04 Malibu Classic Stalling w/ no code

[mymary1225]

I think I'm going slightly mad. I'm a novice car owner with a stalling problem on an 04 malibu classic with 56k miles. My car will stall intermittantly (approx. 10 times a week). I've taken it to 4 mechanics (Answer Challenge anyone?) and none of them can recreate the problem. Their response is always, "It's not throwing codes."

One of them drove around with a fuel pump gaugy thing, and it wasn't reading anything out of the ordinary.

When it stalls, it immediately starts again with no problems, however, once it begins stalling, it does it very often. It can go one day without stalling and the next, it'll stall 5 times in one day. It seems to stall more often when I'm running A/C or heat. Of course, it could also be that the car doesn't like extreme temperatures.

Yesterday, I noticed when I'm driving on the highway, it seems to be skipping (hard to explain, acts like it doesn't want to go). The RPM's will be running at 2-2.5 rpms and than dropt down to 1-2 rpms than go back up to 2-2.5pms. Meanwhile, I haven't done anything to make it want to drop (going approx. 55 mph).

I understand its a fuel system problem, but how do I explain it to a mechanic so I can get it fix?

I would like to just print your answers and take them to my mechanic, so be specific.

Thank you
frustrated

[Seneca_Tiger]

I had a 1990 Lumina 3.1L that used to do that, right down to the some days it would do it and some days it wouldn't. It finally progressed to the point that I had to wait about 5 minutes before it would restart. The only difference is the "check engine" light would come on, and it would throw some really strange codes. The way we finally diagnosed it is that the mechanic I took it to hooked his diagnostic computer to it and it wouldn't tell him anything. I don't mean no codes, I mean it's like it wasn't even there. So at the minimum we knew the diagnostic circuit in the computer was fried. He decided to put a computer in it, reasoning that at least then we could get a trouble code. He put a new ECM (engine computer) in it and it ran fine after that.

To be honest (and I can't believe I'm about to say this), with a car that new you may want to take it to the dealership and have them look at it. Try to find one with a service department that has a good reputation (good luck).

Funny part is that the dealership I took mine to first told me it needed plugs and wires before they could diagnose it. I called BS and went to get it (I had just put plugs and wires in it a couple of months earlier), but it died in their parking lot. I decided to let them go ahead and do what they needed to do (was in college at the time and kinda stupid) but THEN they told me they couldn't find anything wrong.

Took it to an independent mechanic I knew back home (scary 3 hours on the interstate) and he did what I described above and figured it right out. Take from that what you will.

[mymary1225]

Thanks for the help. I did take it back to the dealership (1st mechanic to look at it) and they could not find anything wrong with it, which seems to be the story of my life.

I'm going to print out your reply and take it to my regular dependable mechanic. He kept the car 2 days trying to get it to stall on him. Of course, the next day it stalled 3 times.

Thanks again for your help.