Questions and Answers

Pontiac Grand Am Stalls In The Cold Q. Hello Vincent, I am a bit frustrated with my 2000 Pontiac Grand Am at this moment. I have had this car since 10/99, I bought it brand new. I have enjoyed owning the Grand Am, I have never had a problem with it. I get my oil changes regularly and pay attention to changes in the vehicle.

The car started misfiring, I didn't bring it in right away because I brought it up to the service department when my oil changes were being done but they didn't notice the misfiring, so they didn't fix it. They know my money is limited too.

Well, several months passed and the "Service Engine Soon" light came on, I had stopped at a gas station to get fuel right after it came on and it went off. Then a month later, it came on again, new fuel, it went off again. This happened one more time. My friend had a similar thing happen and they told him to fix his fuel cap and it fixed the problem.

Well at the third time it went on about a month later and went off again, I called the service department. They suggested if my vehicle was not having problems driving, to see if the light comes on again and to stop in to see them because they would be able to do a diagnostic to find out why the light was coming on. I hadn't had any problems with the car driving until this point (now at 127,000 miles).

Well the next day, during negative degree weather, I felt the fuel pressure give out and then there was no pressure but the car didn't stall right then. I was able to coast to the side of the road. The "Trac Off" light came on and then the other lights and it stalled. At first it would turn over but would not start. Then finally it started. I was able to drive about five miles or so and it died again.

This time it didn't start again. I had it towed. Got to the service station and it started right up. They changed the air filter, with my oil change, the fuel filter, the battery and the spark plugs. The Service Engine Soon light finally came on at the second stall, and their driver, former technician, drove the car and used ¾ of tank of fuel but it wasn't below zero out and not one problem. I drove it at -3° weather, after 10 minutes, died.

I couldn't start it, towed. Next day with a simple jump,had left the hazard lights on, the car started up. They drove it for about 50 miles, no problem and no Service Engine Soon light not even after the stall. I took it home, it stalled on the way to work, negative weather again, this time after a few tries, it does turn over but wouldn't start.

I got it going and drove to the station about 20 minutes away. They drove it with me the next morning, still very cold, no problem. I took it home again,they were afraid to just throw parts at it and not stop the problem which I feel was professional and fair of them but I'M FRUSTRATED AND SCARED.

The car drove beautifully for me for two weeks and then died again while driving at 60 miles an hour in negative weather. Speed has fluctuated between 45 to 70 when it stalls. I can feel the car lose power but it keeps going and then it won't do anything but doesn't stall out until I am at the side of the road and at a slow speed. I am able to steer, brake etc. Well this time my Mum and I put some dry gas in, a gallon of fuel, I was at a ¼ but before when it died I was a full, and after many tries it started again.

We noticed a lot of frozen water below the exhaust pipe. Well it drove for a week beautifully. I work over 50 miles from my home, then Saturday it stalled again. I was able to start it pretty easily, not negative weather but very cold winds, but now I am afraid it will just stall again and leave me stranded. The service station can't figure out what is wrong and I work two jobs with NO MONEY.

Any ideas? I changed my fuel to the higher octane just before this started to happen. I usually use the middle octane, never the lower octane. I have read that other people have had their cars stall but no one seems to have one thing that fixed it. The technician told me to listen to hear if the fuel pump made the gentle hum sound when I turned the key after it stalled before starting it and it always comes on.

They checked the fuel pressure coming through he injectors and it is at 90 pounds. On the second stall, the service engine soon FINALLY came on after I kept trying it but it only showed "fuel starvation" which didn't help them because everything checked out fine.

I have never had a problem with this car before. Twice when it stalled, I noticed that I attempted to turn my radio down and it blared louder before going down. I was also rear-ended in March but the back was fixed and they said that the frame was not damaged at all.

I am so sorry this is so long but it is detailed - do you have any ideas?????????

Thank you so much for you time,
Kim

A. Rear ended huh? Think it could be related? The shock may have jarred the electric fuel pump or pinched wires to it. At this mileage, if you haven't put a fuel pump in this car I would do it just for maintenance reasons. I would also ask the shop to put a fuel pressure gauge on it and let you drive it around until it stalls out.

You can tape the gauge on the hood or windshield so you can look at it all the time. If the gauge starts to drop before the stall, you are losing fuel pressure and a bad fuel pump or it's electrical circuit could be the culprit.