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2005 Buick Lacrosse CXL Engine stalling while driving! [FIXED]

BobmancardudeBobmancardude Member Posts: 1
edited January 2019 in Buick
Wanted to put this out there for others with similar problems.

I have a 2005 Buick Lacrosse CXL.

While driving at low speeds (20mph or below) or while stopped at a stoplight, the engine has suddenly turned off, leaving the car to coast to a halt (without power steering/braking). The messages on the dash were “REDUCED ENGINE POWER,” “STARTING DISABLED,” and “SERVICE TRACTION CONTROL SYSTEM.”

After putting car in park, turning the key to the off position and trying to start it, the car wouldn’t start (starting was disabled). Trying the next time, the car turned over for about 2.5 seconds and then the engine started. 3 seconds later it turned off again with the same messages. This repeated about 5 times, then I let it sit off for about 3 minutes. Starting it again, it actually started but turned off at a stoplight again about 20 minutes of driving later. On a 200 mile trip, it shut off once at 35 mph and once at 60mph with cruise control on and traction control manually turned off.
I’ve found that the car is more likely to stay started if I immediately rev the engine to a higher RPM after it starts.

Update:
I took it to the dealership where I had the problem diagnosed. They replaced the Engine Control Module for a total cost of $930 (with $100 fee for diagnosis). This part can be found online preprogrammed for around $400 if you want to do it yourself. The problem is no longer occurring and is now fixed.
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