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Buick LeSabre Starting/Stalling Problems

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Comments

  • bob252bob252 Member Posts: 48
    Thanks Imadoz, I forgot to includethe year in my second post it's a 97 and only 4 relays are present, but now that I am armed I can change them out with some spares that I do have, I can't thank you enough as I am retired and don't have much cash, stay well..Bob 252.
  • bob252bob252 Member Posts: 48
    Hi All, I have a code P1651, which was read from my Inova 3100 reader, the code in the book suggests it to be a relay, the car is a 97 Olds LSS, I also looked at some other sites to find what this code is and found other info that is or is not correct, the statement there was PSP input malfuncton, of course the engine light is on. I have replaced the relays and this did not correct the problem, so where do I go from here? Thanks Bob.
  • vnicholsonvnicholson Member Posts: 1
    I think I have a similar problem in a 2002 Buick Century. Starts and idles fine but will not rev. Have changed numerous parts including the computer and have run diagnostics which did not give any codes. I am now suspecting that it is in limp mode. Do you have any suggestions?
  • ibdamanibdaman Member Posts: 2
    Your car and mine are on the same platform/engine if you have the 3800..Check your battery connections..the posts in particular. I have just changed the MAF sensor,throttle sensor ,harmonic balancer,battery.. And unfortunately the check engine light remains on...and there are no codes when it is scannned
  • bob252bob252 Member Posts: 48
    Hi All, this whole problem with my car just appeared, and while changing the relays, which was not the problem at all, as a "P" code is permanent, I found one of those rubber "T's" that was split in half, I replaced it and also from the GM dealer, guess what? everything including my Overdive problem went away. By the way all of the Big Olds Buick and Pontiac cars only use the 3.8 engine.and anyone who owns one that has properly been maintained will tell you of the great fuel mileage and the over 200,000 miles they will return to you for yur investment, and that part was $3.33 + tax amazing isin't it.
  • altieri54altieri54 Member Posts: 1
    My mother-in-laws 1995 Buick Regal's battery dies after it has sat for a few days. The battery is fairly new and once the car gets started, the battery charges and alll is fine until the car sits again. I think there is a small load on the battery when the car os off. I can put an ampmeter on the battery and pull fuses to see when the (assumed) load disapears. I was just wondering if someone knows of a problem like this which is common to these cars.
  • rayznrayzn Member Posts: 3
    I have a 97 Buick Lesabre. I just tried to start my car and it acted like it was out of gas so I got 2 gallons of gas and put it in there. Now my car occasionally will start but shuts off almost instantly after. I recently hit a tire on the interstate it beat on my undercarriage pretty badly. I have been hearing a noise like a bang on the back of my trunk, like someone is closing a door right by my car while driving and sometimes right after I shut off my car. Any ideas or what other info might be needed?
  • rayznrayzn Member Posts: 3
    Well after all that it was as simple as the inline fuel filter figured i would post incase others have this problem. Thanks for the help everyone...
  • ma56ma56 Member Posts: 2
    i have a 2002 buick lesabre also had same symtoms ,car was took to auto zone and checked on scanner, they said it was the mass air flow sensor, put new one on but no change.i then started to study my own repair manual and come up with the crankshaft sensor,changed that ,fixed the problem , hope this helps.
  • bobbydingbobbyding Member Posts: 7
    How tough was it to replace the crank sensor? Was a wheel puller the only special tool required?

    Thanks,

    Bobby
  • ma56ma56 Member Posts: 2
    sorry to say problem has returned after a few days,so car is still not fixed so still looking.
  • imidazol97imidazol97 Member Posts: 27,132
    >GM's been building these 3.8's they'de have them refined by now. As much as I hate to say it, at least the Japanese usually fix a problem when they find one.

    You must mean like the sludge problems in V6s that toyota denied for years and finally gave it?

    You must mean like the continuing sage of transmission problems in Hondas? Now their Odysseys are throwing transmissions left and right due to underdesign?

    You must mean like the inadequate rear brakes on some Hondas and I believe toyotas that wore out in short mileages?

    You must mean like the drive-by-wire accelerator problems, the floor mat problems, and an unknown possible third electronic control problem that gives toyotas a ride-of-your-life acceleration? That toyota hid from the public and from the NHSTA for years starting in 2002 by misrepresenting the categories of reports and by using friends at NHSTA?

    Do you mean those companies? And I haven't talked about Nissan and others.

    Let's not pretend GM/C/F are the only companies who have things go bad.

    2014 Malibu 2LT, 2015 Cruze 2LT,

  • imidazol97imidazol97 Member Posts: 27,132
    Better to diagnose the MAF by removing the connector and seeing if the engine runs better without it.

    Has the EGR ever been removed, cleaned so it doesn't stick open slightly, and put back on. it requires some brushing inside to get around where the grit can affect the sliding pintel going into the top part of the motor. Don't get solvent into the upper part.

    Don't know if you've done it, but spray carb cleaner all around vacuum hoses and around the base of the upper intake manifold looking for spots where the manifold may be warping and allowing a seep of air under it affecting the ability of the IAC to control the mixture. Same for the throttle body gasket.

    2014 Malibu 2LT, 2015 Cruze 2LT,

  • jeremy1982jeremy1982 Member Posts: 1
    edited January 2011
  • seemonkey08seemonkey08 Member Posts: 2
    edited March 2011
    I have a '93 lesabre, with about 100,000 miles on it. About 9 months ago it was having problems when going slow speeds, in town driving and at red lights the engine would die. Put it in park and start it up again and it would be fine. It didn't happen very often maybe once a week. But we replaced the TPS. After that it worked well for several months, but after awhile I began to notice on highway driving it would sometimes rev really high and sometimes the RPM meter would go crazy without me hearing any difference in the motor. It would also sometimes rev really high as soon as I put it in park. Then three days ago it stalled just like it had been doing before at a red light. Same as before started back up and was fine. I called my dad (he'd fixed it before) and he said he'd look at it this weekend. The next day I was out driving again and it did the same thing, but this time it would start back up and rev really high then die almost immediately. I managed to get it to a parking lot and there it sits. It will not move anymore. It does start, but almost always within 2 seconds it's dead again. Occasionally it would stay running for a minute or so, but within that time pressing the gas has no effect on the RPMs they go up and down a few times before it's dead again. Any ideas would be much appreciated.
  • imidazol97imidazol97 Member Posts: 27,132
    edited March 2011
    I would check the rubber hoses in the engine compartment for dry rot and leaking air into the engine. IF it's getting too much it's like having the throttle already opened some and the rev speeds up. That would fit with it not reacting to your accelerator movements.

    Check the underside of hoses, little and big, especially nearer the engine and the high heat.

    Also try disconnecting the MAF sensor wires and start the car. They can cause stalling and poor running--but I don't recall high idling as a symptom.

    An EGR valve can stick slightly open and a car runs rough and tries to compensate for the extra air it's getting through the EGR. Tapping on the EGR usually lets it slide closed if it's stuck open.

    The crankshaft position sensor causes stalling. But high idling would not be a symptom.

    2014 Malibu 2LT, 2015 Cruze 2LT,

  • seemonkey08seemonkey08 Member Posts: 2
    Thanks. I'll check these things.
  • cljahnkecljahnke Member Posts: 1
    Hey slightlines!
    I have a very similar problem! Did you ever figure out what the culprit was?
    -cljahnke
  • transporter3transporter3 Member Posts: 2
    This helps a lot. I'll be driving along from a cold start and I would hear this "click click" type of sound coming from the rear. It's a hollow sound like a turn signal sounds. After the clicking sound the engine would drop in RPMs and either catch itself from stalling or stall. I would turn the engine off and restart and things would be OK. Problem also is that it stalls while cruising down the road. I put the tranny in neutral and restart the engine. Of course, the power steering is disabled.
  • mecaleemecalee Member Posts: 1
    car normally starts fine when its cold every morning. sometimes i hear a hesistation i figured it was in need of a starter. but never got around to it cause it always started. Yesterday i caminto work. it started fine car sat all day then when leaving work it hesitated about 3times but started. i thought it sounded funny turned it of and then it cliked a few times but wuldnt turn over then then it clicked once and wouldnt turn over all lights came on radio comes on. its at themechanics now. we went and got a new starter. he said he putin the starter it would sart fine but after a few times it started doing the hesitation thing again. so hes taking it back to the starter back to do a swap out. the car only has 70,00 miles on it. when i bought it it had 66,00 miles in it. ive taken 3hour trips in this car with no issues. runs great. my fear is that there may be more than just the starter wrong with it. that there may be other issues ive read through a lot of te other posts in this forum and when i ge the car later today i will listen to the fulepump and see if the lights dim and just watch out for the car if this issue continues even with a new starter then what should my next step be? i will try the leave it in the on position for 10 seconds before turning all the way and see if that make a diffeerence. i am not close to any pure fuel stations the closest one is about 198 miles away.. so that is not an option...
  • transporter3transporter3 Member Posts: 2
    edited September 2011
    2003 Buick LaSabrre: After riding in the car for abut 10 min, I hear a hollow "click, click" sound coming from the rear driver side. After the clicking noise the engine RPM drops and the engine will either stall or catch itself and rev back up to normal RPM. The stall or rev drop occurs mostly at stop sign/light. However, at times I can be cruising around 40 mph and the engine will suddenly stall out. I put it in neutral and restart the engine - while fighting with the power steering. The best I can tell is that it is always associated with this clicking sound from the rear driver side (by gas cap). The engine temperature about 1/4 of the way - still climbing
  • eye144eye144 Member Posts: 3
    My 1994 Lesabre stalled intermittantly and would either restart while coasting immediately or would restart within a minute. It only happened when my foot wawsnt on the gas, so i started driving with a foot on gas temporarily. But due to safety issues, I had a shop trouble shoot.
    (Previously I had changed wires, plugs, fuel filter, and checked fuel pump pressure.) I replaced the EGR Twice. Then they found it was either a bad wire from the EGR or the PCM. Finally, (hopefully no more intermittant stalling) It was the PCM. It cost about 200 for trouble shooting the wires, and about 600 for the PCM Power control module, and a few hundred for initial testing before that. Hope this helps! The data in the forum here helped.
  • eye144eye144 Member Posts: 3
    Also, as a work around while waiting for shop repair time, to increase RPMs, I would leave the A/c or defrost on. It never stalled under those conditions. I love the new recent commercial for the Lacrosse with everyone running in place in lines everywhere. The Ad says, you dont run in line waiting, why should your car? It shuts off at lights and restarts when pressing gas. And it gets up to 36 MPG. Great! I love the way the Lesabre coasts downhill fater than other cars. It must have much better bearings as well as less air resistance. Great engineering!
  • wabi42wabi42 Member Posts: 2
    since I have the same problem of stalling after filling up gas tank for lasebre 2003. I like to know if someone gave an answer.
  • eye144eye144 Member Posts: 3
    I would change the fuel filter. Easiest and probably it. You may have gotten water or dirt from the fill up.
  • wabi42wabi42 Member Posts: 2
    the problem of hazittenig started after changing fuel filter and last for 8 to10 minutes of driving in this condition and later the engine run perfect
  • megelmegel Member Posts: 1
    new guy here. working on inlaws car. it wont start,made clicking noise then nothing. I havnt checked anything yet. also have oil in the coolant but no coolant in the oil. 193,000 well used miles. any ideas would be great!! Im a mopar/ford guy, these gm's are a mystery. Thanks, Mike
  • jlhou7jlhou7 Member Posts: 6
    my husband has been trying to fix my daughters car its a 87 buick lasabre, it has power going backwards but not forwards, he put in a fuel pump but that dint work can any1 else have any ideas???????????//
  • jlhou7jlhou7 Member Posts: 6
    :cry: my husband has been trying to fix our daughters car its a 1987 buick lasabre. he cant get it to run rite. he replaced the fuel pump ect'' and still nothin' does any1 know what else he can do?? :confuse: :confuse:
  • jlhou7jlhou7 Member Posts: 6
    i think my hubby fixed my daughters 1987 buick lasabre so disrecard my last post tyvm :surprise: ;)
  • bistromanbistroman Member Posts: 2
    I own a 1997 Buick Lesabre, and I am having the same problem. I have brought it to the dealer, and they say no computer codes can be found to tell about the problem. Sometimes the car will run for weeks without stalling. Another forum says it could be the fuel regulator?
  • bistromanbistroman Member Posts: 2
    Do you know what he did? Thanks
  • cindy75cindy75 Member Posts: 7
    I have a 1997 Buick La Sabre and it was doing the same thing and we changed one of the crankshaft sensors and it still stalled when we were driving, but it would re-start. We changed both the Mass Airflow Sensor and the Manifold Absolute Pressure Sensor this week and now it doesn't even stall. Besides the alternator making some pretty bad sounds and needing changed, it runs great again. Good Luck.
  • cindy75cindy75 Member Posts: 7
    Originally my 1997 buick la sabre would drive fine. I would stop to go into the store or go into a restaurant for lunch and when I returned, it wouldn't start. Then it started stalling when I was driving down the highway with the gas pedal depressed or also at stop signs and red lights when I was braking. It would also die when I let it coast on the highway because the engine is able to maintain a constant rate of speech with little or no additional gas. We changed one of the crankshaft sensors and there are 2, so I am not sure which one, and then it would still stall, but at least you could shift into neutral and it would re-start. This week after almost 2 years of the car stalling, we changed the mass airflow sensor and the manifold absolute pressure sensor and it doesn't stall anymore. Good Luck.
  • cindy75cindy75 Member Posts: 7
    Part of the exhaust manifold on this year car is plastic and this will cause you to have coolant in the exhaust manifold when it finally melts. They used to be all metal in 1996 and earlier models, but although it would seem like a design flaw to make a part of the car which has to withstand really high temperatures out of metal, you just have to replace it about every 150,000 miles. Also they changed the design of the manifold in 1997 so that the metal ones from previous years cannot be used as a replacement.
  • cindy75cindy75 Member Posts: 7
    In my car is was one of the crankshaft sensors. There are 2 and my regular mechanic did it and I never asked which one it was I was just glad it started again.
  • cindy75cindy75 Member Posts: 7
    My 1997 buick la sabre started off my not starting after it had been parked a while. Like running into walmart or going to lunch at a restaurant. That was one of the crankshaft sensors. Then it started dying while we were driving. That was the mass airflow sensor and the manifold absolute pressure sensor. We had already tried to blow it out with the "fix it can" you can buy in the auto parts stores to help clean it, but we really just needed a new mass airflow sensor. Now it not only starts, but stays running.
  • cindy75cindy75 Member Posts: 7
    Originally the car died occasionally when in gear and eventually it died a lot when in gear and often wouldn't start after it had been parked for a little while. Eventually it wouldn't restart after it had been parked for a while really often. We found the problem with not starting was one of the crankshaft sensors, there are 2 and I don't know which one. The stalling problem was the mass airflow sensor and the manifold absolute pressure sensor. Now it runs and doesn't die.
  • cindy75cindy75 Member Posts: 7
    It was my crankshaft sensor. Took care of the problem.
  • misshoskinmisshoskin Member Posts: 2
    After my car is driven for about 20 minutes it will cut off and will restart after about 10-15 minutes; I've been reading about the crankshaft sensors, where on the engine are they located?
  • misshoskinmisshoskin Member Posts: 2
    Where is the crankshaft sensor located on a 1992 Buick LeSabre?
  • Mr_ShiftrightMr_Shiftright Member Posts: 64,481
    right between the crankshaft pulley and the AC compressor.
  • imidazol97imidazol97 Member Posts: 27,132
    edited June 2012
    It is just like Mr Shiftright said. The crankshaft sensor has two wires going to it and the sensor itself is inside the rim of the crankshaft balancer.

    I believe that the 1992 has a thickness gauge that is used with it for installation to give the right gap between the sensor and the balancer. Later years setups had pins or something that determines the position for the sensor with no adjustment possible. It is possible to have it rub the balancer if not adjusted correctly. I am basing this on people's comments in forums through the years hoping it may help you avoid mistakes.

    The balancer does have to be removed.

    2014 Malibu 2LT, 2015 Cruze 2LT,

  • tonerbonertonerboner Member Posts: 7
    I'm new here.had a question. Been stumped for three days now.

    I have a 1990 Buick le sabre custom andis an awesome car just started to go down. The problem I have is the car turns on runs strong cold & wArm as long as I keep the heater on. But as soon as I turn it off, nothing. Cranks but dosnt turn over. I've changed the coolant temp sensor and thermostat but nothing the problem still persist. Next I think I'm going to change cps but I would like some insight from some people with experience. Thanks alot guys and girls
  • imidazol97imidazol97 Member Posts: 27,132
    You're going to have to be more specific about what happens.

    Do you mean that as soon as you turn off the heater blower or turn off the dash control with the OFF switch the whole engine shuts down?

    2014 Malibu 2LT, 2015 Cruze 2LT,

  • tonerbonertonerboner Member Posts: 7
    When I shut my car off. Example. I can start it inthe morning no problems and drive it fine up until I have to turn the car off. Ince I shut it off I have to wait until the engine cools down to let me start it. It just started happening and also just a day ago I was driving maybe 40mph and it cut off and I had to wait until I was cool to restart and be on my way home
  • Mr_ShiftrightMr_Shiftright Member Posts: 64,481
    Okay, so it's a "hot start problem".

    Hot start issues are often related to fuel pressure or fuel delivery problems. If possible, doing a fuel pressure test while the engine is hot (pressure while cranking) might reveal something.
  • imidazol97imidazol97 Member Posts: 27,132
    edited September 2012
    Crankshaft position sensor. Requires removing the crankshaft balancer. Just bolts in beside the balancer. This needs to be replaced and then diagnose further if problems continue.

    2014 Malibu 2LT, 2015 Cruze 2LT,

  • tonerbonertonerboner Member Posts: 7
    I was thinking about doing the crankshaft position sensor before I go into fuel because I'm afraid it might be the pump. Do you guys suggest any way to go about changing the crankshaft position sensor ? Thanks guys any advice is appreciated! I'll get back to you guys when I change it later today 100 degree won't allow it lol
  • imidazol97imidazol97 Member Posts: 27,132
    Removing balancer, done through the wheel opening by removing plastic splash guard, requires a specific size bolt to screw into the three threaded holes. People comment that certain pullers have threads that seem to fit but only go in a couple of turns because they are not correct. Make sure you have the right puller.

    2014 Malibu 2LT, 2015 Cruze 2LT,

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