Bizarre situation with my '04 Grand Prix.

**pigalow** · 10-10-2015

It had been dying right after starting for awhile, not every time, but slowly getting worse(I would have to gun it to keep it from dying). Then yesterday, I had to start it like 5 times(most ever, not just dying this time, but not starting, did turn over ever time.). Finally got it started, but upon putting into Drive, the car began lurching forward, then slowing down, then lurching again, then slowing down, all by itself-throttle did NOTHING. I slowly turned around & "lurched" back to my driveway, then began making calls(no warning light came on, btw). About 15 minutes later I went out to start it so a tech could hear the engine "lurching", but then-this is the bizarre part-it totally "fixed" itself. Not only did it stop lurching, but it's starting better than maybe ever before, hasn't died once since, & the engine just generally sounds smoother & better than it has--perhaps since I've had it. & I keep going out & starting/running to make sure it continues, & it has. What in the world could this all be about? The only thing I can conceive is that maybe a hose or filter or something was obstructed & somehow blew itself clear? Idk. Curious is anyone has ever heard of something like this...Thanx!

**Scottydoggs** · 10-10-2015

it could be a lot of things, dirty, bad maf, to a bad tps, or the gas pedal. your have no throttle cable, its drive by wire.

get the car scanned at a parts store it may have a pending code stored. the code is the key to the fix.

**pigalow** · 10-10-2015

Yeah, I've got a friend of a friend that's a mechanic who's going to bring home some equipment tonight & hook it up to a diagnostic tomorrow for me. I'm not sure anything will show up at this point though?

**Scottydoggs** · 10-10-2015

when they act up like that most of the time a pending code will show up, if not set the cel light.

**231FUN** · 10-10-2015

Pull the throttle body off and clean it.

**pigalow** · 10-11-2015

That's what I'm thinking too.

**jhazzy10** · 10-11-2015

my car was doing this and i changed the Mass Air Flow sensor and it worked just fine again.

**pigalow** · 10-12-2015

how hard is that to do?

**Scottydoggs** · 10-12-2015

easy its the plastic tube in the air intake from the air filter box. un plug it un clamp it, swap it.

or try cleaning it with maf cleaner only.

**pigalow** · 10-12-2015

& another thing, if a shop tells me it needs to be replaced & that it can't be cleaned because of "too many wires in the way", how would you respond to that?

**Scottydoggs** · 10-12-2015

walk out never go back lol they dont want your business clearly.

most of us do all our own work here. shops suck for the most part, and why pay for what we all can do if we try. you dont even need a huge took box. i ripped my engine out with little more then a 30 piece socket set.

**ericspecullaas** · 10-12-2015

first i would "roll on the floor laughing" than maybe after 10 mins of that then tell them its just a simple plug then shake my head and walk away

**pigalow** · 10-12-2015

Okay, thanx for the advice. Only problem is: that's where I bought the car--it's supposedly under 113 part warranty, yet I've had 3 things go wrong(ignition cylinder locked up with the key in it a month after I bought it, neither the warranty there or a recall from GM would cover it(I believe it was caused by the weight of my key ring). Then the spring mount for my HUD broke( still is)& they wouldn't cover that, & now this alleged throttle body that they won't cover. I'm so tempted to never go back there, they are full of it! I can't pick my car up 'til tomorrow, but could you do me a huge favor tomorrow when I get my hands on the car-probably late morning, & just answer some questions I have--if you're home & online? Sooo appreciated, thanx!

**Scottydoggs** · 10-12-2015

theres a how to here for all them things. search around, you'll be so happy how easy most of it really is to fix.

**pigalow** · 10-12-2015

Thank you ScottyDoggs.

**pigalow** · 10-12-2015

Oh yeah, & what's more? They told me it would be 5-600$, then he told me there would be a 100$ diagnostic fee--after doing so! I told him I already had it diagnosed(I took it there to get the fuel pump replaced, which a mechanic friend diagnosed yesterday, which of course they dispute that, saying "those long droning noises upon turning the key are normal)& that if he'd told me that in the 1st place I would've just left. IOf they don;t waive that fee tomorrow when I go to get it? I'm seriously considering just telling them to keep it, I'm done.

**Scottydoggs** · 10-12-2015

that whine you hear for 3 to 5 seconds with the key to run only, is 100% normal. thats the pump priming the fuel system, so the shops not 100% full of morons.

**pigalow** · 10-12-2015

ok, thanx

**Travisgt2** · 10-13-2015

My car did exact same thing it was my wire on the number 6 cylinder was corroded. Start cheap spark plugs and wires.

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