2010 BUICK LACROSSE reduced engine power is on and wont go pass 20 miles a hour
This is the car going into limp mode. There is something that needs immediate attention. Could be something as simple as a dirty air filter, but also something more serious. Limp mode is designed to allow you to travel a short distance to your destination. It should not be driven in this condition. If you can pull the codes from the vehicle, someone here will be able to advise you of the right thing to do. If you can’t pull the codes it needs to be looked at by a qualified mechanic.
This hasn’t been resolved on my 2010 LaCrosse (105, 250 miles) yet but here’s what I’ve found and tried…
- Malfunctions when Accelerating hard and/or left turns. 2) Just before it goes into Low Power mode, it shows for a very short time that the “Stabilitrack needs [or requires] maintenance” - then 3) Low Power/slow-down, usually engine light comes on.
Engine code is P2138 - the manuals say it could be several things: in order of they’re approx. cost, Including tax and shipping, and getting GM Genuine: Gas Cap ($23) [the old one’s seals were hard and discolored], Accelerator pedal ($85) [very easy to replace] and Throttle Body assembly with sensor ($210) [easy to replace]. The instructions said to disconnect the negative battery cable before replacing the Throttle Body Assy. It needs to recalibrate itself after replacement. Lower-right on speedometer [where compass direction is displayed showed “CAL” after replacement and reconnect of battery and engine startup.] I thought it was fixed but it acted up again after about 10 minutes. Tried battery disconnect a few more times.
Have you tried anything other than just disconnecting the battery? My guess is the drivetrain computer is detecting a problem where the programmed throttle position isn’t matching the actual throttle position. Limp mode is used to eliminate or at least reduce the likelihood of uncontrolled acceleration. Unless you are an experienced diy’er, suggest to let your well-recommended shop or a dealership handle the repair.
If you want to try something yourself, replace the gas cap on a flier, might get lucky. If you simply don’t want to incur the cost of a new gas cap until you have evidence the existing one is the problem , you could try coating the seals with a little oil, see if that has any effect. I do that to insure my Corolla passes the gas-cap part of its OBD I emissions test. It’s hard for me to understand how a faulty gas cap could be related to a throttle position problem, but with car’s complexity now-a-days, perhaps such a thing is possible.