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Hi Ho! Hi Ho!, Back to the Dealer I Go!

vonVeezelsnider

By vonVeezelsnider
in Tech Section

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vonVeezelsnider Newbie

vonVeezelsnider

Posted
Posted

Can't you tell I'm psyched? :nono:

So, my Cavalier really needs to take a big Valium... I think it's emotionally distraught.

Not even a month out of a 500$ Water Pump job, now the following things have gone wrong with my car...

-Wiper Arm broke off in my hands under gentle application ( :banghead: )

-Gas Gauge stuck at full, will no longer move.

-Radio Dead due to wiring issue (loose Connection?) under driver's side floor

-ABS Light going on and off depending on where my left foot is.

-Radio Sometimes Works depending on where my left foot is.

So to sum things up, I'm going back to the dealer for another service appt (double :banghead: ), I've got no tunes, sometimes no ABS, Limited Wiper Funcitionality, and no way to know how much gas is in the tank for sure.

valium.jpg

Blake Noble Newbie

Blake Noble

Posted
Posted (edited)

Yeah, I feel your frustrations. The Sonoma has a few annoying hang-ups that I need to fix as soon as I get another job. The fuel gauge isn't the most accurate thing I've seen, the e-brake is broken (and I drive a manual, meaning this is pretty vital, so I can leave my truck running in neutral while on a hill without my truck rolling back and hitting the car behind it), and the check engine light will not go off (this is because I removed the cat, but it's still a nuisance and it didn't do it after it was removed).

And the end of the wiper stalk in my old S10, that had the cruise controls, broke off and I cannot tell you how much of a PITA that was to look at and put up with.

Edited by YellowJacket894
Intrepidation

Intrepidation

Posted
Posted
Yeah, I feel your frustrations. The Sonoma has a few annoying hang-ups that I need to fix as soon as I get another job. The fuel gauge isn't the most accurate thing I've seen, the e-brake is broken (and I drive a manual, meaning this is pretty vital, so I can leave my truck running in neutral while on a hill without my truck rolling back and hitting the car behind it), and the check engine light will not go off (this is because I removed the cat, but it's still a nuisance and it didn't do it after it was removed).

And the end of the wiper stalk in my old S10, that had the cruise controls, broke off and I cannot tell you how much of a PITA that was to look at and put up with.

I do have one annoying glitch in my car...the automatic door locks stopped working a couple months ago. You know when teh car reaches a certain speed and the doors lock? Stopped working. I'd like to fix it eventually.

Cory Wolfe

Cory Wolfe

Posted
Posted

Well... one of you owns a J-body. Big duh there. Another owns an S10. Another big duh. Our two most unreliable POS's have been our Blazer and our Sunfire. People should take my rantings seriously. If you listened to all my bitching and moaning, you could have boughten better vehicles and not have had all those problems. But you ignored them, bought similar vehicles, and BAM! Problems! See? Haha... :wink: :D

Meanwhile, on a serious note, the Cutlass is certainly in the running for the crown of being 'King POS'. The problems never end with it. This morning it refused to go out of park. That marks the second time it caused me to be late to work. That and I do believe I am going to be rattled to death. So many hidden noises that seemingly come from nowhere.

I tell you... My new sig doesn't lie. The temptation to push it off of a cliff is ever so great. :P

vonVeezelsnider Newbie

vonVeezelsnider

Posted
  • Author
Posted (edited)
Well... one of you owns a J-body. Big duh there. Another owns an S10. Another big duh. Our two most unreliable POS's have been our Blazer and our Sunfire. People should take my rantings seriously. If you listened to all my bitching and moaning, you could have boughten better vehicles and not have had all those problems.

Okay, rewind to December 1996 and tell my parent's that :P. Although from time to time I still rag on my parents for buying it... It was between my Cavalier and a leftover showroom demo 1996 Achieva 3100 in forest green... But my mom just HAD to have a pretty blue, shapely car :huh: . Even my dad wanted to get the Achieva.

Edited by vonVeezelsnider
vonVeezelsnider Newbie

vonVeezelsnider

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Posted

:lol:

We'll see throughout 2008 and into 2009 weather any one of these straws will break the bank... I'm getting concerned about this thing lasting till 2010 when my dad is done with his Impala (I'll be pretty pissed off if I sink too much into the thing)

daves87rs Collaborator

daves87rs

Posted
Posted

Hmmm..

It seems when one thing goes wrong in an old car, everything seems to go wrong....

That is kinda how it is with the wagon right now.....I think I'm going to have to replace the connections to the battery (look kinda nasty) because it died again after doing so well for so long.....

Then again, the crazy winter weather is not helping at all....

vonVeezelsnider Newbie

vonVeezelsnider

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It is a 12 year old car. I don't care who made it, it will have issues (unless it's a Roach).

A B-Body would be sweet, no doubt about it, and these are not mechanical issues, that part of the car is especially strong

You know some of that stuff you could pull out of the junkyard and do it yourself.

Exactly. I've instructed the dealer not to replace anything but only to find the source of the problems... If the stereo needs to be replaced I'll go to the junkyard and do it myself... I've already determined its not the fuses though so easy fixes are pretty much out right now...

CMG Newbie

CMG

Posted
Posted

Take em one by one....

Gas gauge- remove the sending wire and see if the gauge is stuck on full. If the gauge drops to empty you know it's most likely the sending unit- sometimes the float arm sticks, sometimes the signal takes a "shorter path" etc.

If you could remove the sender from the tank it could probably be fixed, I'm not sure how much a replacement sending unit costs, but if it's one of the newfangled jobs that is part of the fuel pump it will be pricey IMO...

daves87rs Collaborator

daves87rs

Posted
Posted
Well, The ABS is gone now....

Appointment for Service on Friday- let's see how much Old Blue will get me for this time...

Is the ABS light on?

Or is it just not working?

Need more info....

It could be a sensor-not uncommon for them to go after 10 years or so...

vonVeezelsnider Newbie

vonVeezelsnider

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  • Author
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Sensor. Yep, that what it should be.....

My buddies 00' had the same problem when the ABS sensor kicked the bucket....

Rear wheel hub sensor was fried out, not corroded, or cracked, but fried. 600$ Later ABS is fully functional.

Stereo- Didn't have time at the end of the day to inspect it, but they will look at it tomorrow.

Gas Gauge, a Circuit board Fried, just like the sensor... but at 450$ + Labor, it's not worth fixing, I've got a working ODO (for now)

I'm starting to sense a pattern, they are guessing the stereo is roasted as well which would be three electronic components all getting absolutely fried at the same time... I'm thinking there is a deeper Electrical problem with the car, so I might do some inspecting of my own... I don't want to sink in a new Radio just to have it fried again by some unseen short circuit or the like... :banghead:

daves87rs Collaborator

daves87rs

Posted
Posted
Rear wheel hub sensor was fried out, not corroded, or cracked, but fried. 600$ Later ABS is fully functional.

Stereo- Didn't have time at the end of the day to inspect it, but they will look at it tomorrow.

Gas Gauge, a Circuit board Fried, just like the sensor... but at 450$ + Labor, it's not worth fixing, I've got a working ODO (for now)

I'm starting to sense a pattern, they are guessing the stereo is roasted as well which would be three electronic components all getting absolutely fried at the same time... I'm thinking there is a deeper Electrical problem with the car, so I might do some inspecting of my own... I don't want to sink in a new Radio just to have it fried again by some unseen short circuit or the like... :banghead:

Eh, not always..sometimes things all go at one time....

It just happened to my mom's Astro...a bunch of stuff just went almost one right after another......

I figured it was a sensor of something, they always seem to go after a bunch of years, regardless of milage....just strange, I guess....

As for the Stereo, go with a cheap aftermarket one- Once those Delcos start getting odd-it's time for them to go...

Intrepidation

Intrepidation

Posted
Posted
Rear wheel hub sensor was fried out, not corroded, or cracked, but fried. 600$ Later ABS is fully functional.

Stereo- Didn't have time at the end of the day to inspect it, but they will look at it tomorrow.

Gas Gauge, a Circuit board Fried, just like the sensor... but at 450$ + Labor, it's not worth fixing, I've got a working ODO (for now)

I'm starting to sense a pattern, they are guessing the stereo is roasted as well which would be three electronic components all getting absolutely fried at the same time... I'm thinking there is a deeper Electrical problem with the car, so I might do some inspecting of my own... I don't want to sink in a new Radio just to have it fried again by some unseen short circuit or the like... :banghead:

And they say Chryslers have a lot of electrical problems!

vonVeezelsnider Newbie

vonVeezelsnider

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I can get a Sony set for 144.99, Installed for free with a built in iPod Charger and Aux Jack for XM Radio, I've already decided that's what I'm going to do, regardless of whether it's the radio or not that is broken... The one I chose is nice and conservative looking with a more straightforward button layout.

http://www.futureshop.ca/catalog/proddetai...amp;catid=10174

They're selling a refurbished Roady XT for 34.99 Here as well, might invest in that, since it's only an extra 9.95 a month since the Impala is already on an active subscription.

vonVeezelsnider Newbie

vonVeezelsnider

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  • Author
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The dealer couldn't find any wiring faults, so I went ahead and bought the new unit... But I can't have it installed until the 15th...

  • 2 weeks later...
vonVeezelsnider Newbie

vonVeezelsnider

Posted
  • Author
Posted

Well they installed my stereo today... It still didn't work and they said that something is wrong with the wiring somewhere between the battery and the stereo, so they took pity and ran a new wire to bypass it... So I got my electrical problem quasi-fixed for free... but that wiring problem is starting to make my warning lights and turn signals go wonky too so It's only a matter of time before I have to commit to another expensive repair (at least I have music now).

daves87rs Collaborator

daves87rs

Posted
Posted
Well they installed my stereo today... It still didn't work and they said that something is wrong with the wiring somewhere between the battery and the stereo, so they took pity and ran a new wire to bypass it... So I got my electrical problem quasi-fixed for free... but that wiring problem is starting to make my warning lights and turn signals go wonky too so It's only a matter of time before I have to commit to another expensive repair (at least I have music now).

Hmm..and that didn't fix it?

I hate to say it, it might be time for that Impy......

vonVeezelsnider Newbie

vonVeezelsnider

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  • Author
Posted

You Know it's bad when a comment like that comes from THE J-Body Guy...

I'm going to wait to see what else goes wrong first. Part of me just wants to wake up in the morning, open the blinds and see it in flames. :glare:

My Grandparents take pity on me. When I was telling them about the new crop of problems I was having, they told me they hope they win the Malibu LTZ they entered a contest for the other day, so I can have their 2007 Impala in Black (Optioned Identically to my Father's)... They'd also be giving me their car if/when the Province of Alberta decides that my Grandfather shouldn't drive anymore, And then there's my Father's Silver Impala, which he's committed to selling me in two years for peanuts... Should the Cav last that long. But we'll see. One way or another, I'll be driving an Impala in 2 Years- the real question is whether it's going to be Black, or, if my Grandfather will be driving at 83: Silver.

The other option is that we ditch the Cavalier and get a N-Body Malibu or Alero that will do me until my dad is ready to sell, and then my brother can have the N-Body.

daves87rs Collaborator

daves87rs

Posted
Posted
You Know it's bad when a comment like that comes from THE J-Body Guy...

I'm going to wait to see what else goes wrong first. Part of me just wants to wake up in the morning, open the blinds and see it in flames. :glare:

My Grandparents take pity on me. When I was telling them about the new crop of problems I was having, they told me they hope they win the Malibu LTZ they entered a contest for the other day, so I can have their 2007 Impala in Black (Optioned Identically to my Father's)... They'd also be giving me their car if/when the Province of Alberta decides that my Grandfather shouldn't drive anymore, And then there's my Father's Silver Impala, which he's committed to selling me in two years for peanuts... Should the Cav last that long. But we'll see. One way or another, I'll be driving an Impala in 2 Years- the real question is whether it's going to be Black, or, if my Grandfather will be driving at 83: Silver.

The other option is that we ditch the Cavalier and get a N-Body Malibu or Alero that will do me until my dad is ready to sell, and then my brother can have the N-Body.

Yeah, I can say that it's not good...

On the other hand, I wouldn't call it terminal either..

Js that usually have issues like that-they tend to be a wire issue (short somewhere). When that happens, stuff tends to go screwy.

While your Cav should drive just fine, it will make your commute, well, not so fun.....

Judging by the list of stuff going on the Cav (abs, sensors, sterero), I'm quite sure it is a short somewhere in thw wiring...

It is fixable, though it does take time (and some money)

If you know somone that is good electrical repair, it will help....

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