2001 Malibu Intermittent Start Failure and other similar problems

[dmccoy26]

I see that my malibu is not any different from the rest of them.

In the last couple of weeks, I have noticed that my 2001 3.1 V6 malibu is taking longer to start then normal. And occasionally in the last couple of days, the car won't start. My radio resets its time to 12:00, all my gauge needles are flipped to the opposite sides and all my indicator lights come on. This morning was no exception. There is no noise from my starter, no clicking, My car did all the same things again, lights, needles, radio etc. But this time, the car wouldn't start in park. This time i had to shift to neutral inorder for to get my car to turn over.

I have also noticed that my car is loosing dexcool? I have filled it up twice in the last month. I have not found any in my oil or an external dripping point.

In the Last 2 years my internal/external air circulation switch has gotten worse. It likes to switch back and forth at random times. This causes my AC to turn on anf off.

And to add the icing to the cake, last week the moulding or holder for my master control switch on my driver side door popped out and won't go back into place. It might have a broken clip that holds it into place, but I have been un able to find it.

[BeatnikTermite]

Originally Posted by dmccoy26

1) ...taking longer to start then normal...car won't start...radio resets...gauge needles are flipped...no noise from my starter, no clicking...wouldn't start in park...shift to neutral

2) ...loosing dexcool...I have not found any in my oil or an external dripping point.

3) ...internal/external air circulation switch...switch back and forth...causes the AC to turn on and off.

4) The moulding or holder for my master control switch...won't go back into place...broken clip that holds it into place...unable to find it.

Here goes:

1) This seems like an electrical gremlin that may have one or possibly three fixes. Start by cleaning, or replacing, your battery contacts and wires. Bad connections would cause the car to not turn over, the radio to reset and possibly make your gauges drop. No clicking could mean that the solenoid has gone bad. Not starting in park, but starting in neutral, could mean the neutral start switch is bad or needs adjusting. There was a topic about adjusting the gear shift cable on this forum, try that. Otherwise the switch may need to be replaced.

2) One of two things is happening here. With no coolant, or foam, in your oil, the leak must be external. Two common places that people notice it are; on top of the transmission body on the drivers side below the outlet hose that takes the hot coolant back to the radiator; and behind the water pump on top of the engine block. This probably means you need to have your upper and lower intake manifold gaskets replaced. Or if you notice that the coolant spills out all at once from the overflow tank, try and replacing your radiator cap, as the seal rots and refuses to hold pressure. Unfortunately, if it is your radiator cap, and you replace it, the engine will suddenly hold more pressure, and possibly cause the gaskets to go. Search the site for this, it is all over.

3) The HVAC head unit is dirty and needs to be cleaned. Go here for the procedure:
http://www.automotiveforums.com/vbul...d.php?t=324015

4) All of the removeable panels are held in place by those cheap pressure clips. If one fell out, or broke, it probably fell inside the door someplace. The door moulding on the driver side door can be removed to search for it. Remove the one torx screw behind the black door opener and two screws under the removeable cover behind the door handle. The perimeter of the door is held on with similar plastic pressure clips. Start at the upper corner of the door by the side view mirror. Slip a non-metallic pry bar behind the door panel and pry it free. Work your way down and around to the back of the door. Then lift the panel off of the window ledge. Be sure not to pull the panel too far away from the door before removing the harnesses for the power items. Once you remove the interior of the door, you should be able to look down into the door and find the clip. Or you could go to a pick-your-own parts yard and just buy a new clip.