check engine light

[crazycooter]

Originally Posted by steel8ball

I have a 2000 Malibu (V6 3.1 Litre) and is a similar problem like maliburob's. Periodically, when I start my car, my fuel gauge needle & my temp. guage needle will not go up to where they are supposed to go. Sometimes it takes a few seconds, and other times it takes a minute or two for the guages to rise. Also, when this happens, my driving headlights, heater/airconditioning, light for my gear shift on dash, and my windows will not work. These won't work until my gauges (fuel and temp. gauges) go up to where they are supposed to be. Then all the other problems get fixed too (driving headlights, windows, etc.) and start working again. I know for fact it is not temperture related because this problem happens in either hot or cold weather, and happens whenever the car is cold or heated up. Once again it is periodic. Also, my service engine soon light and check engine lights will come on periodically. However, these lights don't always come on to coincide with the periodic problem. Sometimes these lights come on when the car starts up fine. Really weird. However, I do know it is electrical related because if it wasn't, the problem would happen consistently and it doesn't. So, if anyone can find where the wires for the driving headlights, fuel gauge, temp. gauge, light for gear selection on dash, windows, and heater/airconditioning go to and junction, then that may be the source of the problem. I took my car into the shop and had the engine codes checked and they found 1. evap purge control curcuit fault (Code=P0443), 2. evap system control L circuit low (Code=P0449), 3. cruise control inhibit circuit/cruise control lamp control circuit (Code=P1585). When they cleared all codes & ran tests, all codes tested fine! They ran the car and then checked for codes and none were found! Definitely intermittent problem...and I believe electrical. Maybe a ground? Who knows. Anyway, if anyone has any ideas or can lend any help it will be greatly appreciated.

lol.......my 2k malibu is in the shop for the same exact reason. p0449 code and the a/c and windows not working. they told me it's the ignition switch.

[duckymike]

(97 Malibu) Would a bad ignition switch keep you from turning your key in the ignition? It hasn't happened a lot, but there have been a couple of times when I would put the key into the ignition and try to turn it and it wouldn't turn. Eventually after several tries, I was able to turn it.

I have had many of the problems described here. Gas gauge needle going below the dent, check engine light coming on, windows not working, etc. We bought this car for our daughter who graduates and goes to college in 2 years. After all of the problems we have had and the hundreds of dollars we have spent on repairs, I don't think I want her going thousand of miles away from home in this car.

Does anyone have any insights on the ignition issue? terrat27@yahoo.com

[maliburob]

I found that when my electric windows wouldn't work and neither would the fan, that it was indeed a problem with the ignition switch; and those problems stopped happening when it was replaced.

There were some times when the key wouldn't turn easily but either jiggling the key or turning it over solved this problem. It also occurred more frequently with copies of the ignition keys, rather than the original keys.

There are many online posts describing this vintage of Malibus as a lemon, both electrically and mechanically - specifically the brake system and the engine's problem with cooling system fluid leaking into the crankcase. All of these people can't be wrong, and there are some real horror stories.

If you can get away from the Malibu without a big financial loss I would do it ASAP, and get your daughter a smaller car with a great reputation for reliability. Most of the late 1990s Malibus appear to be a financial sink-hole that should be avoided.