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Buick LeSabre Maintenance and Repair
This morning I had the service engine light come on - when I got home I hooked up my OBD 2 meter to the port and no codes showed. So I think I set one in the DTC computer. I have never had to access those codes. My Cadillac I hit a combination of on/off and scroll button up and the computer codes are seen on the speedometer display. I am certain with the 2000 Buick Lesabre something like that is possible. I could not find anything in the searchs - can someone please help?
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How many miles are on the car?
Is the hesitation everytime from a dead stop? Is it only when moving and you slowly push down on the throttle?
Has the cooling system been kept up to date with biannual coolant drains and refills?
If it's over 60K miles have the plugs and wires been changed?
Plugs and wires would be my first guess. BUT you need to stop by an Advanced Auto, Autozone, or one of the box stores who will use a scanner and check for codes stored. That should show a miss if it is plugs and wires without having kept an engine light on.
Don't throw parts at the car.
2014 Malibu 2LT, 2015 Cruze 2LT,
Also, she never reaches the 200 degree mark on temp guage...always seems to run cooler, even though fans do come on. I agree... don't want to start throughing parts at her. :confuse:
THANKS!!
Second is the throttle position sensor. This is located at the pivot axle location of the butterfly valve inside the throttle body.
Third is cleaning the whole throttle body. If there's a sticking when cold at first movement of the throttle pedal, the inside of the throttle body may be caked with black goop. That might affect the operation of sensors and other parts.
Third is the idle air control. This also can cake up with the goopo from the throttle body. It's a valve that bleeds air when the engine is idling. Gooping up blocks it. Then when you're above idle and the throttle plate is open it shuldn't have much effect. It also is removable for cleaning with appropriate cleaner.
All three of these are located on the throttle body. The whole throttle body can be removed for cleaning but that requires draining coolant and a few difficult screws and a new gasket to seal it to the face of the plastic upper air intake manifold.
Last I'd pick up a large bottle of Techron Fuel System Cleaner by Chevron at Pepboys, or Meijers, or Walmart (only has small 12 oz bottle but cheaper). Do not use injector cleaner etc. Put it into a nearly empty tank like the bottle says. If the fuel used by previous owners was not always good brands and sat in tank for long periods before use it may have injectors not clean. If you have the 20 oz bottle just fill up tank since it's for up to 20 gallon. If you have the 12 oz bottle put in up to 12 gallons, about 2/3 tank. And drive till nearly empty. If you notice a difference after 5-10 miles, then it has helped.
Report back.
2014 Malibu 2LT, 2015 Cruze 2LT,
Stick with the AC plugs recommended by the book. It may be a different number than the originals, if taht's what's still in there.
2014 Malibu 2LT, 2015 Cruze 2LT,
Check the battery terminals for corrosion. Turn off all accessories. Put AC on off.
Disconnect negative terminal. Disconnect positive terminals and check both cable ends. Check for corrosion between the cables. Then reinstall after cleaning them to get bright metal.
I assume the key fob will unlock the trunk but not the doors? Does the emergency button work?
If neither of these are true, then HOLD the key fob unlock and lock buttons down at the same time while standing next to the car (with the battery reconnected, grin), just in case...
That resyncs the radio lock and unlock somehow. After 5=10 seconds there will be a short horn beep indicating it has resynced.
Beyond that you need to check fuses. There may be a fuse or relay for the door locks in a 2nd fuse/relay panel above the passenger's right foot on the bottom of the A-pillar. Remove the thin plastic panel with about 5 screws above the passenger foot-that's the hush panel to quiet noises from the heater and motor area. On top of the hush panel is a small sticker showing the location in the open panel of the fuses and relays. I recall there may be one in there.
Beyond that the locks may be part of the body control module. But don't go replacing it. I've rarely heard people say one is a problem. Check everything else first.
And just a thought..., how's your battery? If it's several years old and it ran down, this may be giving lower voltage than normal. It might be a time to replace it with a new one. At least have it thoroughly checked. Most auto stores and Walmart will do that check. Some will do a full recharge free-Advanced Auto, e.g. They hope you'll buy a replacement there if you do need one.
2014 Malibu 2LT, 2015 Cruze 2LT,
That may be the year where it requires a specific set of cables and some stores myay have them or not. Check with them!
Are you getting a light? If it's not flashing 90% chance it's a gas cap leak, or some other problem with the pollution controls related to the fuel system.
2014 Malibu 2LT, 2015 Cruze 2LT,
2014 Malibu 2LT, 2015 Cruze 2LT,
Thank you, Eileen
The hush panel above the passenger feet should be taken out. When the blower won't turn, try hitting on the blower motor area to vibrate it. It a round item maybe 6 inches in diameter that is a circle in a horizontal plane on the bottom of the heater AC unit. A worn one may make contact again with the vibration and that may be happening when you start driving. I have even read of someone taking the blower apart after removing it (5 screws?) and finding a contact inside wasn't made well, repairing that, and using the same blower motor.
The blower control module tends to fail in strange ways. Follow the power lead from the blower motor a few inches to where it connects to a small unit that is actually sticking into the air stream inside the heater case to keep it cool. Those are available from some various auto places for parts as well as the dealer and junkyards if you wish.
If you have the manual AC unit try turning the fan speed on high. The standard unit USED to use a resistor set where the resistors could break and sometimes make contact again. The resistors get power through a relay which also might fail. With that setup the high speed is a direct lead from the battery through another relay so usually the high speed would work when the lower speeds won't.
But don't hold me to the description for the resistors because those were used before the leSabre was built on the same chassis as the Seville and Aurora starting on 2000. I'll have to look at my service manual.
2014 Malibu 2LT, 2015 Cruze 2LT,
Eileen
{smiles}
P0771 Shift Solenoid E Performance or Stuck Off
I was able to check the code on this site. http://www.obd-codes.com/trouble_codes/
Hope that helps.
Are there any adjustments I can make to fix this?
You can check to see if the front center which is controlled by the latch itself can go down a little to put more downward pressure on the bumpers at the sides. There are two bolts holding the hood latch in place. I found mine were already at the bottom from the factory.
Assess how the hood level matches with the fenders before making larger adjustments.
Next thing is to question whether the front wheels are out of balance and causing a shaking vibration to shudder through the body. How are they? My hood would give little shakes when going over a bumpy road but not just traveling along. My wheels are well-balanced so they don't emit shake. I have always been sensitive about out-of-balance wheels.
2014 Malibu 2LT, 2015 Cruze 2LT,
My tires are new and balanced. It only shakes at highway speeds or bumps.
Thanks again for your advice!
2014 Malibu 2LT, 2015 Cruze 2LT,
Steering straight or to the right is normal operation.
Items replaced: cruise control (3x); PCM (1x); speed sensor (1x); instrument panel (1x)
Could be wheel bearing with looseness (going out).
Could be loose bolts on the steering rack. I have read one person say that was giving a noise due to movement of the rack.
Could be intermediate steering column that gives noise on some of the later cars. Don't recall it being a problem on those.
2014 Malibu 2LT, 2015 Cruze 2LT,
Are you in an area with ice or snow on roads? Does it do it then in a parking lot where there's little resistance to the wheel being turned?
My suspicion is it's the intermediate shaft in the steering gear. It is replaceable. There were slight troubles with lubrication not lasting in some later years. Yours might just be worn. I saw a Chev dealer selling a shaft for $92 to a guy ahead of me installing his own in a Buick. I've seen how-to-do-it guides for the mechically able.
2014 Malibu 2LT, 2015 Cruze 2LT,
Thanks!
Check the positive cable between the two layered cables. You might ahve to cut the plastic covering to inspect in between.
Check the other ends of the cables where they ground for good, fresh contact.
Your battery might have a broken post.
YOu might turn the HVAC to off with the key ON if you're getting any power, especially if you have the automatic dual AC.\, before disconnecting the battery to do all this checking.
2014 Malibu 2LT, 2015 Cruze 2LT,
2014 Malibu 2LT, 2015 Cruze 2LT,
Here's why:.
1. Airbags aren't something to take a chance on--they're actually very sophisticated devices containing high explosives.
2. They're not easy to remove without damage. So you might be buying an airbag that won't work properly.
3. There is a huge market for stolen airbags. You may be buying stolen property without realizing it.
4. A new part will usually carry some sort of warranty. A used one won't.
1 - The horn switch on the side that is disconnected doesn't work at all.
2 - The other horn switch will intermittenly function normally; and/or
will not work at all.
3 - The horn will start blowing on its own while the steering wheel is being rotated.
4 - The horn will start blowing on its own after the car has been parked for 30 minutes to one hour.
Assuming there is one hot lead going from the horn relay to the dual horn switches, it appears there is an intermittent short (or open when the horn won't work at all) in this lead some place between the relay and the switch that hasn't been disconnected?? How easy would it be to replace that length of lead between the relay and the horn switches??
Could be mounting bolts on the steering rack loosened.
Could be intermediate shaft on the steering column worn.
Could be wheel bearing.
Could be transmission /motor mounts.
Could be tie rod outer ends.
It needs to be lifted and someone underneath to check for play and listen/feel for movement while someone turns the steering. It may need to be supposed under the A-arms to keep steering parts in their usual geometric relationship to the car and each other to find the play.
I'd start with the intermediate steering shaft. I would try to feel the shaft area inside engine compartment while someone turned the steering. Might have to try this with the motor running.
Let me know what you do find, please.
Good luck.
2014 Malibu 2LT, 2015 Cruze 2LT,
My first check would be the spark plugs and wires. I needs to have had the plugs replaced inthe last 40K miles with the recommended AC Delco plugs--the book at the auto parts store will tell them what you need. Also the spark plug wires need to be changed with original equipment quality wires. AC Delcos would be expensive, but Belden from NAPA or a similar quality brand would be good. Don't go for the bright blue or hot orange wires with a solid core or other similar claims of ability to make your car go faster. etc.
If the plugs and wires have been done then it might be a connection at the coils. There might be corrosion. There may be a problem with an individual spark plug wire or plug. A wire may be shorting across the porcelain of the plug because it's coated with salt spray, e.g.
It will require some thinking and checking.
Good luck.
2014 Malibu 2LT, 2015 Cruze 2LT,
Does it change with engine speed? -- you can try putting the motor in 2 and driving and seeing if the noise occurs under acceleration there?
Does it change with road speed?
2014 Malibu 2LT, 2015 Cruze 2LT,
2014 Malibu 2LT, 2015 Cruze 2LT,