Question on Multiple car Repairs - 1999 Grand Am?

[BridgetSpace]

I need a few things fixed on my car. I'm hoping someone can tell me what these problems sound like. If you could help me out w/ some advice on even ONE of the problems I would greatly appreciate it. P.S. Selling my car is NOT AN OPTION at this time.

1. I am getting a pulsing from my breaks. It happens most of the time especially when I'm "riding" the breaks approaching a stop. Also, substantial noise when its raining or after a car wash. Breaks are <1 year old.

2. I had the ignition switch replaced earlier this year. Now, my security system goes off and I have to sit there for 10 minutes. Is it possible the Pontiac dealer put another faulty switch in?

3. I am losing power steering fluid but not noticing too much underneath the car. The power steering pump is fine. It's about one year old. The lower intake manifold is new. (and I know its not that because the car is holding other fluids properly) Could this possibly be a hose? How would I know if its the return hose or the pressure hose? There is a somewhat significant price difference. I'm adding fluid every 7-10 days.

4. My rear window fell and won't stay up. However, I can still hear the motor if I press the button. Did the window just slip the track?

5. Every once in awhile I get the slight smell of hot wires.. or plastic... that's the best way to describe it. Its not strong, the engine doesn't overheat... and I can't tell if I'm being paranoid. With all my OTHER car problems, I might just be imagining this part.

 

[mactruck]

1. Your brake pulsing is most likely from the rotors... they need to be turned (machined on a brake lathe) (alot of auto parts have this service available)
2. Did your security system start acting up right after the switch replacement or some time after that? It may be a problem not related to the switch.
3. Note exactly where the drip is on the floor or street or place a sheet of cardboard under your car overnight to help you locate your leak. You may want to go to a self serve car wash and power wash the engine compartment to make it easier to find the leak. Most likely a hose or hose connection.
4. The machanism or lever coming from the motor's gearbox is broken or came lose from the window frame. You have to remove the inside door panel then you can see what the problem is. (flashlight might be needed) If you just want to keep it up, I have used a couple of wood wedges before to do it until I fixed mine.
5. First look in the engine compartment for any wires or plastic lines touching the hot parts of the engine. This smell could be alot of things including shorted out wires that are NOT fused properly. Good luck on that one.
-All above is just stuff to consider; hard to know without having the car in front of me.
Hope some of this helps. Good Luck

 

[Dr. Car Guy]

1. Rotors are warped, sometimes they can be machined, sometimes replacement is needed.

2. No.

3. Put dye in the PS and use a black light in a day or two to determine source of the leak(s).

4. No. You need a new window regulator.

5. I have no idea.

 

[Gary S]

I need a few things fixed on my car. I'm hoping someone can tell me what these problems sound like. If you could help me out w/ some advice on even ONE of the problems I would greatly appreciate it. P.S. Selling my car is NOT AN OPTION at this time.

1. I am getting a pulsing from my breaks. It happens most of the time especially when I'm "riding" the breaks approaching a stop. Also, substantial noise when its raining or after a car wash. Breaks are <1 year old.

you probably have bad brake rotors, or it could be that you have antilock breaks that are actually working. if you jack the front of the car off of the ground, (in neutral), and can spin the tire all the way around with a slight drag, you're fine. if the tire stops in one spot all the time, hard, this is probably a rotor, rotors are like 40-90 dollars, and usually labor is small.

3. I am losing power steering fluid but not noticing too much underneath the car. The power steering pump is fine. It's about one year old. The lower intake manifold is new. (and I know its not that because the car is holding other fluids properly) Could this possibly be a hose? How would I know if its the return hose or the pressure hose? There is a somewhat significant price difference. I'm adding fluid every 7-10 days.
you don't loose alot of power steering fluid when the car sits, there is no pressure in the system then. you will loose it when the motor is running. it probably is a hose. the pressure hose has more "meaningful" ends on it. look for an item with 2 hoses coming out that has a belt running to it, that's the pump. it can be deceiving, but look at the bottem of the hoses to see if they are wet with a pink fluid. if one is, and one isn't, the wet one is probably the leaker.

4. My rear window fell and won't stay up. However, I can still hear the motor if I press the button. Did the window just slip the track?
you probably have a stripped gear, or the gear has gone beyond it's range of travel. if you can get a grip on the window edge and pull up on it and tap the switch at the same time sometimes the gear will catch and you can roll it up, don't squish yourself, they have some power to them.

5. Every once in awhile I get the slight smell of hot wires.. or plastic... that's the best way to describe it. Its not strong, the engine doesn't overheat... and I can't tell if I'm being paranoid. With all my OTHER car problems, I might just be imagining this part.

this is hard thing to trace down, the key word is "slight". i would keep aware of it, but unless it gets worse i wouldn't worry alot about it. if something electrical quits working..i would suspect that was the smell.

 

[dell pc]

First of all you need to check your brake shoes or roter. The roter is the round disic thhe brakes grip when stopping th automobile. The pulsing could be coming from the ware and tare in those being that you ride the breaks a lot.

If the security started after you replace the switch you need to take it back to the dealer and let him know that you got it done there. They should take a look at it.

Your power steering have a motor that run it also. Take it to a auto shop and get it checked. Normally the motor go bad or it can be the hose with a leak. You can get some stop leak liquid for power steering.

Yes. The window just felt off the track, if the motor in the window still work that is what it did.

I don't know what to tell you about the smiles. Sometimes it be the paranoid factor. But you should still take a look at that too.