[bigblumer]

So, I tried to tow a trailer for the first time this weekend. According to the window sticker, I have the towing package. I have the factory installed hitch receiver, wiring harness adapter, and the over-sized transmission cooler. I even have the cable for the break control. When I connected the trailer wiring harness, only my trailer running lights worked. I had no signal or break lights. When I checked to see if I had a blown fuse, I found that I didn't actually have any of the required fuses, or relays. In fact, when I looked closer, I don't even have the contact terminals in the fuse box, so I couldn't even add the fuses if I wanted to. Has anybody ever heard of this issue? Do you think the dealer would help me?

Here is a link to a series of photos I took. If you zoom in, you can see the missing contacts.
https://picasaweb.google.com/108515305081241434652/OutlookFuseBox
Any input would be appreciated.

Thanks,
paul

 

[rbarrios]

What year is your Outlook.
Did you buy it used?

 

[khansen30]

What year is your Outlook.
Did you buy it used?

Sounds like it was bought used, dealer saw that it had a trailer hitch and just assumed it was complete.

 

[ls973800]

1) Look in the glove box where you will find a label with all of the options that are installed on your car. If you see V92 that is the factory tow package. If you don't see V92, someone added some of the tow equipment and you are limited to 2000 lbs towing.

2) I think back in 2007/2008 some of the factory installed tow packages were not equipped with all the correct items, mainly the correct fuse box. You might have to search the different forums to see if you can find any additional information. I think the dealer had to install the box and maybe some additional wires? Not sure what years exactly this affected.

 

[rbarrios]

Recreational Vehicle and Trailer Towing
June 1, 2007 3:20 PM
This information applies to the 2007 Saturn Outlook and GMC Acadia. Details will be covered in an upcoming bulletin. Here are highlights.

Towing with Vehicles without Trailer Provisions (RPO V92)

These vehicles can tow a maximum trailer weight of 2,000 lb. (907 kg).

These vehicles must be modified by installing a new underhood bussed electrical center (UBEC) to provide full functionality for 4 circuits: ground, tail lamps, RH and LH stop/turn lamps.

Underhood Bussed Electrical Center

Replacement UBEC
Original UBEC

25784721
25784722

25784723
25784726

25784725
25784724


To find the original part number, remove the UBEC and look at the side of the UBEC.

TIP: This UBEC replacement should be performed only for customers who perform trailer towing.

These vehicles can tow a maximum trailer weight of 4,500 lb. (2,041 kg)

It is necessary to modify the wiring harness at the Body Control Module (BCM).

Disconnect the X7 connector from the BCM and remove terminal pin 3 (dark blue wire, 38 circuit). Re-connect the X7 connector.

Splice this wire into the wire at BCM connector X6, pin 2 (light green wire, 24 circuit).



---------------------------

Recreational Vehicle and Trailer Towing Update
August 1, 2007 4:36 PM
This information applies to the 2007 Saturn Outlook and GMC Acadia and the
2008 Buick Enclave. It supplements the June 2007 TechLink article. New material is
shown in blue type.

Towing with Vehicles with Trailer Provisions (RPO V92)

The following procedure may need to be performed to the backup lamp circuit if the backup lamp function is required for towing. Perform this procedure only if the customer requires this feature to tow.

Disconnect the X7 connector from the BCM and remove terminal pin 3 (dark blue wire, 38 circuit). Re-connect the X7 connector.

Splice this wire into the wire at BCM connector X6, pin 2 (light green wire, 24 circuit).

 

[GM Customer Service]

So, I tried to tow a trailer for the first time this weekend. According to the window sticker, I have the towing package. I have the factory installed hitch receiver, wiring harness adapter, and the over-sized transmission cooler. I even have the cable for the break control. When I connected the trailer wiring harness, only my trailer running lights worked. I had no signal or break lights. When I checked to see if I had a blown fuse, I found that I didn't actually have any of the required fuses, or relays. In fact, when I looked closer, I don't even have the contact terminals in the fuse box, so I couldn't even add the fuses if I wanted to. Has anybody ever heard of this issue? Do you think the dealer would help me?

Here is a link to a series of photos I took. If you zoom in, you can see the missing contacts.
https://picasaweb.google.com/108515305081241434652/OutlookFuseBox
Any input would be appreciated.

Thanks,
paul

How are things going with your Outlook? Did you contact the dealership for further assistance with your trailering package? If so, what did they say?

Michelle, GM Customer Service

 

[bigblumer]

The sticker in the glove box does indicate that I am supposed to have the towing package. I contacted GM customer service myself, and they said that since I am not the original owner, they can not conclusively determine that the fuse box wasn't replaced by the previous owner, or the dealer that we purchased it from.

Personally, I think its a bunch of BS. The CarFax report indicated no damage to the vehicle, and the dealer we got it from had it for about 3 days. The salesman actually called us on the day he took it for trade-in because he knew it was the type of car we wanted. The only thing the dealer did was give it an oil change, wash it, clean it and spray the entire engine compartment with armor-all.

If GM wants to cop-out and just use the excuse of "Well, you aren't the first owner, so you can't prove it was us.", just to get out of providing a 170.00 replacement part, there isn't much I can do about it. I'm not asking for a complete overhaul, I can have my mechanic install it for a 12-pack of cold ones. I just want the part.

We've had the car for 9 months, and already we're starting to build quite a list of things that are wrong with the car.
Purchased Aug 2011
Dec 2011 - Rack and Pinion started leaking -leaks from a press fitting. Slow leak, but still shouldn't happen with only 60k on the clock
Jan 2012 - MAP sensor goes out
May 2012 - Sunroof leaks

I drove my 98 Sable for 192k miles, and the only thing to "break" was the water pump at 160k, or so. Other than that, the only work I put into it was maintenance. I didn't even bother to replace the spark plugs until 120k-miles. I never experienced so many problems with a car that was this new.

The part that scares me is; What happens if the transmission goes, or the timing chain goes -which Lambda's have a history of. Will GM honor their 100k mile power train warranty, or will they say "You aren't the original owner. We can't verify that the previous owner didn't replace a working timing chain with a faulty one."

I do like this car, but its been very frustrating ownership experience.

thanks for letting me vent.
-Paul

 

[rbarrios]

I believe the powertrain warranty is transferable- so they would fix the chains

 

[salguod]

Do I understand this right that some early V92 Lambdas got built with incomplete tow packages? And now GM is telling him that they won't correct this manufacturing defect? If so, that's pretty crappy.

 

[ls973800]

Do I understand this right that some early V92 Lambdas got built with incomplete tow packages? And now GM is telling him that they won't correct this manufacturing defect? If so, that's pretty crappy.

I stated that I thought there was a problem with some of the earlier models built with the V92 Tow Package. If I recall correctly, some of the wiring or some of the fuse boxes were not the proper items and had to be addressed by the selling dealer when people tried hooking up the trailer wiring and brakes.

So far, I have done some searching and see that some additional work had to be done in order to get the electronic brakes control modules to work. I also found one older post talking about the need for a different "underhood electrical center"

http://www.acadiaforum.net/forum/index.php?topic=657.msg10166

http://www.enclaveforum.net/index.php?topic=4836.0

This statement is from the second link I've posted and may be what I was thinking about regarding a different fuse box

Hi, I have an early 2009 Enclave CXL, AWD with the Factory Tow Pkg.

In the manual it says regarding the Dark Blue: Trailer Brake wire page 4-34:
"The fuse for this circuit is installed in the underhood electrical center, but the wires are not connected."
Almost all questions here and on the Acadia forum are about towing are about adding your own hitch and wiring. 2008 needs a new electrical center box--from what i read. i've done a search here and there looking for "blue wire" and "underhood electrical center" with no answers for a 2009.

Other than this, I don't know why the OP is missing the correct hardware for his factory tow package.

 

[GM Customer Service]

The sticker in the glove box does indicate that I am supposed to have the towing package. I contacted GM customer service myself, and they said that since I am not the original owner, they can not conclusively determine that the fuse box wasn't replaced by the previous owner, or the dealer that we purchased it from.

Personally, I think its a bunch of BS. The CarFax report indicated no damage to the vehicle, and the dealer we got it from had it for about 3 days. The salesman actually called us on the day he took it for trade-in because he knew it was the type of car we wanted. The only thing the dealer did was give it an oil change, wash it, clean it and spray the entire engine compartment with armor-all.

If GM wants to cop-out and just use the excuse of "Well, you aren't the first owner, so you can't prove it was us.", just to get out of providing a 170.00 replacement part, there isn't much I can do about it. I'm not asking for a complete overhaul, I can have my mechanic install it for a 12-pack of cold ones. I just want the part.

We've had the car for 9 months, and already we're starting to build quite a list of things that are wrong with the car.
Purchased Aug 2011
Dec 2011 - Rack and Pinion started leaking -leaks from a press fitting. Slow leak, but still shouldn't happen with only 60k on the clock
Jan 2012 - MAP sensor goes out
May 2012 - Sunroof leaks

I drove my 98 Sable for 192k miles, and the only thing to "break" was the water pump at 160k, or so. Other than that, the only work I put into it was maintenance. I didn't even bother to replace the spark plugs until 120k-miles. I never experienced so many problems with a car that was this new.

The part that scares me is; What happens if the transmission goes, or the timing chain goes -which Lambda's have a history of. Will GM honor their 100k mile power train warranty, or will they say "You aren't the original owner. We can't verify that the previous owner didn't replace a working timing chain with a faulty one."

I do like this car, but its been very frustrating ownership experience.

thanks for letting me vent.
-Paul

I completely understand all the emotions you are experiencing with your situation.

As rbarrios has stated the Powertrain Limited warranty goes with the vehicle so, if you were to experience issues with the timing chains or transmission we will honor the Powertrain warranty. Please, keep in mind these type of things need to be diagnosed by a General Motors ASE Certified Technician. When they diagnose the concerns, they then should communicate if the situation is covered under the new vehicle warranty.

In regards to the comment about the vehicle being used… the previous owner(s) could have made modifications to the vehicle. If this is the case, then it wouldn't fall under a defect in quality or craftsmanship of General Motors or its suppliers. I apologize for this inconvenience.

Michelle, GM Customer Service