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1995 Pontiac Trans Sport dies while cruising down the road
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tigervalentine
New User
Jan 15, 2012, 11:08 AM
Post #1 of 2
(3068 views)
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1995 Pontiac Trans Sport dies while cruising down the road
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1995 Pontiac Trans Sport 3.8, 138,000 miles
Car dies while driving down the road. Have had a similar problem twice before. In those cases, the EGR valve was replaced and all was well. This time, I had a mechanic check that valve and he said it was clean and he could see no reason to replace it. Since my mechanic died last year, I had to idea where to take it so ended up taking it for diagnostics. The tests showed "egr flow failure," among other things. The verdict was that either the pcm or ignition module was causing the problem. Further diagnostics to determine exactly which component was at fault would have cost another $200, so I had both items replaced. At a cost of $880.
The car continued to die while being driven. I took it back and they adjusted a switch which, they said, was causing the car to die when I used the brake, ignoring the fact that it died when I *wasn't* using the brake. They felt the problem was resolved. But, they said, if the problem re-emerged, it would be a whole new problem and would have nothing to do with the repairs they had made. (After all, they said, the car is old and fixing one thing just causes another thing to fail. I said "I'm not buying that.") Driving it home after picking it up, it died again. This time, however, it would not start. I had it towed back to the repair shop (they were closed, so I haven't spoken with anyone there about the latest failure). When I turn the key to "accessories," no lights show. When I turn it to the start position, there's a strange hum/clicking sound, but the dash lights do come on. Cranking it produces nothing but a start noise, but the engine won't start.
What should I do? Take it to a GM dealer (which I probably can't afford)? The problem seems to get worse every time this repair shop touches the car. I'm a 70-year-old woman with limited funds. I'm a mechanic's daughter, but that's not doing me much good with this bunch.
Any ideas what might be wrong with it? I can provide further details, including codes, from the diagnostics, if desired.
Thanks for any suggestions. Anything that can make me look slightly knowledgeable when dealing with these guys would be nice.
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Discretesignals
Ultimate Carjunky
/ Moderator
Jan 15, 2012, 11:15 AM
Post #2 of 2
(3055 views)
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Re: 1995 Pontiac Trans Sport dies while cruising down the road
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One easy way to see if an EGR is causing stalling is to unplug it. If the engine still stalls, then the EGR system isn't the problem.
If the starter motor isn't spinning the engine over, you should be sure the battery is fully charged and tests good. Check the battery connections and make sure they are clean and tight. Check your connections at the starter motor. There are some fusible links down there, so they have to be connected tightly (with no corrosion) and in good shape.
Also inspect grounds. There are a few grounds on one of the transmission bellhousing bolts. If you mechanic knows how to perform voltage drop tests on battery cables and other wiring, that should be done too.
Since we volunteer our time and knowledge, we ask for you to please follow up when a problem is resolved.
(This post was edited by Discretesignals on Jan 15, 2012, 11:21 AM)
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