I have a 2003 Monte Carlo SS 3.8 that is been acting up lately.. sometimes when I am driving d RPM gauge will go down then pop back up and start bouncing around also all the other gauges start bouncing around then the battery light will come on then the trac off light will come on then service traction check engine light then the car will go dead but I can crank it back up but the gauges will start bouncing around again and then the car wants to shut down the last time it did this was in December it stops on New Year's Day and it was fine until last week in March it just comes and goes

 

Classic ignition switch failure symptoms. Almost all the time you can replace just the ignition switch and reuse your existing key cylinder. An easy fix to a pretty common problem. I bought a Dorman brand online and it was under $40 including shipping.

 

Seems like no one down here in shops know nothing about this issue. Thanks

 

did you fix this issue yourself? and did you have to do the security relearn procedure

 

I haven't fixed ignition yet. I have drove 300 miles so far with no issues but that's how it usually does. I have replaced the throttle position sensor and the idle sensor and two o2 sensors when this problem first started. People kept telling me that my problem was with the throttle parts.. Since the car has stop acting up I know it will act up again because that's how it usually does.

 

Yep, did the replacement myself. Pretty easy job. Did not have to do any relearn as I was able to reuse my original key cylinder. One other symptom I had was the security light/no start condition where I would have to leave the key in the on position for 10 minutes, turn it back to off and then try to start it. Got me by for awhile but then it started taking 2 or 3 attempts. Replaced the ignition switch and all problems went away.

 

Very surprised they haven't heard of this. It's a pretty common problem with this era of montes and impalas. I had all the same symptoms with the exception of the car dying. I also would have the security light come on and not be able to start the car until I left the key in the on position for 10 minutes. A new ignition switch cured everything.

 

The car quit and I drove it for a month with no problems until today

 

It started with the cruise control indicator light flashing randomly, then the info center on the ceiling would occasionally quit. The kicker was the AC blower. When that got a mind of its own I broke down and changed the ignition switch. I need the AC. There are some good videos on how to do it. It's basically an exercise in disassembling the dash. $68 and everything works fine now. That was my Sunday last weekend. '02 MC SS

 

Thanks mkenney for posting those details. That's the exact order of the failures in my 2001 MC SS. I was leaning to the ignition switch, but like jim1405 my engine wasn't dying, so I was unsure. It may take me awhile to be able to change it, but that's the direction I'll take. Thanks everyone for the info.