[Melmo]

We are planning a big roadtrip in 2 weeks, and in preparation, got a new "big girl" carseat for our daughter. I wanted her to try it out in the 3rd row yesterday to make sure she would be comfortable in it, and make sure she had enough leg room, and see if the leg rest we have for her would work with it, etc. Since it was about 95 degrees out, I started the car (with the key, NOT by remote start) and turned on the A/C so the car wouldn't be so unbearably hot. After about 10 minutes, I had my daughter come outside and we were trying the seat in different places with and without the foot rest, so all told, it was about 20 minutes that the car was running. Then the engine just suddenly died. All the electrical stuff was still working, the A/C was still blowing, all the lights were on, the engine just wasn't running. My husband thinks it died because I was low on gas (1/8th of a tank) and the car was sitting on an incline, and he does not think we need to take it to the dealer to be checked out. I am more worried, especially since we are taking a 10 day roadtrip soon. I do not want the engine to just die somewhere along the way.

Has anyone else had this happen? Would it make sense for it to die because it was low on gas and on an incline?

 

[bigbluetraverse]

I have heard others with the same issue. It was the angle and the amount of fuel they had in the tanks.

 

[rbarrios]

there has been reports from Acadias, Traverses, enclaves---- being parked on an uphill direction--- AND the tank is LOW on gas-- and the vehicle fails to start....
where you able to restart right away?

 

[AA/78U-Blue Gold]

I have heard others with the same issue. It was the angle and the amount of fuel they had in the tanks.

Personally experienced this in my Acadia; car was on an incline with 1/4 tank; shut off the vehicle, came back out 10 mins later and it wouldn't start. I released the parking brake; turned the key to power, shifted out of park and rolled down the incline and it started right up

 

[Narg]

If you get a chance, you should poke your head under the drivers side of your Traverse and check out the gas tank. It's LOOOOONG, stretching from front to back. So I could easily see that in certain inclined positions that fuel delivery could be affected.

Another thought too is you might have had bad gas. I experience that recently. Had trouble starting.

 

[Melmo]

I was parked downhill (so the front was lower than the back of the car). My husband put it in neutral and it rolled down the hill to a flat area, and then it started right up. Still strange to me that it would do that. What do people who live in San Francisco or other hilly places do, always make sure they have at least a half tank of gas? Strange.

 

[Narg]

I had a family member who lived in SF a few years back. She said a LOT of cars have problems in that area due to this issue.

 

[rbarrios]

Most people who have had this happen on their lambdas-- do make sure not to run too low on gas on a hill.

 

[AA/78U-Blue Gold]

I was parked downhill (so the front was lower than the back of the car). My husband put it in neutral and it rolled down the hill to a flat area, and then it started right up. Still strange to me that it would do that. What do people who live in San Francisco or other hilly places do, always make sure they have at least a half tank of gas? Strange.

You could always back in instead of nose in; no issues that way

 

[bobg1951chevy]

I was parked downhill (so the front was lower than the back of the car). My husband put it in neutral and it rolled down the hill to a flat area, and then it started right up. Still strange to me that it would do that. What do people who live in San Francisco or other hilly places do, always make sure they have at least a half tank of gas? Strange.

I think you have answered your own question. Not only will the Traverse be "picky" when its' fuel tank is very low, you are also allowing dirt and etc. to enter the fuel system, when the level is so low .... not a good practice. Your husband hit the nail on the head.

Bob

 

[Melmo]

I guess I should rethink my current practice of waiting until the range only says "Low Fuel" (meaning I have less than 30 miles to go) to refuel.

 

[AA/78U-Blue Gold]

I guess I should rethink my current practice of waiting until the range only says "Low Fuel" (meaning I have less than 30 miles to go) to refuel.

IMO; running you tank that low is a risky choice; nevermind the fact of the gas tank design. I usually refuel when I get to 1/4 tank

 

[VB - LTZ]

If you run the gas tank low before you fill up all the time you take a bigger chance of pulling dirt or sediment form the bottom of your gas tank in to you engine. This could stick in you fuel pump or fuel injectors and could be costly. I know all vehicles are equipped with a fuel filter but this dose not catch every thing. Think a bought the last time you seen a gas station cleaning there tanks they don’t do this very often so the junk & sediment build up in there. One other thing to keep in mind when you are filling up if you there the gas station pump kicking on and the pump going slow they are pumping from the bottom of there tank. If the stations tanks are running slow due to a low tank I would only get a little gas or go to a higher grade that way you wont pump all the sediment form the bottom of there tank in to yours.

8) Steve

 

[rbarrios]

At about 133,000 I decided to change the fuel pump in my 2003 Trailblazer.
It was working fine (fuel pump and gas gauge).
But I was going to be taking a trip halfway into mexico- and didnt want to have a fuel pump fail out there.....
Here are images of the fuel pump filter--- and the fine sediment that was at the bottom of the vehicles tank... which I thought was a very small amount for 133,000 miles. (I zoomed in)
SO the trailblazer has the filter here at the pump- and then an inline filter under the rear passenger area....
Newer Trailblazers didnt have the inline filter.

 

[VB - LTZ]

:thumb: That is very good I am sure you don’t wait until your fuel light is blinking on your dash until you fill up. I was just trying to explain that if you do so you are taking a greater chance of just a piece of dirt or sediment getting sucked in to a fuel injector and then here comes a hefty bill. I just have never been one to wait until the tank is that low until filling it. I know too many people that have had to pay for that mistake.

8) Steve

 

[AA/78U-Blue Gold]

Is it normal to have an intank filter and an inline filter; I thought fuel systems had one or the other....not both

 

[rbarrios]

:thumb: That is very good I am sure you don’t wait until your fuel light is blinking on your dash until you fill up. I was just trying to explain that if you do so you are taking a greater chance of just a piece of dirt or sediment getting sucked in to a fuel injector and then here comes a hefty bill. I just have never been one to wait until the tank is that low until filling it. I know too many people that have had to pay for that mistake.

8) Steve

On my Trailblazer... 5 days of commuting- was exactly 1 tankful- the light usually came on by weeks end.--- and I always refilled with 16.7 gallons. (the tank I had was 18.7 gallons)- with my driving style- I knew I had about 40 miles left when the light came on.
So out of convenience- 90% of the time- I refilled when the light came on. I was surprissed the fuel pump never met an early death. But that was also a reason I changed it before I drove to Guadalajara.
On the Traverse- with the larger tank- and better MPG's-- by the end of the week- I still have anywhere from 1/4 to 1/2 tank.
Only 1 time in the 12,000 miles- has the low fuel indicator come up.

 

[rbarrios]

on my 2003- yes- it had an external inline filter.... I changed that every 20,000 miles or so.
So I was surprissed to see a filter on the end of the pump when I changed mine.....

On 2005 and up-- they got rid of the inline filter and only referenced a NON serviceable in tank filter.
(lots of Trailblazer/envoy owners would come on the forum asking-- wheres my filter- cant find it)...

Changing the external filter was quite easy on the Trail-Voys.

 

[AA/78U-Blue Gold]

I had numerous issues with the intake filter on our 05 Envoy; it was causing the fuel needle to read erratically; had the filter changed twice and then traded it for the Acadia

 

[rbarrios]

erratic fuel needles- (from what I was able to see on he trailvoy website)...
started popping up ALOT with the 2005 and up Trailvoys.
there was a few for 02-04...

But sometimes the issue was related to sulfur buildup on the pumps variable resistor that moved with the fuel level...
For quite a few members-- running a bottle or 2 of Techron- cleaned the sulfur- and the gas gauge returned to normal operation.

Some with 2005+ reported this helped for a bit- but the problem returned.
so I usually recommended that they try the techron (as it would also clean the fuel injectors)... and if that didnt work-- then they could have the pump replaced. (when I did my pump- parts- it was about $300 to do it myself)... I called a dealer and they quoted I think $1300 (with fuel filter change).
in the pic- the item that has the metal wand attached to it- is what would get sulfur buildup-- a simple variable resistor that couldnt get a true reading because of the buildup...
I ran Techron on my Trailblazer right before every oil change--just about every 10,500 miles
In fact- I ran a bottle of techron in my Traverse the other day- 1 tankful before I drained the oil (about 12,000 miles on the Traverse).