Oldsmobile Intrigue

lmacmil

My 2000 has had only one non-warranty repair; the "high flow" thermostat to keep it from overheating in cold (yes, cold) weather. However, my A/C light has started going off intermittantly (and the A/C with it) so I think a recharge will probably be next. I'm at 53000 miles.

bjl

Hey everyone. Our 99 Intrigue is just at just about 50000 miles. Has proven to be a great car-except for the usual things (steering shaft clunk,ect). A couple weeks ago I had taken it to my local Chevy dealer for it's 50000 mile trans service. They did a trans flush. After the work was done, when I merged onto the highway, putting the pedal down the car did a little shake. I thought maybe its air in the system from the flush? When I got home the dealership was closed. The next day I called and talked to the service manager. He said to keep an eye on it. It has done this shake a few times now from a dead stop. Like its looking for gear.
None of this crap existed before the servicing. Could they have done something wrong? Monday I will need to call my dealer again. Felt like I was doing the right thing by following the recommended Maintenance schedule. Now I'm wondering.
Any experience or ideas?

Thanks,
BJL

lmacmil

I wouldn't expect a problem at 50K miles from a tranny service. I've read that at 100K, one is probably better off not changing the fluid at all because it might stir up trouble.

racerx

A had a trans flush at 50K too and have noticed a few shudders when starting hard from a dead stop.

It's maybe been 5 times in 3 months so I haven't though much of it. I'd be interested to know what you find out.

Keep us posted.

Thanks

jjm

Had a 95 Grand Am for 8 years and 125K miles and now have my 98 Intrigue for 6 years and 87K miles. Haven't touched the transmission fuild on either. When I asked my mechanic about it when my GA was at 80K miles, he said not to touch it at that point.

Maybe I was lucky, but based on this experience (and now the above posts) I'd be hesitant to change the trans fuild in the future.

taycron

I was wondering what people thought of their stock Intrigue radio (I don't have the bose). I was going to replace my stereo but I kinda like it. It wouldn't win any awards but it's leap years better than my friends new Ford Taurus radio.

dekester

Actually, I like it better than the one in the wife's new Camry! And hers has the JBL package with 8 spealkers. There isn't enough "adjustment" in the controls to get a decent sound in the Toyota.

The 'Trig has the pre-sets, and I usually stick with them, but you can really fine tune the sound if you want.

Deke

bennycheck

I think the radio in the Intrigue is a very good stock stereo. About the only one I've had that was better was a '85 Mazda 626. The Mazda only had 4 speakers but the rears put out the clearest bass I've ever heard in a car radio. I also now own a '01 Buick Regal with the 8 speaker Monsoon 225 watt system. The low end bass is better than the Intrigue's but I find it (the bass) to be muddy in the Buick when you crank it. The Intrigue's stays fairly clean as you increase the volume. The tweeters in the Intrigue are also mounted higher than the Buick's and the treble (highs) are better defined. The sound of a stereo is, of course, subjective and a matter of taste. I had a Bose system in a '92 Maxima and didn't think it was anything great.
    If you do decide to replace the stock radio be careful of the speakers. I think the rears are only 2 ohms and not compatible with alot of aftermarket stereos. Maybe you can find a Bose on Ebay that will slip right in and not spoil your dash. Whatever you do, Good luck and let us know how you make out.

ozznet

I think the radio is pretty good except I find I get read errors a lot and it spits out the cd. When I put it back in it works fine. I did replace my radio and all 6 speakers but the cd player was stolen so the factory one is back in. Surprisingly it powers my aftermarket speakers pretty well.
 If you like the factory one and you are looking for better sound quality just replace the front speaks with a good pair. Mine are 420 dollar components but you don't have to go that nuts.
 And if you really want you can get new speakers buy an amp and have in professionally installed. Its going to cost like a grand though.
 I would just replace the front speakers with a 200 dollar pair. Don't worry too much about the rears cause those are a pain in the [non-permissible content removed] to take out and the sound up front is more important.

vcjumper

Best bang for buck would be to replace the front door speakers... You will lose a little bass but gain quite a bit of clarity. Worked on my Intrigue and Sebring.

taycron

Thanks for the replies. I also have a few error readings with my CD player but I figured it was my scratchy CDR collection. I am thinking of replacing the speakers but I worry that AM will not come in as good. I hear that newer speakers give AM a lot of static. I'll probably just keep the stock radio for now. A part of me would like to get an MP3 player with satellite radio in the future.

american_idle

The stock radio tuner itself isn't that great as far as I'm concerned, but for me a pair of Infinity speakers ($100) that replaced the factory units in the doors of my 2000 GL made a big difference, especially when playing CDs. The music became smooth and well balanced, with punchy bass. I'm wondering if FM would sound better if I install a fender-mounted antenna to replace the one in the windshield. As for AM, no problem there.

dtownfb

I'm thinking of changing my oil myself for the first time ever. I know the general procedure but was hoping someone could tell me how hard (or easy) is it to change the oil in the 2002 Intrigues? Also does it really take 6 quarts fo oil? Any advice you can give me is greatly appreciated. Also how about he coolant? I s this pretty easy to drain and re-fil?

thanks

mfletouva

Yeah, it does take 6 quarts! We've had trouble changing the oil in the past...

focus

If you are on a limited budget, speakers should be the first thing to replace; while the factory head unit is not the greatest, it's not bad. The factory speakers that they used are really cheap.

At 42,000 km, my air conditioning is running very cold. Had it recharged and seal replaced, all under warranty with no charge.

cornellpinoy

I've been the only one to change the oil on my '00 Intrigue. Its not terribly hard but I'll share some tips. The front of the car is low, so you will need either a set of jack stands or car ramps. On the 3.5L V6, the oil filter is a paper cartidge, so you will need to buy a "cap"-style oil filter wrench to unscrew the plastic assembly that holds the filter.

dtownfb

Thanks cornell. Looks likke I get to go to the auto store this weekend.

indrgb

Also, the paper filter can sometimes be hard to find, unless you pay full price at the dealer. Surprisingly, if you can find a store that sells AC, you might find it for about $5. The AC p/n is PF2129. Autozone has a Fram filter for $10 in my neighborhood.

dtownfb

THANKS FOR THE PART NUMBER. i HAD A HARD TIME FINIDING ITIN wALMART. I figured I could use their universal book but it was not in there.

taycron

I hear a noise every so often from my car. It sounds like my water pump. I'm not sure but what do I know? Does anyone know what a fair price would be to replace the water pump? I will make sure it is the problem before I have it done. I'm just wondering if anyone had their water pump replaced..

bravedave

It has been a while since I have posted on this board. I still have my 98 Intrigue-- she has 119k miles. The engine belt tensioner failed last week. I get to pick her up today after work. While having that fixed, I also had an alignment done-- I figure tis best to do so since they have her anyway. Total cost $419.

Earlier this year, my gas cap failed causing the "check engine" idiot light to go off. To get the problem diagnosed cost $92.

About 9 months ago, the brake booster failed. Total cost--$620.

Methinks I should proceed with getting rid of her... but the wife objects... sigh....

lmacmil

$620 for a brake booster, yikes! Olds probably paid $50 for that at OEM pricing.

vcjumper

http://www.cardomain.com/memberpage/305125

If only you could buy them like that

ab348

Let's hold off on judgement until we actually see how it all turns out. All I saw were the "before" pictures...

lmacmil

My A/C has been cutting in and out lately. I see the light go off and on at random intervals. Took it in for a diagnosis today. Good news is that the A/C system itself is fine. Diagnosis was a bad switch which is only replaceable as the whole heater control unit for $322 plus labor. The mechanic said "I'd just hit that switch a few times when it cuts out." I think that's what I'll do. It's been cool this summer and I can manage.

moonshadow

I had that panel apart awhile ago. Front bezel and four screws, couple of connectors. Then there are four tabs that hold on the front cover that need to be lifted while you seperate the two pieces. The panel is about a couple inches thick.
Hold the face down so you do not lose the placement of the push buttons.

Those switches are about 3/8 inch square and about 1/4 thick and are actuated by a platic tip sticking out from the button. Similar setup to vcr switches, if I remember. That's if you know what vcr seup looks like. hehe.

Anyway if you know someone handy, with electronics, or are brave. The most likely situation is a cold solder joint where the pins of the switch are soldered to the little board. This is common as the repetative pressure of the switch cause the solder to develop a hair like crack around the pin. I've serviced many types of boards/dashes/radios like this.

If not that then, they could probably squirt in a drop of tv tuner cleaner and rapidly activate the switch to clean the switch. Rubbing al-cool is a good backup. If the switch has broken then I've used some rigid plastic glue to hold some together, when i didn't have a matchup from and old vcr panel.

They sell you a new one for 300, send the old back in as a core , get a dufous to solder the pin, plug it into a computer to run diagnostic and resell it to the next guy.

I just mentioned it, if maybe you have a friend. Cause if it is a cold solder joint, then most likely, it will only get worse.

Cold solder joint.
A faulty solder connection due to insufficient heat while soldering. Results in improper solder flow and causes brittle joints that fail over time due to movement at the joint or heat in the circuit.
Not likely a heat thing in that circuitas it is mostly five and 12 volts in there.

cheers

lmacmil

Where are the screws? I see a couple of screws in the console that hold the plastic piece covering the shifter. It looks like that has to come off before the bezel around the heater & radio controls.

bjl

A couple weeks ago I told you all about my transmission service. I had a flush done on our 99 @ the recommended 50,000 miles. The shuddering at take off from a dead start continued so I took her back to the dealer who did the job. They had my car a full day testing it, pulled the pan, replaced the filter again, ect. They suggested a new pressure control valve in the transmission for $425!!! I told them to hold off. I picked the car up and it has been fine since. They charged me nothing for looking at the car again. I think I will wait and see on this issue.
Bottom line, I would not recommend a trans flush. stick with the old fashion drain & replace fluid and filter. I am sure this flush did more harm than good. I may send GM an email on this issue- not that it would do any good. At least it would be documented.

Also my A/C has done this intermittent shut off with the switch light since last summer. It seems to shut off more often when you first start the car. Or if you change the fan speed and other climate settings. We just deal with it. Glad to here your mechanic says this is what they would do as well.

Take care,
bjl

taycron

I went to my local mechanic 6 months ago and asked him for a transmission flush. He said that he didn't believe in flushing the transmission. He said it was just a way for mechanics to make more money and that it sometimes caused more harm then good. He recommended to just change the fluid and filter. So I had the fluid and oil changed at 110,000 miles and have had no problems.. I knew I needed it because my tranny fluid was really dirty before I had it changed.

moonshadow

So sorry, You are right sir. The shifter cover comes out first. duh

Lift up the console and there are a couple screws( 1/4 inch or 8mm) near the latch.

You then unpop the shift console bezel (The plug for traction control needs to be unplugged) The front bezel is snapped in too. . However, i think there were a couple screws near the bottom that need to go first. I found the bezel flimsy and was carefull to get underneath a heavy part of it to pop/pry it out slow and easy. I believe one of the clips at the top stuck to the dash.
cheers and sorry again for that omission

tandersen

The shift indicater lights (P, R,N, D etc) went out. I havent check fuses yet, but assuming its a burnt bulb can I fix this myself, or is it a project?

moonshadow

The lights in the dash or in th econsole.

Console is a bulb under the cover. Dash lights are a lot more involved.

tandersen

Its the consol light out. Is the bulb easy to replace?

racerx

This is the easy one. I did it once on my 99 and it took about 10 mins.

Here is the sequence if I remember correctly - maybe someone can correct me if I'm wrong:

1 Remove the traction control switch. There is a little notch, use a small (like for eyeglasses) screwdriver.

2 Open the front floor console compartment.

3 Remove the bolts/screws from the front floor console trim plate (2 screws near front of compartment)

4 Pull up on the front floor console trim plate to release the retainer clips (just grab the bottom near the middle of the shifter and pull straight up doesn't take a whole lot of force.)

5 Lift the front floor console trim plate up and over the transaxle shift lever.

At this point I forgot if you can access the bulb right from there or need to remove 2 or 4 screws from the shifter to get at the bulb. If you do its just another 2 minutes.

When done just reverse the steps.

Good luck!

tandersen

Thanks for the console light replacement advice. Ill attempt it this weekend. New problem. Recently my dashboard right turn signal blinked faster than normal. It went back to normal blinking on its own but now my dashboard left turn signal blinks real fast, and the outside left turn signals dont blink at all. What does this mean? Hopeful;ly just another burnt bulb, however, last year the car had the dreaded flickering lights. My dealer replaced the alternater and so far its been trouble free in that regard. Bottom line, what is this fast blinking turn signal indicate, does it merely need a new bulb or (God forbid) is it a symptom of the flickering light syndrome?

dekester

You don't have to remove the trac control switch... There should be enough wire to allow the piece to be moved aside - there was on my 98.

Be careful not to snap the tabs off the bulb socket or you'll never get it to stay back in place (like I did - D'oh!).

First open the armrest and remove those two screws, pull up the piece and set aside, then you can get to the four that hold down the shifter cover....

Deke

dtownfb

Waht size bulb do you need for the PRNDL light?

taycron

So let me get this straight. The console where the transmission shifter is located lights up.. right? I don't know because I bought my Intrigue used and it was never illuminated.

dekester

Search back thru the posts as this was discussed a few months ago. All the info you need will be there.

Deke

white6

Normally, a fast-blink means that a bulb is faulty.
Bad luck yesterday. While the wife was driving home from work, something quarter-sized crunched the A/C condenser and ruptured one of the lines. Looks like a trip to the A/C repair place for new condenser and, probably, $300 to $500 bill. I took a gander through the front bumper; pretty crappy design down there. Two holes (one on each side) with no protection whatsoever for the condenser (on either side of the fog lights). Anyone here with an Intrigue can get down and observe how beat-up the condenser gets from this lack of protection. I think I'm gonna rig up some plastic grill material down there after my new condenser gets installed.

racerx

It's a 194.

ab348

In reading this forum I have never heard anyone mention a problem that my '02 has recently developed. At highway (70-75mph) speeds, on windy days when the wind comes froma certain direction, I experience a wind "whoosh" - not a whistle or a typical wind leak, but rather a high-pitched "whooooo" sound, almost like a UFO - in the B-pillar area, appearently from the top rear of the front door window frame area. I have checked the weatherstrip and nothing appears amiss. Any ideas?

moonshadow

This has got to be the most annoying thing. To me it's althe time on the highway, gives me a headache if I lean to the window. I am constantly checking the windows to insure they are up.

Dealer of coarse says what noise. Ya just what to punch them.

Look closely toward the top of te two doors where they meet. They rubber strip stops 3/4 inch from the top. You can almost get your finger in there. This is engineered to be a whistle.

Get close to the joint and silently blow air across this, as rushing air would while driving and you can duplicate your whoosh.

Idiot engineers. Why most gm cars are wind noisy. Built in mechanical whistles.

daver

Well after my first car (passed down from my parents) is about ready to hit the dust, I've been in the market for a new(er) used car(as my first purchased car). After doing quite a bit of research I find myself keep coming back to the intrigue time after time, with the car being towards the top of my short list. (Mind you I haven't gotten to the stage of actually test driving it, or other cars... yet). Just was wondering about your impressions of the car itself, and wether I should try and opt for the Precision Control System or not(Living in NY, so I need to deal with crappy weather in the winter). Also of interest, from what I understand, the engine isn't all THAT great from a stand still(almost turbo-like). Was wondering if anyone has done any lower cost upgrades that helped improve upon that. (Would love to at least stay close to my dad's '00 Maxima(this is the 222hp, 217 ft/lbs engine, from what I understand the Maxima engine is pretty torquey even at slow speeds, while the Intrigue even with having more torque doesn't really benefit as much till you get going). As a Senior in college I don't have a WHOLE lot of funds so I can't go crazy.

dtownfb

I would definitely keep the Intrigue on your short list. I purchased a used 200 Intrigue in January and love it. It has some very nice features and some annoying ones. Then engines have 215 hp and get great gas mileage. My last two trips on the highway yieled 30 and 29.8 mpg (full tanks). It may nto be in the same league as the 3.5 L in the Maxima but I don't think you will be disappointed. And one can be had for fairly cheap since they ahve been discontinued. But parts are available for the car at any repair shop.

I happen to work at a college and I noticed two Intrigues driven by students this year. So it appears they had the same idea as you.

But definitley drive one. It hik you will be surprised at its performacne esp. for he price. Good luck.

dtownfb

Well I finally tackled the shifter light this weekend. Took me about an hour (15 minutes of work, 45 minutes searching over the internet). It's actually an easy project. To add what everyone mentioned, remember that you will need to twist the light bulb slightly and wiggle it to get it out of the slot. Next is to tackle the oil and transmission.

bennycheck

The Intrigue is a very good car with a few draw backs that can be a pain. I have a 2000 GL that has been great. It has 84,000 mi. on it and aside from the normal wear and tear stuff (brakes, rotors, tires, oil changes) I've had to replace the hvac fan ($180) and the ISS ($250).

Test drive the car and I think you'll be surprised at how well it handles. Don't get me wrong, it's no Maxima, but for the money it's a nice car. As far as getting PCS, I live in upstate NY and have the traction control (standard on the GL and GLS models) and have never even come close to getting stuck in the snow. It's a great winter car.

Good luck finding a nice '01 or '02. I spent the better part of 2 months at the start of this year trying to find one and had to settle for a Buick Regal instead. Nice car but the Olds is nicer IMO.

As far as being a dog off the line, I think thats when it's compared to the GM 3.8L. It won't keep up to the Maxima at the start, but once you get to around 35 or 40 I think you'll be pleasantly surprised. It's a great trip car and cruises at 90 with no effort at all. Good luck finding one. Go for a GL or GLS if you can. Not much difference in the price from a GX but you get alot more. Let us know how you do.

coonhound

I drive an 00 GX Intrigue and other than the ISS, steering rack and ignition switch it has been flawless for 53,000 miles. The PCS standard on the GLS changes the gear ratio from 3.08 to 3.23 hence more power to you, but at the expense of one or two MPG. The traction control, I believe was standard on the GL. This was my wife's driver and I took it over to accumulate more miles on it and got her a 02 Buick Regal. If you want grunt at go get the Buick Regal with the 3.8 and or the GLS Intrigue. But if you want to wax that Maxima at 70 mph go with the Intrigue.

lmacmil

"other than the ISS, steering rack, and ignition switch..."

You've replaced all those at 53K miles? Ouch! That's why I am considering selling mine (also has 53K miles). I just don't think the long term reliability is there. I've had my trans rebuilt (under warranty, TSB problem) and had to replace the thermostat (another TSB) and now my A/C switch is going. It's a great ride but I think one has to be prepared to spend more than average on repairs.

mfletouva

Had a strange little glitch on the ride into work today, wonder if anyone else had has a similar problem. My car is a 2002 GL PCS with 19400 miles. No problems whatsoever so far.

It was raining out so the wipers were on. I went to change lines and the turn signals simply didn't work. Everything else was fine. I pulled over, turned the car off, turned it back on, still didn't work. There is a Chevy dealer about 10 minutes up the road, so I went up there. I was told they they couldn't fix my car because they were not yet authorized to make Oldsmobile warranty repairs--I thought every GM dealer could but apparently.

Anyway, my regular dealer was about 5 miles further so I started up that way, when all of a sudden the turn signals worked again. I reversed course, headed back to work and they worked the whole way.

So apparently the problem is gone. I'm just puzzled by why they would suddenly stop working and then come back 30 minutes later. Any ideas?