Oldsmobile Intigue 1999 GL

THIS VEHICLE TURNED OFF WHILE DRIVING 15-20MPH. THIS HAPPENED TWICE. EACH TIME I WAS CHANGING LANES, TURNING TO THE RIGHT WHEN THE CAR SHUT OFF. THIS LEAVES YOU WITH NO CONTROL IN THE MIDDLE OF TRAFFIC. ONCE YOU GET THE CAR OUT OF THE WAY AND WAIT A 1-2 MINUTES THE CAR WILL START UP ON THE FIRST OR SECOND TRY. THIS CAR ALSO REFUSES TO START ABOUT 3-5 TIMES PER WEEK. YOU TURN THE KEY AND GET NOTHING. OR YOU TURN THE KEY AND GET RADIO AND AIR BUT NOTHING ELSE. SOMETIME IT CAN TAKE 10-15 TRIES BEFORE THE CAR WILL ACTUALLY START. DEALER HAS BEEN "UNABLE TO DUPLICATE THE PROBLEM" AND HAS SAID THAT THERE ARE "NO CODES STORED IN THE COMPUTER".
PLEASE HELP!!!

:eek7:


I had a somewhat similar problem. Only instead of no response when turning the key, it would turn over but it would sit there choking and spitting and then eventually die out. I would turn it over like 5 times with the same results, then the 6th time i would turn it over and it would fire up like nothing was wrong at all. Through much frustration it turned out to be the ignition switch, it was changed and hasn't happened since.

I went to repair shop (which had a GM computer). First they looked up the history of the main computer which did not have any errors. Then they went to the history of the module and had four error codes:

B0608 Power pooling error
U1300 Class 2 short to groud
U1016 Loss of PCM Communication
B2958 Data open/short to battery

Also they told me to try to make a new key, to make sure that the chip in the key is working properly. I went to the dealer and made another key but it didn't help.

Please let me know if anybody had the same problem or if someone knows how to fix it.

Thank you for your help

Seem to remember some people having problems like this and it turned out to be a loose or corroded ground wire. I used to work on electronics on heavy equipment and this is very possible. Hope this helps.

You may find this reply to be rather long but you need not read the Details section unless you wish to follow the specific symtoms preceding the solution.

Vehicle: 1999 Oldsmobile Intrigue 3.5L

Issue: Vehicle will not start or may not run.

Solution: Faulty ignition switch. (Replace or disassemble and clean contacts)

Discovery: Ignition switch was removed from vehicle and disassembled. Start and run circuit contacts exhibited mild burning/smut build-up leading to intermittent high resistance or opening of start and run circuits. Contacts were cleaned and switch reassembled. Leads and connections to switch appeared to be in good condition. Issue has failed to reappear.

Details: Between April-August '03 vehicle began exhibiting with increasing frequency one of four conditions:

1) will not crank,
2) cranks w/o starting,
3) starts but will die immediately or run for short period (3-5 sec) then die,
4) starts and runs but will die w/o warning while vehicle is in motion.

Early on 1-3 would manifest only upon restarting warm. Toward the end, item 4 began to be observed regularly with 1-3 being seen for warm or cold starts.

An interesting observation was made but failed to be understood in the context of the observed problem. Normal behavior for the tachometer is to 'pop-up' indicating the current engine speed following a successful start and release of the key. When the tachometer failed to respond following start and return of the key, condition 3 was always observed.

OBD II system was interrogated using Auterra Diagnostic Module. It was important to note that OBD II never reported a stored code (at least none persisting longer than the next start, successful or not). Why was this? Consideration was made of each of the many devices dealing with engine maintainence. Nearly all of the on-board devices which might have been suspect, should they fail, would generate a code and upon failure OBD II would revert to default setting or seek the information via redundancy to allow continued operation as opposed total shutdown.

After a few wiring checks and some reflection it was considered that perhaps a code was not stored because the problem was not one which the vehicle considered to be a device failure. Turning off the vehicle is not an event that would generate a code (obviously) as it is considered normal operation but a bad ig switch contact would behave similarly thus resulting in a 'no-code' problem. This consideration led me to suspect a possible failure of the ignition switch or one of its leads/connections.

Hope this helps.

Mark

Personal plug: The author has held certifications in 7 of 8 ASE automotive specialties but subsequently 'traded' these for a B.S. and M.S. in Inorganic Chemistry. If anyone reading this is interested in employing a strong analytical thinker with a formidable mechanical and scientific aptitude please contact at: mbiscott(at)att(dot)net. Thanks.

Hi, are you putting your Intrigue back in Park before you turn the key it will not start in Drive... this also happened to me only once I was Testing My car VS VR6 Golf (My friend) and I was coming around a very sharp corner at 160 and I slowed down to the corner to 85 and I Lost it did a 360 and wheal spinning the car turned off and did not start tell I put it back in Park. I do not know if this is going to Help you but good luck with you car..

It is not my intent to be rude but the previous reply to this thread was both irrelevant and gratuitous.

Reasons:

1. The commonalities of the Intruigue and Golf stop shortly beyond that they each possess four wheels.:cya:

2. All modern cars possess a neutral safety switch. No car should start in drive.:slap:

3. What boob would mix 160 (mph/kph?) and "very sharp corner" in the same phrase? You are lucky your 360 was horizontal and not vertical!:twak:

:nono:Please post more appropriately. (Note to moderator: please remove!)

Hi, are you putting your Intrigue back in Park before you turn the key it will not start in Drive... this also happened to me only once I was Testing My car VS VR6 Golf (My friend) and I was coming around a very sharp corner at 160 and I slowed down to the corner to 85 and I Lost it did a 360 and wheal spinning the car turned off and did not start tell I put it back in Park. I do not know if this is going to Help you but good luck with you car..

i am a gm tech and by looking at the B2960 and the symptoms - i would but an ignition switch in it.
this usually fixes the problem. it has been a problem for a while on the n body platform.

Thanks for the input. I brought it into the shop to and asked them to change the ignition switch, so I had it replaced and the car appears to be working ok again.

Thank you all for your help

Happy Holidays

glad i could help. :)