Edmunds dealer partner, Bayway Leasing, is now offering transparent lease deals via these forums. Click here to see the latest vehicles!
Options
Popular New Cars
Popular Used Sedans
Popular Used SUVs
Popular Used Pickup Trucks
Popular Used Hatchbacks
Popular Used Minivans
Popular Used Coupes
Popular Used Wagons
Comments
2014 Malibu 2LT, 2015 Cruze 2LT,
My car: 1998 BPA, 270,000 miles, gran touring susp.
My window returned to it's former behavior of rolling down extremely slow during wet weather, and after a while it quit working completely - although you could hear the motor turning and making a grinding noise. Obviously some sort of nylon gear probably wore out.
I looked up the details on the window motor and turns out the left side power window motors (front & rear) are identical and the right side motors match too. (*footnote Rockauto lists the front/left and rear/right as the same units, and vice versa but I have not found that to be the case)
With this info I went to a local "pull it yourself" junk yard and found a similar car (these motors are used in more than one model - Caddy, Chevy..etc ) and picked up one out of a rear left door which I felt would normally be unused in a southern luxury car... compared it to mine to match it. *The r/r did not match my f/l.
The replacement procedure is as simple as any window motor I've replaced.
You don't have to tape or prop up the window, you pretty much remove the interior door panel, unplug the electrical connectors, remove the weather seal, remove the (3) 10mm bolts, pull the motor - the window stays in place. While you have it open spray lube on the hinge or pivot point of the power window regulator as well as the nylon wheel tracks. I feel the hinge is actually the point that is causing the slow rolldown, as after it was sprayed with lube I could move the window up and down while the motor was out. Before spraying it, it was very difficult to move the window up or down by hand at all.
Next replace with the new motor, reassemble the seal, electrical connectors, and door panel, and you should be good to go.
As my father's 2001 was behaving the same (slow on rainy days), we simply swapped his rear motor with the front motor and lubed the hinge and it is moving strong again.
Again, in hindsight, I really feel the dry hinge is the problem part. It seems to build up corrosion or crud. After lubing, the window regulator swivels easier.
I suspect this procedure would be the same for '97 thru '05 models.
update 1
update 2
end of story
The manual that I have doesn't give much detail about normal maintenance other than oil change and tire rotation.
Does anyone have more detail? I love this car and want to keep it as long as I can.
I just changed the top radiator hose on my 1998 (built in Dec 97). It has started to slightly swell near the thermostat. That's the hottest end and it deteriorates the most. It cost under $20 for a Dayco brand at PepBoys. I installed it myself. The lower hose is colder and I'm watching it because it's hardened some. This car is 11 years old. Yours is 4. Think you need hoses? I doubt it.
Transmission fluid should have been drained and refilled every 36000 miles in my opinion. Manual says 100,000 or never. I do not recommend flushing. Have an independent shop drain, replace filter with Purolator $20, and refill with Dexron VI fluid. It also can use Dexron III which it came with. The Dexron VI is more like synthetic. Supertech brand at Walmart is what I used in my 03 and it was $2.79 quart. It takes 7 quarts.
Tuneup may be anything. There is no tuneup any more. Replace plugs and wires at 100,000 or earlier. I'd do them about 80K.
Fuel filter is most likely under the passenger side rear area inside the frame rail. It screws on at one end and has a snap on plastic fitting at the other. Cost $15? labor time about 15 minutes for a skilled mechanic.
Wearever Fuel cleaner? Go buy a bottle of Techron by Chevron at Walmart, $5.95 12 oz., or Advance Auto parts, Autozone, or PepBoys. One may have a buy 1 get one free. There's a 12 ox for up to 12 gallons and a 20 oz for up to 20 gallons. Add to an almost empty tank and fill with premium. Then 2 or 3 tanks later repeat. your tank holds 18 gallons when filled.
Find a new service place.
Also drain your antifreeze, which is DexCool, and replace with fresh. That's the most critical on the list and they didn't even mention it. Maybe because it's work. Replace DexCool every 2 - 2.5 years just like the old style antifreezes.
2014 Malibu 2LT, 2015 Cruze 2LT,
Also check the cabin air filter which is likely on top of the cowl when the hood is open, in front of the windshield wipes. I'm not sure of the physical layout of your specific car but it usually is an 8 by 12 rectangle with two little snaps that hold it down. Under it is a slide in and out air filter for the air entering the heater blower. Pull the old one out and look at it. If it's dust covered and smells moldy... I replaced with Purolator for about $16. I have tried washing and bleaching and replacing, but it just doesn't freshen up.
The Purolator filter for the cabin says "Made in USA" in case you wonder why I usually buy that brand--PepBoys has them in my area.
2014 Malibu 2LT, 2015 Cruze 2LT,
As to replacing the radiator hoses, do what you feel comfortable with. If you travel cross-country a lot (crossing Death Valley gets hot), you may have it done for peace of mind, but as Imizadol97 said, the hoses really do last a long time. I finally replaced mine when my radiator gave out around 230,000 miles. They weren't leaking, I just did it to match the new radiator. Mine were probably around 10 years old.
There are two trains of thought on the trans flush. I belong to the group that feels it doesn't hurt to flush, even high mileage cars. I did mine once when it had around 165,000 and again around 265,000. Original trans still... That price for the flush sounds high to me. I'd expect it to be around $79-89. Fuel filter is a quick swap of a $10 part, so personally $92 sounds high, but if you aren't a DIY'r, sometimes you just have to accept the parts and labor markup. Depending on your mileage, it may be a good thing to have done. You want the injectors to have a good flow of clean fuel that won't clog them up.
75,000 miles on your BPA? I can't recall what the recommended fuel filter replacement interval is. Have you checked the back of your owner's manual? I thought there were some tables in the front or back of the manual that stated intervals. Perhaps a separate maint guide in the case?
How long since the last tune-up? I'm personally happy with 100,000 tuneups. These engines are very reliable.
On the fuel system tune-up, if they actually connect the 1 pint cylinder device and run a high quality cleaner (like BG) directly thru your injectors using regulated compressed air then $90 sounds about right, but if they are just adding cleaner to the fuel tank, I agree you could do it yourself much cheaper and use the leftover $$ to fill your tank a time or two ..
I think you'll enjoy that car for a long time!
If it's like the leSabres, there is no replacement interval. It's just if there might be a problem with the filter's ability to flow fuel. Personally I use good grades gas, seldom buy at a questionable station. I replaced filter on 98 at 100,000 or higher. When dried the filter didn't allow air through easily. The new one, of course, did. A filter that has caught stuff and is partically restricted puts more work on the fuel pump is some posters' thinking. Cheap part; easy replacement by self if medium ability and have tools to hold metal line and the filter both.
>Cabin air filter on this series BPA is under the dash
I'd forgotten that. But I had read someone posting about that earlier. I like mine where it's a stand up job! Easier.
For the transmission, do one or the other, but do something. 75,000 is far past a good service interval. I'd be most concerned about the quality of the fluid that goes back in to replace the current fluid. The shops doing the flush may not want to use the Dexron VI. I consider that like the oil used by quickie lubes where you don't really _know_ what the oil is quality wise. You are trusting them.
Plugs and wires when they deteriorate may load the electronic spark control module more. But the iridium plugs used and the GM wires are good.
2014 Malibu 2LT, 2015 Cruze 2LT,
Thanks again for your reply.
I have the same problem and was wondering if you found out why it was coming on.
Thanks
There have been a lot of cases of the service stability system message. In some it's the sensor on the steering column not reading well because of gap between it and the column or other things. The four sensors at the wheels can cause problems with gaps, dirt, or corrosion on the contacts.
you might watch to see if it turns on when you turn the steering wheel or when you hit a bump at one of the car wheels while they are turned. I've had my message come on but then it doesn't come on for a long time. I have suspected one of the wheels sensor connections and will reseat each one as I do the brakes over a period of time.
The steering sensor was reset or replaced under warranty when my 03 was within the new car warranty.
If you turn off the car and restart, usually mine will operate just fine. When the message has been on, the stability system is turned off. That's not much of a problem for me.
2014 Malibu 2LT, 2015 Cruze 2LT,
If spark present then check for proper fuel pressure. Could be fuel pump. You may need to connect a fuel pressure gauge and duct tape it to windshield and drive around watching it.
Could be main computer cutting out.
2014 Malibu 2LT, 2015 Cruze 2LT,
The problem could be an alternator. The voltage indicator should go higher like 15-16 volts when you start the car after sitting and then drop gradually to about 13.5 - 14 volts after a period of time running.
The stalling could be the EGR valve sticking or dirty. They stay open due to crud or sticking keeping them from closing which causes a poor idle and stalling. Then they will often restart just fine.
The stalling could be a crankshaft position sensor. Lots of those are failing.
A MAF sensor that is dirty measures the incoming air wrong and causes stalling and various problems.
Because the car started right up with a jump, I'd suspect an alternator not charging the battery or a defective battery. But you said the needle doesn't change and it should be at 14 or so instead of at 12.6 when the car is not running.
Somewhere like Walmart can check a battery and alternator and their hours may be long enough you can get in.
2014 Malibu 2LT, 2015 Cruze 2LT,
heater cores do start to seep. Then the leak gets bigger. If you're smelling antifreeze, it's time to get it replaced after checking to verify the smell is from the heater core and NOT from a leak in water pump or hoses and so on under the hood. Those can give antifreeze smells that get sucked into the air intake just behind the hood and the smell comes into the passenger compartment also.
The vents on the dash operate by vacuum. Check under the hood for a small vacuum reservoir with a tube going to it from the upper intake manifold area. The small rubber tube carries vacuum to the reservoir.
Do any of the controls change the setting, say heater blows out the bottom? If not, then most likely you've lost all vacuum. Rubber tubes rot with age and heat and crack. Also it may just have been pulled off the reservoir connection when someone did sparkplugs or other work under the hood.
2014 Malibu 2LT, 2015 Cruze 2LT,
I would have the coolant drained and refilled yesterday, even if you can't do it yourself like I do. I would get the old DexCool out, even though it most likely isn't causing you any problems. I would refill with fresh DexCool OR the equivalent by Prestone called Mixes with All Colors, which is a slight green color. Both bottles show the same active ingredients. I don't think it makes an difference to the seals in the motor's upper intake manifold and throttle body area that did develop some leaks due to coolant contact with the original DexCool formula back in 1997 or slightly later before the formula was changed.
I would replace whichever you put in every two years or 35,000 miles, just like in the good old days. Maybe 3 years if you put lots of longer highway miles on it where the entire cooling system runs hot and circulates everything.
Expressly, I changed out the DexCool in my 03 leSabre at 60K at the 2nd drain and refill. I rinsed 3 times with water and got most of the DexCool out so the coolant was clear after running up to temperature and draining. I put in the Mixes with All Colors. Note I did a previous change an put in new DexCool back in 05 (car was 2.5 years old). My 1998 is still running on DexCool after I changed the UIM at 150K and put on an aftermarket type. I did not have to change lower intake coolant seals against the heads--yet. And I don't expect to do so, even though the car had DexCool its whole life.
What you don't want is a low coolant level in the radiator which allows air to mix with the circulating antifreeze. The air and earlier DexCool caused some deterioration and sludging especially on cars where someone added old style green antifreeze--the original non long life type. Checking water level in the radiator also catches any early leaks that may develop in the pre2000 motors at the EGR passage in the Upper Intake Manifold or at the throttle body passage seals with the UIM. Sometimes the loss of coolant doesn't suck back in coolant from the reservoir so the radiator starts getting low without the coolant reserve tank dropping. So occasionally check the radiator--when cool--to be sure it's full.
2014 Malibu 2LT, 2015 Cruze 2LT,
You also should remove the MAF sensor and clean with an air intake safe cleaner or better a MAF sensor cleaner spray. I also used a soft camel hair artists type brush to lightly help remove "lint" from the wire. If you look closely it may look like an electrical charge has attracted fuzz to the wires in the MAF. Dry it and put it back on. The home test is to remove the connector for the MAf and start the car. But since yours only occasionally gives symptoms and isn't running poorly at start, that's not an option. The guy next door had a 3800 Gran Prix that would die or run poorly at times. Replaced MAF and it was fine.
Unless your fuel tank has an opening in the trunk to change out fuel pump AND your fuel pump has shown low pressure, i sure wouldn't do a fuel pump. See if an Autozone or Oreilly will loan you fuel pressure gauges with a long hose and connect it and tape to windshield on outside with duct tape and drive the car until it sputters and see if the fuel pressure dropped at that time.
If it's the fuel sock on the fuel pump, that would show in your gauge work also. That is rare but usually sucks [non-permissible content removed] onto the sock more as it runs a longer time and then when car stalls and suction stops, the [non-permissible content removed] falls away allow better pressure again. Just doesn't fit here. If I thought I had goop in tank, I'd do a couple of strong Techron Fuel System Cleaner dosings when tank is almost empty. The high concentration of cleaner added before adding fuel should dissolve a lot of nonparticulate forms of accumlated stuff in the tank.
2014 Malibu 2LT, 2015 Cruze 2LT,
Some of the repair options have been to drill a small hole in the instrument cluster cover by the fuel gauge and use a paper clip to flip it back up, or use a magnet to draw the needle back around to the top side, or disassembling the instrument cluster and flipping it back up with your finger.
I don't know what the actual issue is, whether a capacitor is failing or some other electrical component, so I can't offer any advice on repair of the actual cause. But I have another workaround.
I personally didn't want to drill a hole in the gauge cover, and the magnet trick wouldn't work for me. I ended up pulling the cover off, and flipping it back, but after doing it more than once, I wanted a permanent solution. I noticed in some of the newer models (especially the Ultras, 2002 on up) they have now put a pin on the right ( full tank ) side of the fuel gauge, I assume to prevent it from flipping all the way over. Hmmm... redesign?
I decided to imitate the 2002 model and make a pin to the right to prevent it from flipping over again. repair pics here along with pic of the factory 2002 Ultra pin.
Any of the methods may work for you, this is just another option to choose from.
I called the dealer and they said it was probably the trunk gasket.
Is this a known issue with these cars?
Thanks for any help!!!
Let me know how you make out. Check Ebay first for replacement gaskets, the dealer will kill you on pricing.
Good luck.
Also gmpartdirect.com
rockauto.com
2014 Malibu 2LT, 2015 Cruze 2LT,
There's a separate circuit and fuse for the radio memory.
2014 Malibu 2LT, 2015 Cruze 2LT,
Your owner's manual would probably be your best source of info, but it should be in a fuse block box underneath your rear seat.
To remove the rear seat: Lift from under the front bottom edge of your rear seat and it will pop up, then pull it forward to remove the bottom section of the seat and reveal the fuse box.
When you unscrew the cover off the box , there should be a legend inside the cover identifying the various fuses and relays.
The one labled 'Htd bk lite' should be for the defogger. Large grey relay.
Pictures of 2003 rear fuse box and location
thanks a bunch!
Dtracy
First please thank you to be indulgent with my poor english .I am french and I live in France.
In 1996 I got a new Park ave .. A few weeks later I learned that GM ceased the importation of Buick in Europe .So it is sometimes difficult to find good mechanics for maintenance .
The car has now about 100 000 milles and runs quite correctly
However I have a problem with the steering wheel .When I go for a long period on a straight road the bar of the wheel is pretty horizontal in a normal position .If I have to turn sharp right this bar does not come back at its initial position when the turning is finished but it remains at about 10 degrees to the right, depending how sharp was the right turn and it remains like this even when the road is straight again . The same phenomenom occurs when I must to turn left .
Actually there is no great problem to drive this car save on highspeed - say up to 80 miles per hour, our speed limit here in France on highways - At these speeds it seems that the car becomes heavy to turn and that I have to force it to take the bends because it tends to turn less fhan necessary
There is no looseness at all in the front wheels .The wheel alignment has been set at regular intervals and everything is normal .A mechanic once said me after having checked everything that the problem could come from the hinge bearings which are up the front shock absorbers.
Any opinion on that ?
Many thanks in advance
PAPY JP
The problem was the right front strut mount. Too much labor to replace just the mount, so it was best to have strut, spring, and mount replaced as 1 unit on each front side ($300 X 2). Also bought a new set of 4 Uniroyal T-rated Tiger Paw tires and had complete alignment ($350 + 50). This $1000 is all I've put into the car since I bought it 1 year ago for $1200 - and now I know what the "Buick Ride" is all about! It rides like new - straight as an arrow (look ma - no hands!). I've trusted the mechanic for years and I know I got a good deal - though I might have saved the tires had I acted sooner. Live and learn.
Many thanks for your answers that are highly appreciated !
I apologise to have delayed this message but, as I am not familiar with this american forum I could not find my post again and,of course , your answers .
To Mr Shiftrigh : I do not remember having tried to wiggle the wheel when driving but I have never noticed that the car did not respond correctly, whatever the steering wheel position, except at high speed on the highway as I explained on my original message.
To Dave : Your message confirms the french mechanics diagnostic but I did not understand how the entire suspension device can be cheaper than thr only strut
Both of the struts of my car have now less than 10 000 miles but they did not change the bearings that are above .
Thank you again to both of you
Papy jp
set up and be street legal for less than 600.00.
park ultra. A buddy had a similar problem with his Chrysler 300. I went to a Dealer
in Las Vegas a Chevy dealer and got the channel it was so easy to replace. You
have to remove the trim panel. Then it is easy fix. Mine works great now
no kidding
in was thanksgiving on the way to baba house in anaheim. The car just turned over
to 100,000 miles it was on empty the gas gauge spun like the twilight zone. I said
out loud, "you see' when you hit 100,000 miles Buick gives you a free tank of gas.
My wife at first thought I was serious until she thought about it then everybody had
a good family laugh.
I see your fix and I am impressed as I went the paper clip and drill the hole route.
So please show us how to remove it from the car. Maybe I can fix the oil pressure
light as well while I am at it. More than likely I will remove bulb so that I do not have to look at it again.the oil pressure light. Note if I had no Oil pressure the car would stop anyway.
This stopped that problem. If your brake rotors are bad you can also get shimmy
and high speeds
Thanks, Mike
OK, did you hook it up, or the other guy?
You'll probably want to do a ( google / bing / yahoo ) search for "find parasitic battery drain". There are a lot of how to articles that will explain it better than I can. It's possible wires weren't hooked up correctly, or maybe when rolling around inside your car, another wire was cut or crushed - for instance wiring to the power seat. Or maybe when the battery was disconnected / hooked up during the install something went wrong. Are the battery clamps tight? Broken?
If it drains in 4 - 5 hours, that is a huge short. Even though it's a new battery, you may want to charge it and have it tested. Batteries do go bad prematurely sometimes.
It could also be a problem with your alternator. Have you checked the voltage at the battery when the car is running? Should be about 13.5 - 14.5 VDC.
If all is good so far:
To find out where the power is being drained, you'll need a good DC ammeter that will tell you how much current you are drawing. If you see it is drawing a good amount of power with the key off, you'll need to start pulling out every fuse until you see the current draw go away. Reinstall each fuse after checking the ammeter, or having your helpful assistant check it. When you pull a fuse and the current draw goes away, you'll be on the right track to know which circuit is draining your power. If it is the radio circuit, you'll probably want to double check the install work.
One last thought, did you mean you disconnect the battery with the engine running after jump starting it?
You used to be able to do that with older cars, but if you disconnect the battery on a car such as yours, you'll probably burn up some components in your alternator, like diodes. That would be bad.
Hope this helps and you find the drain! Sorry it's not more detailed, but if you search you'll get it. Let us know what you find.