'04 Malibu/Maxx Fuel Guage/DIC Warnings

[wpbharry]

This topic appears to be worthy of its own thread, now that I've seen widespread complaints about it in Edmunds, here and other places.

Previous posts have been under "A Tale of Two Maxxes".

e2helper, in particular, has tried to be extremely helpful on this issue, but I now see that the recommended fix (latest one) got a member nowhere at a dealership, per an Edmund's post of today, and my experience has led to a dead end as well.

I won't know anything more until I go in next month. Has anyone else attempted the fix?

Somehow, I still seem to be the only one with the "Check Gas Cap" DIC warning, but lots of folks are not happy with the fuel guage performance. The DIC warning might result in codes that the dealer will be able to read; not sure yet.

[e2helper]

Thx for starting thread, Harry. I agree appropriate. I would be interested to hear any other experiences. From knowledge I have the particular complaint on fuel gage would be Maxx specific.

[wpbharry]

As I recall, at least one person in Edmund's and at least one in C&G with sedans have complained of the fuel guage.

During the night last night, a poster in Edmund's started complaining about the "Check Gas Cap" warning on a Maxx; feel sorry for him, but glad I'm not alone. His dealer tried replacing the gas cap with one of a different material/color, to no avail. That's not the answer.

I bet they're related somehow.

The fuel guage issue is noticeable upon delivery, but the "Check Gas Cap" warning didn't surface until 5 weeks later.

[wpbharry]

After having just survived Hurricane Frances (car is fine, house OK, needs some repairs), I have to tell a story.

Thursday, I decided to fill up the tank (even though I knew the car was going in to a friend's garage several towns away for the storm's duration, thank God). Typically, no Gas Cap warning. Drove about 25 miles running errands, no Gas Cap warning. Got the car back today, no Gas Cap warning.

This car is just plain bizarre. Now I see why GM is so confused.

When I went to start the car for the last time Thursday, put the key in the ignition, turned it, and NOTHING. Took the key out, tried it again, NOTHING.

Got out, locked it with the inside door lock button, unlocked it with the remote, put the key in, started right up. As I said, this car is BIZARRE.

I, at times, thought my '98 LS had a mind of its own; this one really does.

[e2helper]

Sorry to hear about continued problems, Harry.

The diagnostic check that gives you the "Check Gas Cap" message only runs under certain conditions and you might not have have gotten into the condition where it would run (during the time period when your tank was in the FULL but not reading FULL condition). One condition would be if it was really warm in your area or you parked in a garage that didn't cool down much (to below 86 deg F).

With the other item, sounds like first time this has happened to you. Do you remember anything else that happened? Was there anything lit up in Instrument Cluster at all? Did you notice if the Security Indicator (car with lock symbol) was lit up.

I don't have any suggestions on what might have happened.

However if it ever happens again (hopefully not) after trying to crank vehicle (and it doesn't crank) there are a couple things you could try to observe which could be provided as information to dealer as well as this friendly forum

1: While you are holding key in the CRANK position and the vehicle is not cranking - hold in this position for over 1 second, does the radio display go Blank or not? It should go blank within 1 second.

2: After releasing the key and it goes back to RUN position leave it there and and take a look to see if that Security Indicator is staying lit up or not. It might be going thru a bulb test so you you should wait 5 seconds or so to see if it still stays on. It shouldn't stay on.

[wpbharry]

Unfortunately, I didn't observe any of that. I did notice that ALL of the dash lights/symbols were lit during the no crank time.

I drove the car some this morning (not a single working traffic light in the area yet; was lots of fun).

I have the DIC programmed to lock all doors when I shift out of Park. One time this morning all doors locked as soon as I turned the key to start it.

Beginning to think that the DIC is the culprit in all of these shenanigans.

[e2helper]

Hmm, that reminds me of when we had the power outtage in pretty much whole Northeastern U.S. last summer. You really do miss those things when they aren't there

Don't blame the DIC. It is a function of the body computer and the actual display has nothing at all to do with how the vehicle is operating.

You cannot change how the vehicle LOCKs the doors. You can only control how if and when they UNLOCK.

Keep us posted on this latest complaint. Also another thing to keep your eye on in the Cluster is a thing called the PRNDL which indicates what gear you have selected when any stuff like this happens - is is "flagging" the correct gear? In this case the "P" should be highlighted constantly when you are in Park with the gear shifter (sounds too obvious, right?)

[wpbharry]

I'll check the gear display when I'm out this afternoon.

e2, righto about not being able to choose the "Lock" setting. I reread the section in the OM last night. No idea why it did what it did.

I also noticed yesterday that, while my car was garaged during the storm, we had a bad thunderstorm Monday afternoon with high winds and I'd gotten the car back by then, both headlight units have moisture in them and flying debris has worked it's way into both headlight surrounds. Very attractive.

The headlight assemblies were replaced multiple times on my '98 for moisture accumulation.

GM's really learning from its mistakes, huh?