Questions and Answers
Buick DTC Codes
Q. I have a 1992 Buick Park Avenue with a 3800 engine and an automatic transmission. It has P/S, A/C ( which I don't use ), Cruise Control, and Fuel Injection, ABS brakes, and approximately 221,000 miles. This has been a real dependable car, I bought it new.
Recently, I changed the Oxygen sensor, spark plugs, and Coolant Sensor in the back on the intake manifold. I did this because it stopped on me after some brief highway driving, and it was due for a spark plug change anyway. It started again (as always) when it cooled down -- just long enough to get me home -- I was about 10 miles away and that seems like the furthest I can go before it stops again. The read outs also were codes 12, 13, and 14, hence the Oxygen sensor, and later, the coolant temperature change, the service engine light was on steady.
The new Oxygen sensor and coolant temperature sensor change didn't solve the code 13 or 14, and now a code 17 appears regularly in the readout. The service engine light remains on. Also, it seems to idle a little rough.
Before the new coolant temperature sensor, the temperature hovered around the first big hash mark past 100 -- now it hovers almost straight up and down around the 220 marks, but not anywhere close to the red zone on the far right. The radiator hose on top was hot, indicating the thermostat was working, but I went and replaced that, too. I'm following my Haynes manual for the codes, etc.
At this time, I noticed the 2 radiator fans not coming on when I think they should when the engine is hot -- they come on very erratically at best, if at all. I ran a wire from the battery to the fan motor, and it runs like it should then. I am not losing coolant, and the water pump seems to be operating properly. I changed the radiator cap, also.
I also checked the relays on the firewall with a new one, and that didn't help either. I have also checked the new thermostat, and it is opening and closing correctly. The intake manifold seems awfully hot to me. I'm at a loss -- what do you think? I'm not low on any fluids, either. Any help I can get is most appreciated.
Thanks,
Mike in TexasA. First, these cars are designed to run hot. The fans aren't supposed to come on until 229 degrees in a sealed system. The 02 code does not mean the sensor is bad, it could be the wire carrying the signal to the ECM or the ECM itself. It's best to use a scanner here to watch the sensor readings. As for the stalling, you need to test for fuel and spark when it won't start to see what's missing.
Code 17 Spark Reference Circuit (Type I Ignition) or Spark Reference Circuit (Type I Ignition). Code 17 will be set if: the engine is running, the PCM detects 240 fuel control pulses (80 crankshaft revolutions) without detecting any spark reference pulses and the engine rpm is below 1200. I would think the most likely cause of this code is a bad ignition module.
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