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Buick LeSabre: Problem Codes/TSBs/Recalls

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  • revrobinson99revrobinson99 Member Posts: 1
    Bought it 8 months ago with 79000 miles. Now I have 92000 on it. Runs GREAT! One day I was stuck in traffic for about 30 minutes. Car shut off. I let it set for about 8 minutes. Started back up. Drove it about 3 blocks to a spot where I could park it. Let it set for 3 hours. Started it back up and drove it home, which is a 23 minute drive. Replaced the fan motor. Car still runs great. Now there is a knock or some sort of loud sound. When the car starts up, you hear it. It is consistent, not erratic. When I drive with the windows down and the radio off, I hear nothing at all. When I sit in park and press gently on the gas, the sound goes away. Do you have a list of things we may want to check, because i sure hope it is not a thrown rod!
  • pocketchangepocketchange Member Posts: 5
    Has the OBDII drive procedure been followed?
    Pull a copy from the web & give it a try FIRST.
    Note: this tends to be typical if there has been a battery related situation (dead, replaced, etc..)
  • flgirl77flgirl77 Member Posts: 1
    I have a 99 Buick LaSabre that is driving me crazy. A few weeks ago I went out to buy school clothes and my car wouldn't start. After about 4 tries I got it to start but it was jerking and shut off. I finally got it started and took it to a Tires Plus shop. They told me it was the fuel pump, I changed that and they charged me 429. The next day I had the same problem. I called them back and they said bring it back in. I took it in and they kept it for 4 days, they finally called and said that they weren't sure what it was and they would replace the fuel pump under the warranty but I needed to replace the sensor that went along with it. That was another 110. I had the car 2 days and guess what??? THE SAME DANG PROBLEM! At this point im frustrated. I called and again they told me to bring it in.

    I took it in for a third time and like a dummy told them that someone said it could be a map sensor. And guess what magically that was the problem. I was charged another 117, now im broke my car is still doing the same thing and I feel I have been wronged. When I try and start it it hesitates most times, sometimes it will try and cut off right after taking off and sometimes it runs fine. I dont know what to do and I was wondering if anyone has had this problem or can give me any suggestions?
  • tgmccallietgmccallie Member Posts: 2
    My ck engine light comes on and my car quite while running. Just dies and I have to restart it.

    I checked the code and It does not give one.

    What could the problem be that the code light keeps coming on and no code?

    Tom
  • brookingsbuickbrookingsbuick Member Posts: 1
    I have in the last 2 months replaced a map sensor,injectors, fuel pump, plugs and wires,serpentine belt and battery. Now the security light is coming on. I wait 3 minutes and it goes off and then I can start the car...usually. Sometimes it takes 3 or 4 tries at 3 minute intervals and it starts. Now its coming on and going off while driving. I just spent another $25 on a new key and its still doing it. I 've read that you can remove the VATS bypass module. I live in a small town and dont need the security anti theft anyways. Where is that located on a 3.8 engine? I also heard you can bypass it. Which is easier and cheaper? My car use to be so reliable and I have a very active daughter and need to be able to start the car without any worries of being stuck...Any help would so be gratefull... :confuse:
  • imidazol97imidazol97 Member Posts: 27,146
    edited September 2010
    The security system requires two contacts in the key cylinder to touch the sides of the key, and two fine wires run down the steering column to the connector near the base of the steering column.

    The contacts wear and don't make contact.
    The key gets dirty.
    The wires break strands where the steering column bends with the tilt adjustment and that changes the resistance of the strands; that means your wires may break completely sooner rather than later.

    Here is a link. Just search for VATS and you'll find a plethora of solutions.

    You find the orange tube that looks like a wire that has two fine wires inside. Note where it plugs in. Cut it with extra wire away from the connector. Solder in the resistor pack you built after measuring resistance with a meter to see which of 15 you have.

    Note that you connect the new resistors to the wires going to the connector--not the wires going up to the steering column.

    Car alarm places get premade resistors in packs for the 15 GM values. They are used to bypassing to let their alarms do the work. That might be an alternative if you don't like lying on your back to get to this stuff.

    There also is access through the glovebox after you take it out. The theft deterrent module is over there that the wires go to. You can cut the proper two wires there and insert your resistor pack. The resistance has to be with 5-10% of the original values.

    http://vats.likeabigdog.com/

    2014 Malibu 2LT, 2015 Cruze 2LT,

  • piggpigg Member Posts: 4
    can happen any time hot or cold. no codes in the system. can happen when comeing to a stop or at 55mph. at parkway speeds. if i move the shifter to nuetral, turn the key to start position starst right back up. had fuel pressure gauge on it, am not looseing fuel pressure.any ideas would be welcome. poss speed pick up.
  • imidazol97imidazol97 Member Posts: 27,146
    Good job on having used a gauge to verify the fuel pressure wasn't dropping.

    Since it starts right back up, that's a problem. It would be better if it had to sit for 10 minutes before something changed and it started. You could pull a spark plug wire off and lay it on metal with an old spark plug in it to see if you were getting spark.

    How many miles on the car?

    How's the battery? Any chance it's the connections or the cables at the battery? For a time a few people had battery posts that would lose contact, like they were broken inside. And the cables corrode with corrosion between the separate contacts on the positive.

    If you take off the cables to clean, first put the heater in OFF if you have the automatic control system. Then remove cables.

    A remote guess is the crankshaft position sensor under the edge of the harmonic balancer.

    2014 Malibu 2LT, 2015 Cruze 2LT,

  • piggpigg Member Posts: 4
    the car has a new battery. the car sat for about 2 years. the cables have almost no voltage drop. .02 to be exact.i am a volvo tech for over 28 years. but not use to gm . thanks for any help. if i can you with any volvo issues contact me.also on the parkway the oil light will come on first when the stalls, sometimes the car will restart itself depending on speed. thats how fast this can happen. the cars has 18850 miles on it.
  • imidazol97imidazol97 Member Posts: 27,146
    Do you have access to a scanner to use while it's running to follow the input for the fuel injectors and the ignition?

    It could be a few cars have had trouble with ground on the end of the ISC under the coils. Clean contacts.

    But the other thing that comes to my mind is that 1994 and 1995 seem to have a few more reports than typical of PCM problems. You might clean contacts at the PCM or replace it with a junkyard piece or just switch from another leSabre, if a friend has a similar one, to see if that fixes it.

    Just from listening to Bonneville and leSabre (and a few Olds) people with the problems in other forums, I'd guess PCM. The odd thing, if your sense of the timing for the oil light to come on so quickly is right, is that the engine is not dying and the oil pressure dropping causes the light to turn on after the revs drop. Instead, it's being reset by a complete drop in voltage or the PCM.

    It might be worth running a long line to the positive terminal for power away from the battery and using a meter inside the car to watch for voltage drop at the time the problem happens. I'd suggest using a ground out on the motor or on the computer box area. That might catch if you're losing B+ or ground at the PCM.

    2014 Malibu 2LT, 2015 Cruze 2LT,

  • piggpigg Member Posts: 4
    someting new, the car died, only the oil light went on. left the key in position 2 the fuel pump relay the low fan relay, the check engine light, the temp light and the voltage light turns on and off.the batt voltage 12.86 no voltage drop to talk about at the batt. i do not have a wireing digram of the pcm. this feels like a voltage condition or a pcm. after car starts batt voltage back to 13.84.this was the first time thime i did notice this . i want to thank all of you for all the help thats been given. if this rings a bell with anyone. i would love any advice
  • piggpigg Member Posts: 4
    the repair was the pcm. thanks for all the help.
  • imidazol97imidazol97 Member Posts: 27,146
    Glad you found it.

    Thanks for reporting back. That may help someone else with a related problem when they read the forum.

    2014 Malibu 2LT, 2015 Cruze 2LT,

  • razielvalekrazielvalek Member Posts: 1
    I just had mine tested and it came up with P0300 "Random Misfire" the mechanic said it's more than likely a tune up deal new wires and new plus it runs and Idols fine but the spark plugs do need changing
  • knightofwiz13knightofwiz13 Member Posts: 1
    93 Park Avenue with 3.8l supercharged Quad B driver code, replaced PCM and EGR still happens any thoughts no TCC shudder. SES light only comes on when coasting with no throttle.
  • quackulaquackula Member Posts: 1
    Hi,
    This sounds like the exact problem that I am having. Sometimes the engine will shut down leaving the change oil light flashing, I will about ten and it will start right back up again or sometimes you can see the electrical system shut down, the change oil light flashing and come back to normal. After you have replace the PCM any further problems? Thanks.
  • signotssignots Member Posts: 1
    Service Engine Soon light came on. A friend read the code and cleared it. A few weeks went by and now it's on. Car runs like like before; no issues. What is P0420?
  • repairdad1repairdad1 Member Posts: 1
    If the crank or cam sensors fail you have No start at all. If you have the tools and the abilty pull the valve covers and check the torque on the valve train and head, autozone can print out the specs for them and if you have a Harbor frieght near you can pick up the two torque wrenches for about $30. I suggest this because they may have been loosened to replace the lower intake gasket,theres no reason to do so but it`s a possibility.Also if you had the upper and the lower intake gaskets replaced depending on how many miles the engine had on it you probably should have replace the head gaskets also.It adds about 4 1/2 hours to the job and about $80 in parts And last did you check the two metal tubes under the EGR valve if they have a leak you won`t get proper manifold pressure
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