Steering Shudder or Vibration at Low Speed (Replace Power Steering Cooler Line) #01-02-32-002 Steering Shudder or Vibration at Low Speed 1998-99 Oldsmobile Intrigue with 3.8L V-6 Engine (VIN K -- RPO L36) Condition Some customers may comment on a shudder/vibration condition while steering under low speed or stationary conditions, such as parking lot maneuvers. A low frequency vibration may be felt in the steering wheel and body of the vehicle. In addition, this vibration may be audible in the passenger compartment. This vibration will only occur while the steering wheel is being rotated. Cause This shudder may be caused by a mechanical vibration of the steering rack, tie rods and tires which is reinforced by hydraulic pressure in the power steering system. Correction Replace the power steering cooler line with a shortened and relocated cooler line.
Part number 26068573 Line, Power Steering Hydraulic Cooler
Important The power steering cooler line referenced in this bulletin should only be installed to correct vehicles which exhibit the above shudder/vibration condition. The original equipment power steering cooler line, as shown in the GM Parts Catalog, should be used as a replacement for any other concern.
I did change the front door speakers.... The factory tweeters are now disconnected. To change them.. Remove the door trim by pulling on it to release the clips holding it on. There are 2 phillips screws on the underside of the door panel and 2 torx screws that have to be removed. The factory speakers are easy to remove and you can get harness adapters at most car stereo stores. ( got mine a Circuit City) Over all not a hard upgrade and it made a big difference. I am going to change the rear speakers next but I am having the store install them. You have to remove the rear seat and the rear deck and at the $30 cost they are willing to do it for it's not worth the work for me to do it. I will not be changing the head unit but I do think that more amp power would be a good thing but I don't think I'll do that.
0patience - There's no shudder or vibration coming from the wheel, just a grinding noise when I'm in a left turn. I have a '99 GL with the 3.5L motor. I've already had the steering shaft replaced, which cured the clunking noises. Maybe I should check the torque on the lug nuts to make sure the dealer didn't over-tighten them at my last rotation.
When I changed my rears, I ended up with less bass (though cleaner sounding) as I went from a 1-way paper cone design to coaxial. Not an issue for me now as I have a sub.
Anyone have any tips on how to remove the access cover to the cabin filter without breaking anything? I followed the manual of stopping the wipers at the top, but trying to loosen the 2 screws is hopeless - they just spin. Is there a "secret" to getting these off? I recall some time ago someone posted doing this. Thx.
Any 2002 owners on this thread? My dealer has 5 '02's sitting on his lot.
I have a 2002 Intrigue GX Mist Bronze and currently have just over 7,000 miles on it. A problem that has been on going but I have only had it in once due to time restraints is the dimming light problem that has been an ongoing problem for many subscribers here. BTW, University Olds in Lansing Michigan couldn't find anything wrong and have heard of no known problems with the lights! LOL
My tilt steering wheel got locked down in the down position and wouldn't release. The dealer fixed that problem when I had it in and now the dash lights won't come on automatically when the lights turn on. I have to manually turn them on and off each time its dark. I took it to the same dealer this morning and was told they were too booked for the day and had to reschedule for this coming Friday. When its in I am going to have them check the dimming light problem again (LOL) and also see if they can adjust the top air vent at the top center of my dash. There is a gap there due to a poor quality fit. The SA didn't know if they could do anything about that so I will probably be calling GM on that.
Believe it or not, even after all my problems, I still love my Intrigue. A great handling car with great gas milage. What pushed me over the edge to buy the Intrigue was the 5 year 50,000 mile warranty being offered. I increased that to 100,000 miles. If not for the extended warranty being offered, I probably would have bought the Impala!
The best bet on the plastic screws is to spend a quarter or so and buy new replacements at any GM dealer. Or, if you can get something thin underneath the screw flange to pry upwards as you turn they will come out.
Hi All, I am a new Intrigue owner, (99 GL) Forest/Tan, and just cleaned and reinstalled the cabin airfilter. I had only 1 screw that would just spin, so I pryed up on the edge with a small screwdriver and it popped out. Then I used a hack saw and made the head a 'slot' tip instead of philips and put it back in. The filter was only dusty, so just used shop air of about 125psi and blew out all of the dust and reinstalled it. I have about 52K and am generally pleased with the car. My last car was a Taurus SHO ('91-5spd), so I am versed with a somewhat problematic fit and finish car. But, the Yamaha V-6 is a screamer, and 10 years old. My Intrigue is a 3.8, but I can relate with you 3.5 owners. I too have noticed the fit gap b/t the center dash register and the dash pad. Oh well, American cars are getting better. By the way I only paid 8k for a very clean 3 year old car. I hope it is as good as the FORD...and we all know about "Quality is Job 1" Thanks, Mark
That makes 3 people on this thread who have the '02's. My '99 was bronzemist also. Great color. Looks good after waxing too. I didn't have any of the problems you are having. But got the runaround on the noisy suspension. I am loving my impala, but miss the shortstar. Enjoy your car.
Well, the 33-2057 doesn't fit. Pulled the stock filter this weekend and measured it and the 2057 it too long. Fortunately, I hadn't unsealed it so I returned it and had them order me the 2086. I compared the dimesions I had measured to the ones listed in the K&N catalog and the 2086 is nearly identical. Should have done that to begin with. I'm going to try and install it in the next day or so and will report.
With the heater control at the midway point (12 o'clock) I'm getting only room temp air (when it's in the 30s outside). At full on, it's warm but not nearly as warm as my wife's Explorer at about 3/4. Is the heater output low, is the dial calibration just not very good or is my heater not working right?
I checked out the CTS at NAIAS this weekend. I didn't like it in pictures, but I sure did in person! And what stroke me best was its fit and finish: top notch. Very nice materials and very good and sturdy assembly. Inside, it smokes Audi and BMW in refinement and matches Mercedes'.
I just hope it does well in the market, though for me it's too small...
Saw a CTS yesterday and I agree, it looks much better in real life. Should sell very well so long as quality is there. Who knows, in 5-6 years I may be able to afford one.
Not sure about U.S. pricing, but up here it's C$39,900 which is very competitive. In fact, I think it's a bargain considering an Intrigue GLS lists for C$33K+. Of course I don't think Cadillac will do much bargaining on that price even in a year or two. Hopefully in 5-6 years I will be making enough to trade up to a CTS! Best car I've seen from GM in a while.
The 2086 is the correct one for the 3.5 - I installed one just a few weeks ago. Be sure to install the gasket on top of the airbox cover. I don't have access to a dyno so I don't know that it's made any significant improvement, but maybe the MAF sensor needs more time to "adjust" to the different airflow. Other posters say that more noticeable gains can be made by also modifying the airbox, but I haven't seen any details or pics on what kinds of modifications.
With the STBs from grandprixstore.com All you need to do is get one of those plastic ties to die the feeder tube to the return tube. This completely cures the problem and is much cheaper than the stb modification. My bro did this who is a Subaru technician. It was easy as cake. Can't believe I didn't think of it.
Oldsman why in the world would you buy anything other than the 2086? I posted the right part here long ago. I sure love my K&N. I think it makes enough difference to be worth it.
I am still amazed at the difference with the Potenza RE 950s. The ride is so smooth and crisp.
That's an amazing discovery! Just tie-wrap the 2 lines together is enough to keep the hose from touching the STB?! With that bit of news I think the grandprixstore is the STB solution!
I have yet to see a CTS at the local dealer, but I did see one on the road last fall while driving to Chicago. I thought it looked much better in person and really liked the car. It will definitely be something I consider when it comes time to replace the Intrigue. It's getting lots of criticism in the CTS thread, mostly from BMW/MB/Audi fans though. Heaven forbid someone else build a car that is might challange their precious Bimmer.
The shocks were my main complaint about the intrigue. Too stiff in jounce. The car rode harshly over small bumps, but took big bumps with aplomb. I attribute that to the soft springs. I also felt there was too much weight transfer. Another sign of soft springs. The front end would rise up like a boat under acceleration. Sorry, JMHO.
No alterations to the airbox. I'm waiting till it's out of warranty to do anything with it. I believe all that needs to be done is drill holes in the air box.
Yes. I was amazed at how easy it is to cure the ps whine/noise problem. It sounds great now and combined with the new tires, I feel like I'm driving a new machine. If only I could take care of all the rattles inside.
I think my next project will be to add fog lights.
de Carbon also designed the current Corvette struts.
On another note, I read KONI may be making struts specifically for W-bodies soon (the GP store sells custom made ones for big $). Finally something sportier riding than any GM part! Add stiffer springs (no point adding stiffer springs without firmer struts or you will pogo all over the place) and we can really run quick around the corners :-).
Oddly enough our springs are firmer than GP's. Some GP owners get Intrigue ones installed to cure rear sagging they get with rear passengers/cargo.
I wonder what kind of red tape has to be cut through to import cars from Canada to the USA. With the exchange rate right now, importing used cars may be a bargain.
Nice article. I couldn't agree more with the author's assessment of the Intrigue: "In the sedan class, I couldn't believe how well the new Oldsmobile Intrigue performed with the new 3.5L DOHC V-6 ot 215 hp. It was so balanced and neutral in the twisties that I was constantly catching up to traffic. I could hit a 100 mph in the short straights and then cram on the binders to enter turn one's tight 90-degree left. Piece of cake. It maintained its composure at all times. It was much easier to drive and faster than many so called European road sedans. This was the bargain sleeper sedan of the day." Makes me want to take my Intrigues out to the track!
I know for the 2001 model year they did soften the struts. Personally, I liked the firmness of the 1998 although I did think it could be softened just a little more than it was. For '02, it is noticably softer (but by no means mushy or Camry-ish). Also noticed the steering wasn't as precise as the '98. However, after adding the rear STB, magically the steering firmed up (I know it didn't but the overall effect was the same) and the ride is "perfect" for my driving tastes now. Not too firm like the '98; not too soft like the '01. Now that there's an easy (and cheap) fix for the front STB, I know what I have to do next.
Also, a word of caution on STB for front. The power steering line was not the only issue for me. The STB also pressed down on top of my coolant tank, even with washers under brackets.
This concerned me since the brackets must be torqued down quite a bit. This didn't seem to be an issue for jg28, so maybe our tanks are slightly different. I don't recall him having to cut the trim on tank either but if you look at my photos, you can see that the bracket itself can only mount all the way down after some edge/trim of plastic tank is cut out.
I like the Intrigue's firm ride, but I do agree with you that small bumps can really be felt sometimes. I've never noticed the front end bobbing as the car seems really buttoned down, but the small bumps are felt. Throw it into a curve though and you'll appreciate that firm suspension.
Like I said before the coolant tank didn't have to be altered on my car at all. Sure, it fits pretty tightly over the coolant tank but we didn't have to break any trim off to install it. I'm puzzled that your coolant tank would be different than mine.
I had NO IDEA they softened the struts for 2001. No wonder my bro in law's 2001 rides so much nicer than mine. I do like the firm suspension for curves but would rather have my stbs and sways on a softer strutted car. I prefer a smoother ride.
Don't have any "official" data to prove that the struts were softened for 2001 but my personal (and extended) experience with the 1998 Intrigue and your testimony seem to lean toward this argument being the truth. I recall that early on many people complained about the suspension being too firm, "too European". Of course, it IS a sport sedan! I guess too many Camry/Accord owners purchased it and beefed about it being too firm. I'm just glad that a $12 part puts things "back to normal"... better even. Now I have the best of both worlds.
"Makes me want to take my Intrigues out to the track! " Indeed, having had my 200 GL "typeR" up at RA (Elkhart Wis) this past summer (6 miles/12 turns/lap) and having done exactly as they stated in this article, I too can relate to its tremendous composure, esp. after being so hard on the brakes for an hour! Oh, and BTW, bimmer owners, I PASSED two, count them, two, 3 series. Also a s60 turbo could not get by me, but boy we diced it out.
original exerpt was:
"In the sedan class, I couldn't believe how well the new Oldsmobile Intrigue performed with the new 3.5L DOHC V-6 ot 215 hp. It was so balanced and neutral in the twisties that I was constantly catching up to traffic. I could hit a 100 mph in the short straights and then cram on the binders to enter turn one's tight 90-degree left. Piece of cake. It maintained its composure at all times. It was much easier to drive and faster than many so called European road sedans. This was the bargain sleeper sedan of the day."
Nice link Oscarz2! Very interesting that the Intrigue is listed as having the largest front sway bar of all W-bodies. I was surprised to see the Intrigue (36 mm) listed with a larger bar than a Police-package-equipped Impala (30-34 mm) or the GTP (28 mm). This car is a real sleeper indeed!
Check out those left over Cateras? I saw a new 01 Sport advertised at the local dealer for C$37K or about U$23K at current FX rates. You should come up an get it.
Can anyone explain to me the animosity between Impala owners and Intrigue owners? Um, of course I mean explain while keeping your post within the Membership Agreement's requirement for civil and respecful discourse and without protracting the animosity! :-)
I'm sorry if any of you think this is a dumb question, it's just that I have never understood this, yet it seems to exist here and in the Impala discussion. Is it just an Oldsmobile vs. Chevrolet thing, or is it deeper than that - I ask because "deeper than that" is how it seems to come across.
After hanging around the both boards for 1.5 years, did not see any "animosity between Impala owners and Intrigue owners". Nor between them and owners of other W-bodies.
However, often read snob words about Malibu.
On the other hand, it is better not to mention here Fords and Toyota / Honda. Even while their owners, well, are not members of Taliban :-).
I have owned both and have been in both forums for about 2 years.
I think it has to do with the apparently unfixable suspension problems that the intrigue experiences. Also some people feel that because the intrigue is an orphan it is fair game.
You always want to feel like you made the right choice and since the intrigue has these problems it validates the impala owners' purchase.
An anology is when jgriff leaves the acura forum and comes over to the intrigue forum to tell the owner's what idiots they are for owning one.
Although most imapala owners are not as rude as he is when it comes to commenting about the car.
When the impala made its debut almost 3 years ago disparaging coments were made about its looks. Which for me, took some getting used too.
I have heard some impalans make disparagindg comments about the intrigue's looks, which I think are terrific.
I think that the animosity is a lot less now due to the fact that many impalas are having similiar suspension problems.
Comments
Steering Shudder or Vibration at Low Speed (Replace Power Steering Cooler Line) #01-02-32-002
Steering Shudder or Vibration at Low Speed
1998-99 Oldsmobile Intrigue
with 3.8L V-6 Engine (VIN K -- RPO L36)
Condition
Some customers may comment on a shudder/vibration condition while steering under low speed or stationary conditions, such as parking lot maneuvers. A low frequency vibration may be felt in the steering wheel and body of the vehicle. In addition, this vibration may be audible in the passenger compartment. This vibration will only occur while the steering wheel is being rotated.
Cause
This shudder may be caused by a mechanical vibration of the steering rack, tie rods and tires which is reinforced by hydraulic pressure in the power steering system.
Correction
Replace the power steering cooler line with a shortened and relocated cooler line.
Part number 26068573 Line, Power Steering Hydraulic Cooler
Important
The power steering cooler line referenced in this bulletin should only be installed to correct vehicles which exhibit the above shudder/vibration condition. The original equipment power steering cooler line, as shown in the GM Parts Catalog, should be used as a replacement for any other concern.
The factory speakers are easy to remove and you can get harness adapters at most car stereo stores. ( got mine a Circuit City) Over all not a hard upgrade and it made a big difference. I am going to change the rear speakers next but I am having the store install them. You have to remove the rear seat and the rear deck and at the $30 cost they are willing to do it for it's not worth the work for me to do it. I will not be changing the head unit but I do think that more amp power would be a good thing but I don't think I'll do that.
My dealer has 5 '02's sitting on his lot.
I have a 2002 Intrigue GX Mist Bronze and currently have just over 7,000 miles on it. A problem that has been on going but I have only had it in once due to time restraints is the dimming light problem that has been an ongoing problem for many subscribers here. BTW, University Olds in Lansing Michigan couldn't find anything wrong and have heard of no known problems with the lights! LOL
My tilt steering wheel got locked down in the down position and wouldn't release. The dealer fixed that problem when I had it in and now the dash lights won't come on automatically when the lights turn on. I have to manually turn them on and off each time its dark. I took it to the same dealer this morning and was told they were too booked for the day and had to reschedule for this coming Friday. When its in I am going to have them check the dimming light problem again (LOL) and also see if they can adjust the top air vent at the top center of my dash. There is a gap there due to a poor quality fit. The SA didn't know if they could do anything about that so I will probably be calling GM on that.
Believe it or not, even after all my problems, I still love my Intrigue. A great handling car with great gas milage. What pushed me over the edge to buy the Intrigue was the 5 year 50,000 mile warranty being offered. I increased that to 100,000 miles. If not for the extended warranty being offered, I probably would have bought the Impala!
I am a new Intrigue owner, (99 GL) Forest/Tan, and just cleaned and reinstalled the cabin airfilter. I had only 1 screw that would just spin, so I pryed up on the edge with a small screwdriver and it popped out. Then I used a hack saw and made the head a 'slot' tip instead of philips and put it back in. The filter was only dusty, so
just used shop air of about 125psi and blew out all of the dust and reinstalled it. I have about 52K and am generally pleased with the car. My last car was a Taurus SHO ('91-5spd), so I am versed with a somewhat problematic fit and finish car. But, the Yamaha V-6 is a screamer, and 10 years old. My Intrigue is a 3.8, but I can relate with you 3.5 owners. I too have noticed the fit gap b/t the center dash register and the dash pad. Oh well, American cars are getting better. By the way I only paid 8k for a very clean 3 year old car. I hope it is as good as the FORD...and we all know about "Quality is Job 1" Thanks, Mark
My '99 was bronzemist also. Great color. Looks good after waxing too.
I didn't have any of the problems you are having.
But got the runaround on the noisy suspension.
I am loving my impala, but miss the shortstar.
Enjoy your car.
I just hope it does well in the market, though for me it's too small...
Oldsman why in the world would you buy anything other than the 2086? I posted the right part here long ago. I sure love my K&N. I think it makes enough difference to be worth it.
I am still amazed at the difference with the Potenza RE 950s. The ride is so smooth and crisp.
K&N - did you also modify your airbox in any way?
winter9, it is a 3.5. 2001 GLS with PCS package.
I also felt there was too much weight transfer.
Another sign of soft springs. The front end would rise up like a boat under acceleration.
Sorry, JMHO.
Yes. I was amazed at how easy it is to cure the ps whine/noise problem. It sounds great now and combined with the new tires, I feel like I'm driving a new machine. If only I could take care of all the rattles inside.
I think my next project will be to add fog lights.
On another note, I read KONI may be making struts specifically for W-bodies soon (the GP store sells custom made ones for big $). Finally something sportier riding than any GM part! Add stiffer springs (no point adding stiffer springs without firmer struts or you will pogo all over the place) and we can really run quick around the corners :-).
Oddly enough our springs are firmer than GP's. Some GP owners get Intrigue ones installed to cure rear sagging they get with rear passengers/cargo.
"In the sedan class, I couldn't believe how well the new Oldsmobile Intrigue performed with the new 3.5L DOHC V-6 ot 215 hp. It was so balanced and neutral in the twisties that I was constantly catching up to traffic. I could hit a 100 mph in the short straights and then cram on the binders to enter turn one's tight 90-degree left. Piece of cake. It maintained its composure at all times. It was much easier to drive and faster than many so called European road sedans. This was the bargain sleeper sedan of the day."
Makes me want to take my Intrigues out to the track!
http://www.tolan-hoechst.com/cars/partslist.htm
Also, a word of caution on STB for front. The power steering line was not the only issue for me. The STB also pressed down on top of my coolant tank, even with washers under brackets.
This concerned me since the brackets must be torqued down quite a bit. This didn't seem to be an issue for jg28, so maybe our tanks are slightly different. I don't recall him having to cut the trim on tank either but if you look at my photos, you can see that the bracket itself can only mount all the way down after some edge/trim of plastic tank is cut out.
jg28: any comments on this?
I had NO IDEA they softened the struts for 2001. No wonder my bro in law's 2001 rides so much nicer than mine. I do like the firm suspension for curves but would rather have my stbs and sways on a softer strutted car. I prefer a smoother ride.
Indeed, having had my 200 GL "typeR" up at RA (Elkhart Wis) this past summer (6 miles/12 turns/lap) and having done exactly as they stated in this article, I too can relate to its tremendous composure, esp. after being so hard on the brakes for an hour! Oh, and BTW, bimmer owners, I PASSED two, count them, two, 3 series. Also a s60 turbo could not get by me, but boy we diced it out.
original exerpt was:
"In the sedan class, I couldn't believe how well the new Oldsmobile Intrigue performed with the new 3.5L DOHC V-6 ot 215 hp. It was so balanced and neutral in the
twisties that I was constantly catching up to traffic. I could hit a 100 mph in the short straights and then cram on the binders to enter turn one's tight 90-degree left. Piece
of cake. It maintained its composure at all times. It was much easier to drive and faster than many so called European road sedans. This was the bargain sleeper sedan of
the day."
Getting their Intrigues fixed!!!
G'day.
Very encouraging news.
Can anyone explain to me the animosity between Impala owners and Intrigue owners? Um, of course I mean explain while keeping your post within the Membership Agreement's requirement for civil and respecful discourse and without protracting the animosity! :-)
I'm sorry if any of you think this is a dumb question, it's just that I have never understood this, yet it seems to exist here and in the Impala discussion. Is it just an Oldsmobile vs. Chevrolet thing, or is it deeper than that - I ask because "deeper than that" is how it seems to come across.
Pat
Host
Sedans Message Board
However, often read snob words about Malibu.
On the other hand, it is better not to mention here Fords and Toyota / Honda. Even while their owners, well, are not members of Taliban :-).
I think it has to do with the apparently unfixable suspension problems that the intrigue experiences. Also some people feel that because the intrigue is an orphan it is fair game.
You always want to feel like you made the right choice and since the intrigue has these problems it validates the impala owners' purchase.
An anology is when jgriff leaves the acura forum and comes over to the intrigue forum to tell the owner's what idiots they are for owning one.
Although most imapala owners are not as rude as he is when it comes to commenting about the car.
When the impala made its debut almost 3 years ago disparaging coments were made about its looks. Which for me, took some getting used too.
I have heard some impalans make disparagindg comments about the intrigue's looks, which I think are terrific.
I think that the animosity is a lot less now due to the fact that many impalas are having similiar suspension problems.