GMC Envoy Electrical System Problems
Owners have filed 673 complaints with NHTSA about electrical system problems on the GMC Envoy across 13 model years. The 2005 model year has the most (183). The words owners use most often: “fuel gauge” (8% of reports).
- 673electrical system complaints
- —median miles at failure
- 9mention a crash
- 7mention an injury
- 3related recalls
- $850typical repair cost reported by owners
- 50%of reports with a speed happened at 50+ mph
What owners describe
Phrases that appear unusually often in these complaints compared with complaints about other cars.
- Fuel gauge: mentioned in 56 of 673 complaints (8%)
- Instrument cluster: mentioned in 44 of 673 complaints (7%)
- Ignition switch: mentioned in 39 of 673 complaints (6%)
How much does it cost to fix?
Owners who wrote down what they paid or were quoted put the typical electrical system repair on the GMC Envoy at $850, and half of them between $740 and $1,000.
Based on 33 NHTSA complaints about this problem alone that state a repair bill or quote (2007–2015), converted to 2026 dollars with the U.S. consumer price index. These are owners' own figures, not a quote: they include dealer quotes, and owners who file complaints often faced larger repairs, so they can run higher than typical shop prices. Prices vary by shop, region and warranty coverage. How we calculate this.
At what mileage do electrical system problems happen?
Based on 517 complaints that reported the odometer reading.
How serious are the reports?
Of 673 complaints, 9 mention a crash, 59 a fire, 7 an injury.
GMC Envoy electrical system complaints by model year
| Model year | Electrical System complaints | Share of that year | Median miles |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2009 Envoy | 4 | 24% | 61,783 |
| 2008 Envoy | 18 | 23% | 79,125 |
| 2007 Envoy | 59 | 27% | 94,700 |
| 2006 Envoy | 89 | 25% | 93,080 |
| 2005 Envoy | 183 | 38% | 80,000 |
| 2004 Envoy | 164 | 45% | 63,000 |
| 2003 Envoy | 77 | 20% | 66,500 |
| 2002 Envoy | 70 | 14% | 70,000 |
| 2001 Envoy | 3 | 60% | 46,000 |
| 2000 Envoy | 3 | 14% | — |
| 1999 Envoy | 1 | 11% | — |
| 1998 Envoy | 1 | 5% | — |
| 1996 Envoy | 1 | 50% | — |
When owners reported it
Related recalls (3)
Visibility:power window devices and controls; electrical system
Model years: 2006, 2007
Problem: General Motors (GM) is recalling certain model year 2005-2007 SAAB 9-7x; 2006 Chevrolet Trailblazer EXT and GMC Envoy XL; and 2006-2007 Chevrolet Trailblazer, GMC Envoy, Buick Rainier and Isuzu Ascender vehicles. Fluid may enter the driver's door module, causing corrosion that could result in a short in the circuit board. A short may cause the power door lock and power window switches to function intermittently or become inoperative. The short may also cause overheating, which could melt components of the door module, producing odor, smoke, or a fire.
Risk: A short in the circuit board could lead to a fire, increasing the risk of personal injury. A fire could occur even while the vehicle is not in use. As a precaution, owners are advised to park outside until the remedy has been made.
Fix: Owners will be contacted and dealers will test the driver's door module. If the module is functioning properly, a protective coating will be applied. If the module is not functioning properly, it will be replaced. These repairs will be done free of charge. GM will notify Buick, Chevrolet, and GMC owners, Isuzu and Saab will contact their respective owners. The recall began on August 2, 2013. Buick owners may contact the owner center at 1-800-521-7300, Chevrolet owners at 1-866-694-6546, GMC owners at 1-866-996-9463, Isuzu owners at 1-800-255-6727, and Saab owners at 1-800-955-9007. GM's campaign number is 12180. This recall is an expansion of recall 12V-406.
Visibility:power window devices and controls; electrical system
Model years: 2006, 2007
Problem: General Motors (GM) is recalling certain model year 2006 Chevrolet Trailblazer EXT and GMC Envoy XL and 2006-2007 Chevrolet Trailblazer, GMC Envoy, Buick Rainier, SAAB 9-7x, and Isuzu Ascender vehicles, originally sold or currently registered in Connecticut, Delaware, Illinois, Indiana, Iowa, Maine, Maryland, Massachusetts, Michigan, Minnesota, Missouri, New Hampshire, New Jersey, New York, Ohio, Pennsylvania, Rhode Island, Vermont, West Virginia, Wisconsin, and the District of Columbia. Fluid may enter the driver's door module, causing corrosion that could result in a short in the circuit board. A short may cause the power door lock and power window switches to function intermittently or become inoperative. The short may also cause overheating, which could melt components of the door module, producing odor, smoke, or a fire.
Risk: A short in the circuit board could lead to a fire, increasing the risk of personal injury. A fire could occur even while the vehicle is not in use. As a precaution, owners are advised to park outside until the remedy has been made.
Fix: Parts for this recall are expected to available in March 2013. GM will notify Buick, Chevrolet, and GMC owners when parts are available. Buick owners may contact the owner center at 1-800-521-7300, Chevrolet owners at 1-866-694-6546, and GMC owners at 1-866-996-9463. Isuzu owners will be notified by Isuzu Motors when parts are available. Owners may contact Isuzu customer service at 1-800-255-6727. SAAB owners will be notified by SAAB Cars North America when parts are available and for inquiries, owners may call SAAB customer service at 1-800-955-9007.
Electrical system:wiring:interior/under dash
Model years: 2002
Problem: Certain sport utility vehicles fail to comply with the requirements of federal motor vehicle safety standards no. 101, "control location, identification, and illumination" and no. 208, "occupant crash protection." these vehicles have an intermittent condition during vehicle start-up in which the instrument panel cluster may not properly power up, resulting in most of the displays, telltale lights, and functions (except the service engine light, turn signal indicators, and the instrument panel cluster backlighting) being inoperative.
Risk: These vehicles do not comply with the standard.
Fix: Dealers will reprogram the instrument panel cluster. Owner notification began may 29, 2003. Owners who take their vehicles to an authorized dealer on an agreed upon service date and do not receive the free remedy within a reasonable time should contact chevrolet at 1-800-222-1020, gmc at 1-800-462-8782, or oldsmobile at 1-800-442-6537.
What owners report
Short excerpts of recent complaints, with personal details removed. Full reports are on NHTSA.gov.
My switch on drivers door started on fire right after I purchased vehicle from third party. There was no warning I just smelled smoke while driving and pulled it out
The contact owns a 2003 GMC Envoy. The contact stated that while in drive(D), the vehicle shut off and then restarted. The message âService Engine Soonâ was displayed. The vehicle was taken to the local dealer, where it was diagnosed and determined that the instrument cluster needed to be…
1) I just purchased the vehicle in Oct 2026 & 3 days after purchase, it broke down in Walmart parking lot due to, all the antifreeze pouring out. 2) December 2026 had to replace the front tires as they were stripped to the threads from rubbing against the fender wells. 3) January 2026 Wouldnât…
I was living in my car and the windows and door lock cluster caught on fire I had to tear my door panel off to get to the source and unplug it I believe there is a major electrical issue with this vehicle I shouldn't be driving it also my heater fan stopped working on 4 and 5 works on 1 2 and 3 but…
The contact owns a 2004 GMC Envoy. The contact stated that while the vehicle was parked and unoccupied, the contact noticed that the front passenger's door was on fire. The contact stated that he arrived home just in time and noticed the fire. The contact stated that, because it was raining, the…
Frequently asked questions
Do all GMC Envoys have electrical system problems?
No. NHTSA has 673 owner complaints about electrical system for the GMC Envoy. Complaint data shows that the problem is reported, not how many of all cars sold are affected.
Was there a recall on the GMC Envoy electrical system?
Yes: 3 safety recalls list electrical system. Check your VIN on NHTSA.gov to see whether the fix was done on your car.
How much does it cost to fix electrical system problems on the GMC Envoy?
Owners report a typical cost of $850 (half paid between $740 and $1,000), from 33 complaints that state a repair bill or quote, in 2026 dollars.
What do owners say about electrical system problems on the GMC Envoy?
The most frequent phrase is “fuel gauge”, in 56 of 673 complaints, followed by “instrument cluster” (44).
Other GMC Envoy problems
See all GMC Envoy problems.