2000 GMC Yukon Body & Structure Problems

GMC YUKON 2000 AND ABOVE MODELS. TAIL GATE WINDOW INSTALLATION. WINDOW IS ATTACHED TO VEHICLE WITH PLASTIC FASTENERS WHICH TEND TO BREAK AND CAUSE THE WINDOW TO COME SEPARATED FROM THE WINDOW FRAME. THE WINDOW IS THEN ATTACHED TO THE VEHICLE PRIMARILY BY THE WINDOW LOCK. TO MY KNOWLEDGE THIS HAS HAPPENED TO MY 2000 YUKON XL, TO MY DAUGHTER'S 2001 YUKON XL AND WHEN I TOOK THE VEHICLE TO THE DEALERSHIP SHOP FOR REPAIR I WAS TOLD BY THE SHOP PERSONNEL THAT THEY HAD FIXED SEVERAL LIKE VEHICLE WITH THE SAME PROBLEM. THE REPLACEMENT WINDOW IS COMPLETELY REDESIGNED INDICATING THAT THE FACTORY HAS BECOME AWARE OF THE PROBLEM, BUT HAS NO CALLED FOR A RECALL. THIS HAS BEEN APPEARING FOR SEVERAL YEARS. THE ONLY WAY I HAVE TO DATE WAS TO PLACE THE INCIDENT DATE AS TODAY'S DATE. *JB

I DISCOVERED TWO GAPS IN THE REAR SEALS ON THE LIFT GATE OF MY 2000 GMC YUKON XL. THE GAPS ARE AT THE BOTTOM CORNERS OF THE LIFT GATE (RIGHT AND LEFT SIDES) AND ARE APPROXIMATELY 1 TO 3 INCHES LONG AND ABOUT 1/16" WIDE. THESE GAPS WILL ALLOW EXHAUST GASSES TO COME INTO THE VEHICLE, OR WATER IN THE EVENT OF A HEAVY RAINSTORM. WE PLAN TO TAKE THE VEHICLE TO THE NEAREST DEALER VERY SOON, AS WE HAVE 35,990 MILES ON IT AND WE WANT IT FIXED UNDER WARRANTY. THE SEALS APPEAR TO BE INADEQUATE, I.E. INSUFFICIENT IN SIZE OR THICKNESS TO ADEQUATELY SEAL THE BOTTOM CORNERS OF THE LIFT GATE. THIS PROBLEM WAS FOUND BY INSPECTION BY MYSELF, AS I WAS INSPECTING THE VEHICLE PRIOR TO ALLOWING THE WARRANTY TO EXPIRE. FORTUNATELY, I WAS ABLE TO SEE LIGHT COMING THROUGH EACH CORNER, BEFORE ANYONE HAS A PROBLEM WITH THE GAP IN THE SEALS.

WHILE DRIVING, REAR CARGO DOOR OPENS. DEALERSHIP STATED GAP AT THE TOP OF THE DOORS WAS NOT CAUSING THE PROBLEM; GAP WAS JUST AN ADJUSTMENT. DEALERSHIP UNABLE TO DUPLICATE PROBLEM. ONCE PROBLEM DUPLICATED, PARTS ORDERED INCORRECTLY. AUTO OUT OF STATE FOR 4 MONTHS. RETURNED IN APRIL 2001 AND LATCH REPLACED. AT THIS TIME THE DOORS RATTLED/CHATTERED. BECAUSE OF OTHER ISSUES AND DEALERSHIP FAILURE TO ADDRESS PROBLEMS, GMC CO REP CONTACTED AND ALL ITEMS WERE COMPLETED EXCEPT THE ISSUE RATTLE/CHATTER. CO REP STATED NEW WEATHER STRIPPING. 6 MONTHS OF ADJUSTING, WEATHER STRIPPING AND WAITING ON PARTS THE GAP IS STILL APPARENT AND CAUSING THE RATTLE CHATTER. 11/30/2001 DEALERSHIP SAID THERE WAS NOTHING ELSE THEY COULD DO. ONLY WAY TO STOP THE RATTLE/CHATTER IS TO PULL IN ON THE PASSENGER CARGO DOOR AND PUSH OUT ON THE DRIVER CARGO DOOR. INDEPENDENT EXPLAINED THAT UNTIL YOU KNOW WHETHER THE PROBLEM IS IN THE DOORS, HINGES OR BODY OF THE VEHICLE, YOU WILL NOT BE ABLE TO ADJUST THE DOORS TO STOP RATTLING/CHATTERING. BECAUSE OF TIME RESTRAINTS AND NO RESPONSE FROM DEALERSHIP, PROPOSAL OF EITHER TRADING ME OUT TO A NEW VEHICLE (PAYING $8,150.07 DIFFERENCE) OR BUYING BACK CAR FOR $28,500. NO RESPONSE FROM DEALERSHIP. 01/03/2002 GMC CUSTOMER SERVICE STATED CO REP SAID NO BUY BACK OF VEHICLE AND THE ONLY THING THE DEALERSHIP WOULD DO IS TO CONTINUE ADJUSTING THE DOORS TO LATCH TIGHTER. I QUESTIONED WHY THAT WOULD BE DONE AND NO ANSWER GIVEN. THIS CAR HAS A MARKETABILITY ISSUE. NO ONE WILL WANT TO DRIVE A VEHICLE THAT DOES NOTHING BUT RATTLE/CHATTER DOWN THE ROAD.