Pontiac Grand Am Service Engine Soon / ABS / Trac Off

frustratedinwi

I have a 2000 Grand Am SE 2.4 with 152,000 miles
I have loved this car, taken great care of it and had it since 63,000 miles with no major issues.
Last week my "Service Engine" light came on. The next day my Fuel Pump went out. I had to have my car towed to the shop where they took off my fuel tank and replaced my fuel pump and filter.
When I got back into the car the "Trac Off" light was on along with the Service Engine light. It was diagnosed that the vacum hose had a leak in the EGR system and that there we re misfires (probably from trying to start the car after the pump went out).
Anyways he mechanic put these lights out and now today, 5 days later, all lights are back on. The Service Engine was first with no noticeable problems when driving then this morning I turned on my car and ABS, Service Vehicle, and Trac Off Lights were all on.
Does anyone have any ideas why this is happening? Could it be from towing or a wire coming loose from the repair??!? please help

jimsmith2354

I'm an electronics engineer with lots of automotive experience and the connections are usually pretty reliable, but it would be pretty easy for a mechanic to check for broken or pulled wires. (my car is a 2003 Grand AM GT) The wheel speed sensors for Grand Am's are poorly sealed from water. At less than 60K both of my front wheel sensors failed, and now at 64,000 miles, the rears are going bad and causing the same ABS and Trac Off lights to come on. Mine are failing with a bad internal connection, so the lights come and go. A $300 ABS code reader is needed to diagnose brake problems. It is important to get fixed as your ABS will not work while these sensors are bad.

jimsmith2354

I'm an electronics engineer with lots of automotive experience and the harness connections are usually pretty reliable, but it would be pretty easy for a mechanic to check for broken or pulled wires. (my car is a 2003 Grand AM GT) The wheel speed sensors for Grand Am's are poorly sealed from water. At less than 60K both of my front wheel sensors failed, and now at 64,000 miles, the rears are going bad and causing the same ABS and Trac Off lights to come on. Mine are failing with a bad internal connection, so the lights come and go. A $300 ABS code reader is needed to diagnose brake problems. It is important to get fixed as your ABS will not work while these sensors are bad.

annoyingcar

Less than a week ago my service engine soon light came on in my 2000 Grand Am SE. It was running fine, but I still brought it in and the diagnostics said that it was my evaporation emission system (something like that...). The mechanic said it was "out of wack" and it just needed to be reset. He did this and my light went off. Now today (less than a week later) my service engine soon, abs,and trac off lights came on. My car is still running fine. I am in a carpool and the lights came on right as we were about to leave from our meeting spot, so someone else drove. When turning my car on to come home, I noticed the lights were off. I am not sure if my last week occurrence is linked to this someway, or if they are just a coincidence. I just got 4 new tires 2 weeks ago and am not sure if that is linked somehow as well? Ever since I got new tires my car drives like it is windy outside (even though most of the time there is no wind at all). I am a very paranoid person, so this part may be nothing at all (or maybe even my imagination...not sure.). I am a 22 year old who doesn't know anything about cars. Is is even safe to drive?!? I drive an hour to my teaching job everyday and do not want to drive it if there is a chance it might brake down or anything.

jimsmith2354

I am a 56 year old who's father would only let him drive if I did maintenance on the car, and in 1968 cars did need more work than today. I am an electronics engineer so I will give you my non-professional mechanic but "experienced father" advice.

The squirmy-ness may because of the tires having more tread, they could be under inflated, and the worst case would be that they were not installed or were not torqued correctly. Do take the car back to where you got the tires as soon as and as carefully as you can. Sometimes tire cords get damaged during installation and you may need to demand a new tire. Have them double check the installation and then you take them for a test ride before leaving to make sure your car drives as before.

I can also tell you from first hand experience that Grand AMs have poorly sealed wheel bearings. When water gets in, the wires for the ABS sensors fail and sometimes un-fail so the lights come and go. This is also a serious problem because your ABS will not work when the lights are ON. You need to go to a service garage with a "Brake System" scanner to determine which wheel or wheels are the problem. I just bought new front bearings for my 2003 GT for about $100 each and you may be able to get installation for $50 to $70.

And one last piece of advice that I have given to my three grown daughters - If you are a female, take a male friend with you. All of the professional mechanics that I know are sexist pigs - rude but true.

jimsmith2354

I only recently saw your request and hopefully you have found a fix for your car not idleing. If not, here are some suggestions: Have a mechanic or maybe yourself, check for vacuum leaks. Too much air (not enough fuel) will cause a gas engine to stumble and stall out. It could be as simple as a pulled-off hose or as serious as a cracked intake manifold gasket.
Ask a friend to keep the car at fast idle, and you may be able to hear the leak - it will "hiss" like a snake. Except for the fuel injection system, this engine is very similar to engines made for the last 40 years. I would suggest finding a mechanic familiar with gasoline powered cars (engines). An experience diesel mechanic may not know what vacuum is - diesels don't generate it.

nateyfz350

the wheel bearing are shot replace them but dont get them from napa or you will be changing them again in a week

ladynred09

my service engine light comes on .. i just changed my oil . it a 99 grand am . at first it the light says low track .. now and then it will say off track .. i dont know what that means it automatic ..

chevynana

2001 Grand Am SE, 3.4L. These 3 lights come up on my dash, no codes in computer, not pulsing/pulling when I brake and the first 2 do not come up if I ti=urn the trac control off when I start the car. Is my ABS connection loose at the hub? I just had them both changed last May and June of 09

chevynana

opalj

i have all three lights that come on my pontiac grandam 2000 ,abs,trac off and service engine lights that come on and stay on does anyone know what the problem might be?

krazytrukker

i have a ABS code reader, can anyone tell me what the codes mean????????? C1226-exessive wheel speed variation;C1233-right front wheel speed sensor circuit open or shorted????????????? please let me know ASAP PLEASE.....

brkck1

ses,svs,trac off,and abs lites all at the same time: 2000 grand am se : front rotors,pad,calipers, and hubs have been replaced within the last couple months. is there any "reset", or are the hubs/wss shot again?.... it's one of those WT %#$ issues.

jimsmith2354

- had done the same on my 2003 GT, but once in a while I still get the lights, but have always gone away. The computer software is very sensitive to any variations in the sensors - maybe have the rears checked when the lights are on.

rj99grandam

In the fall I put new struts on the front of my 99 Grand Am SE. Now the back one has broke and my ABS and trac off lights keep coming on. Usually if I hit a bump and it doesn't have to be a hard bump. Does anyone know if there is a correlation between the struts and the lights coming on?

rj99grandam

The temperature gauge rises on my 99 Pontiac Grand Am if I am sitting at a light, pumping gas, or sitting still for any length of time. Does anyone know what might be causing this? It has never actually overheated.

darevalo

hey man it might be the fans on your car or try changing the temperature sensor

rachelama

my 2003 pontiac grand am se (2.2 ecotec) occasionally starts shaking, wanting to stall while driving. then my trac off light comes on and then the engine light starts blinking. the car will drive slowly and being to slowly accerlate until it drives properly again and the lights go off. when the speeds slows down it will start the same process again. does anyone know what might this be? we have replaced the fuel pump and crank shaft seal and the spark plugs. oil changes are regular and we had the exhaust cleaned.

jimsmith2354

The "trac off" light is usually related to wheel speed sensors. My 2003 GT has gone through 2 fronts (1 bearing w/sensor and 1 sensor) in less than 70K miles. The ABS warning will usually come ON if any wheel sensor is bad - or the computer thinks it is...

The "engine light" usually means an engine problem - as if you didn't notice... Many of the car parts places will scan your car for free. Write down what they tell you, then go to a second, write down those codes (& causes) and start with the cheapest sensors first - unless there is a very clear and definite diagnosis. Many times more than one code will be recorded. They can clear the codes and you can come back when the car acts bad again and get a fresh read of the codes.

Mechanically that 2.2 ecotec is good for 150K to 200K miles. I've got a Corsica with a 2.2 with over 160K and still running strong, but sometimes the sensors don't last that long.

kirktim

What will cause the engine as reflected by the RPM gauge to fluctuate while driving at speeds of 55 to 65 mph, where the gauge will intermittently increase to 2,500 then back down to 2,100? The cars powertrain has just over 100k miles, and is absolutely sound otherwise.

Other than regular oil changes I have not replaced the fuel filter, pcv valve, or timing belt, and the car has never required any services or maintenance by a dealer or other maintenance facility.

burdawg

It could be shifting in/out of overdrive, or the torque converter could be locking/unlocking.

nicholasamr

I just bought a 1999 grand am SE with 98,000 miles on it. The car ran perfectly until i brought it home, sometimes it wont start and has no power like the battery is dead. If i pop the hood and wiggle the positive cable on the battery it starts. Its a little rough when it first starts but it drives fine. Now the service engine soon light and the trac off light come on. This all started after i had new tires put on the car. It seems to have started shifting really hard since the trac light warning has come on. Any ideas about what this might be. I bought this car because we had to have something with backseats, since we are expecting a baby, but now are afraid its not going to be reliable. I didnt want a car payment, but now i'm thinking i should have used the $2,500 i paid for it as a down payment on something newer with less miles. Any ideas on what causes this or how much it will cost to fix? Any suggestions or ideas would be greatly appreciated

lulubell1

So does it still come on ? Have you found out what to do. Mine comes on if I drive the car for like over 20 mins, or if I have to make frequent stops.The trac off light will come on and no to long after that the car will shut off. I have to wait maybe about 30 mins to and hour and it will start back up.But my car isnt over heating. It sucks because I dont trust the car at all.

nicholasamr

i had the code read for the check engine light, it read p0108 which is manifold absolute pressure, i was going to put it in the shop to get the MAP sensor changed and the vacuum lines checked for a leak. Since its either one or both of those, but within the last week, the check engine light and the trac off light has gone off and the car is running perfectly, no hard idling or hard shifting and it does not die, hoping it stays off and runs fine for a awhile. Th

honda_eater

How high does rise? cause just idling in my 03 gt will rise above 90 in warm weather

danimal49

I have a 2001 Grand Am. It seems to run fine, until the trac off light comes on. This has been happening for about a month. Whenever it comes on, it seems to shift hard at around 25-30 MPH. It also turned on while i was going 65-70 on interstate, the cruise stopped working and it was hard to gain speed. When i stop and shut the car off and turn it back on the light turns off and it drives fine. I have read alot of similar posts to this online, but no answers. I also took it to 2 different shops, but they could not find a problem, the light wasnt on then though. Anyone have any clue what could be happening? I'm planning on unhooking the battery and resetting the computer. Other than that i have no idea what to do. Thanks!

annie80

My 1996 Pontiac Grand AM SE occasionally starts shaking, My check engine lights blinks regularly and today the engine check light came on (isn't blinking anymore) and it says check engine. Sometimes when I'm driving the RPM will go from 2 to 4 and then go back down to 2. I got an oil change last week and I know I have to get a radiator flush could that be the cause? Or do you have any idea what this could be? :confuse:

jcam1

The abs and ets lights stay on in my daughters 99 Grand Am. My handy neighbor has replaced both wheel hubs, but it has not taken care of the problem. The problem was not corrected after each installation. Now, we are assuming it must be in the wiring, which seems to be a more difficult to attempt than the hubs. Any suggestion as to the path of the harness wires would be most helpful. Any other suggestions would also be greatly appreciated. We can get the code read for $60, but they have said it will still be hit or miss. Does that seem correct?

burdawg

You can buy your own code scanner for $30 or less. It's not hard to do. Just reading the codes won't always point to the exact problem, but gives an area to start looking in.

shark187

hey you there chevynana. what a coincidence me myself have a 2003 grand am Gt and those 3 lights come uo on my dash too. i´ve been doing some kind of a investigation hehehe on youtube and i found out that it should be the abs sensor the cause of the 3 lights showed up at the dash. if anybody can help with an other opinion, be my guest please.