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I don't know the answer to your question on the cylinders - i've never heard of this either. The reason why I am responding is because I have an 05 LS maxx also - which I love, and can sympathize with the cost of break replacements, etc. Wanted to let you know about a website that I use, http://www.iautobodyparts.com/ I have been able to find incredible deals on replacement parts on this site for my maxx - usually have of what you would pay elsewhere. Then, I just check to make sure that my mechanic will put them on for me for just the labor costs. They usually will. I only mention it because you were saying about how expensive things are at the dealer - this should save you tons. Just be careful to be certain you are ordering the correct part because returns are nearly impossible. You can get specific part numbers from your dealer prior to buying online. Shipments arrive super fast too. Good luck!
Can't say for the malibu as I took mine to a shop (@$280 for front and rear pads and labour). Worked on a friends 2000 lesabre a few years ago and couldn't get the piston back in, thought needed new piston. At some point screwing with it, it moved. Realized that it rotated (screwed ) into place. Screwed it back in and put back together like normal. Makes doing brakes easier cause then you don't need a clamp. LOL.
Hi MPWEST, I just got back to my pc after the holidays. I'm glad I helped with my post on the Maxx Its' funny the bk cylinder screws in and out of these. I found this out by having the c-clamp with the screw on the pad side.. and it started to turn the cylinder when I engaged the clamp, simple after I saw that, it then saw it can turn by hand (I always open the bleeder too to evacuate this compressed and dirty brake fluid) "just add some new to the reservoir if you need" Also I only bought the cheapest pads 27 dollars and replaced these worn inners only.... (yah I saved a bundle - on a budget)(Teach your daughter to do it, its' easy & show the $ U saved) btw(I realy love this car ~.... It just about helped me move everything out of my house after my divorce, like a minny suv that gets me 30mpg...D~
Last night I decided to watch my Fuel Range indicator (2005 LS) so I could see when it clicked from numbers to "Low". The display counted down FUEL RANGE 45 MI, FUEL RANGE 43 MI, then FUEL RANGE LOW. A minute after "LOW" appeared, the chime sounded and the lamp came on. So it's 41 miles for the range, and 40 for the warning. Nearly useless information, considering that fewer Maxxes are being sold nowadays. After refueling with 12.8 gallons, it did show FUEL RANGE 31 MI for a second, which tells me it doesn't count the last two gallons of the tank.
hey all... just bought, drove about 20miles in 3 days...i love it. blk,fully load interior... 15k miles clean,clean,clean... beige leather. looking to add on hid lights, tints, exhaust... but most of all i need an ipod connection to work with the factory radio...any help???
In the past I have used a mini stereo jack to RCA cable in my DVD player in the back. Or a FM transceiver. Can't really just replace the stereo's in these cars.
beleive you can get an aftermarket kit to attach the IPOD.....not much else on the aftermarket side.....havent found any exhaust....HIDs are useless in the OEM light assemblies...better swtiching to a differnt bulb then converting to HID.....Tint...not a problem
the issue with the OEM radio is the DIC is integrated into the radio display....
If I recall correctly , my 05 Maxx was at the dealers twice to get gas caps. (because of the (CEL)check eng lights) I only assume they replaced the gas caps both times and no other adjustments, once I could tell the cap physically wouldn't stay tight! (broke internally)...Huh? I could tell something wasn't right.. Thats funny my 65 buick still has the original stamped steel cap. D~
I replaced the rear brake pads on my Maxx at 50k. My brother had a tool that screwed the pistons while compressing them. He told me it was not a very expensive tool (around $75). It was impossible to compress them without this tool (tried a C-clamp and large pliers). With the tool it was a piece of cake. I now have 108k on my Maxx with no problems with the rear brakes.
I had the same problem. They replaced the gas cap. The new one is getting a little loose too. By that I mean the ratchet mechanism is feeling a bit mushy. He told me this is a known problem. You may want to try an aftermarket gas cap if it happens again.
2004 Maxx LS, 107K miles on it. I've been quite happy with the reliability. A couple of things went wrong with it.
Bad fuel injector at 5k (replaced under warranty).
Power steering column threw a bad code at 40k (replaced under extended warranty).
2 sets of front brakes. Factory pads replaced at 32K because of rotor warp. Plenty of meat on the pads. Replaced rotors and pads with Bendix parts. 75K on them and still going strong. A little vibration after 10k but smoothed out afterwards (can't explain that).
1 set of rear pads at 50K.
A couple of minor things that seem to be common for others as well include: Recalibrate fuel gauge because it wouldn't read full. Replace gas cap because ratchet mechanism loosened and threw a code. Gauges seemed to go off even though the engine was running. This happened twice over 107k miles. It probably was an electrical glitch related to the remote starter which seems to leave the gauges off when the car is running. Not worried about it. Hard start when car is partially warm. TSB out that says to reprogram computer so that start lasts 8 seconds instead of 4 when engine partially warm. Didn't bother with this since pumping that gas pedal works just as well. Thumping and rattling of steering column. A shot of Liquid Wrench where the column shaft goes into the firewall takes care of it but must be done every 10K or so.
I haven't replaced the Tranny fluid yet but am thinking about doing it when I do the Coolant. Speaking of which, does anyone know how to drain the Coolant? I can't find a radiator drain plug and the hoses are half way up the radiator so taking them off won't drain very much.
I just bought a used 06 Malibu Maxx with just under 50K miles. I love it but I am afraid it is going to fall apart at any moment. My test drive was great, no problems noticed. I have now only had it about 2 weeks and am noticing several things hopefully someone can help me out. First, the remote entry and start.... works when it wants to. I replaced the battery in the remote the day I got it and it still only works when it wants to. Any suggestions? Second, knocking, sounds like its something on the drivers side but cant pinpoint it. And it started making a weird noise when I am going slow and making turns, like in a parking lot. Anyone else had this problem? Last, random panels have been falling off! We discovered on the way home from the dealership that I had no tail lights. Next day trying to figure it out found two aftermarket switches installed in the rear compartment by the fuses. Flipped a switch and they work again! Anyone know why these would have been installed? Also, there is another on/off switch on the side panel in the drivers area... make sense? Have no clue what it does. So... that panel keeps falling off and the cover on the hatch that covers the rear wiper falls off everytime I close the hatch. These are not huge problems but only having it two weeks I am scared the whole thing is going to fall apart one day while I am driving down road! Please tell me there is no history of engine or transmission failure at 60K miles!
Snapped off the antenna on our 2004 Maxx recently. I bumped something against it and weather was cold and it snapped off, almost flush with the place where the metal antenna comes out of the rubberized cover. Local shop said 'take it to the dealer' when I showed it to them.
Has anybody replaced their antenna? It looks almost like I'd need one of those special drill bits to drill out a stripped screw to get the remainder of the antenna out of there. I considered trying to pry the rubber cover off to see if that would make things more accessible for a repair, but I have a tendency to make things worse so I thought better of it.
Have to get mine replaced now at 65K. Is actually the only work done on my car other than tires brakes and oil. Anybody have any experience with the cost of this repair? Approx. how long can I drive like this before repair?
Didn't see much in the thread about specific brand/model tires. Our BFG Premier Touring (sold at Costco) have 70k miles and need replacement fairly soon. Can't decide whether to go with them or spend slightly less from something from Tirerack. These are all OEM sizes (215/60/16):
BFG Premier Touring $88 + $14 install package (includes lifetime rotation and balance @ Costco) Dunlop SP Sport 7000 A/S - $63 each + appx $10 ship tirerack.com. H speed rating. Perhaps too sporty for year-round use in Michigan. Yokohama Avid Touring-S $70 each + ship tirerack. T speed. Continental ContiProContact. $77 + ship. $58 each + ship after rebate ($75 Visa card when you buy 4). These would probably be $75 less than the BFG, but I'd put that money back in, perhaps more, via paying for tire rotations and any necessary balances over the life.
I've been happy with the BFG and perhaps shouldn't mess with a good thing, but price is a concern and the Continentals seem like a tempting play.
Any opinions or specific tire experiences anyone cares to share?
Looking for anyone who may have replaced the thermostat in an 04 Maxx. There is a hot water pipe which wraps around the block and obstructs the top bolt to the t-stat housing. It would have to be moved to get to the top bolt. I believe the pipe is a hot water transfer pipe that provides heat to the car heater. The pipe appears to have a bleeder valve on the top of one end of the pipe. Is this something I can do at home (not a car guy, but do tackle the occasional minor repair from time to time) or am I asking for trouble. The bleeder screw (if thats what it is) leads me to believe there is an important step involving bleeding the system correctly after installing the thermostat and refilling. Also, is the coolant mixture refilled through the reservoir? I don't see anywhere else to do it. Thanks!
We had the steering wheel coupling serviced under a TSB on my wife's '06. This is a well known problem and there is a kit (# 22687711) the dealers have for this and if it won't be covered by the dealer under the TSB (I doubt so if not under warranty) you can grease the joint yourself if you don't want the dealer to perform the TSB under your nickel. Exact same symptoms (I think it was left turns only at slow speed). If you search this list under the correct subject thread (under steering , low speed clunk) you will find the details and the TSB info ... try starting at entry #185)
My wife loves her Maxx (approaching 40K now) and no problems other than this TSB fix which we got fixed before the '06 36K warranty expired. For size and V6 economy we hope it lasts forever. I'm not sure about the switches you mention (I think you can turn off the hatch interior light, but that's only from memory as it's my wife's car)
just had my right front tire rod replaced at 140K.....had to get it done to pass state inspection...part was $97 (no aftermarket part available...was OEM part from local GM dealer), front end alignment was $90 and labor was $120...took them about an hour and half to do all...total bill was right at $300......I probably drove several months with it...but began to notice a slight wear on the front tire because of it...
belevie you go the answer to the front end with the TSB...as far as the switches...those were installed aftermarket...the only thing I have in the back is the additional outlet on the left hand side..(04 Maxx LT).....as far as engine and transmission....the first major servicing is at 100K for fluids and tuneup...the trans fluid doesnt change until 150K..but I did all fluids at 100K......solid engine and trans on mine with 140K on it now and going strong
The gas cap on my former Maxx wore out around 20K miles. Gas station attendants were too enthusiastic trying to twist it closed, which stripped the internal racheting system and made it very hard to take off. The replacement was going strong around 45K, which is when I traded the Maxx.
When I was rotating my tires recently, I noticed that the driver's side tie rod was worn. It's an easy job. I had to go to the dealer for the part which was $68. I used the old mechanic's trick of counting the turns taking off the old one so I didn't need to have it realigned (which worked great, no pulls and steering wheel perfectly centered). The whole thing took me 15 minutes. Don't wait to have it done. If it let's go, you will lose steering control of the car. This is a very serious safety issue.
Lucky for you that can do the work yourself. I have been having trouble with the breaks (bended rotor) on my MAXX 2004 and still to find a place where they can do a decent set of breaks that last more than a few thousand miles. :sick:
are you referring to a warped rotor?....the OEM ones are common for warping on the early models......how many miles do you have on the car....I went 64K before on first change.....and had my second brake job at 122K...second job required two new front rotors......
if your brakes arent last but a few thousand miles.....there some else wrong other than the brake pads....
I had trouble with the OEM rotors too. They warped at 11k, though it was pretty minor. I could only feel it when they were very hot, like coming to a stop from highway speeds. I then installed Bendix Pads and Rotors. They had a very minor vibration after 10k but then it went away. I ended up getting 80k miles from those brakes with no warpage (I do alot of highway miles). Maybe the OEM rotors would have smoothed out if I had let them go a bit further. Also, you'll hear alot of people telling you that you have to make sure that the lugs are torqued properly and that improper tightening of the lugs is what causes the warping. I always have done my own work on all my cars and can tell you that it never made any difference at all (though I would certainly advise you to properly torque the lug nuts using a star pattern when tightening). I had an Olds Alero that warped rotors regardless of what I did. I finally fixed the problem by going with Semi-metallic pads instead of ceramic. Also, I think you are better off staying away from cheap imported rotors to be on the safe side.
Hi , I installed a hitch last year and this summer want to add the harness to my 05 Maxx. Can someone shed light on this? Perhaps diect me to a site where I can buy the harness or simply use my 4 prong wire kit I allready have & solder it in myself (wire colors would be benneficial) Thaks in advance. D~
I'm planning to get a hitch installed on my Maxx in a couple months too, D. You can get a wiring kit here -- scroll down to the Class 2 Hitches and Wiring, and there's one for the Maxx in there. It's the 118002 model, and it fits almost half the Chevys on the list. Hope it helps; I haven't gone for it quite yet, so I can't be positive. -Jeremy
My 2005 Maxx has a check gas cap message in the DIC. I tried several after market gas caps and the message did not go away. Then the check engine light came on yesterday. I finally replaced the gas cap with an ACDELCO cap from the Chevy dealer for a total of $20.19.
Neither the check gas cap nor the check engine light have gone off. I had an oil change at Jiff Lube one week before the check gas cap light went on. So its not about routine service I assume.
Should I take it to an AAMCO and get them to reset the CEL which they offer for free? Or is there a reset button somewhere? Or should I just keep driving another 500 miles or so before going to a mechanic?
I am getting great highway mileage of 33 .2 miles and 29 in the city. There is absolutely no change in sounds or car performance.
I think there are usually a certain amount of engine heating and cooling cycles necessary before everything resets. Unless the check engine light is blinking, let it go for a week or two and see what happens.
Anybody had to replace, or proactively replaced, the O2 sensor / oxygen sensor in your Maxx?
Our 2004 LT has 126k miles and check engine light came on a couple days ago. Went for free code pull at AutoZone, some sort of 'bank' error (should have noted the specific code but didn't) and the store manager said very likely it is a bad O2 sensor. This seems reasonable -- don't O2 sensors typically give up the ghost after 80-100k miles?
Search of this thread turned up no discussion about O2 sensor.
AutoZone price was 66 bucks.
I haven't started to figure out where the O2 sensor is located and whether it's an easy removal of old and installation of new part...anybody in the know?
Hi, new problem with the pass side parking brake cable not engaging fully. The other day rotating my tires I noticed only the Drivers side held securely. I often park on a hill and noticed also some slipage today with fully engagred p-brakes. Is there an adjustment for one side? I see only cables from underneath enter the floorboards so they're not visible. Any Ideas would be appreciated. I'll renew my pads but they are just 50% (I put on lots of hiway miles) D~
I haven't replaced the O2 sensor in a Chevy yet, but did it a few times in a Dakota and Durango. Bank refers to left and right in a V6 or V8 engine (upstream sensors in exhaust manifold and there may only be one) Make real sure by the code it's the upstream one and not the downstream (after the catalytic converter) before you buy. Autozone will likely loan you the special wrench to remove the sensors for free (definitely use the tool which has a few adapters depending on type.) You may need a bit of an extension to get enough leverage and use WD-40 or similar and let it soak a few minutes first to help free it up.
I was able to get enough leverage with the tool to successfully change mine on the Dodges in the 120K miles range. (no torch was needed). In the Dodges the downstream ones are easy and in the open, whereas the upstream (y pipe area) are hard to access lying under the car and depending on access difficulty in the Maxx you may wish to farm that out.) You will need to drive the car a while after replacement to reset the sensor(s) to "ready" state again ( I had an OBD II reader for the Dodges, so I knew when I was ready for my emissions test in a few days)
thanks for the response. It sounds like this is more than I should attempt on my own, so I will most likely have my local shop take care of it. I'm not too handy with vehicles, although I do enjoy changing the oil myself.
You were quite right. The gas cap must be the right one. Its worked. A few heat/cool cycles have done it. My check engine light has gone off. I could have saved myself a lot of time and trials had I gone to the parts section of the dealer and bought this gas cap part there first. Autozone, PepBoys and online stores did not have the right gas cap. If anyone can suggest a 'best place' to buy Maxx car parts please post.
there are a lot of GM parts internet offerings....do a google a many will come up.....usually their prices are cheaper...however the shipping normally gets ya.....so take that price to you local chevy parts department and ask them to price match it......
Diagnosis from my local shop: O2 sensor(s) looks fine. The trouble code refers to one of the 2 catalytic converters and in this case, it seems that the problem actually IS with the cat and not something else like the O2 sensor Can't remember if the guy told me which one or not. He said part comes only from dealer, 1 cat is ~ $700 and the other is ~ $800. YIKES!
The only good news was, he said no action is needed at this time since the car is still running great. But at some point, things will probably get worse and we'll have to fix this.
The car sounds less than perfect when idling, but drivability seems fine and fuel economy is the same as it was a few years ago -- around 30mpg highway @ 70mph, usually 26-27mpg overall with lots of highway and some city driving.
Shop owner also said not necessary to replace the spark plugs yet -- they looked at them and they are a bit low. He said replacing them before winter would be prudent.
For some reason, I was under the impression that catalytic converters basically never went bad in modern automobiles. I guess that's not true.
:surprise: Bump -on my Parking Brake cable adjustment issue, ? has anyone tackled this or noticed this, Any Ideas are appreciated. The Parking Brake hold Drivers side only! D~
I see the cats are warrantied for 8yrs/80K on 2004 cars (I think it goes up to 100k on 2007, but that still won't help you at 124 K). I'd be very surprised if you can get a generic cat and system fabricated from a local muffler place when the time comes for far cheaper than OEM GM) . (What's with the 2 cats I'll have to check my 2006?)
Thanks for the helpful link. $169-175 each is way cheaper than $700-800!
Shop owner clarified that right now, it was just a trouble code and they found nothing actually wrong with the cats. Could be an early warning sign, but the car could run fine for several more years.
I already knew I could trust this shop, but today's visit was further proof. If I understood everything correctly, they pulled the trouble code from the car, looked at the O2 sensors (look fine), cleaned the throttle body, inspected the spark plugs ('getting low' but don't need replacment quite yet) reset the check engine light. Total charge 35 bucks! That's 1/2 hour labor at my shop.
you can get them cheaper OEM from GM parts dealers online as well..though not as cheap as the ones quoted above....the above price the dealer quoted you is a big rip off.....
here is what I found for an OEM one..and yes..there are two a front and rear one for the 3.5L Maxx..this shows the MSRP and what the site is selling them for...
Catalytic converter, malibu, malibu maxx, 3.5l, front 2004 $442.86 $322.40
hopefully I'll never end up needing to buy a cat for my Maxx. The $700-800 was a figure thrown out there by my local independent shop. Not sure where he came up with the number; maybe it was just a guess.
Well the shops always make money on the parts as well as the labor. He get's it for a vendor price, but you can be sure he charges you retail and pockets the difference. Wise to shop around in advance (knowledge is power). Most times they got you over a barrel with an undriveable car you need fixed ASAP and the price shows this. Try not to be a victim and price compare. If you find a fair priced place it's good, but If the shop gouges you with their estimate then walk!!! (lots of times they don't want to warranty their work if you don't use their supplied parts (vs yours) but you see what the significant saving are with the cats. (since you are not likely to exceed the aftermarket cat 50k warranty on the Maxx, Id go with the cheaper direct fit parts, rather than OEM myself, but it would be your call at the time. I'd show the place you know what it really can be had for and see if they suddenly become "real" with their price. As you say, I hope you never need to replace the cat . (My stepdaughter still has the original cat on our former Durango that she drives at over 190K last time I checked (I replaced the O2 sensors a few years ago and it still passes the annual emissions test which is an OBD-II self test that is read by the station for sensor status, the actual emissions level is not measured with a tailpipe sensor here in upstate NY)..
I had a Hyundai Elantra, lost the gas cap, and to stop the light from coming on bought one immediately at Auto Zone. More than a year later the light came on, the dealer noticed the non-OEM cap, and charged me to replace with a new cap and reset the sensor. About a hundred bucks if I remember, just because I had a bright red AutoZone cap on there.
I bought a used Malibu Maxx, with only 29,000 miles on it from a local GM dealer a little over a year ago. The vehicle now has approximately 58,000 miles on. My wife uses the car to go to and from work approximately 500 miles per week. We have the 100,000 mile extended warranty on the car, but have recently been having problems which our local GM dealer is unable to duplicate in order to rectify them.
At around 70 mph while driving on the interstate, a vibration will start from the passenger’s side and progress over to the driver’s side. It starts out softly and by the time it reaches the driver’s side it is extremely loud and can be felt thru the steering wheel. It almost sounds like you have a flat tire or that you are driving on the “rumble” strips that they have along the edges of the highway. If the brakes are applied in order to slow down while this is happening, it gets even worse and feels like the whole front end of the car is going to fall off. This problem does not happen every time the car is driven, however. When it does occur, it will last for a distance of 2 or 3 miles, which seems like an eternity while this is going on. I have had my driver’s license for over 50 years, and I can tell you that this honestly scares the hell out of me.
After 2 or 3 miles, this vibration will gradually fade away as if it never happened in the first place. Our local GM dealer checked the car out after I had given them as much detail as I could in order to help them find and correct the problem. The only thing that they could find wrong with the front end was a bad outer tie rod end, which was replaced under warranty, and the front end was re-aligned. I have also had the brake pads replaced all the way around on this vehicle. The vehicle has apparently thrown no fault codes that the dealership’s diagnostic equipment can find. I have had the tire balance rechecked, and it is fine. My extended warranty is only good for 100,000 miles or Jan. 2012, whichever comes first. I got laid off from my job 6 weeks ago, and money is kind of tight until I find new employment. I am afraid that I will not be able to get this problem corrected while still under warranty at this rate. I am at my wits end, and don’t know what to do here.
I've written to Chevrolet customer service about this problem, and they are absolutely useless. Any suggestions?
You said the tires were checked for balance. Have you swapped the fronts to the rear for a while? If not, it will cost you nothing to try this for a while to see if some weird tire belt behavior may be happening. What brand tires do you have? could the ABS be acting up?(should have registered a fault code for the dealer though) You might also try turning off traction control while this is happening and note any change.
would ask the same question as above....would also ask were they road force balanced.......costs a bit more.....but can solve the problem you are describing...
I have Cooper CS4's all the way around on the car. They are all around 6 months old. I can't swap the fronts with the backs because one of the back rims has a noticeable ding, as if someone had hit a curb or something pretty good. It was able to be balanced, however. When I replaced the brake pads, we didn't turn the rotors. My local guy said that we will have to turn them the next time I put pads on. When the car is experiencing one of these "episodes", I did notice that if I apply the brakes to slow it down a little, it seems to intensify the vibrations. I also noticed that right before this happens, the gas pedal seems a bit on the "stiff" side, and doesn't seem to move as frely as it normally does. I know that these cars have a fly by wire accelerator setup, without an actual cable or linkage, so maybe that has something to do with it?
That being said, every one of these episodes starts around 70 mph, when you're going down the highway and not even touching the brakes. By the time it builds to full intensity, it's quite terrifying. I thought it was just my wife overreacting to an out of balance tire until it happened to me...it scared the holy hell out of me. I'll tel the wife to manually switch off the traction control when she is experiencing one of these episodes and see if that has any effect on it.
One other thing that I forgot to mention...although I do have new brake pads on the front and rear, it does seems at times when I first start the car up that there is alot of travel in the brake pedal. I don't hear any hissing or anything that would indicate a leaky brake vacuum booster, the amount of brake pedal travel has me a little concerned at times. At other times, the pedal seems very firm, without this escessive amount of travel. The dealer that checked it out said that they couldn't find anything wrong with the brakes, except for me needing new pads. (I had the pads replaced by my local guy, after finding out how much the dealer wanted for the job).
I think he means a version of dynamic (spin) balance vs static. You can get a spin balance of just the wheel/tire assembly on a machine (what most everyone does) or do an "on the car" balance where the whole rotating mass of the wheel as well as disc rotors come into effect.(a motor treadmill spins up the individual wheel and If you have a loose/shot wheel bearing this will find it) I don't really see this type of balance very often these days with FWD cars. Note that you need to note how the tire is indexed to the lug studs when you have an "on the car" to maintain the "as balanced" state if you remove the wheel for some reason. I don't know anyone just getting a static (bubble) balance these days.
Comments
Wanted to let you know about a website that I use, http://www.iautobodyparts.com/
I have been able to find incredible deals on replacement parts on this site for my maxx - usually have of what you would pay elsewhere. Then, I just check to make sure that my mechanic will put them on for me for just the labor costs. They usually will. I only mention it because you were saying about how expensive things are at the dealer - this should save you tons. Just be careful to be certain you are ordering the correct part because returns are nearly impossible. You can get specific part numbers from your dealer prior to buying online. Shipments arrive super fast too. Good luck!
btw(I realy love this car ~.... It just about helped me move everything out of my house after my divorce, like a minny suv that gets me 30mpg...D~
After refueling with 12.8 gallons, it did show FUEL RANGE 31 MI for a second, which tells me it doesn't count the last two gallons of the tank.
blk,fully load interior... 15k miles clean,clean,clean... beige leather. looking to add on hid lights, tints, exhaust... but most of all i need an ipod connection to work with the factory radio...any help???
Can't really just replace the stereo's in these cars.
the issue with the OEM radio is the DIC is integrated into the radio display....
check here for IPOD Adaptor:
http://ipodcarparts.com/chevroletgm-lanclass-radio-ipod-interface-with-auxiliary- - -p-291.html
this adaptor assumes you have an OEM satellite radio with the car
Thats funny my 65 buick still has the original stamped steel cap. D~
Bad fuel injector at 5k (replaced under warranty).
Power steering column threw a bad code at 40k (replaced under extended warranty).
2 sets of front brakes. Factory pads replaced at 32K because of rotor warp. Plenty of meat on the pads. Replaced rotors and pads with Bendix parts. 75K on them and still going strong. A little vibration after 10k but smoothed out afterwards (can't explain that).
1 set of rear pads at 50K.
A couple of minor things that seem to be common for others as well include:
Recalibrate fuel gauge because it wouldn't read full.
Replace gas cap because ratchet mechanism loosened and threw a code.
Gauges seemed to go off even though the engine was running. This happened twice over 107k miles. It probably was an electrical glitch related to the remote starter which seems to leave the gauges off when the car is running. Not worried about it.
Hard start when car is partially warm. TSB out that says to reprogram computer so that start lasts 8 seconds instead of 4 when engine partially warm. Didn't bother with this since pumping that gas pedal works just as well.
Thumping and rattling of steering column. A shot of Liquid Wrench where the column shaft goes into the firewall takes care of it but must be done every 10K or so.
I haven't replaced the Tranny fluid yet but am thinking about doing it when I do the Coolant. Speaking of which, does anyone know how to drain the Coolant? I can't find a radiator drain plug and the hoses are half way up the radiator so taking them off won't drain very much.
First, the remote entry and start.... works when it wants to. I replaced the battery in the remote the day I got it and it still only works when it wants to. Any suggestions?
Second, knocking, sounds like its something on the drivers side but cant pinpoint it. And it started making a weird noise when I am going slow and making turns, like in a parking lot. Anyone else had this problem?
Last, random panels have been falling off! We discovered on the way home from the dealership that I had no tail lights. Next day trying to figure it out found two aftermarket switches installed in the rear compartment by the fuses. Flipped a switch and they work again! Anyone know why these would have been installed? Also, there is another on/off switch on the side panel in the drivers area... make sense? Have no clue what it does. So... that panel keeps falling off and the cover on the hatch that covers the rear wiper falls off everytime I close the hatch. These are not huge problems but only having it two weeks I am scared the whole thing is going to fall apart one day while I am driving down road!
Please tell me there is no history of engine or transmission failure at 60K miles!
My main concern right now is the knocking.
Thanks
Has anybody replaced their antenna? It looks almost like I'd need one of those special drill bits to drill out a stripped screw to get the remainder of the antenna out of there. I considered trying to pry the rubber cover off to see if that would make things more accessible for a repair, but I have a tendency to make things worse so I thought better of it.
Happy owner with 122k miles and counting...
BFG Premier Touring $88 + $14 install package (includes lifetime rotation and balance @ Costco)
Dunlop SP Sport 7000 A/S - $63 each + appx $10 ship tirerack.com. H speed rating. Perhaps too sporty for year-round use in Michigan.
Yokohama Avid Touring-S $70 each + ship tirerack. T speed.
Continental ContiProContact. $77 + ship. $58 each + ship after rebate ($75 Visa card when you buy 4). These would probably be $75 less than the BFG, but I'd put that money back in, perhaps more, via paying for tire rotations and any necessary balances over the life.
I've been happy with the BFG and perhaps shouldn't mess with a good thing, but price is a concern and the Continentals seem like a tempting play.
Any opinions or specific tire experiences anyone cares to share?
My wife loves her Maxx (approaching 40K now) and no problems other than this TSB fix which we got fixed before the '06 36K warranty expired. For size and V6 economy we hope it lasts forever. I'm not sure about the switches you mention (I think you can turn off the hatch interior light, but that's only from memory as it's my wife's car)
The replacement was going strong around 45K, which is when I traded the Maxx.
if your brakes arent last but a few thousand miles.....there some else wrong other than the brake pads....
Thaks in advance. D~
-Jeremy
Neither the check gas cap nor the check engine light have gone off. I had an oil change at Jiff Lube one week before the check gas cap light went on. So its not about routine service I assume.
Should I take it to an AAMCO and get them to reset the CEL which they offer for free? Or is there a reset button somewhere? Or should I just keep driving another 500 miles or so before going to a mechanic?
I am getting great highway mileage of 33 .2 miles and 29 in the city. There is absolutely no change in sounds or car performance.
Our 2004 LT has 126k miles and check engine light came on a couple days ago. Went for free code pull at AutoZone, some sort of 'bank' error (should have noted the specific code but didn't) and the store manager said very likely it is a bad O2 sensor. This seems reasonable -- don't O2 sensors typically give up the ghost after 80-100k miles?
Search of this thread turned up no discussion about O2 sensor.
AutoZone price was 66 bucks.
I haven't started to figure out where the O2 sensor is located and whether it's an easy removal of old and installation of new part...anybody in the know?
I was able to get enough leverage with the tool to successfully change mine on the Dodges in the 120K miles range. (no torch was needed). In the Dodges the downstream ones are easy and in the open, whereas the upstream (y pipe area) are hard to access lying under the car and depending on access difficulty in the Maxx you may wish to farm that out.) You will need to drive the car a while after replacement to reset the sensor(s) to "ready" state again ( I had an OBD II reader for the Dodges, so I knew when I was ready for my emissions test in a few days)
The only good news was, he said no action is needed at this time since the car is still running great. But at some point, things will probably get worse and we'll have to fix this.
The car sounds less than perfect when idling, but drivability seems fine and fuel economy is the same as it was a few years ago -- around 30mpg highway @ 70mph, usually 26-27mpg overall with lots of highway and some city driving.
Shop owner also said not necessary to replace the spark plugs yet -- they looked at them and they are a bit low. He said replacing them before winter would be prudent.
For some reason, I was under the impression that catalytic converters basically never went bad in modern automobiles. I guess that's not true.
Check out this URL:
http://tinyurl.com/malibucats
(I know nothing about the place, but this was a quick search and the prices are far cheaper as you can see!!!)
Shop owner clarified that right now, it was just a trouble code and they found nothing actually wrong with the cats. Could be an early warning sign, but the car could run fine for several more years.
I already knew I could trust this shop, but today's visit was further proof. If I understood everything correctly, they pulled the trouble code from the car, looked at the O2 sensors (look fine), cleaned the throttle body, inspected the spark plugs ('getting low' but don't need replacment quite yet) reset the check engine light. Total charge 35 bucks! That's 1/2 hour labor at my shop.
here is what I found for an OEM one..and yes..there are two a front and rear one for the 3.5L Maxx..this shows the MSRP and what the site is selling them for...
Catalytic converter, malibu, malibu maxx, 3.5l, front
2004 $442.86 $322.40
Catalytic converter, malibu, malibu maxx, 3.5l, rear
2004 $465.00 $338.52
Wise to shop around in advance (knowledge is power). Most times they got you over a barrel with an undriveable car you need fixed ASAP and the price shows this. Try not to be a victim and price compare. If you find a fair priced place it's good, but If the shop gouges you with their estimate then walk!!! (lots of times they don't want to warranty their work if you don't use their supplied parts (vs yours) but you see what the significant saving are with the cats. (since you are not likely to exceed the aftermarket cat 50k warranty on the Maxx, Id go with the cheaper direct fit parts, rather than OEM myself, but it would be your call at the time. I'd show the place you know what it really can be had for and see if they suddenly become "real" with their price. As you say, I hope you never need to replace the cat . (My stepdaughter still has the original cat on our former Durango that she drives at over 190K last time I checked (I replaced the O2 sensors a few years ago and it still passes the annual emissions test which is an OBD-II self test that is read by the station for sensor status, the actual emissions level is not measured with a tailpipe sensor here in upstate NY)..
At around 70 mph while driving on the interstate, a vibration will start from the passenger’s side and progress over to the driver’s side. It starts out softly and by the time it reaches the driver’s side it is extremely loud and can be felt thru the steering wheel. It almost sounds like you have a flat tire or that you are driving on the “rumble” strips that they have along the edges of the highway. If the brakes are applied in order to slow down while this is happening, it gets even worse and feels like the whole front end of the car is going to fall off. This problem does not happen every time the car is driven, however. When it does occur, it will last for a distance of 2 or 3 miles, which seems like an eternity while this is going on. I have had my driver’s license for over 50 years, and I can tell you that this honestly scares the hell out of me.
After 2 or 3 miles, this vibration will gradually fade away as if it never happened in the first place. Our local GM dealer checked the car out after I had given them as much detail as I could in order to help them find and correct the problem. The only thing that they could find wrong with the front end was a bad outer tie rod end, which was replaced under warranty, and the front end was re-aligned. I have also had the brake pads replaced all the way around on this vehicle. The vehicle has apparently thrown no fault codes that the dealership’s diagnostic equipment can find. I have had the tire balance rechecked, and it is fine. My extended warranty is only good for 100,000 miles or Jan. 2012, whichever comes first. I got laid off from my job 6 weeks ago, and money is kind of tight until I find new employment. I am afraid that I will not be able to get this problem corrected while still under warranty at this rate. I am at my wits end, and don’t know what to do here.
I've written to Chevrolet customer service about this problem, and they are absolutely useless. Any suggestions?
Very strange
That being said, every one of these episodes starts around 70 mph, when you're going down the highway and not even touching the brakes. By the time it builds to full intensity, it's quite terrifying. I thought it was just my wife overreacting to an out of balance tire until it happened to me...it scared the holy hell out of me. I'll tel the wife to manually switch off the traction control when she is experiencing one of these episodes and see if that has any effect on it.