Sputtering and Stuttering at Idle

[MikeC725]

Owner 2012 Buick GS still have not been able to pinpoint the sputter and almost stall of my vehichel at stop lights. Does not matter the temp, weather or how long its been running just does it for brief second. I work at the dealership, and they still have not been able to duplicate the occurence. And ideas???

Yes, go back and read this entire thread........

Mine is starting to do this more and more too. I suspect it's the Transmission, I've got an Auto. In my case, putting the car in neutral, then back into drive takes care of the rough idle at stoplights. I have also noticed that auto shifting from 1-2 is slow to respond, which is awful when you're getting on it, and hit the limiter waiting for the transmission to shift. I assume my fluid level might be low/incorrect.

I can't explain your slow shifting, but the trans has nothing to do with your rough idle.

I've had some personal things going on lately and have not had time to have my buddy hook up his laptop to my car. Still trying to get with him on that. Plus this winter has just SUCKED as far as clean roads on the weekends.....

 

[Tom Riddle]

I didn't know we had a club for this situation....I want to join.

'12 GS 2.0
1 no
2 yes

1 question...if a dealer says they can't duplicate, how do you force the issue?

Thanks, TR

 

[MikeC725]

I didn't know we had a club for this situation....I want to join.

'12 GS 2.0
1 no
2 yes

1 question...if a dealer says they can't duplicate, how do you force the issue?

Thanks, TR

Tom, we haven't been able to figure out how to force this test. The one guy working with my buddy Retired in December......it's almost like back to square one. This is why I want him to plug his laptop into my car. But between our schedules, we haven't been able to.

 

[Buick Customer Service]

Hi bigtstylerGS, EnderWiggin, and Tom Riddle

I understand your frustration with the problems your cars are experiencing at idle. If you can provide me with your VIN and contact information, I can look further into what has been happening with your vehicle. I hope to hear from you soon.

Austin J.
Buick Customer Care

 

[MikeC725]

Hi bigtstylerGS, EnderWiggin, and Tom Riddle

I understand your frustration with the problems your cars are experiencing at idle. If you can provide me with your VIN and contact information, I can look further into what has been happening with your vehicle. I hope to hear from you soon.

Austin J.
Buick Customer Care

Austin,

I had Trisha look into this for me, according to her ( and her boss) Buick does not know anything about this problem. But I'd like to see everyone report it. The more complaints Buick gets, maybe they will do something about it.

 

[TheGS]

Austin,

I had Trisha look into this for me, according to her ( and her boss) Buick does not know anything about this problem. But I'd like to see everyone report it. The more complaints Buick gets, maybe they will do something about it.

Oh they know about it... they just have no clue what it is/or its to expensive to fix.

 

[Buick Customer Service]

Austin,

I had Trisha look into this for me, according to her ( and her boss) Buick does not know anything about this problem. But I'd like to see everyone report it. The more complaints Buick gets, maybe they will do something about it.

Hi Mike C.,

When we open service requests, such as yours with Trisha, the documentation is available to multiple departments throughout GM. The more information we can gather with such documentation, the more we have to work with on resolving issues. If you have experienced any new developments with your Regal since you were working with Trisha, I would be happy to open a new SR on your behalf.

Austin J.
Buick Customer Care

 

[Walt G]

My car has been doing this all along, but worse lately (colder out, and maybe that 'just right' 1 mile drive from my office before hitting the first stop light). I have had one stall.

I have a theory I am testing though, and would like other willing guinea pigs to try it also and report back.

My theory is that what we're feeling is the 'intrusive' catalyst efficiency monitor running. The circumstances sound right, and the test forces the engine lean, then rich, to run the test, so it's very possible for this to cause problems like we're experiencing.

To test this theory, I simply unplugged by downstream O2 sensor. It's not too difficult to get to the connector under the intake pipe leading to the turbocharger compressor inlet. There is a 'lance' that needs to be pulled out before you can release the hook on the connector, and mine broke (so be warned if this is something that would really bother you). The hook is fine, so I'm not concerned. I can put a twist-tie in the spot where the plastic lance was if I'm really concerned about it.

Anyways, unplugging the downstream O2 sensor will cause a MIL, and that MIL will prevent the catalyst efficiency monitor from running at all. You must have the MIL on (takes two drive cycles... no 'tricks' to disable that MIL if you know what I mean, etc.).

So far, I have NOT experienced the stumble since my MIL has been on for the unplugged downstream O2 sensor. However, since this is somewhat random on my car/drive cycle, I'd like to hear results from other owners willing to do the experiment, especially someone who experiences this with great regularity.

The downstream sensor is most likely only used for catalyst monitoring (and there are plenty not running it as discussed in the 'aftermarket downpipe threads'), so it should be safe for the engine to do this.

You might want to cover the open connector ends with balloons or something so the exposed pins don't corrode, if you're concerned about that. Report back if you have any results... I'll do the same.

 

[Turbomania]

My car has been doing this all along, but worse lately (colder out, and maybe that 'just right' 1 mile drive from my office before hitting the first stop light). I have had one stall.

I have a theory I am testing though, and would like other willing guinea pigs to try it also and report back.

My theory is that what we're feeling is the 'intrusive' catalyst efficiency monitor running. The circumstances sound right, and the test forces the engine lean, then rich, to run the test, so it's very possible for this to cause problems like we're experiencing.

To test this theory, I simply unplugged by downstream O2 sensor. It's not too difficult to get to the connector under the intake pipe leading to the turbocharger compressor inlet. There is a 'lance' that needs to be pulled out before you can release the hook on the connector, and mine broke (so be warned if this is something that would really bother you). The hook is fine, so I'm not concerned. I can put a twist-tie in the spot where the plastic lance was if I'm really concerned about it.

Anyways, unplugging the downstream O2 sensor will cause a MIL, and that MIL will prevent the catalyst efficiency monitor from running at all. You must have the MIL on (takes two drive cycles... no 'tricks' to disable that MIL if you know what I mean, etc.).

So far, I have NOT experienced the stumble since my MIL has been on for the unplugged downstream O2 sensor. However, since this is somewhat random on my car/drive cycle, I'd like to hear results from other owners willing to do the experiment, especially someone who experiences this with great regularity.

The downstream sensor is most likely only used for catalyst monitoring (and there are plenty not running it as discussed in the 'aftermarket downpipe threads'), so it should be safe for the engine to do this.

You might want to cover the open connector ends with balloons or something so the exposed pins don't corrode, if you're concerned about that. Report back if you have any results... I'll do the same.

Not that i am helping solve the Idle issue, i had to point out that the post 02 sensor does more than just monitor, it has some authority over fuel trim to keep the Catalyst in it's sweet spot. Not sure what it defaults to when diconnected or positioned after a high flow Cat.
I haven't been around much lately, any news about our sooted up intake valves yet ???

 

[snuffy]

This was not the part of the club I wanted to join. With 13k on her, I got the cold idle sputter at a stoplight ~1mi from the house. It's only happened once, but I've been waiting for it to happen every day since...

😡
Not cool man, not cool.

 

[G-21568]

I have a 2011 Buick LaCrosse CSX and besides the fact I've gone through 2 catalytic converters (OE converters from GM Parts) that seem to come apart at the welding seam after 2 years, I've had no big issues. Replaced the last converter with a different converta through NAPA parts. HOWEVER, this morning, 1 mile from the house, my car did the sputter at the stoplight in traffic. I panicked and was able to get it over to the shoulder, revved up the accelerator and after a few minutes nursing it down the road, it straightened out and I was able to get it back home. Now I've got $$$$ running through my head and a fear it is going to quit on me in traffic. i have had it started and drove around the subdivision, up and down the hills and corners and let it idle in drive with my foot on the brake and nothing has happened since. Check engine light is not on. I have 109K miles on it.

 

[Walt G]

If yours continued to run poorly for 'a few minutes', I don't think it's the same problem reported in this thread. The issue in this thread only happens for a few seconds and then either goes away on its own, or stalls the engine.

If you had continuous poor performance for more than just a few seconds, try replacing the two camshaft position control solenoids on the top of the engine... cheap and easy fix, and a super-high failure rate of those parts. They often cause very poor engine performance without a check-engine light.

 

[CLE12GS]

I find it strange that these cars don't have a Fuel Filter, or I can't seem to find one. I had this happen a few times after I fill up with 93..

 

[Walt G]

Having this happen right after filling up with a different gas supports my theory that this is the intrusive catalyst monitor causing the issue. As I stated before, that test entails purposely forcing the engine from lean to rich... if you just changed from a fuel with, say, less ethanol to one with more ethanol, that will already tend to push your engine lean (until all the fuel trims adjust, which takes some time), which might make this test push your engine 'too' lean. Or vice versa if you went the other way (too rich).

 

[Hares Garage]

Mine is a 2000 Buick century, gone through most everything but it stutters in park so its not transmission related but if I throttle it will pulse a few times. driving is a different story dies while turning. New fuel pump, filter, plug wires, plugs, injectors, O2 Sensor, Map, just part of list. irritating.

 

[agaric]

Mine is a 2000 Buick century, gone through most everything but it stutters in park so its not transmission related but if I throttle it will pulse a few times. driving is a different story dies while turning. New fuel pump, filter, plug wires, plugs, injectors, O2 Sensor, Map, just part of list. irritating.

This is not the correct forum for your Century.
Any info given here will pertain to 2011-2017 Regals.

 

[Oneill5491]

I also have this problem from time to time without stall. I'm pretty convinced it has to do with an overlooked scenario that occurs under a very particular set of conditions and the engineers at GM didn't program the PCM correctly from the factory to have the engine run/react properly under those conditions which are unknown. I highly doubt given the feedback on this board that it has anything to do with faulty hardware that needs to be replaced, just poorly developed PCM firmware.

 

[HotZ28]

I also have this problem from time to time without stall. I'm pretty convinced it has to do with an overlooked scenario that occurs under a very particular set of conditions and the engineers at GM didn't program the PCM correctly from the factory to have the engine run/react properly under those conditions which are unknown. I highly doubt given the feedback on this board that it has anything to do with faulty hardware that needs to be replaced, just poorly developed PCM firmware.

Old-Old post here! You should start a new thread with the problems you are having!!

 

[Opitkz23]

I have the 2.0 with VVT so the car will try to adjust at lights sometimes a little to much and will catch and fix it self trying to find good gas mileage and performance I know when your VVTs go bad it can cause some weird problems there on top of the valve cover

 

[Dtuner]

Hey everyone! So i have been working on a 2014 Regal with the 2.0T. We swapped in a Malibu 2.0T due to a catastrophic failure and it ran well for a week or so. The client came back into the shop this week and stated that it seems to lack power and it stumbles. I checked for codes and found nothing. I was searching and this thread came up. I was wondering if anyone has come up with a solution to this issue. It has clean properly working cam actuators and the only code to ever come up was for the knock sensor system performance.

I found 2 misfires on C1 81 on C2 18 on C3 and 2 on C4 after a 2 mile test drive where it hiccupped every time I pinned the throttle and stalled when I parked and snapped the throttle. Replaced the coils with the original coils from the regal and I get at most 4 misfires on the subsequent test drives, but yet it still sputters and dies on the snap throttle. Found GM TSB #PI1223B that states that the stumbling cold is normal as it is programmed to a "split injection" strategy to warm up catalysts to proper operating temperature. That seems a bit absurd.

I am going to try to post a new thread as this one goes all the way back to 2013. Thank you all for posting your experiences, and I wish all of you good luck.