FEW DAYS SO THAT THE BATTERY RUNS DOWN IF LEFT AT AN AIRPORT WHILE ON VACATION, FOR EXAMPLE. THE ONLY WAY TO "BREAK" THE CYCLE IS TO DRIVE THE VEHICLE OR TURN THE CAR ON AND THEN TURN IT OFF AFTER SEVERAL SECONDS. TURNING THE CAR ON AND OFF DOESN'T ALWAYS WORK. BUT, WHEN OPERATING THE VEHICLE, THE COMPRESSOR SEEMS TO WORK NORMALLY. THIS PROBLEM HAS BEEN HAPPENING FOR MONTHS, I HAVE 5,000 MILES ON THE VEHICLE WHICH WAS PURCHASED 2/2003. IT HAS BEEN IN THE SHOP FOR THIS PROBLEM 3 TIMES. I TOOK IT IN FOR SERVICE AT FARRISH GMC / PONTIAC YESTERDAY (3RD TIME) AND IT IS STILL THERE TODAY. AS OF YET, THEY HAVE BEEN UNABLE TO FIX THIS PROBLEM BECAUSE NO TECHNICAL SERVICE BULLETIN EXISTS TO GUIDE THEM. THE DEALERSHIP HAS NOT CONDUCTED A VISUAL INSPECTION OF THE SYSTEM OR ITS COMPONENTS TO LOOK FOR LEAKS OR BROKEN PARTS. THEY'VE ONLY DONE A COMPUTER DIAGNOSTIC, WHICH FOUND NOTHING WRONG. HOWEVER, SERVICE CONSULTANTS AT THE DEALERSHIP HAVE WITNESSED THE EVENT HAPPENING AND THE COMPRESSOR TURNING ON AND OFF...WHILE THE VEHICLE IS OFF. AGAIN, I NEED TO STRESS THAT THE PROBLEM IS HAPPENING WHEN THE VEHICLE IS TURNED OFF AND NOT IN USE. THE COMPRESSOR SHOULD NOT EVEN BE ABLE TO TURN ITSELF ON IF THE CAR IS TURNED OFF. FIRST TIME I BROUGHT THE VEHICLE IN FOR SERVICE WAS 7/12/2003, THE SECOND TIME ON 8/29/2003 AND THEN AGAIN FOR A THIRD TIME ON 10/20/2003. *LA