Veretax

Got one possibly two different problems with my car and need some Mechanic advice. I have a 2000 Chevy Impala (3.8L V6). The two problems are this: 1. The turn signals seem to work almost none of the time. Every now and then they'll decide to work, but mostly they don't and sometimes I get a 'buzzing' sound when I try to actuate them while driving. The four way hazard switch works (and I tried replacing it as some articles I saw online lead me to think that maybe that was the problem.) On top of that, other lights in the Instrument cluster light up but don't appear to be actually having problems, namely: Traction Control Off Light ABS Air Bag Sensor Light ANd sometimes the service panel will put out a Battery warning, or a Service Traction System Warning. I'm not sure I believe the later, because I have felt the Traction control kick in despite this light being off in the rain in the last few weeks. 2. Starting the car seems tricky. Sometimes I get in the car turn the key and its fine. Other times I can turn it, and after jiggling it a bit it will start. Other times it won't start unless I press down on the pedal (brake). I am wondering if this could be a sign of a fault in the switch or alternator. I don't think its the starter, as the car does eventually turn over. The other thing when the key is engaged often I don't here the starter 'click' until I release the key, which seems unusual. Anyhow, problem 2 cropped up while I was waiting for a part I was told might solve the instrument panel lights. The Hazard lights do work with the current switch, but the turn signals seldom work. Any suggestions on what the possible Cause might be?

Yeah the 3.8 L sits sideways with the belts on the passenger side. Something tells me your right about ti being near the bottom, which means I'll probably have to take it to a mechanic as a lift is just not an option on my hillside street lol.

Mass airflow sensor? No clue where that would be either. What I'm trying to diagnose is whether this is something me and a buddy can do in a couple of hours one weekend. Or am I going to have to take it to a garage because of where the CPS is located. That and I think its time to change plugs too.

Well after my car stalled on me a few times in traffic, the check Eng lite finally came on so I took it down to advance to read the computer. Computer points to the Crankshaft Position Sensor (or is that ignition sensor?) Amazing the Advance guy guessed it was that a few days ago, but we had no way to prove it. So I'm looking around the engine (3.8L 3800) for my Chevy Impala (2000) and I can't for the life of me figure out where it is based on the picture they showed me at the parts store. Does anyone have any idea whether this is a bottom/top side part or how to locate it?

Okay ran my car about 40 miles or so while out yesterday, I think the brakes are fine now. I think maybe i was treating them with such a delicate touch before because I wanted the last bit to last longer or something LOL

Actually no I haven't checked the reservoir. I'd need to figure out where it is to check it.

I wouldn't describe it as a bleed.... The brakes do slow the car with the very light pressure. Just they don't really seem to hammer down unless I go to the floor. TH eold brakes were almost done so... i'm assuming its because they've not worn in yet.

No. The breaks slow the car as soon as you apply pressure, but they don't really do so quickly unless i push the pedal almost to the floor (this after the new pads were put on). Before I hardly had to use little if any additional pressure at all to get the brakes to do that.

Well I got my car's oil changed, and new front brakes put on, and a question came up. Is it normal when you put new brakes on for the feel of the pedal to be a bit different? (Like I noticed the brakes would slow the car with little pressure, but if I needed to stop faster the pedal has to go to the floor) I assume some of that is normal given the pads were near their end of life expectancy.

All I know is it hasn't happened since i had that part recalled the engine also runs a lot smoother and quieter too.

My impala did that to me one time. just cut out at a stop light and I didn't notice it till I went to pull out. Never did figure out what caused it though as I was never able to get the behavior to duplicate. (I wondered if it had something to do with the recalled ignition wires that got replaced a few weeks thereafter)

Thanks, I figured it was worth trying to do myself if all it cost me was time, worse case scenario I could still take it to a mechanic. But having done this my confidence in working on my car has gone up, I may next try to change my own plugs which are probably about due. I think I need to get a special tool/socket to pull them out though.

I don't normally like to double post, but wanted to tell you guys how it went. First we thought that trying some WD-40 was worth trying. It didn't work so much, and the locking mechanism remained locked up, so about 4 o clock my neighbor and I set out to see if we could fix this problem. So after about an hour taking off some of the cosmetic pieces of the dash, top and bottom, removing a support beneath the steering column, we finally got the ignition out. It took a little while to figure out how to get the lock out, and we thought before we started doing too much to go price the part, and make sure it was in stock, it was but I wanted to make sure it was a compettive price (was about $189 at advance for the part plus some grease I think it was to help keep it from corroding). So we came back and how do you get the old lock out? Well as the instructions said you have to drill out the spring that holds it in place, but finding that was more difficult. On my car the pin was almost out on the bottom T like section piece of the ignition. But the instructions were basically right other than that. you had to drill out that pin and then get the spring out and it slid right out. At that point we went to buy the part and got back to work. Getting it to reseat was tricky, but I took a look at the back part inside and realized that it was turned a particular way. Because the button would only stay down in the 'on' position, you have to use a screwdriver (std) to gently turn it to the right slot so it seats right. That worked, we tried to get the key out after we got it in, and that proved a problem, so we pulled the lock back out and looked at it, and decided well let's see if this switch works. (BTW before you put that sucker in I recommend removing the battery's ground from the battery, we did.) when we hooked the battery up, the lights came on the thing would turn, but it wouldn't start, and the dash lights didn't come on. It was then we realized the switching mechanism (4 brass or metal like pieces that have 2 big leavers one with 3 one with 2 nodes and two other pieces to help complete the circuits, had gotten bumped off so we had to figure out, like a jigsaw puzzle the right way. In hind sight next time I'd take a picture of that part so i could get it back together faster. Once that was done we started it up and it worked fine. We removed the battery again, remounted the ignition, put the dash components back on and it started fine. Lastly we had to restore the gearshifter to normal settings because the tow driver had loosened it up a bit (there's a clip that is necessary to hold it in place, and another part that was a little loose.) Then a 15 minute test drive, setting the clock to the bank's clock, and everything seems fine. My wife got the idea to paint nail polish on the old door keys so we could tell them a part, and while you could get the door tumblers rekeyed, I didn't see the point, having two keys is the way things used to be anyways. SO all in all we were out 189, and it only took about 4-5 hours to actually do the work on this job. It probably would have been faster if we had our tools out and ready to go ahead of time. (Drill bits, a ratchet with an extender, 10 mm I think it was?) things like that. Anyhow, It was worth doing, and I learned a lot about how my car was put together, but who would have thought this little piece of steel/aluminum that i can cup my hand around would be responsible for keeping it from starting, being stolen. Crazy eh?

WD-40 into the locking mechanism? that's an interesting thought. Yeah we tried moving the steering, it wasn't locked up and i could move it in either direction fairly far, didn't make a difference. Although We did try my wife's key while we were still stuck. The mechanism would seem to sense the key was there as the lights would change as they normally do internally, but it still would not turn.

Okay here's one. I have a 2000 Chevy Impala ( with the 3.6 L V6 Engine).... We went to Princeton yesterday for shopping at several stores car worked fine. But when we got out of walmart, the ignition wouldn't turn with the key in it. (Like it literally was frozen in the 12 O'clock position). I had a guy from Walmart take a look and he said he thought it was a switch (maybe a ten dollar part he said at advance) and that they go bad all the time. We ended up having to get the thing towed because I couldn't get it fixed last night. Anyhow, any suggestions on how to attack this problem?

That's exactly what I'd do. Some places will add fuel injector cleaner to your gas tank after an oil change, but if the gas cap isn't securely on a sensor could detect it and manifest with a check engine light. Its happened to me a few times.

They recently recalled and replaced some of the ignition wiring in my Impala, but I'm not sure how much was replaced, but I believe this issue was going on a bit before then. (I did notice immediately after it that the engine seemed to run a bit smoother and quieter though).

I can feel it in the wheel when driving, and when sitting in the passengers seat the car has a wiggle to it almost. You know, now that you mention it they did mention I might have a bearing starting to go bad at inspection. I had forgotten about it. However, I also know that my tires are about due for replacement. I was hoping to get past the winter months before I changed them as I also want to get the brake pads changed here in February. hrms... thanks for the advice. Fortunately I don't drive very far or much so the car sits most of the time, but I will see about getting it checked.

I don't think it feels like a rough idle or hesitation, in fact when sitting at a complete stop or in park I don't feel the kind of vibration. I didnt even notice this until I took a friend home a week ago and she said why is your car shimmying. I thought perhaps it was because of the cold weather and under inflated/under warmmed tires, but I've since had the tires all pressure checked and it still does it after that fact.

I don't know about the First issue, but with your breaks issue, I would be curious how long the existing breaks have been on there. I know on my Impala for example it does squeal some times as dust will get on the rotors sometimes, but it also will squeal a bit after the pad has worn down. If you are not sure which is the case it can't hurt to have the tire taken off too look to see how it wears. I'm about ready to put a new front set on my car, and the mechanic there said you figure on a front wheel drive car with the weight being how it is that you'll go through two sets of pads normally over the rear, of course thats given the particular quality pads I'm running. If you are running a low lifespan version they could wear faster I'm sure. (granted I'm not a mechanic, but this is what I've been told)

Could spark plugs nearing their end of life expetancy cause the car to shimmy some at low speeds when the car hasn't been running for too long?

Isn't sellars initially from Canada though? What the heck were they thinking letting him carry the US flag anyways?

I like them too, but given that they were last used when Spurrier was here. I would not expect a return to them for a good long while. There are still too many bad memories of those years to make it a reasonable change.

I'd like to see us perhaps use a revamped uniform that looks similar to something from years ago to be honest. Not a true throw back but something in a similar style.

I would like to start wearing Burgundy and Gold at home instead of white :/