Monte Shutting Down Randomly
#1
01-23-2015, 12:37 PM
Monte Shutting Down Randomly
Hi guys, could use some help here. My car is a 2000 Monte SS, 3.8 ltr.
Two days ago I was coming off the highway, on the exit ramp my Monte just shut down while I was going 35mph, I coasted the rest of the ramp, put in neutral and tried to start it. It would crank fine but wouldn't turn over. Had it towed to my mechanic.
He's been at it since yesterday morning. He said it had no spark when he first got it off the tow truck and checked it. He had since gotten it to start, but he says it runs ok for a little while then will just shut off as if someone is turning off the key. He said the sensors are all ok, changed fuel filter and checked fuel pump and fuel system seems fine. Might be looking for a loose wire, bad ground, etc.....something along those lines, but with so much electrical stuff in this car, he has had no success in keeping it running or finding the problem so far, even though it will re-start ok after stalling. Strange thing is the computer is not putting out any codes so far.
If anyone has had this issue or possibly knows what he should be checking that he already hasn't checked, I'd really appreciate a reply. I need my car back! Thanks, much appreciated!
Monte922
Two days ago I was coming off the highway, on the exit ramp my Monte just shut down while I was going 35mph, I coasted the rest of the ramp, put in neutral and tried to start it. It would crank fine but wouldn't turn over. Had it towed to my mechanic.
He's been at it since yesterday morning. He said it had no spark when he first got it off the tow truck and checked it. He had since gotten it to start, but he says it runs ok for a little while then will just shut off as if someone is turning off the key. He said the sensors are all ok, changed fuel filter and checked fuel pump and fuel system seems fine. Might be looking for a loose wire, bad ground, etc.....something along those lines, but with so much electrical stuff in this car, he has had no success in keeping it running or finding the problem so far, even though it will re-start ok after stalling. Strange thing is the computer is not putting out any codes so far.
If anyone has had this issue or possibly knows what he should be checking that he already hasn't checked, I'd really appreciate a reply. I need my car back! Thanks, much appreciated!
Monte922
Last edited by Monte922; 01-23-2015 at 01:12 PM.
#2
01-25-2015, 12:43 PM
Sounds like the ignition recall issue which there isn't much time to claim, just got my 01 fixed in October for that issue. Only actually had it screw me on a hwy once over the years, lol all my power went poof while I was doing high speeds on a hwy way, with no street lights which made it hairier, as I was trying to coast over to the side of the road with the power steering shutting off, thing kicked back in and everything started working like nothing happened
Last edited by SLY_Showtime; 01-25-2015 at 12:46 PM.
#3
01-25-2015, 12:47 PM
It was a major issue for stack load of gm cars from 00-08, it in fact caused people to die on the hwy having the ignition issud
#5
01-25-2015, 06:47 PM
My mechanic changed crank sensor and one of the ignition modules. Ran fine for him while in warm garage yesterday, but after leaving it out in cold all day today, I went to pick it up, started it, and the idle was all over the place! Tachometer jumping up and down, from revving to almost stalling. He did ask me for the recall numbers too, and I am texting them to him now....how much time left? Anyone know?.....but may not be recall related as the tempetature change seemed to affect it somehow possibly? This is frustrating! Any help appreciated, thanks guys.
One thing I forgot to mention....just a minute before it shut down on the exit ramp, I got a burning smell. Hard to say exactly, but could have smelled like plastic or electrical, didn't last long, but I did smell something.
One thing I forgot to mention....just a minute before it shut down on the exit ramp, I got a burning smell. Hard to say exactly, but could have smelled like plastic or electrical, didn't last long, but I did smell something.
Last edited by Monte922; 01-25-2015 at 09:10 PM.
#6
01-28-2015, 09:45 PM
Just an update, spoke with my mechanic today. He has determined the PCM computer is no good after replacing the crank sensor and one ignition module that was cracked at the top. Some of the things pointing to the computer being the issue are as follows......
The Crank Sensor was no good and the computer didn't put out a code. The other day my mechanic called and told me to come pick up the car it was fixed. He had it in a warm garage and it was running just fine, then he put it outside in the 15 degree cold for a few hours before the time I got there. When I went to start it up, the tachometer/idle was jumping all over the place, revving, then almost stalling, so I left the car there. The next day he brought the car back into the warm garage, it ran fine for over an hour, no fluxuating idle at all. Then he put it outside for a few hours, started it, and same problem occurred. He then took out the computer (PCM) and brought just that inside, leaving the car out in the cold. After the computer was warmed up from being inside, he took it outside, put it back in the car, and it ran just fine. He repeated the same thing a second time, with the same results.
Seems to me like we've found the problem now, unless any of you have any thoughts otherwise, be glad to hear them. I really don't want to pay a dealer $600 to put in a computer and program it, but I may have no choice. If I do take it to a dealer for the PCM I plan on having the ignition recall fixed too. I still can't explain what the burning smell was that first day just before it shut down on me while I was driving it, oh well! Any thoughts welcome guys, thanks a lot.
M922
The Crank Sensor was no good and the computer didn't put out a code. The other day my mechanic called and told me to come pick up the car it was fixed. He had it in a warm garage and it was running just fine, then he put it outside in the 15 degree cold for a few hours before the time I got there. When I went to start it up, the tachometer/idle was jumping all over the place, revving, then almost stalling, so I left the car there. The next day he brought the car back into the warm garage, it ran fine for over an hour, no fluxuating idle at all. Then he put it outside for a few hours, started it, and same problem occurred. He then took out the computer (PCM) and brought just that inside, leaving the car out in the cold. After the computer was warmed up from being inside, he took it outside, put it back in the car, and it ran just fine. He repeated the same thing a second time, with the same results.
Seems to me like we've found the problem now, unless any of you have any thoughts otherwise, be glad to hear them. I really don't want to pay a dealer $600 to put in a computer and program it, but I may have no choice. If I do take it to a dealer for the PCM I plan on having the ignition recall fixed too. I still can't explain what the burning smell was that first day just before it shut down on me while I was driving it, oh well! Any thoughts welcome guys, thanks a lot.
M922
Last edited by Monte922; 01-28-2015 at 09:49 PM.
#8
02-02-2015, 09:47 AM
I don't know what a map sensor is, but I'll pass the info to my mechanic. After having it towed to the dealer with the erratic idle, the dealer's top electrical mechanic went through the whole car and found nothing wrong, and it started and ran fine the whole time it was there. He said he was doubtful that it was the PCM because that particular one is known for being "bullert-proof". So I picked up my car yesterday, gonna use it, but may start looking for something else and trade it.
Someone else told me it takes awhile for the car to adjust after changing the crank sensor, is that true? Could it be why it stopped acting up and the dealer had no problem with it? Confusing to me! who knows?
Someone else told me it takes awhile for the car to adjust after changing the crank sensor, is that true? Could it be why it stopped acting up and the dealer had no problem with it? Confusing to me! who knows?
#9
02-02-2015, 12:37 PM
works like the mass air flow sensor,,sit ontop of the engine to the right,,guy who I bought it from spent over $2000 and still kept shutting down, no codes showing up ,when the car was running no way to find out,,had to drive it till it died tow it to my garage took my guy 1/2hour to find the problem ,Map sensor cost me $70 and no issues,,now that guy wants his car back,,aaahh,,no,,lol
#10
02-07-2015, 06:10 PM
Wow, that's unbelievable! My mechanic just told me that mine doesn't have a map sensor because it either will have one or the other, a map sensor, or a mass air flow sensor, and mine has a MAS. He said when he was doing the diagnostic the MAS was operating just fine.
I still have the car, but the other day it was only 5 degrees outside, I drove to a doctor appointment, all back roads, no highway. Ran ok. I took the highway back and it started with the small hesitations and bucking a little, fighting with me as I tried to keep the gas on to make it to the exit ramp. Funny thing, once I got off the exit back to city driving, it ran okay until I got home. So my layman's theory is that assuming my mechanic is correct and the PCM temp sensor is bad, once I hit the highway and the bitter cold air came rushing through the engine compartment, it affected the PCM much more drastically.
After that I just got frustrated, so now I'm selling the car, it's old, plus I've got a strut that's ready to punch a hole in my wheel well because of rot at the strut mount, rockers are half rotted too. I love my Monte, but unfortunately I need a reliable car, so it's time to say good bye to Monte! :-(
I still have the car, but the other day it was only 5 degrees outside, I drove to a doctor appointment, all back roads, no highway. Ran ok. I took the highway back and it started with the small hesitations and bucking a little, fighting with me as I tried to keep the gas on to make it to the exit ramp. Funny thing, once I got off the exit back to city driving, it ran okay until I got home. So my layman's theory is that assuming my mechanic is correct and the PCM temp sensor is bad, once I hit the highway and the bitter cold air came rushing through the engine compartment, it affected the PCM much more drastically.
After that I just got frustrated, so now I'm selling the car, it's old, plus I've got a strut that's ready to punch a hole in my wheel well because of rot at the strut mount, rockers are half rotted too. I love my Monte, but unfortunately I need a reliable car, so it's time to say good bye to Monte! :-(