quits in the middle of the roaD

770

Asked by mcrita Nov 06, 2012 at 06:06 PM about the 1992 Buick LeSabre

Question type: General

Anyone else have trouble with this car just stopping in the middle of the road.  I've had this for about 5
years, I average under 100 per week, local driving. In the spring it started randomly honking,
including in the middle of the night sitting there in the driveway.  It just STOPS in the middle of the
road, going 55 or 15!!!!!! it has been doing this since May and the mechanic cannot figure it out/  
HELP!!!!!!!

54 Answers

69,055

Does it start right back up?

174 people found this helpful.
770

Thanks for response. It seems to have a pattern. For a week or ten days it will only stop a few times and will start right back up. Then it stops more and more and it goes downhill fast. Today is almost exactly 30 days since it's last hospitalization (mechanic 5 day visit) and after having it stop about 10 times, I guided it to a parking space amd left it. Tomorrow my husband will take me down and I am almost sure it will start right up and go the 10 miles to mechanic. He drives it and tweaks it and it has almost never done this to him. It is very scarey!

50 people found this helpful.
69,055

The problem is that it starts right back up. Without the problem staying persistent it makes it harder to diagnose what's happening. I'm sorry that I can't help you any further on this mostly because I can't experience the problem first hand. I was initially leaning towards a fuel issue though. The symptoms would be it dieing more often on longer trips and extra cranking is required on restart or you have to wait 5-15 minutes before it starts back up. If there was a wait to restart then I would lean towards the fuel filter. If it were dieing and taking a few moments or extra cranking to start back up then I would lean towards the fuel pump not putting out enough volume which wouldn't affect pressure until it started happening. Scenario is that the pump is pumping enough to idle but not quite enough to keep the pressure up over longer distances, causing it to lose pressure over time. Letting off the gas pedal would restore the pressure restoring the volume capabilities but if the pedal is held long enough it will lose enough pressure that the engine dies. Trying to restart it would cause the pump to reprime but it will take a few seconds to get the pressure back causing you to have to crank for longer or even a second time. To test for this a fuel pressure gauge would have to be hooked up and the vehicle would have to be driven till it died, the gauge would be observed the entire time by a second person in the passengers seat.

43 people found this helpful.
Best Answer Mark helpful
770

Again, thank you for responding.Your answer made me think that I may not have decribed it well enough. The car has only been on one trip more than 10 miles since June, still only a 50 mile or so round trip. On your point about the time to restart: when it first happenned in May early June, it would restart right away: for the first 10 days, that is. Letting on and off the gas pedal is exactly the way I would keep it from stalling and it would become less and less effective. The fuel filter has been replaced on one of it's trips to mechanic, and he could not see any problem with the fuel pump. So could the fuel pump have another problem that would be intermittent? I trust my mechanic and he has driven it alot on the 4 times that he has had it since early June. Each time I get it back, it is "ok" for just a few days and then I begin to need to employ the gas pedal "pumping", then it begins to stop but start quickly, then it begins to stop and be harder and harder to start back up, then harder to start at all, then I almost get killed. Am I making sense? (because I am too broke to replace or keep fixing) The process I describe takes 5 or 6 weeks . It ends when I am too terrified to drive it again. I wonder if the 2 or 3 days rest it gets waiting for my mechanic to be able to attend to it give you a clue. Also there is the insane honking, just one or two honks either late at night in a driveway where there is no way a person or animal could do it, or honking while I am driving, again, dangerous because it startles me! Thanks so much

17 people found this helpful.
69,055

It sounds like there is also a possibility you have a rodent issue. Maybe some wires got chewed and the exposed wires have started to touch or even corrode. Wires can carry only so much current "amperage" depending on the gauge of the wire. If a wire starts to corrode then it will become smaller and a smaller wire will cause resistance due to an overload of amperage running through it. Which causes a reduction in the ability to pass that current reducing the current available. Less current means things operate slower, example is power windows roll up and down faster when the car is running because there is more electricity available versus when its not running. As the vehicle sits the wires cool back off and the current can move freely again. Try going under the hood and giving the fuse box a slap or two to see if the horn beeps. If its less than 60°F where you are let then engine warm up the engine compartment before you do that because the cold makes plastic brittle.

14 people found this helpful.
1,045

I have a similar problem only mine don't start for 5 minutes after I start it would look into fixing you're crankshaft sensor these cars are famous for it I've put hundreds of dollars in the car it still stalls mine don't hesitate like yours it runs great than just dies try to check you're, crankshaft sensor does you're car have spark? I'm replacing the sensor next week so I'm not sure its a gamble no one knows the lesabre, has a passkey that could cause the same problem I figure I'm just replacing parts till its fixes mechanics are clueless to well I hope I helped you but I'm the position as you I stopped driving mine far sometimes it will run a hour sometimes 30 minutes and it always starts back up in 5 minutes

30 people found this helpful.
1,045

It really sucks cause the lesabre is such a great car

17 people found this helpful.
770

I hope to go today (Sunday) and get my car to our mechanic. I will pass these suggwstions on and let this site know the results.Thank you so much!

10 people found this helpful.
135

I have a 1989 Buick Electra I bought a month ago. It kills on me randomly and all I do is put in nuetral and crank it right back up. it recently stopped turning over.. I turn the key and everything works fine but when you try and start it ... Nothing not a noise a click or nothing. i tried turning on my lights and then turning the key to see if the lights blink to show sings of it being the battery but it doesn't work. I'm only 19 its my first car and I really feel helpless please any info would be appreciated.

13 people found this helpful.
69,055

Have you checked the battery connections? Have you checked battery voltage? Start there and come back with info.

7 people found this helpful.
180

I have a 1990 Buick Lesabre Limited and mine does the same thing. At first I thought it was the coil pack because it had a miss too. Replacing the coil pack only fixed the miss. I don't know where else to look.

15 people found this helpful.
180

I also checked the battery voltage and terminal connections. Both were normal/fine.

3 people found this helpful.
620

I Have Been An Auto, Truck Mechanic For 29 Years & I've Repaired A Few Of These Buicks, First Off Start By Checking All Your Fuses, Under Hood & Under Driver Side Rear Back Seat. To Remove Back Seat, Get Firm Grip On Either Side Of The Bottom Of Seat & Jerk It Up Quickly With Force, Should Pull Right Up, To Install, Fit The Back Of Seat In Place & Slam It Down Into Place. The #1 Stalling Issue Has Been Fixed By Replacing The MAF Sensor, It Is On Top Of The Throttle Body. From My Experience, This Fix Works On The 2000 To 2005 Buick Le Sabre Models, Also A 2003 Century. Try That First, If The Fuel Pump Voltage Checks Out OK. Also A Problem I Have Encountered With These Cars Is The Fuel Pump Wiring Connector At The Pump Itself, From Running All The Time The Wires Get Hot And The Wires Degrade And Wear The Terminals Out. When You Put A New Fuel Pump In You Should Always Solder On A New Fuel Pump Electrical Terminal Connector. I Have Owned 3 Buick Le Sabres, 2001,2003,2005, They Are The Best Car In My Opinion, Can Get 300,000-500,000 Miles Out Of These Cars If Maintained Properly, Synthetic Oil Is Recommended. In The Beginning the 2001 Le Sabre Limited Would Stall Driving Down The Road At 65 MPH & Start Right Back Up, Still Rolling Down The Road. Got Worse, Would Not Start For 10 Min. Checked Everything With Meter & Checked Out Fine. Replaced Coil Packs, Wires, Spark Plugs, Throttle Position Sensor, Idle Solenoid, Module Under Coil Packs, Nothing Helped. In My Opinion Cleaning The MAF May Work Or It May Not, It Is Very Delicate, What Happens Is Air Coming In Blows Over This Sensor, And Any Dirt Or Impurity That Hits It & Sticks To It Will Give The PCM A False Reading Of Lower Air Flow Than There Really Is. Replacement Is Your Best Option. Hope This Helps Some Of You Diagnose Your Problem.

58 people found this helpful.
69,055

Thor this question is almost two years old and it's a 1992 Buick not 00-05

6 people found this helpful.
190

Thor my 2000 Buick leasbre custom while on the highway last night just cut out and steering stiffened breaks went hard came to a stop lights dimmed, started flashing dash lights everyone and I believe in the mix I seen my headlights flashing as well. Clicker clicking chimes and wouldn't start...tryed till battery was dead... Left it on highway 29 its about 340am I've been on the side of the road for 2hr now dead car in my work uniform it's 18℉ finally my ride got there went back 830am towed it home safely and jumped it and now it starts and shuts down 2-3seconds later, mined you there's no sputter or hesitation on start or when it shuts off.. besides the first try after the tow was hesitation but started. Second try purr just like all ways on start up but again a no sputter shut down. Over and over it will start and shuts down2-3seconds after start HELLLLP

19 people found this helpful.
150

I had the same problem & spend alot of money trying to fix my lesabre '92 ! But one day i was looking at the engine and i told my brother to start it and i found that one of the coil spark plug was fucked up ! & that was the problem because i used to spend alot of money in gas and after i change that part my gas last longer

15 people found this helpful.
60

My 2012 LaCrosse lost power and at the very last moment regained. It transitioning from one freeway to another. The car behind me could have plowed right into me, but thankfully the driver was alert and did not. When I go up a steep hill, it surges and acts like it could die. I considered it very dangerous. The Buick dealer service department found everything to be okay, but had the sense to call GM and was advised that it needed an engine module recalibration. It ran like a dream for 1,060 miles, and now I have it back in their service department, because it has relapsed to the surging with indications that it could possibly die. I live on a very steep road and feel this problem could cause me to lose control of my car and endanger me and others. Will report what measures are taken by Buick's service department when I get my car back. June

2 people found this helpful.
3,270

I would sriously look at the ignition switch. A very common problem in many vehicles from Ford, Toyota, Honda, Acura, Chrysler, GM and others as many use a common manufacturer and they just cuase the vehicle to shut off at random.

13 people found this helpful.
60

Thank you for your suggestion, Giulio, I will keep it in mind. Got my car back with a report that they could find nothing wrong and no more engine module calibrations have been issued. I decided to upgrade the gas and turn off the ac when going up my steep hill. So far the problem has not come back.

4 people found this helpful.
150

My 94 Lesabre stalls randomly while my wife is driving, sometimes multiple stalls on a trip. Oddly, it has never stalled while I drive it. Wife reports the car starts running rough then suddenly stalls while driving. It always starts back up immediately. While I drive, I do notice some odd things that may or may not be related - 1) Radio changes stations randomly, will switch from AM to FM and vice versa. Tape player, same thing - will switch sides of tape and forward/reverse to random songs. The climate system sometimes does the same thing with temperature settings. 2) Sometimes a few seconds after startup, I hear a slight thump and grinding noise from the rear of the car. Sounds like something hit gravel and drug a few feet. 3) Service Engine light comes on after driving for a while. Diagnostic code claims dirty EGR valve, but mechanic cleaned the valve and Engine light still appears regularly with same code. Mechanic says the Engine light is a misdiagnosis and can be ignored. If these symptoms are related, it must be something electrical - wiring, PCM... Mechanic cannot diagnose because the stalling is intermittent. Very similar to the problem reported in this thread. Any more ideas?

6 people found this helpful.
3,270

It definitely sounds like an intermittent electrical problem. A coworker I knew worked on the Buick assembly line many years ago and verified the machining was very poorly done, causing fires to start right at the firewall area of the fuse panel. I once picked-up a stranded driver in his 3 week old buick on the 401 West heading back to London and gave him a life along my own long ride out west. That was his second Buick with the same problem. The majority of your issues are electrical in nature, causing the strange but understandable issues. I'd still find some mechanic that can spend some times an investigate the electrical issues and get them resolved properly; you never know when it will fail you at a very bad time, like -40'C while driving in some rural area, ouch!

4 people found this helpful.
150

I think i found the problem it might be the fuel pump realy going out im having the same issue and im going to replace it to find out if its that.

9 people found this helpful.
20

I do not have an answer. Just wanting to know if fuel pump relay was bad ?

2 people found this helpful.
150

Update on my comment above: Stalling and rough idol at startup was fixed by replacing EGR valve and one bad ignition coil. Note: my Buick previously had a diagnostic code for dirty EGR valve, but mechanic said it was cleaned and Service Engine light could be ignored. Finally replaced EGR. No more stalls. Radio is still messed up, perhaps that is a separate problem internal to the radio. I can live with that.

9 people found this helpful.
150

I fixed my issue by cleaning out my mass air flow sensor at so point a mouse moved into my air filter and clogged it up pretty bad but when the sensor gets dirty over time can cause stalling issuse s and all that normally has to be done is clean it off with master air flow sensor spray.

6 people found this helpful.
350

my 97 lesabre shuts has been shutting down. when driving on highway it will all of the sudden bog down. if i give it gas it wants to die. the rpms drop and the engine pulls down. i let off the gas and rpms drop to 500-1000. eventually it dies. if i let it wait 5 minutes it will start right back up. after about 2 miles it repeats itself. it seems to happen more on hot days. i have already replaced the fuel filter, crank positioning sensor, MAP sensor, and cleaned MAF with the spray. HELP!

35 people found this helpful.
110

I have a 1991 buick lasebra and when im driving she kills on me she stats back up sometime it take 5 maybe 10 minutes I start driving again she will kill again and I change my ICM and my MFS she stop I drove her from Louisiana to TX them from Louisiana back to TX she been good for about all most a month and she started killing again I need help please

11 people found this helpful.
10

My car is doing the same thing and no one knowswhts wrong with t

1 people found this helpful.
80

Hi guys. Got a 2003 lasabre which I was told had a bad alternator because the car would just die going down the road. Changed it but it still dies. Going to clean the mag sensor and check the air filter for dirt. Any other suggestions for this car. It's what my 88 year old aunt drives.

8 people found this helpful.
50

My 1994 Buick Lasabre thinks It is being stolen. It will go about 50 miles and when everything is up and warm... will just shut down and wont restart for about 3 days. Thank God for AAA! It has new fuel pump and computer and it is still stalling out. I think it is the key security feature and the little wires in the stearing column. Where do I take it to get that fixed? does anyone know?

5 people found this helpful.
50

For the honking if it is the alarm it is most likely a shortage between the trunk alarm and security alarm. If you unplug your trunk alarm it should stop (it did for me, 3 months now with 0 honking) as for anyone who's car stops running while driving I am having the same problem for 2 months now and I am lost on that one

5 people found this helpful.
45

The honking is weird, but I have a similar problem. My guess is the fuel pump. I have pulled off the plate to the fuel pump, played with the wires a little, and sprayed it down intermittently with brake cleaner. Driving on gravel roads really messes with it (dust, contaminants). There should be three wires attaching into the fuel pump assembly itself, for me the grounding wire (black) was loose. I jammed it back in carefully with a needlenose and that resolves the issue for several weeks at a time.

4 people found this helpful.
80

my wife had a buick it lost power while driving. mechanic said it was mass air flow sensor. i replaced and it never happened again.

8 people found this helpful.

i have the same problem but i had my heads replaced recently amd all new gaskets amd now my car will start and sometimes stays running other times jjst dies while going or in park i have to keep my foot on the peddle would u kn y ?

30

Its the ignition control module i had the same problem car hasnt cut off since

3 people found this helpful.
90

Where is ignition control module? My Buick dies,starts right up then rest of travel no problem

9 people found this helpful.
20

I have a 2000 Buick Lesabre with 230,000 miles. My issue is the same it starts up fine, but when i get close to my school (about 3-5 miles), the car will turn off, and the voltage light will kick on. I lose the power steering and my brake pedal seems to go stiff. I can always get it to a spot, but will not start up immediately. The Check engine and my brake light are on too. When i try to restart it, it will almost catch, but will keep trying, and after 5 minutes, i give up so i wont be late for class.

2 people found this helpful.
40

same problem after 5 min. car starts up runs perfect, changed MAF sensor & MAF SENSOR wiring connector

4 people found this helpful.
30

Hey guys I got a 2000 Buick lesabre it cuts off about every 16 miles every time and want crank back. I can take off the battery cable and wait about 10 minutes and it will crank and about 16 miles it will do it again I changed the cam sensor. But still does the same thing. Help please.

3 people found this helpful.
70

HAD SAE PROBLEM, ENGINE WOULD SUDDENLY STOP. COASTED TO SIDE OF ROAD, THEN IN A MINUTE OR FIVE THE CAR WOULD RESTART. TRIED A LOT OF THINGS INCLUDING CRANK SOLINOID AS I RECALL. FINALLY ORDERED AUTOZONE REPLACMENT COMPUTER, INSTALLED IT WITH THE OLD ONES CIP AND NO PROBLEMS SINCE.

4 people found this helpful.
70

honking HAD THAT HAPPEN ALSO 1994 BUICK TURNS OUT THER EIS A WIRE FROM THE HORN RELAY THAT GOES THRU THE AIRBAG, THAT MAKES THE HORN HONK WHEN YOU PRESS THE AIRBAG AREA. THAT WEARS OUT OVER THE YEARS, AND THE PART IS UNAVAILABLE. THE BEST FIX IS TO WIRE THE HORN RELAY DIRECTLY TO A PUSHBUTTON INSIDE THE CAR BY THE STEERING COLUMN. IF YOU BY PASS THE HORN RELAY, IT TAKE A MUCH BIGGE RWIRE AS THAT IS STRAIGHT 12VOLT DC CURRENT AND A BIGGER BUTTON THAT WILL TAKE THE CURRENT. PROBABLY OT MORE THAN 20 AMPS.

3 people found this helpful.
20

Camshaft sensor own a 2000 lesabre custum and that was the problem beats changing the fuel pump first

2 people found this helpful.
155

I had the same problem tonight (1999 LeSabre LTD). I was driving home from my daughter's. At the halfway point I put the high beams on, then the car lost power and started swaying to the left a bit, so I thought maybe I was out of power steering fluid and turned the wheel as hard as I could to the right. I couldn't even brake, which was very scary, as it's dark on this winding country road with no street lights. I put it into neutral and let it glide to the side of the road. I turned it off and it started back up again. I called my daughter and she sent my son-in-law down there. He checked for loose battery wiring, but that was fine (fairly new battery, too). So he followed me home with no problems. I did have this happen once before. When I drove into a parking lot it just stopped and I glided to the end, but was able to start it right back up again. Thought it was a fluke. A few days ago I had a new blower motor installed for the a/c, but I doubt it has anything to do with that. I told the guys at the shop that I thought there was a short somewhere, because the back window hardly ever works, AND I was sure I got a shock on my left elbow as I leaned it on the metal buttons when I started the car the other day. I don't think they had the time to check all that because I was only in there for the blower motor. It's going back there tomorrow for sure, now that I've seen all the suggestions you all have posted. Thank you! And @Giulio, thank you, too!

4 people found this helpful.
20

Had the stalling problem on my 1999 LeSabre. Ultimately changed EGD, map, maf,tps. A recall from GM for the fuel pressure regulator fixed the problem.

2 people found this helpful.

My 1999 Buick LeSabre did the same thing yesterday on the highway. Just shut down. No click or anything. Battery, alternator, and starter test fine. I disconnected the battery and grounded it on the negative connector. It started right up and no problems yet. I feel like the same thing happened two years ago and I replaced the battery. I thought the battery should have been fine; yet, a new battery fixed it. But the solution was the same. Food for thought.

40

Check in the door wiring ive found its electrical almost everytime not fuel pump your stall happens ck your windows if not working ck in your driver side door wires or critters chewing.

4 people found this helpful.
10

My Lucerne seems to have this problem as well. Normal no issues other than a sputter on the highway and RPM jumps all over for a second if it doesn't kill the engine. Or sometimes it takes a few extra cranks to start. Just yesterday it quit on me so I pulled off to the side and it wouldn't even crank, like it was a dead battery. (Its not the battery I just bought new back in feb), but after I opened the hood and decided I would try to crank it one more time before calling for a ride. It started right up. I'm not sure if it's a spark plug issue(been meaning to change them this summer) or starter issue, or if it's some thing else.

1 people found this helpful.
30

My 1999 Buick lesabre dies every once in awhile just when I am turning left. Any ideas? Its starts right back up immediately.

3 people found this helpful.
155

So, I thought it was the crank sensor because I didn't have a problem for awhile after I got it fixed. Then it happened again. I thought it was because I'd left the a/c running while sitting in a parking lot. Shut it off, turned it back on again, but this time it stopped again as I went around the parking lot. Then again right after starting back up. I took it back in and had the ignition control module changed out. Wasn't it, either. Had the fuel filter replaced, as it was really bad. Happened again. Then finally I told my mechanic to replace the fuel pump and that did the trick. I seem to be getting better gas mileage now, too. It's been 2 weeks and so far so good.

1 people found this helpful.
30

Our Buick Lasaber dies at hwy speed, also no cruise control. We have narrowed it down too the wiring plug, under the carpet by the drivers door. My question is what is that plug and what is controlled through that plug?

3 people found this helpful.

02 LESABRE...same issues. Thank u all for your comments above...so far MAP, MAF, AND TPS...thanks for the info

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