Thread: 2008 pontiac grand prix - potential problems?

Alright, So I was driving to work, when my check engine light came on and reduced engine power thing came up in the dashboard.

I turned off the car when I got to work(1.3 miles away from my house) Turned it back on, check engine light still on, no more reduced engine power- it was a saturday night and couldn't take it to the dealership until monday.

Well Sunday comes along, I go to work in the AM and come home, light still on - and I pop the hood, check the oil, play with the gas cap and pop open the air filter area and brush a couple of leaves away/

Light turns off - So I assumed I needed a new air filter. I replaced it.

Engine light is still off - I believe It's common for grand prixs to whine a lot due to air intake or something or another.

However my RPMs are weird. It will go up, but accelerating off of a stop light seems a bit slower then you'd expect from a v6 my moms 01 sebring has a quicker jump off. and when I get to a steady speed of 45-50 RPMs arent even over 1500. Am I paranoid? Or is a Grand Prix really just THAT smooth. Anyone else have input on whether its normal, or if theirs a potential problem? It's an automatic - could it be shifting weird.

Please tell me I'm just paranoid :P

Originally Posted by Lawngoose

When the light comes on, get the car scanned. Most autoparts store will scan for free. This will tell you what the code means.

Last time it happened dealership codes came up and they asked me if I wanted to reset it, and see if they came back on, and after that car ran fine.

Now my car is whining loudly.

Is this usual or should I get it checked out?

Originally Posted by Muse

Is this usual or should I get it checked out?

yes

if there was a stuttering issue when you're giving it gas, it could be a dirty MAF sensor. That could also throw off the load calculations and put you in a higher gear than necessary, causing the engine to lug down to low (1500 as you said) RPMs under load.

Whining though, that might as well be checked out by someone who knows what's going on. If there are local members willing to help, go that route first, free help is always nice.

Originally Posted by Muse

and when I get to a steady speed of 45-50 RPMs arent even over 1500.

I also have an 08 GP and it runs about 1250-1400 at that speed. made me look twice too.

Originally Posted by bluegtp91

N/A or Supercharged...might just be the blower jk

Power Steering? Might check there first...

Yes, I believe now it is the power steering fluid being low, only problem is, it's pain in the read end for grand prixs to do the power steering, put it in possibly the worst place.

Any suggestions for good fluid? GM stuff

or would something valvoline makes work just the same? Does it matter how much I put in as long as I don't overflow?

I don't feel like having a shop do something as simple as putting fluid in. lol

Originally Posted by mystic231

I would go to the dealer and get a quart of GM #89020661. This is important becasue the vehicle is still under warranty. If for some reason they have to pull the pump because it's failing or leaking the pump will be returned to the manufacturer (Delphi-Saginaw Steering Systems) and it will be checked out.

I would also check for leaks on the pump and on the rack. Your power steering fluid should NOT be low at this point in the service life of the vehicle. DO NOT overfill it. The fluid expands when it gets warm and too much can cause other problems.

It's under GM warranty for another 10 months/11k miles.

should I just make the dealership do it, so if they **** up they are responsible?

Originally Posted by mystic231

I would take it to the dealer because it's under warranty. Tell them you'll need a G8 GXP as a loaner while they check the power steering fluid

Seriously, if there is a leak or noise it's something that you want to resolve now while it's still under warranty and you want to create a paper trail of the issue from the time you first noticed it. The pump was checked twice for leaks at the factory using extremely sensitive test equipment before it ever left for Oshawa. The book is calling a PS pump change a 2.2 hour repair so to change the pump after warranty plan on about $400+ parts and labor.

So even under warranty they will still charge me 400$?

That's dumb...

Originally Posted by mystic231

No. If it's under warranty it's free. If it's out of warranty it's $400. Although sometimes they'll do it for free if it's under 38,000 miles out of goodwill.
The issue is we don't know where the fluid went and you want to start a paper trail as soon as possible. Many of the steering pumps that come back to the Warranty Center aren't bad meaning something else in the system is the problem. And the sooner the dealer starts digging the better.

thanks for the input, I'll probably bring it to the dealership tomorrow, to find out whats up with it.