1996 Buick Park Ave multiple problems. Can I get some experienced help please?
My Park Avenue has developed problems. It began with some odd A/C activity. It would blow hot air but not every time it was started. Some times it was hot on both sides sometimes only on the passenger side. Now I have a check engine light accompanied by the traction control light staying on longer than normal. In the morning it stays on until I move the car. When the check engine and traction control lights started I noted the voltage was low, about 11.5 on the dash meter. I put a real meter on it and found the static battery voltage to be 12.7 vdc and the charging voltage 13.8 vdc. Battery is staying charged. That's OK so the problem is in the indication. I scanned the codes and found a P0171 System too lean (Bank 1). I have seen coincidental problems but not four at a time. Something is common to all this and I have no idea where to start. I am a fair shade tree mechanic but really need some experienced help. Please offer any thoughts you might have. Thanks to all.
Anonymous2007-08-02T06:07:09Z
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I own a shop, and think this; Think about this a moment! What they all have in common is vacuum. A bad vacuum leak would cause all of these problems. Maybe a hose split where it plugs on, fell off, collapsing, or a hole burned it a hose somewhere. I will agree with the answer about the ground strap, as this will in fact cause multiple problems. I don't think this is your problem though. I would do a test on the battery to see if it is holding up under a load. I have seen battries check good with a meter, but when load tested they were no good. The voltage readings you gave seemed a little low for comfort, and did you try the reading with everything on? The reading you gave would have been normal with everything on the car turned on, but if this is what you got with it just running, indicates even more of a reason to load test the battery. The P0171 is what you would get if something such as a map sensor didn't have enough vacuum, and relayed information to the computer false readings. If you don't find a vaccum leak, a bad battery, or a drop in voltage or ground, then you may be looking at a faulty ECM (computer). The first thing I would suspect is the vaccum leaking somewhere, and the second would be the electrical system staying charged enough. I've seen a battery that was wet around the top, have enough surface drain to keep it from charging properly, so you must be 100% sure you don't have a problem with either the battery, or the alternator. With everything in the vehicle turned on, you should be maintaining around 14 volts from the alternator, and the battery should test in the green on a load tester. If you have both of these, good clean connections, no bad cables, loose wires, and the computer is getting a good ground through the straps from the engine to the firewall, and the battery to body/frame connections, you should have no electrical problems. You may have an O-2 sensor on bank one going bad, as this would account for the code too. A sticking injector on bank one could cause this. Even a bad plug wire on bank one may be part of the problem. Any time one gets multiple codes, or warning lights, the first thing to check is power, and ground. Second is; check for any vacuum leaks on, and around the engine & traction control components. Third; old worn out sensors, or injectors. A 96 year vehicle is getting pretty old, and replacing all of the vacuum hoses may be in order. Also; any of the O-2 sensors, and/or injectors that may be leaking, or sticking open could cause a lot of problems. Glad to help out, Good Luck!!!
RE: 1996 Buick Park Ave multiple problems. Can I get some experienced help please? My Park Avenue has developed problems. It began with some odd A/C activity. It would blow hot air but not every time it was started. Some times it was hot on both sides sometimes only on the passenger side. Now I have a check engine light accompanied by the traction control light staying on...
it sounds like you have more than one problem, as far as the a/c concern goes it sounds like you have a problem with your temperature door, they are vacum controlled and often times the vacum plug underneath the glove box becomes clogged and does not allow air flow the remedy for this is simply to bypass the plug and use vacum connectors to do so. now as far as the p0171 is concerned alot of times lean and rich codes can be caused by faulty maf sensors, intake leaks and of course falty o2 sensors and since you may have a vacum leak in the a/c system i would check the vacum lines for leaks an easy way to do so is to run the motor and spray a carb. or throttle body can around any vacum lines, the intake manifold, air intake tube if the engine idles any higher you know you have a leak b/c the engine is combusting the extra famable ingedients if not it is probably a maf or o2 sensor and also a small unlikely chance that an injector is either clogged or fouling good luck