Car sat for 3 months this summer. Using it again, but misses badly. Buick dealer says since I was using cheap Safeway gas, it needs to be cleaned with some Seafoam, and good gas run through it to clean the injectors. The diagostics show no problem, yet it runs terribly. The Onstar report shows no problems.
I am not a mechanic but it does sound like bad gas, probably from moisture more so than cheap stuff. Try the dealer’s suggestion and see. Give it time and if it doesn’t clear up and the dealer’s mechanic is still singing “cheap gas” take it somewhere else.
With that info I doubt that the engine is misfiring. They wouldn’t return the vehicle to you running on three cylinders, it wouldn’t be drivable, not enough power to make it out of the parking lot.
When a customer complains that the engine doesn’t idle as smooth as they want, “try different gasoline” will send the customer away and allow the technician to go back to work fixing real problems.
Thanks for the info, so if it is not misfiring then what could be the issue for it randomly smooth, then like 2 cylinders had quit, then smooth, then…… and sometimes stumbling on acceleration? Why would the diagnostics show nothing wrong?
Appreciate your sharing…
Randy
We let cars sit in our family in both New England and Florida for 6 months every year. We disconnect the battery, then hook it back up six months later and they start up and run normally. We have never had any problem with the gas and don’t use any stabilizer. Sorry to hear your predicament, but wanted to offer some evidence that it may not be gas.
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OK, thanks was looking for a known issue with this little turbo 1.4 engine that was out there. As usual, I am unique with my car problems…. Have a great holiday!
Randy
Bear in mind that a problem won’t necessarily produce a code, something I learned on this forum. And you’ve already been told the dealer’s mechanic blew you off because you don’t have a “real” problem. Take it to an independent shop for a seat-of-the-pants diagnosis.
Thanks, seems counterintuitive that there would be no code for half the engine running off and on randomly, but I will give that a try, take it to my trusted local independent guy. I work on classic cars as a hobby, but I have no idea what I am looking at under the hood of new cars.
How do you know it’s running on 2 cyl?
You have no misfire codes.
The OP didn’t say it’s running on two cylinders, just that it feels like it’s running on two. Whatever the problem is, the dealer already blew him off precisely because there are no codes. That doesn’t mean there’s not something wrong.
Yes, just stumbles terribly. Getting local opinion thanks