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Comments
Thanks e2helper, but the site did not work for me. I guess I'll just have to see my dealer. So: is the P0340 a computer code for the rough idle that this calibration is supposed to fix? The reason I'm asking is that won't my service manager simply say that since there is no code (CEL) that there is nothing they can do for me?
You are occassionally seeing a Check Gas Cap Message, right? This should occassionally be causing the CEL to turn on as well (due to P0455). However in that case I already gave suggestion on what probably should be checked by dealer on your Maxx in the other forum.
Probably the web site doesn't work for you because of the settings set up for your web browser. Are you using Internet Explorer? Did you update your Win XP to SP2? If so this site is getting treated with Pop Up control and so the window you want to see is being suppressed. I had the same problem until I allowed pop-ups at that site.
and no, I'm not having any problems other than a few rough shifts here and there, and the rough idle at a stopped position. So I guess you are saying, there is no need to take my car in unless the check engine light goes on?
>You are occassionally seeing a Check Gas Cap Message, right? This should occassionally be causing the CEL to turn on as well (due to P0455).<
>However in that case I already gave suggestion on what probably should be checked by dealer on your Maxx in the other forum.<
I'm not getting CEL when Check Gas Cap message displays.
Checked other forum (Chevy Malibu Maxx) and couldn't find your suggestion on this issue.
Would you give previous message number or repeat suggestion?... thanks.
1. he had trouble getting the website to work too. At least when he did it, it took my VIN, but would not return any info. I can't even get it to work to that point
2. he is willing to read all the programs which reside in my computer to see if that calibration was done. But, he cautioned that in rare cases, if he flashed my PCM, another problem could be caused by him doing so. At this point, I'd rather put up with a little shake until more is known.
3. (off topic) he said that one can now mix regular oil and synthetic. I was shocked by this, but he claims that Mobil 1 is reporting it as true.
Otherwise I am going to get myself in trouble with your dealers. I hope that hasn't happened already
But one last try:
maxxliberty: I believe what might be happening with your vehicle is that the Check Gas Cap message come on the first time a diagnostic runs and fails but if test doesn't fail on a second ignition cycle then the CEL doesn't turn on (sorry, my bad). What I had referred to in another post is only applicable if you are also having a problem with your fuel gage not reading "F" when you fill your tank. Does that happen on your vehicle? If so ask your dealer to look up that complaint in his system (PIC3088) - I can't give you any more details than that.
maxx4me: I sometimes have problems with that site as well - it IS flakey. I think you have the right idea about reprogramming/reflashing. If you aren't being told it needs to be done and you aren't experiencing any problems that cause you to want to change something then leave it alone for now. You now have a tool to find out if new calibrations exist (if you can figure out why is isn't working on your computer).
bonnie: In your case I already know that your vehicle has previous calibration and your original posts mentioned concerns with the idle quality of your vehicle. Read maxx4me's previous post (#265) and consider talking to your service manager about potentially reflashing PCM to see if it improves situation with your vehicle.
>...and might need to stick with my "knitting" (talking about feature/functions on vehicle and stay away from engine stuff) <
Many heads are better than one! Hope you hang in there on engine stuff also. A dealer should appreciate help in diagnosing glitches!
GM calibration site has not been functioning - it will probably come back eventually.
No you have been QUITE HELPFUL...so please keep up the good work....!!! My husband is calling our dealer today and mentioning that we came upon that website and we will take it from there. I will let you know what happens!! Thanks again for all your input.
I do know a lot about this vehicle - I should, since I have been involved with it since the inception of program several years ago!!
This is a super site (probably my favorite of this type) and I have recommended it to many of my co-workers as another way to get input from our customers.
So you might sometime have to take your dealer up on figuring out what PCM calibration was originally in your vehicle. However in your case I can probably give you same info with knowledge I already have on your vehicle (I will PM you this weekend)
Keep us posted on any futher hard starts and descriptions and I can check if this might be an indication that the updated cal might help.
Good news
Your starting PCM calibration is 12592927. This means you already have the latest available. Looks like your vehicle was one of the first to get this update.
I will assume you haven't gotten your oil change yet (when you were going to have dealer take another look at fuel gage/Check Gas Cap complaint)? Keep us post on this.
Maybe I am confused who is who. Better ignore my PCM calibration info which was for someone elses vehicle (laugh). If you don't mind providing the last 4 digits of your VIN I will give you correct information
I think I can probably figure it out with last 5, definitely last 6 so you will have to post back again with at least 1 more digit islandpete
Your vehicle was a pretty late 2004 model year build because they started building 2005 model just a couple weeks later.
Sorry again for originally confusing you with another Maxx owner
Glenn B.
Cudahy, WI
Glenn B.
Cudahy, WI
Glenn B.
Cudahy, WI
Yeah Glenn, since day one my starter has acted that way (as has my Maxx owning friend's car), continuing to crank even with my hand off of the key. I have only had 2 hard starts; but those two issues, combined with the idle issue must all be related. Hopefully the engineers will discover the cause.
My temp guage stopped working once for one day. I have not had a repeat problem. At least we're in this together. Those who have not noticed these problems, will eventually; I'm sure of it.
Cooling Fans: If you are sitting with engine idling and the cooling fans are, or go into, high speed they will not go back to low speed or off as long as you are idling. This was done so as not to make the switching of the fans speed so obvious. So if that is what you noticed, it is by design.
Engine Cranking: I can't explain why vehicle didn't start as quickly for you but the vehicle is designed to continue cranking the engine after you release the key from CRANK position if the engine did not start. I am not sure of the exact time it will do this for and it might vary between 4 cyl and 6 cyl but it might be up to 1.5 seconds.
Actually when I start newer vehicles like, it is my habit to just momentarily turn the key to CRANK and release it WAY before the vehicle even starts. I let the powertrain controller decide how long to crank the starter (since it does this anyways). This is called a "bump start".
Glenn Butzlaff
Cudahy, WI
I believe that the electronic control of the starter has to do with the remote start capability, and therefore electronic control of the starting system makes sense.
It was inoperative when I took delivery of the vehicle but after a couple of days resumed functioning. Happened only once.
Because a couple of you mentioned Temp gauge I will do some more research (will take a while).
I will assume that you didn't ever see a Check Engine Light associated with this but there might still be a history code in the powertrain controller that set when the gauge was inop. Often the check engine light doesn't turn on until something like this has occurred a few times in a row.
By the way as an FYI - when service technicians disconnect battery in a vehicle they always do the "-" terminal first. This way the tool that you are using doesn't have 12 volts on it with the potential to short to some ground point in the vehicle - just a helpful hint
madmaxx: I thought it was more humorous than anything that the starter took over for me; what's next?....a sausage biscuit with egg coming out of the glove box?? mmmmm.....sausage
"What I had referred to in another post is only applicable if you are also having a problem with your fuel gage not reading "F" when you fill your tank. Does that happen on your vehicle? If so ask your dealer to look up that complaint in his system (PIC3088) - I can't give you any more details than that". e2helper
Anyway, so my wife drove the car to drop my daughter off at school last Thursday morning. While sitting in the line waiting to drop her off at the door, the steering wheel began to shimmy back and forth on its own. She made it home fine, but it freaked her out. At that point I just added it to my mental list of things to have checked out when I take the car in for its first oil change.
So.. along comes Saturday, and my wife has to run to the store to pick up a few things. She and my daughter hop in the car and pull out of the garage. No more than two minutes later my daughter comes knocking on the door. When I open it, she tells me that the power steering stopped working, and points out to the corner of our street, where my wife is working hard to maneuver the car around the corner to get it back into our driveway. I took over from her, turning off the ignition, then re-started the car (which re-started the power steering).
As a result of this, my wife is refusing to drive the car, and is holding my Trailblazer hostage until I get the car fixed. I'm able to get the car into the shop this evening, but I expect to be driving a rental for at least a few days, until they replace the steering column (or whatever they actually replace to fix this issue).
I read an earlier post where someone speculated that the power steering issue probably only affected a "handful" of 2004 Malibus. That may be true, as my car is an early '04 build, but the issues seem to be popping up an awful lot here for just a handful of vehicles..
(BTW, I do LOVE this car, but I am also very happy that I bought the extended GM warranty for it now, lol.)
This is a safety issue, and I do know that we as owners shouldn't have to experience the problem before GM / Chevy will address it (ie.- have power steering failure while operating the car, possibly leading to an accident, or worse). The current service bulletin acknowledges that GM / Chevy know of the issue, but only addresses it in the cases where a customer reports having experienced the problem, AFTER the problem has occurred.
I had the same problem till I added a wind deflector to the sun roof...now you can cruise with the sunroof open and the rear windows down while carrying on a normal conversation.
here is the one I added to my Maxx.
http://www.wooddash.com/item/CHEVROLET_Wind_Deflectors_MALIBU_200- 4_05
Thanks for the wind deflector link.
I consider the symptoms I am experiencing serious. I drove a Malibu sedan and it only has a fraction of the vibration on my Maxx. The roof in the Maxx actually vibrates violently, primarily in the rear part where that fixed roof glass is located. Also the vibration is transferred forward in the roof all the way into the front roof pillars of the windshield.
Does this description compare with your experience?