2004 Buick Rainier Logo
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Mark Rowles Posted on Jan 11, 2014
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All wheel drive dont work

When it is up on the lift the front drive shaft turns but wheels wont engage. one time when it got to 20 mph it slamed in hard and stayed in until we left the parking lot

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nathan

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  • Posted on Jan 11, 2014
nathan
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Joined: Jul 06, 2009
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There is an actuator in the front axle that engages the drive shaft to the wheels. there is also a vacuum actuator i believe in that model it is under the battery plate. if you put on lift you can trace the cable from the front axle back to the actuator and check the cable, actuator and vacuum lines. Gm's system is complex and when is messes up its a night mare. but common failures are actuator cracked or broken vacuum line.

Testimonial: "This is not an actuator like on the older chevy trucks? What makes it pull the axles in because we didnt see any vacuum lines. Do you have to tear the rear completely apart to fix it?"

5 Related Answers

Pierre Laplante

  • 2061 Answers
  • Posted on Aug 10, 2008

SOURCE: Power Steering pump replacement

if you have power stering oil in it its normal for the pump to be noisy its air that make that noise continue to drive air will come out by itself after a few kilometer it will go away if you have enough oil thanks pierre

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Anonymous

  • 19 Answers
  • Posted on Oct 16, 2008

SOURCE: Rumbling in front tires

You probably have a bad wheel bearing or bad tire on left front. when making right turn left front wheel wil spin faster than right making noise louder.

Anonymous

  • 5158 Answers
  • Posted on Feb 24, 2009

SOURCE: Smoke, bad smell and slow acceleration on left front wheel

is the abs light on ? if so go down to autozone and have them scan the codes it's free

Anonymous

  • 1066 Answers
  • Posted on Mar 29, 2009

SOURCE: Thump noise in front end

Have your CV joints inspect.

Anonymous

  • 607 Answers
  • Posted on Apr 13, 2009

SOURCE: small clunking noise from right front wheel on

sound like a worn CV joint

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