99 Grand Am

[99 GrandMA]

Engine: 3.4 V6

Recent repairs or maintenence: New plugs and wires, new EGR valve, new ignition control module.

Trouble codes: Misfire #3, EGR flow insuff, Fuel Level Sensor.

It will run for a while and then just dies as if the ignition was turned off. It has to sit for about 10 minutes exactly and then restarts and runs OK. It will go approx 5 miles and then do it again. This problem is intermittent. I had it at the shop all last week and they drove 400 miles and it didnt die once for them, when the day b4 i took it there it died 4 times on me. The fuel gauge doesnt read correctly and it idles rough when at a stop. If i put it in nuetral the idle smooths out. The shop is telling me that the trouble codes its kicking should not make the car die. They also ran thru all my wiring harnesses and didnt find anything.

[xeroinfinity]

Welcome to AF !

The misfire then is probly #3 injector malfunctioning from being dirty or just no working at all.

The EGR flow most likly is because the EGR tube or inside the intake is pluged. You'd hav thought the guys that replaced it would hav checked for the clog. Most likly the EGR its self was never bad.

The fuel level sensor inside the tank is bad, as with 99% of all 99-00 N-bodies. The tank will need removed to replce the sending unit.

Only the first two will cause it to die or not run right.

[Gir-_-]

Originally Posted by xeroinfinity

The fuel level sensor inside the tank is bad, as with 99% of all 99-00 N-bodies. The tank will need removed to replce the sending unit.

Only the first two will cause it to die or not run right.

I always notice a 2 or so I guess I can call them 'unit' or something difference on my fuel, depending on how im driving, what im driving up or down and how fast lol

[99 GrandMA]

So this whole 10 minutes to reset after it dies sounds exactly like what is going on with people in the 01' s with the PASSlock issue. Mine is a 99 and does not have the PASSlock but it does have keyless entry and it does act kinda screwy.
It will not honk the horn when i lock the doors with the keypad. And every now and again when I lock it, the locks will go back and forth between locked and unlocked. Very fast with no pause between the two positions. Does it about 5 times or so. Is it possible that i have picked up a short or some kind of fault in my security system that is shutting the car down? Im just noticing the resemblance of the security sytem issues that others were writing about...especially the 10 minute reset deal.
Please help, im taking it back to the shop for the 6th time tomorow and i'd like to check things out myself. Not sure where i would need to start with the wiring for the security system. In the sttering column perhaps?
Thanks in advance to anyone that can help!

[xeroinfinity]

Originally Posted by 99 GrandMA

So this whole 10 minutes to reset after it dies sounds exactly like what is going on with people in the 01' s with the PASSlock issue. Mine is a 99 and does not have the PASSlock but it does have keyless entry and it does act kinda screwy.
It will not honk the horn when i lock the doors with the keypad. And every now and again when I lock it, the locks will go back and forth between locked and unlocked. Very fast with no pause between the two positions. Does it about 5 times or so. Is it possible that i have picked up a short or some kind of fault in my security system that is shutting the car down? Im just noticing the resemblance of the security sytem issues that others were writing about...especially the 10 minute reset deal.
Please help, im taking it back to the shop for the 6th time tomorow and i'd like to check things out myself. Not sure where i would need to start with the wiring for the security system. In the sttering column perhaps?
Thanks in advance to anyone that can help!

If your car is dying and not starting till the security syst is reset then you may hav the same troubles.
A bad ignition switch can also cause this.

Is you security light on or flashing when its running ?

BTW your 99 does hav the same passlock feature as with most GMs for the past 20yrs.

If you are continuing to hav troubles with it dying and stuff you'll need to take it to the stealership , they are about the only ones who can really test the passlock system to find the trouble(s).

[99 GrandMA]

Sorry for my confusion with the passlock, i thought what that was when the key had the chip in it that linked up with the ignition, and the car wouldnt start if the key and ignition didnt match.

My problem is intermittent it will run fine for a week and then it may die 5 times in one day. When its acting up it will run for 5 10 miles then die as im driving or when at a stop. Just as iff the ignition was turned off. I have to let it set for 10 minutes then it will start just fine. It goes about 5 miles and starts the whole process again.

You say the dealership is the only one's that can check this passlock system? Because I was going to take it back to another shop (not the dealership) tomorrow tho have the security system checked out.

Im gonna go do some reading about the passlock system and get myself edumacated about it.
Thanks again!

[xeroinfinity]

Most autoshops dont hav the software to really check the system properly,
but then again some dealers cant figure it out either.
I hav only seen a couple of pontiacs that had this trouble.
One was a bad ignition switch which threw a code.
And My wife had 1000 things hanging from the key chain and it did this over and over.

Removed the excess stuff and problem hasnt reappeared.

Good Luck !

[99 GrandMA]

That is interesting about your wifes keychain. The last time I drove it a bit it ran fine for my brother when he had it over a weekend. When he borrowed it i just game him the key with the keyless entry keypad. It ran fine for him all weekend. I drove it to work on monday morning with my keychain, i dont have too much but i have about 10 keys plus one of those clips that they use when climbing cliffs that i use to clip to my beltloop. And it died on the way to work 4 times in 30 miles. Was your wifes car kicking a code for the ignition problem or did you just figure it out.

The only codes i get is #3 misfire, EGR isuff, and fuel lev. sensor.
Will the passlock system or my security system (if they are 2 diff systems that is) will they be kicking codes if they hav a problem of any kind?

[oldmike]

Not to put down the people here as they are very sharp, but you need to go to http://www.gaownersclub.com and read all about the passlock problems, if you haven't already. It appears to be a very common problem.
Mike

[xeroinfinity]

The wieght of the key chain pulls teh key allowing it to make intermitant connections and thats what caused the wife to hav trouble. Thier is a bulliton somewhere I seen on the net that GM posted about this.

If its dying that offten yuo might hav something else wrong.
A clogged Fuel filter could cause it to run, then die, then run.
A bad EGR system of failure could also make the car stall or not want to run right.

Do you still hav any SES or SVS lights on ?
Sometimes you will get a code but sometimes you wont with the passlock troubles.

[99 GrandMA]

UPDATE: Took it to the stealership, first thing they wanted to try was a new key. I used the new key by itself with no other keys on keychain. DIDNT FIX PROBLEM 2nd thing they came up with when I took it back was it needed a new ignition switch $400 P & L 2 miles down the road when it died I realized DIDNT FIX PROBLEM 3RD thing they came up with was needed new crankshaft position sensor...wanted $281 for P & L. I told them to hang on dont touch it. Called Auto Zone and got the new CPS for $19 after tax. Took me about 20 minutes to change it out (after I towed it home) SEEMS TO HAVE FIXED PROBLEM...knock on wood. Running great for over a week now.

I have couple other ?'s if you dont mind. Should I change out any of the other sensors (cam sensor, knock sensor, etc) Or wait for them to go out. Car has 165,000

Also my misfire code on #3 cylinder. Do I just change out the bad injector or do you suggest changing them all at once?

Thanks again for your help, hope my story can help at least one fellow GA owner with similiar issues!

P.S. When I asked the stealership to put my old ignition back in since the new one didnt fix the prob i brought it in for the said they already got rid of it. And they assured me it was bad with a dead circuit...mmmmmmmmhhhhhhmmmmmm.

[xeroinfinity]

I would not change anything unless its broke and not functioning right.

Misfire on #3 is very common, if you are going to replace the injectors I'd replace them all at once , One costs about $100!
You can find a set of 6 for under $300 is you shop around on the net. I wouldnt replace anything yet, give that injector cleaner some time(up to a couple weeks) to work.

The injectors can also be cleaned, but not realy a DIY procedure.
You can also buy a NOID LIGHT to test the injectors pulse.

Anytime I ever took my car to a shop, right up front I tell them I want to see the bad parts or I dont pay for anything.
Some shops hav no clue on how to check/test stuff so they guess(at your expense) and just throw parts at it till its fixed.
Every single sensor, electronic parts etc etc can be tested to see of its really bad.

Might check the wires up close to the injector, they are prone to breakage and that will cause a misfire if it shorts out on the grounded intake.