Oldsmobile Intrigue: Problems & Solutions

tmark58 · January 2003

I too have been battling oil loss on a 99 Intrigue. Started around 50K miles. Now up to 72K. Dealer found no leak.

I change oil every 4 thousand miles, and now add an oil additive to get me to the next oil change.

Very annoying. Outside of this the car performs well.

arnie82 · January 2003

My 2000 Intrigue's interior lights are not working. This includes the map lights, vanity lights, glove box light and trunk light. I checked the fuse (good) and followed the steps in the owners manual to reset the "battery saver" feature. I also made sure that the glove box was completely closed.
Any ideas?

tander · February 2003

My 1999 3.5, 38000 miles has an oil leak. I have the GM extended warranty, however, does anyone know of any TSB's, "silent recalls or other meathods to approach the dealer with to fix this short of paying my $100.00 deductable with the extended warranty. For what its worth, Im a lawyer and Im not bashful about litigating.

dekester · February 2003

I wish I had found this discussion board a couple of years ago...I would have seen what I was in store for.

Bought my 98 Intrigue in January, 1999. Car was among the first built after the massive strike was settles. Should have been me first clue.

Car now has under 26K and I can't wait ti get rid of it.
Under warranty, replaced:
Intermediate Steeting Shaft - needs a new one now!

Front passenger door upper frame molding - loose

Wheel center caps clips - clips came loose inside caps and clicked me crazy.

Driver door interior panel - came apart

Console arm rest - foam inside shrunk and vinyl outside puckered.

Front lower air dam - original fell off (actually, I paid for this as it was "only" $12.00)

TWO DAYS after warranty expired, replaced the starter as original shed seeth from the gear. GM refused to reimburse me since I did not have the repair done at a dealership. The repair was done on a Saturday, dealership service was not open then.

Replaced rear brake rotors due to severe rust and scoring. Car had under 19K at the time. Brake pads also replaced and front rotors resurfaced. I was told not to expect more than 6 months more from them.

Steering is making nouse again like before ISS was replaced. GM "may" pay for it, though the car is out of warranty, but I'll have to have a dealership inspect the car (at my expense) at which time they will have a telephone conference to determine who will pay for the repair.

Give you one guess who'll get stuck with THAT bill.

Sorry about the long post/rant, but this was the first new car I ever owned and it has soured me on GM vehicles. Looking an imports now as wife's 12 year old Toyota has been no problem in 75K!

leyengt · February 2003

My '98 Intrigue suffers from a sprung rear seat cup holder - the one in the back of the center console.

I found a two-pronged "L" shaped piece of spring metal that's flat on one end and split into two fingers on the other end on the floorboard next to it, but for the life of me I can't figure out how it attaches from the console to the fold-down section of the cup holder.

Any help or hints would be appreciated - heck I'm not even sure if the piece of spring metal came from the cup holder assembly.

Thanks,
Greg

donp9 · March 2003

I was going to change sparkplugs in my 2000 GL however have found the rubber boots covering the plugs extremely tight. I'm afraid if I pull on them too much they may rip. Anyone else who changed their plugs have any tips. Also the GM replacement plugs are quite expensive, however Bosch has a listing(also platinum)for the GL for about a third of the price. Has anyone else used other than GM plugs?

wlarsen · March 2003

I have a 99 Intrigue and am getting ready to do the plugs as well. I have a factory manual and from what I remember it says specifically not to pry the boots. I believe the book says they have a special tool they use, which we do not. Please post how you were able to do this. Thanks.

jmeasell · March 2003

Been leaking antifreeze for a few days and a local repair shop discovered blown front head gasket on my 99 Intrigue GL (70k miles). He can fix (both front and rear) for about $1800. He can also replace engine for about $3500 -- seems like alot for a four-year-old car with that kind of mileage. Haven't checked with an Olds dealer yet. Unfortunately, it's no longer under warranty. Overall, it's been a good car -- still have original Goodyear RSAs. Anyone experience a similar problem? Any other suggestions? Thanks.

ni7irs · April 2003

Does anyone have a problem with their brakes dragging? My car feels like it is towing something on and off. It comes and goes. I had a brake place replace everything and the problem went away for a about a year, but is now back. Any ideas? I think its the front left tire, not for sure.

lolopulido · May 2003

As Moonshadow has asked, can you be more specific? My 2002 Intrigue has a groaning sound that occurs when I slow down below ~10-0 mph. It also occurs if I am driving slowly, again ~5-10 mph, and turning or going over speed bumps or parking. Although I consider the noise a "groan", it could also be considered a clicking noise.
The dealership has replaced the driver's side strut-mount assembly once, which did not help. This was followed with a replacement of the entire driver's side strut assembly. Still heard the problem shortly after leaving the dealership. Although the service advisor noticed the groaning on the driver's side (hence all the activity there), I can hear the groaning in the center and passenger side front of the vehicle.
Service Advisor took one of the last Intrigues on the lot and noticed the same groaning. He also took the intrigue of another customer who was in for service and also heard it.
I read a previous entry where someone indictaed a problem with the engine cradle (different term for the sub frame?).
Anyone else?
Isidoro Pulido

racer_x_9 · May 2003

Does the groan sound like a bowling bowl rolling down an alley? Does it stop when you release the brake?

If so it could be this:
Condition
Some customers may comment on a moan/groan type noise coming from the rear of the vehicle that is heard in the vehicle's passenger compartment. This condition
is most apparent during moderate brake apply; when the vehicle is slowing or approaching a stop and typically does not occur on a brand new vehicle.

Cause
This noise may be generated at the rear brake pad/brake rotor interface during a brake application, which is transmitted into the vehicle's underbody through the rear
suspension components.

Correction
Replace the existing rear disc brake pads with P/N 18023377, following the service procedure in the Disc Brakes sub-section of the Service Manual.

axr6 · June 2003

My 2000 Intique had developed the symptoms for the usual steering linkage problems. So, I got the factory TSB and read that only lubing is recommended instead of replacing the linkage. At least for the 2000 models.

I lubing procedure have you remove the steering linkage and use a factory available lubing kit to inject grease into the shaft. I purchased the kit but, decided to try something a lot simpler before going into the hassle of removing the linkage.

I got under the dash and pulled down the plastic tubing that surrounds the intermediate shaft and inserted the "straw" extension from a can of AMSOIL liquid lube grease into the hollow steering shaft and sprayed a fair amount of grease down it. (The factory lubing procedure is basically very similar to this) Afterwards took the car for a test drive and all the clunking noise is GONE. The whole greasing operation took less than five minutes and can be periodically done without any effort or special tools.

coonhound · June 2003

Thanks for the positive informative post concerning the intermediate shaft lubrication. we own a 2000 Intrigue & a 2000 Alero. The IS lubrication was done by the dealer on the Alero and I believe the noise is back again, or I have some bad noise from some other source. The shaft was replaced on the Intrigue and it is still quite.

With your positive input I may try and correct the Alero noise.

johnpasinski · June 2003

I have a 99 Intrigue GL. I have been very happy with it (no major problems) but recently noticed that the steering is very difficult (stiff) when parallel parking. I have no problems with steering at normal driving speeds. The steering fluid level is fine; there is no indication of a leak (no fluid on garage floor).

I have 38K miles on the car and the 36 month warranty has expired. No extended warranty.

I would be interested in any advice/experience that any of you might be able to offer before I take it in for servicing. Do you know of any technical service bulletins on this issue?

I would appreciate any input that you might offer.

Thanks.

benny1345 · July 2003

I have a 99 GL 3.5L I bought used in 2000. The CKP went out at 35000 miles (car is out of warranty for time - 36 Months). Symptoms are a stumble as the engine warms up and switches to closed-loop, and hard starting if the engine is already warm. I bought a new CKP at Autozone for $75 (special order). The dealer wanted $105. AZ even reads the codes for you for free! The CKP on the 3.5 is on the front side of the engine behind the starter. Nobody seemed to know where it was, they all guessed around the crankshaft pulley or on the flywheel somewhere, but it is about in the middle on the front side. You have to remove the starter to get to it, plus the typical GM stupid bolt location for the sensor right next to an engine mount that makes it hard to get to, but luckily I own lots of tools. The new CKP sensor did the trick for the stalling and hard starting, but then the dual temperature controller went nuts, the driver side was blowing heat while the passenger side was A/C! I assume that is from disconnecting the battery to perform the CKP replacement. Anyway, I disconnected the battery again, and now the temp controller seems fine again. Just thought I'd pass along this for anyone with the same problems.

arizgeorge1 · July 2003

I also had to replace the crank position sensor on my 2000 Intrigue at 44,000 miles. Parts and labor came to about $400. The only noticeable engine problem occurred just after the engine was warmed up and it started missing. It reminded me of the "old stuck choke" problem in the older cars. Outside of fixing the steering problem earlier under warranty, the Intrigue has been a real jewel to drive and ride, plus still one of best looking of the current crop. Also, I am still on my original set of tires and brakes.

wd150 · August 2003

I've got a '98 Intrigue and have been having a lot a problems with my front directionals. I've replaced them more times than you can count the bulb will last for several months then fail again, and now neither one will work. The last time I changed one, it worked for a matter of hours, then would work, not work, work etc. We tried switching the two front bulbs and now we have no front directionals. Anyone out there with a similar problem?

Also, my power mirrors no longer work, and it's not the fuse. How 'bout that one?

winbro · August 2003

with the turn signal's burning out as well as the side marker lights. Also had the flickering light problem too. all on a 98 intrugue. the car was traded in last month. I know a lot of folks have had good luck with intrigue's; I was not one of them.

The power mirrors never went out on me.
I did have to go to several places for the bulbs though. something about the bulb number changing?

ian18 · August 2003

The daylight running lights (DRL) and turn signals use the bulb 4157kNA. I had to go to the dealer to find this bulb. Any chance that the premature burning out is because the wrong size replacement bulb is being used? I have only replaced one bulb in 74,000 miles of driving. Of course a common problem in older cars used to be the bulb sockets going bad, perhaps this should be checked.

I think that any headlight flicker problem with a '98 intrigue is different than the problem people had with flickering on later model Intrigues. This is because the '98 (and I believe many '99's) came with the 3.8 liter engine. Any other post I have ever seen about this problem had to do with the 3.5 liter engine and its alternator. The 3.8 engine has been around for a long time and is so well known that alternator problems should be easy to diagnose and fix.

winbro · August 2003

my 1998's problem had to do with the odometer numbers flickering / pulsating while driving. in addition, the transmission indicator PRNDL also lit up like a xmas tree while driving. looked like starting lights at a drag race. at any other given time, one of the warning lights would mysteriously come on, only to go off the next time I started the car after checking out the problem.

I really believe a lot of my problems happened when the water pump seals corroded from the Dex-Cool @ 55k miles. BTW there is a class action law suit against GM about Dex-cool and the fact that it not only DOES NOT last 100,000 miles, but it is so corrosive that it causes premature wearing of parts. In my case, the leak worked it's way into other parts of the car (sensors etc.).

I spent about $1500 in repairs from the summer of 2002 to about march 2003. and still I had problems. without sinking more $$$ into it, I realized I probably could not sell privately in good faith. So I traded it last month in a cut my losses mode. good news? if there is a settlement on the Dex-cool suit, I may get some reimbursement.

dekester · August 2003

Where can I find more information on this? My 98 'Trig now has 30500 miles, but am getting to the point where time-wise I'll be flushing and refilling before the Winter.

Can another coolant be used, or are we stuck with the GM-reccomended product?

Martypa · August 2003

but change it more frequently. I plan to flush my radiator by 50 k miles at the latest.

vcjumper · August 2003

A few years ago I had a problem with one of my DRL lights lasting a week or less.. I changed the socket and haven't had to change the bulb since.

akitadog · August 2003

My '99 3.5 is leaking oil, slowly, but surely.
I find a small spot of oil under my car when I move it. This couldn't turn out to be anything major, could it?
Thanks

lee_herman · August 2003

For SBAK:

Have your dealer check service bulletin 0O-07-30-002B (Slips, Harsh Upshift or Garage Shifts, Launch Shudders, Flares, Erratic Shifts and Intermittent Concerns, DTC P1811 or P0748 Set (Replace Pressure Control Solenoid Valve Assembly)).

Lee

lee_herman · August 2003

Beljum:

According to GM service bulletin 01-06-01-011 "The accepted rate of oil consumption for engines used in the vehicles referenced is 0.946 liter (1 qt) in 3200 km (2000 mi). " This applies to all Olds Intrigues.

Lee

boosted96 · August 2003

Hi everyone. The reason for 'excessive' oil usage on the 3.5 is due to the fact the engine is aluminum. Engineers have a hard time getting the cast or forged pistons to expand at the same rate an aluminum engine does. This results in extra space between the piston and the cylinder wall. This lets the piston 'slap' around slightly in the bore, aptly called piston slap. All aluminum engines suffer from this condition, some more than others. The worst ones will have a faint knocking noise when cold, as the engineers try to compromise between cold and hot conditions. Chevy LS1 motors are known for this as well. Other engines do a better job and thus don't use as much oil. This is not a dangerous condition (assuming you keep the level up) as the plugs will simply burn off the oil making it past the rings. This is planned for by the engineers which is why they use hotter plugs. It's also why the plugs are supposedly good for 100,000 miles.

I agree a quart every thousand miles is getting to the point of BS, but 1 quart and even 2 between oil changes is reasonable given the aluminum engine.

ian18 · September 2003

I have read a couple of posts regarding replacing the temperature sensor for the automatic climate control system. I am now in the situation where the outside temperature is not reading correctly. Would someone please tell me how much it costs to replace the sensor? I believe that it was described as being located at the front of the car on the right side, is this correct? Is it an easy fix?

If the outside sensor is flaky, what about the inside temperature sensor?

Thanks very much for your help!

mixbrix2 · October 2003

Have a 99 Intrigue and it seems like we are always replacing the front turn signal lights. When I take the old bulb out it appears that the thin wire on the plug end of it has actually burned into the plastic base. Is this a normal problem? Is there a better bulb to use for these, or did Olds make a deal with the light bulb companies?? Thanks.

um03 · November 2003

I have a 2001 3.5/GL with about 37,000 miles. For the last 2 or 3 thousand miles, there has been this winding kind of sound when I am cruising, I'm sure that the sound is also there when I am pressing on the gas but I don't hear it because of the noise of the engine. Anyway, when I am going slow the winding is very slow, but when I'm on the highway it's very fast. Also, just recently my brake pedal has been thumping when I press on it, especially if I am on the highway and slowly quickly on an exit ramp. I'm just wondering what is making this awful noise and if there is anything I can do about it before bringing it to the dealer.

chemstudent · November 2003

I have a 99 GL (i think) and the temp sensor (outside) went about a year ago. It seemed to have a lot of effect on the inside temp controller (i.e. I couldn't get the ac to turn on when it was about 90 out, but the sensor thought it was 20 out). Replacing it solved the problem. I bought a new one from the dealer (it was like 10 or 15 dollars). It's located right at the front of the car, under the bumper close to the passenger side. The new one will look just like the old one. All you have to do is unplug the old one and plug in the new one. It took about 2 minutes, start to finish (including finding the old one).

Good luck.

george92 · November 2003

I own a 98 olds intrigue. Can anyone tell me if this car has a fuel filter? I searched thru the manual and there is no mention of fuel filter. I did see mention of a fuel cap. Is it that since the car has fuel injection it doesnt need a filter but instead has a fuel cap that needs to be replaced/maintaned instead of the filter. I would appreciate your comments.
Thanks
George

alcan · November 2003

All fuel systems require a filter. The '98 Intrigue fuel filter is under the car, left side of the gas tank.

george92 · November 2003

thanks alcan for the answer to my question.
George

just4fun2 · December 2003

I have a 1998 Intrigue with a 3.8 and I need to replace the belt tensioner. I don't have a manual to help me out. Question, It looks like it takes a special socket to get the tensioner off, can anybody tell me how to remove it. Thanks

alcan · December 2003

Document ID# 323121
1998 Oldsmobile Intrigue

Drive Belt Replacement

Removal Procedure
Rotate the drive belt tensioner using a 15-mm box end wrench on the pulley nut.
Remove the drive belt.

Installation Procedure
Rotate the drive belt tensioner using a 15-mm box end wrench on the pulley nut.
Install the drive belt.

just4fun2 · December 2003

Thanks for the info,but I need to know how to remove/replace the tensioner itself.. It needs to be replaced. Thanks, again.

alcan · December 2003

There's no mention of a special socket required, but here's the R&R info. 3800's use studs with Torx socket heads in various locations.

Document ID# 445613
1998 Oldsmobile Intrigue

Drive Belt Tensioner Replacement
Removal Procedure

Caution
Before servicing any electrical component, the ignition key must be in the OFF or LOCK position and all electrical loads must be OFF, unless instructed otherwise in these procedures. If a tool or equipment could easily come in contact with a live exposed electrical terminal, also disconnect the negative battery cable. Failure to follow these precautions may cause personal injury and/or damage to the vehicle or its components.

Disconnect the battery ground (negative) cable.
Drain the engine coolant from the cooling system.
Remove the drive belt.
Remove the generator.
Disconnect the heater hose adapters with heater hoses from the drive belt tensioner.
Remove the drive belt tensioner bracket bolts.
Remove the drive belt tensioner.
If replacing the drive belt tensioner, remove the heater water bypass inlet pipe and seal.

Installation Procedure

Lubricate the seal with coolant.
Install the heater water bypass inlet pipe and seal.
Install the drive belt tensioner.

Notice
Use the correct fastener in the correct location. Replacement fasteners must be the correct part number for that application. Fasteners requiring replacement or fasteners requiring the use of thread locking compound or sealant are identified in the service procedure. Do not use paints, lubricants, or corrosion inhibitors on fasteners or fastener joint surfaces unless specified. These coatings affect fastener torque and joint clamping force and may damage the fastener. Use the correct tightening sequence and specifications when installing fasteners in order to avoid damage to parts and systems.

Install the drive belt tensioner bracket bolts.
Tighten the drive belt tensioner bracket bolts to 50 N·m (37 lb ft).
Connect the heater hose adapters with heater hoses to the drive belt tensioner.
Install the generator.
Install the drive belt.
Fill the cooling system with engine coolant.
Connect the battery ground (negative) cable.

just4fun2 · December 2003

Thank you again! You are very helpful.

alcan · December 2003

You're welcome. Let us know how it went.

evandro · December 2003

It went out in my Intrigue... :-( Now, starting it requires cranking for 3 to 5s and the engine is not as powerful as it used to be, but no slouch either.

I went to an AutoZone store and the guy confirmed that the sensor is gone. Unfortunately, he didn't have the part and neither did the warehouse, so he couldn't even order it. It could be only a faulty connection, but I stopped at a Buick-Cadillac dealer and when I knew that it had only 2, I got one anyway (for about $100).

The dealer quoted the service as a $125 job, an independent shop, as a $75 job plus about $100 for "diagnostics"...

Knowing the history of the Intrigue, I'm leaning towards having the service done at the dealer. AFAIK, it can be replaced from under the car by removing the starter.

mukherji · December 2003

I had recently driven approximately 1000 miles from my home in Eastern Canada,to Toronto. I left the car in my son's garage, and left for an European vacation for 9 days. When I came back, the battery was dead. I expect that the battery was fully charged when I left for Europe, because of the long drive on the car,just prior to it.If some light was accidentally left on, the "Rundown Protection System" should have shut it off after about 20 minutes. I took the car to the dealers, and they told me that there was nothing wrong with the car, and the parasitic current drains were normal, although they would not tell me what the normal value is. Olds, in their manual talk about taking battery ground leads off, only if the car is to be idle for 3 weeks. I was given a replacement battery by the dealer, but I am puzzled. Had anyone had similar experience? I only have 16000 miles on the car, which I bought new in July 2002.

alcan · December 2003

Ask your dealer whether they used the procedure specified in this GM TSB addressing battery parasitic loads:

Document ID# 1130254
2002 Oldsmobile Intrigue

Info - Battery Parasitic Drain #02-06-03-010 - (10/14/2002)

just4fun2 · December 2003

How do you reset the change oil reminder system. The light needs to be turned off after the oil is changed. It is a 98 Intrigue. Sorry to keep asking for help. I have been trying to buy a factory repair manual off Ebay, but not having any luck.

The accy. belt tension pulley replacement went very well, thank you for the helpful information.

alcan · December 2003

No problem. Here you go, it's as easy as 1, 2, 3:

CHANGE OIL Indicator

The Powertrain Control Module (PCM) will determine the amount of oil life from various sensors and inputs within the engine control system. Oil life is calculated by the PCM and sent to the instrument cluster through the class II serial data link. When the PCM has determined that an oil life of 0 percent is present, it will inform the driver by turning on the CHANGE OIL indicator. After an oil change, the CHANGE OIL indicator can be reset by:

Turning the ignition switch on (engine off).
Fully press and release the accelerator pedal 3 times within 5 seconds.
The CHANGE OIL SOON indicator will flash 2 times indicating the CHANGE OIL indicator has been reset.

BTW, was it Torx head studs you were faced with when replacing the tensioner?

just4fun2 · December 2003

Yes, it was a Torx head stud.

Again, thank for the reset information!

evandro · December 2003

I'm not sure if it's really related to cooler temperatures, as some have stated, or if it's because we do more night driving in winter, but I did start noticing the headlights and the dash lights dim intermittently.

The cause is believed to be the alternator, but some have reported that the OEM replacement eventually suffers from the same malady. However, others reported getting a 3rd party alternator with success. If this is still true, what brand would be a good replacement? How hard is it to replace the alternator on one's own?

TIA

thusrtonp · December 2003

With the first snowfall, my daughter got into my '99 Intrigue and turned on the wipers. Being as they were frozen to the windshield, she turned on the defroster, came back into the house to get something, and got distracted, and didn't go go back out for another 15 minutes.

She had forgotten to turn the wiper switch off.

So, as the defroster began to melt the ice on the windshield, the wipers began to free themsleves, but before something "broke".

The bottom line is, the wiper motor still appears to be working fine, but whatever connects the motor to the blades either broke or came loose, so the wipers don't move at all, even though I can see the motor going around.

Any ideas, on how difficult this is to fix? Thanks

oldsdanlp · December 2003

I have a 2000 intrigue with the 3.5 and it has a cold weather only overheating problem. When the weather dips down in the 40's and especially if I use the heater the temp guage goes all the way up to the hot mark and on occasion has turned the red light on (didn't know it had one til then) I took it to the dealer last year and they couldn't find it but I think that is because it wasn't cold enough outside to cause the problem. When its hot in the summer it's fine. Anyone else have this problem? DPG

jtrujillo86 · January 2004

It's funny that the vehicle overheats with the HEATER on in cold temps. In all GM owners manuals, if you experience an overheat problem, they advise you to turn the heater on high heat and full blast (that works, BTW. My Malibu overheated once and that did the trick). Could it possibly be a bad thermostat?

Jeremy

Oldsmobile Intrigue: Problems & Solutions

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Oldsmobile Intrigue: Problems &amp; Solutions

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Oldsmobile Intrigue: Problems & Solutions