1994 Buick Lesabre, starts and runs for about 30 minutes stalls loses all power

flsoutherncherry · #1 03-01-2007, 07:32 AM

I have a 1994 Buick Lesabre. It starts fine when it's cool and at first could make it about 5 miles before stalling without warning and then the power windows stop working and so do the power seats. After cooling down overnight, maybe even a few hours it will restart. It seems like it's not getting gas, but we are at a loss. We cant figure this out for anything. We've replaced the fuel pump, still does it. We replaced the starter, still does it. We even replaced the computer. Currently we are checking all circuits to and from the fuel pump. This car ran fine and then sat for a month at the auction, and we took it back because nobody really is in the market for Buick's. We cant figure this out and I turn to y'all for help. Thanks.

Bassasasin · #2 03-01-2007, 08:35 AM

Welcome to the forum.

You found the place that will help you fix your car.

Be sure to FAVORITES this post and check it often.

Many check it on a daily basis to help.

Pay very close attention if a Moderator answers.
They are extremely expert people with huge credentials.
It's your advantage to follow thier advice. Often a small question can tell volumes.

How many miles on the car?

Do the electrics quit during the problem?
If it does, your right. Its not getting gas when the electrical quits.. It cant.

The electric computer PCM pulses to the injectors and can't when theres no power. Nor can the fuel pump run.

If it occurs during the problem we have a good guide to the reason.

There is a need to gather information on many things that fail. That will assist us and you to find a common point of source or grounding.
While making a list, familiarize yourself with the large fuses and relays under the hood near the wiper motors and under the instrument panel.
A relay failing, or its socket after 30 minutes will be a hotter relay.

If it is electrically related this forum can guide you to the area of interest.
If you determine it's not, we can still help.
THIS IS A VERY POWERFUL ACTIVE FORUM and I'm proud to be a part of it.

Good Luck

flsoutherncherry · #3 03-01-2007, 10:11 AM

The power items in the car, i.e. seats, windows quit working. The inside light however remains lit. If we try and crank the gas pedal pushes straight to the floor as if there is no pressure. However there is fuel pressure when checked from the engine. There are almost 92,000 miles on the car, everything seems to work when it runs, no warning lights come on when it stalls, it just loses fuel pressure and shuts off. We've been at this for 2 weeks now and are blown away. It's sitting at my cousin's auto shop and everyday we try and combat another issue. We're ready to junk it, but trying to explore everything first. I am a female, LOL, and my fiance thinks I am clueless when it comes to cars but I found y'all and he still doesn't know what to do, LOL. So hopefully this message board will help "us" ( me ) figure this out before we scrap it for $100. Thanks.

wrightz28 · #4 03-01-2007, 10:15 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Bassasasin

Pay very close attention if a Moderator answers.
They are extremely expert people with huge credentials.
It's your advantage to follow thier advice. Often a small question can tell volumes.

Please, I'm lucky if I can remember my name and where and why I'm waking up in the morning

Anyways, welcome to AF!

Bass has pretty well already elaborated it has to be some type of electrical failure.

So in summary:

It starts fine cold, then warms up,

The engine stalls and power windows and seats are inoperative until everything cools off?

Anything else out of the "rordinary" ? No matter how insugnificant it may seem.

flsoutherncherry · #5 03-01-2007, 10:19 AM

That's it. It runs smooth and quiet, no problem starting, unless it's been driven a couple miles and is starting to warm up, then it acts like the battery is going dead. It's a new battery, tested alternator, working properly. It is a sudden stall, we'll be driving and fuel pressure will go out and it will shut off. We've had this car on 2 different computers checking everything and everything seems to be fine. We've had 3 different mechanics check it out and they cant seem to figure it out. We are just now hitting the electrical problem, figuring something is grounding it out, what that is though, is the problem, we dont know.

wrightz28 · #6 03-01-2007, 10:32 AM

Starting simple, there is a negative distribution center under a plastic shroud by the battery, usually next to the washer bottel on the models I'm msot familiar with. There should a string of postive links there as well. I thought they got rid of fusable links by that model, but I'm not 100%. You could have a fusable link that is cracked but maintians power until the heat from excessive resistance from teh crakc finally seperates it

Back to the negatives, trace the negative engine cable from that junction to the cylinder head (uaually right under the alternator).

Another suspect area is the positive battery cable, GM came up with that ever so wonderful piggy cable, one on top of the other, that comes loose, or builds alot of crud inbetween the cable heads.

wrightz28 · #7 03-01-2007, 10:33 AM

BTW - if it's at a shop, do they have access to AllData or Mitchel?

If so I'd hit up the wiring diagram and see the common points of power and ground between the effected circuits.

Bassasasin · #8 03-01-2007, 11:00 AM

Looking here at the Mitchell I see.
The left seat power grounds at the left kick panel.
And so does the Fuel Pump relay go there. Window control etc.

The courtisy light relay's ground is at the right kick panel.

Perhaps theres a bad ground there on the left..
They have been posted as rusted up before.

It's located somewhere on the inside of the kickpanel. Where you left foot would hit if you swung it left off the parking brake.
Back behind the hood latch pull handle assembly..If you get there, turn everythng on till it quits and feel it for heat.
You may have to remove some carpet or panel to see it.

Just some ideas so,
Good Luck.

flsoutherncherry · #9 03-01-2007, 12:58 PM

Thanks for the much needed advice. I will print all these posts out and hand them over to my fiance and cousin. Will post later this evening to let know if anything worked. They are planning on working on it this evening after work. Thanks again!

wrightz28 · #10 03-01-2007, 01:02 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Bassasasin

Looking here at the Mitchell I see.
The left seat power grounds at the left kick panel.
And so does the Fuel Pump relaygo there. Window control etc.
.

That sounds like a darn good place for a problem

Mickey#1 · #11 03-01-2007, 03:46 PM

Here's a picture of what the ground bus looks like. This is from an earlier Bonneville but it's in the same area on your car. Pull the metal bar from the bus & clean both the male & female terminals.

Bassasasin · #12 03-01-2007, 04:14 PM

Flsouthercherry.

.. It may be good to know that these Buicks have a great history of making very high mileage with care and good maintenance. To me its an advantage since the general public will start getting nervous about a car over 100kmi. and they sell cheaper.

Mine have 170k miles and 210K miles and still clicking over.
.
TRIVIA.. 180k miles is approx.10 times around the world.

rexter3 · #13 03-02-2007, 10:08 AM

Your right about these Buick's, I'm fortunate enough to have a 1997 lesabre Ltd. with 57,800 miles. just give them some TLC and routine maintenance and they will last a lifetime

wrightz28 · #14 03-06-2007, 10:54 AM

And don't let your spouse tell you to get rid of it only because it needs paint.

My wife is really starting to get the picture of why I didn't want to let my PA go when something else goes wrong every week with this damn Taurus she just had to have.

buck812 · #15 03-08-2007, 07:13 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by flsoutherncherry

I have a 1994 Buick Lesabre. It starts fine when it's cool and at first could make it about 5 miles before stalling without warning and then the power windows stop working and so do the power seats. After cooling down overnight, maybe even a few hours it will restart. It seems like it's not getting gas, but we are at a loss. We cant figure this out for anything. We've replaced the fuel pump, still does it. We replaced the starter, still does it. We even replaced the computer. Currently we are checking all circuits to and from the fuel pump. This car ran fine and then sat for a month at the auction, and we took it back because nobody really is in the market for Buick's. We cant figure this out and I turn to y'all for help. Thanks.

Having kinda same problem , find yours yet. buck812

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