Buick - Lesabre :: Jerks While Driving Or When Idle As If It Wants To Shut Off
Apr 18, 2014
I have a 1995 Buick Lesabre. The car jerks while I am driving or when idle as if it wants to shut off. Sometimes it jerks and then the check engine light comes on. When I described the problem to my mechanic he said that it might have been the fuel filter but then he said it might be an electrical problem. I would like to start with the fuel filter to see if that would work but I am not a mechanic nor am I an expert on cars nor do I want to spend tons of money on such an old car.
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My son's car overheated yesterday due to a sudden crack in the radiator. He had it towed to me. There was no evidence of a blown head gasket or cracked block, so I replaced the radiator. Since the battery was dead, I put the charger on it. When I did that, the heater/AC fan began to blow. The only way I could get it to stop was to disconnect the battery. Even the ignition switch had no bearing on the fan.
I do not know if the overheating and this problem are related. It may be just a coincidence, but it is odd.
This car has a slide to regulate the blower speed. It is not one of those "Select a temp" automatic ones. It will blow cold air out the AC vents when AC is selected, but when the OFF button is selected ambient air goes to the DEFROST vents.
I suspect a relay is stuck, but what relay, and where is it located?
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I have a 1990 buick lesabre motor is a 3800 and it runs fine until the motor warms up and then when i shut it off it won't restart for about an hour after i shut it off. It's not over heating it has a new fuel pump.
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After I start my Lesabre when cold, after about 15 minutes or so it starts idling high, usually about 1500 , but sometimes it's as high as 2300 while stopped at a light. And a few times it has been 3-4000 rpm after putting it into PARK. After it starts idling high it starts shifting late. If you shut the engine off and immediately restart it, it usually starts idling fine again temporarily. Engine has normal power and runs smooth and idles smooth. It has also randomly died a couple times while driving at 30-40mph but then immediately restarted as if there was no problem.
It has a P0121 code which is "throttle position sensor switch A circuit range/performance problem". It also has a P0420, "Catalyst System Efficiency Below Threshold (Bank 1) ", which I'm not sure is related to the issue because the check engine light had been on a long time before the idling/shifting issue started happening. Like in the neighborhood of a year and a half before the current issue, but it ran fine the entire time and got 30+mpg on the highway.
First thing I did to troubleshoot was to test the TPS and it seemed ok. Voltmeter readings were .4v with throttle closed and seemed to advance smoothly up to 4.4v at WOT. But, I tested it before the engine was hot and I don't have a Oscope. I then used some carb cleaner and shot it around the injectors and a few vacuum inlets to check for vacuum leaks, to no effect. Engine runs quiet and I don't really hear any vac leaks.
Next, I cleaned the idle air control valve which was pretty dang dirty, but that didn't seem to resolve the issue, although it may have had a slight effect because the issue seems to come and go some while driving now, but I'm not totally sure. I also tested the connector at the IAC and had voltage on all 4 pins between .4v - 11.4v approximately.
Lastly, I got the engine to reproduce the problem and then pulled and then reconnected these sensors one at a time while the engine was idling high:
MAF Sensor
TPS
IAC
Intake Air Temp Sensor
This didn't have the slightest effect on the engine... I'm thinking it might actually be the TPS or IAC but I don't want to just start replacing stuff without knowing damn near certain it's going to resolve the issue. Could a vehicle speed sensor cause this? How I should proceed from here? :?
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I have a well taken care of '95 Buick LeSabre w about 80,000. Bought it a couple years ago from a man who kept it in his garage. Most components on car are original.
Recently I was driving down a very steep driveway at about 3 MPH, and bottomed the car out and scraped the bottom. Not too bad, but enough to make me cringe. As I drove home at about 45 MPH, I noticed that every time the car would engage the gear, there would be a thump coming from under the hood. This was at about 1300 RPM. After looking under the hood and having a buddy rev the engine while in drive with the brakes pressed down, the engine doesn't seem to move too much. Furthermore, the engine mount and Trans mount seem to be okay, and not broken. Rubber is solid.
Is the thumping sound perhaps due to 'old' mounts or could this be something else like the torque strut mount,etc? Also, will it be evident when one of these are damaged, or is it something you replace after a certain while like shocks, etc?
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My Buick has started acting weird and I've had a hard time figuring out what's going on. As I understand it 94' was the transition year for the OBD1 and OBD2 sensors, therefore auto zone and o'reilly haven't been able to pull codes on my car. It runs off of OBD1 codes but has 16 point OBD2 sensor pins.
Here's the problem: When the car is started it revs up to 2000rpm at idle, when shifted into neutral the rpm jumps up to 3500. In drive and reverse it goes back down to 2000rpm. While driving the car is hard to stop and surges when I take my foot off the break, it also gains speed on flat ground without touching the gas pedal. After driving the car when I put it back in park it revs back up to 3500rpm and is quite noisy.
I've replaced the mass airflow sensor, cleaned out the entire throttle body (there was a little carbon build up but not too bad), replaced all the vacuum hoses(that put a stop to it for about a week), and I'm still having the same problems. I recently replaced the a/c pump because the bearings went bad but I don't think that would cause any problems like this.
I have a very, very slight gasket leak on my valve covers but it's been like that for the last few months and the car was acting fine. The car has done this before but it usually stops after you drive it somewhere. The hotter it's gotten out the more often it started happening and now it's not stopping like it did before.
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I have a 1991 Buick LeSabre, sometime last year the check engine light came on, and I took it into a mechanic who told me that a magnetic sensor on the timing gear broke off and that it is the problem with the car, but it would cost me 500 dollars to replace the part, because it is located in the engine. I noticed that the engine felt like it lost power, and the car started vibrating when I was idle. The beginning this year, I replaced the spark plug wires, and replaced the spark plugs, when I replaced the spark plug wires, I realized that two of the wires were broken, as soon as I was done.
I tested the car, and the power is back, but I still have the stalling problem. I will try to describe how the car stalls, I come to a stop, and when I push on the gas to accelerate, the car just conks out, so I have to restart the car, and rev it a little to keep it from conking out again, and it starts running normally. I have been told by another mechanic that I need to replace a Electronic Ignition Control module, which I can not find, and that it is possible the fuel is not getting into the chambers. I just want some answers to my problem, so the car will last me till I can get a new vehicle or something better.
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I was wondering my buick a 1995 lasbre it cranks up fine and the engine light comes on and off when i start driving it cuts off and cranks right back up people say its the crank sensor...
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I have a 1997 LeSabre with 180000 miles. I can drive the car for 4-5 miles before it stalls and then dies. the car will start to idle fast, then bottom out a couple of times before it dies. It also makes a horrible noise under the hood and sounds like the rods are all clanging together. Once it dies, it will not restart until it has sat there for 30-40 minutes. After sitting for some time, it will crank right up and then repeat the process again. My oil pressure is off the chart high and it stays there all the time. Does this have something to do with the problem of is that another problem all together? What is causing my car to die like this and how do i fix it?
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1994 Buick LeSabre Custom 3.8 Litre V6 with 103277 miles.
It runs smooth when idling in Park, rough when I put it in gear when I am stopped (either drive or reverse) has hesitation when accelerating, it smooths out again when driving then it starts to drive rough at about 55 MPH.
Mechanic told me it was the plug wires. I replaced those and the plugs. This fixed the hesitation when accelerating issue, but the other issues remain (now even seem a little worse) I thought the plugs and/or wires were bad, so I rechecked the gauge on the plugs and traced to make sure I had the wires hooked up right. Everything seems in order.
I have added fuel injector cleaner, and changed the oil, oil filter, spark plugs, spark plug wires, air filter, flushed the radiator, and changed the thermostat. (For a tune up since it has admittedly been a while)....
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My 87 lesabre has run great for many years, but lately, it has been quitting on me. It happens randomly, usually while driving slower or idling. It just suddenly quits almost as if it's out of gas. It usually starts right back up, sometimes have to wait 20-30 seconds. It runs fine, not sluggish or anything, up until it quits. Had a couple mechanics look at it, when I told one about it he thought for sure it was going to be the fuel injectors but they all checked out fine.
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I have a problem in the form of a 2000 Buick LeSabre Custom with the GM 3800 series II engine. After 245k miles, it has begun to show it's age in some very unaffectionate ways. It has been stalling, sputtering, hesitating, and unwilling to start at seemingly random intervals. And, such is my luck, there has been no 'check engine' light on at any point during this saga. Here's the chronology of events spanning 6 months:
The first symptom I experienced was occasional sputtering, mainly while going uphill. This began to occur shortly after the spark plugs were replaced during regular maintenance. So I replaced the spark plugs again, and also the wires, fuel filter, and fuel pressure regulator. Plus I gave the MAF a good cleaning.
But the problem persisted, and grew to include intermittent stalling when I would come to a stop. Undaunted, I replaced the ignition coils, and swapped in a used ICM.
The car, obviously displeased with my choice words toward it, began to not start every now and then. It would just crank to no avail. So I would try again after an hour or two and it would immediately start as if nothing was wrong. Fearing that I or my wife could be left stranded I replaced the fuel pump. It continues to stall every once in a while and it still sometimes sputters at low rpms. A lot of times it just wont idle at a constant speed.
So then I replaced the crank sensor and I cleaned the camshaft sensor too. Guess what? It's still intermittently sputtering/hesitating when I accelerate from a stop. And I have noticed that it will also sputter while idling in park as well. It's like it's misfiring, but with no engine codes. I'm not happy.
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Recently two of the hubcaps on my 1999 Buick Le Sabre have been coming loose after about 100 miles of driving. How to keep them secure? I don't want to buy aftermarket hubcaps. The wheels are balanced and the rims are in good condition, as are the tires.
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The equipment:1995 Buick Regal Custom 3.8
I noticed a year ago that my car would randomly stall out coming into work after a 20-25 minute drive. It then started to idle really high, very rarely. So i cleaned the throtle body, new air filter, new fuel filter, sparks, and wires. This is about where my expertise ends.
Its seemed better, however, it would act up now and again (stall) but I was fine with it.
Recently I have noticed that the car idles really high 1.5 in drive (compared to 900) and 2k in park after I have drove for 20-25 mins. So I put the computer to the car and all I have is transmission error codes which I have had since I owned the car at 80,000 miles and I am now to 160,000 miles. This car has been pretty good to me because it starts, goes forward, and backwards! What else can you really ask for. A better idle maybe?
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I have recently noticed that my car will stall out when I get up to about 20 mph. My car starts fine, no check engine light on. I has a tendency to just die in the middle of the road at times too. I have changed the spark plugs, spark plug wires, and a new fuel filter. Do I need to change the mass air flow sensor? Or the crank position sensor? I have no problems starting the car either. Runs good when it runs.
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Where is the relay box for turn and hazard signals in 98 Buick LeSabre custom? my hazards ans signals don't work switched fuses but didn't work. Where the box is I've never owned a Buick til now. there isn't one under the hood just the main on the driver's side.
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1996 buick lesabre custom 3800. The car stalls from time to time, and the fuel pump, power windows, power seats, and power mirrors all stop working. Most people who have had this problem cleaned the ground bus on the drivers side under the carpet. I have done this, and the car has not stalled yet, but I haven't driven it far because I have noticed the fuel pump relay and power windows relay are getting extremely hot to the touch after 5 minutes or so of driving. Why these relays are getting so hot? I cannot afford to keep getting the car towed home.
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My 2001 Buick Lesabre has always shown to run exactly normal on the temperature dash unit until recently. I checked my coolant level and it was a bit low, so I added. After I filled the radiator I have noticed a coolant leak spot on my driveway, after I drive it now. I have removed the gravel shield and have tried to pin point exactly where the leak is coming from, but cannot. Now, each time I park, after driving it, I put a clean piece of cardboard under it to try to see exactly what area the leak is coming from. Last night I put the car on ramps and crawled under to discover that the leak is located just above the oil filter and is actually dripping from the oil filter, but I still cannot see the exact location of the leak.Actually the leak does not appear until about an hour after I park the car, so it sounds like something is contracting after the engine has cooled off, but what? The leak has seemed to be getting worse each time I drive the car. How can I determine exactly where the leak is coming from without just changing a bunch of parts.
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I currently have no brake fluid in my car because it keeps leaking out (leaks while actively being used). The leak is between the power brake booster and the brake master cylinder... Is there any type of gasket I can get to better fill the gap between the two pieces of metal? Is there some way to tell which of the two pieces is creating the leak to narrow down which to purchase?
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My car would not start yesterday, and I realized the fuel pump was not running. So I bought a new fuel pump today and put it on, the car still won't start, the fuel pump still does not run and I have been told to check the relay. I cannot find the relay for this car.
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I have a 1995 buick Lasbre and my engine light is on my car would cut off every once and a while. but when it does it cranks right back up like its a sortage in the wires people say it is an electrical problem i thought it was my crank sensor but my car has never had a problem cranking up it sounds wonderful when it cranks up so whats my problem....
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