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+--- Thread: Clogged Cat, Slip Control Warnings, stealership ranting (/showthread.php?tid=8852)
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Clogged Cat, Slip Control Warnings, stealership ranting - HAULN-SS - 04-30-2010
As most of you know, I have a 2008 Malibu. It's got a shitton of miles on it for its age, but with 100k powertrain warranty, I assumed I had no worries.
CEL comes on a few days ago. I thought it was loose gas cap, so i filled it up, tightened, left it alone. Two times now, while the car was in cruise control going down the highway, the car starts stuttering like a gear is slipping, and the little computer in front says "Service ESC soon." So I am like well this effin' blows, and I went to Pohanka chevy today to get it checked out, thinking it's gotta be a warranty issue, right?
Well, after I told them "CEL is on..check it out, let me know" two hours later they come back with "The Cat is clogged, and that's causing your problem, oh, and you've got an O2 sensor throwing codes"....
"oh, and it would be 480$ for the parts, and it's out of warranty for the cat"
So I basically said that sounded pretty suspicious, told them to put it back together, and left.
Question: What possible, conceivable reason could a clogged cat make the car rev and stutter and shit just like a gear was losing teeth? AND making the computer tell me in the dash that the ESC needed servicing?
Re: Clogged Cat, Slip Control Warnings, stealership ranting - .RJ - 04-30-2010
There should be a 100k emissions warranty also. Clogged cat is like putting a banana in the tailpipe.
Re: Clogged Cat, Slip Control Warnings, stealership ranting - HAULN-SS - 04-30-2010
Are you saying "there should be a rule against forcing emissions repair work before 100k miles" or like, you think there probably is one? I can't find any docs on it
Edit: there is a federal law for 50k miles, which I am past
Re: Clogged Cat, Slip Control Warnings, stealership ranting - HAULN-SS - 04-30-2010
Oh, and just to add to the rant, i thought the battery in my remote died, and i took it apart to replace hte battery only to find that the one in there had broken the soldering holding it to the board, and it's 75$ for a new one of those, too.
Re: Clogged Cat, Slip Control Warnings, stealership ranting - D_Eclipse9916 - 04-30-2010
yeah I thought there was a 10 year like 100,000 or 150,000 thing for federal law?
Re: Clogged Cat, Slip Control Warnings, stealership ranting - D_Eclipse9916 - 04-30-2010
yeah I thought there was a 10 year like 100,000 or 150,000 thing for federal law?
Re: Clogged Cat, Slip Control Warnings, stealership ranting - CaptainHenreh - 04-30-2010
So, not just azns.
Re: Clogged Cat, Slip Control Warnings, stealership ranting - Mike - 04-30-2010
go gm!
Re: Clogged Cat, Slip Control Warnings, stealership ranting - Sijray21 - 05-03-2010
CaptainHenreh Wrote:So, not just azns.
rofl
i say go get an OBD-II sensor and run the codes yourself. O2 sensors going bad at 100k miles is not uncommon. hell the one in the Civic i used to have went bad at ~75k intervals. i can believe the cat being clogged as a viable explaination and the sub $500 parts isn't bad for a new cat and O2 sensor(s).
i'm not sure if this is the latest version of the law, but it's consistent with other sites i've found. it's covered for the first 8 years or 80,000 miles: <!-- m --><a class="postlink" href="http://www.epa.gov/oms/consumer/warr95fs.txt">http://www.epa.gov/oms/consumer/warr95fs.txt</a><!-- m --> it would cover the cat, but i'm not sure of the O2 sensor(s)
Re: Clogged Cat, Slip Control Warnings, stealership ranting - HAULN-SS - 05-03-2010
the cost was just for the cat, not the O2. I think I am pulling it out today and running my san angelo bar through it and calling it a day. Go-Go no emissions testing in WV!
Re: Clogged Cat, Slip Control Warnings, stealership ranting - ViPER1313 - 05-03-2010
HAULN-SS Wrote:the cost was just for the cat, not the O2. I think I am pulling it out today and running my san angelo bar through it and calling it a day. Go-Go no emissions testing in WV!
If you do this the car will definitely throw a CEL constantly - the downstream O2 sensor will be able to tell that the converter isn't doing its job and throw a code.
Service ESC soon sounds like a problem with the electronic throttle or the wheel sensors - that would explain why your car was bucking going down the highway. Reading around on the Malibu forums, someone also said they had a loose connection to a fuel injector solenoid that caused the message to be thrown - that might explain the O2 codes and the warning message??
I really doubt that the converter is clogged - the car would drive like a slug 100% of the time if this was the case. Most likely the cat would be glowing red hot after you got off the highway as well - just take a look under the car. Depending on the design of your exhaust system you might be able to check for yourself by taking the cat off and looking through it.
EDIT: Does your car have the 4 or 6-cyl engine?
Re: Clogged Cat, Slip Control Warnings, stealership ranting - D_Eclipse9916 - 05-03-2010
Warning, you will fail safety inspection as there will be a Check Engine Light on due to Cat Efficiency failing due to the Rear o2. Now if your local mechanic doesnt care about CEL's youll be lucky.
Re: Clogged Cat, Slip Control Warnings, stealership ranting - HAULN-SS - 05-04-2010
It is the 4 cyl engine. It looks like the cat is part of the exhaust manifold, so that must explain the cost of it. You probably have to replace the entire manifold, not just the cat, right? I am planning on taking a look at it tonight when I get home. It is driving like a slug a good percentage of the time, but I had another thought about that. If it is just the sensor that has gone bad, would it fail in such a way that it would affect the driveability like this? Is it worth replacing just the O2 sensor to see if that fixes the problem? I have noticed my gas mileage has gone down 2 - 4 MPG lately as well.
I'm not too worried about passing any emissions tests, or mechanical inspections. It is WV after all, and the last few inspections i've had for stuff was literally like "oh, it made it here under it's own power, here's a sticker"
Re: Clogged Cat, Slip Control Warnings, stealership ranting - .RJ - 05-04-2010
The o2 sensor wont affect performance much but you will see a drop in fuel mileage.
If the acceleration has taken a hit too, then the cat is probably clogged up. Maybe the o2 sensor caused it, so I wouldnt replace one without the other. I really dont get why this isnt a warranty item though. If the cat is part of the manifold I'd get it fixed soon before the cat breaks up and gets sucked back into the motor.
Re: Clogged Cat, Slip Control Warnings, stealership ranting - HAULN-SS - 05-04-2010
I got the code pulled today: P0420 Catalyst Efficiency low-bank 1
Probably cause: catalytic converter defective failure possibly due to
Engine misfire or running condition
large vacuum leak
engine oil leakage into exhaust valve guide seals, piston rings
I guess I am going to have to get this fixed via a dealer, I can't find aftermarket parts anywhere. I thought about trying to pull one out of a junkyard, but not sure if thats a good idea or not. I also can't find anything online that says whether or not the whole manifold has to be replaced, or if the cat comes off. Anyone ever seen one that was the kind of design before? on gmpartsdirect.com I found a listing for "Catalytic converter, malibu, 2.4l " for $126 but I can't quite tell if that's the one for me, or what it comes with, since there are no pictures
Re: Clogged Cat, Slip Control Warnings, stealership ranting - .RJ - 05-04-2010
Manifold on the cat is common now. Closer to the motor means it heats up faster, cold start emissions are big deal for EPA regs.
Re: Clogged Cat, Slip Control Warnings, stealership ranting - HAULN-SS - 05-04-2010
Do you think it is all one piece? thats the main thing I can't find out, and couldnt tell by looking without taking a bunch of shit apart.
Re: Clogged Cat, Slip Control Warnings, stealership ranting - .RJ - 05-04-2010
No idea... I'd still fight with the dealer.
Re: Clogged Cat, Slip Control Warnings, stealership ranting - NTIman - 05-05-2010
I don't know about GM stuff, but when the engine light comes on on a toyota, it almost always also sets the VSC light. Why? For most codes, I don't have a clue. But it does.
Heres what we do with a 420 though. We generally just throw a rear o2 sensor in it and let it roll. fixes 99% of toyotas. Would it work on a GM? not sure.
Stuttering and stuff.... i've never seen a catalytic convertor make one stutter... that'd be more of a coil pack or a throttle position sensor type of problem to me....or the ever dreaded transmission death, which would be unlikely to set a code.
In closing, I have absolutely no idea what to tell you.
Re: Clogged Cat, Slip Control Warnings, stealership ranting - Mike - 05-06-2010
Toyota seem to have a REALLY high O2 sensor failure rate... My Mom has has 3-4 in her 2003? RAV4.