In a previous video https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pEJSvbxkGXc&t I had a look at a Buick LeSabre for intermittent stalling. I diagnosed it as having a bad MAF sensor. In this video I have a look at the cluster I mentioned that was failing and show you how I go about making the call on it. -Enjoy!
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If an SMA Video has helped you out please consider giving using "Patreon" to help support us. The videos take real time to create and pull us away from real work that pays our bills. CLICK HERE: https://www.patreon.com/southmainauto
CHECK OUT OUR "SMA SWAG" STORE! Go on Teespring and get your very own SMA merch!
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If you don't like Patreon feel free to use the "PayPal Me" link: https://www.paypal.me/SouthMainAuto
The South Main Auto Amazon Store:
https://www.amazon.com/shop/southmainautorepairavoca
AES Wave Automotive Diagnostic Tools: https://www.aeswave.com/cart.php?m=affiliate_go&affiliateID=2525b91fc8e906e8215984074c9d9e8f&go=https://www.aeswave.com/Miscellaneous-p9347.html
Thank you for all the continuing support!
--Eric & Vanessa O.
Feel like sending some swag to SMA because you love the videos but don't know where to send it?
Just ship it here:
South Main Auto Repair
47 S. Main St
PO Box 471
Avoca, NY 14809
Disclaimer:
Due to factors beyond the control of South Main Auto Repair, it cannot guarantee against unauthorized modifications of this information, or improper use of this information. South Main Auto Repair assumes no liability for property damage or injury incurred as a result of any of the information contained in this video. South Main Auto Repair recommends safe practices when working with power tools, automotive lifts, lifting tools, jack stands, electrical equipment, blunt instruments, chemicals, lubricants, or any other tools or equipment seen or implied in this video. Due to factors beyond the control of South Main Auto Repair, no information contained in this video shall create any express or implied warranty or guarantee of any particular result. Any injury, damage or loss that may result from improper use of these tools, equipment, or the information contained
Please give me the contact information for united radio. Thank you.
the nighttime back lighting in my 05 lesabre custom is out in a bunch of random spots in my instrument panel/radio/hvac control. are there bulbs in these that can be replaced? if so, where do i get them?
I have a 2004 buick lesabre custom and when I accelerate my fuel gauge goes up to full and stays there. Could it be the cluster or sending unit?
You look like Steve Rhodes on the episode of Married With… Children, when he came back from a trip bearded up, & Marcy used sex to get him to shave, after he refused to do so. Lol
Thanks for the United Radio recommendation. Just got my my cluster back from them. They did a great job for a good price!
You talk about sending the cluster somewhere. What is the cluster you're talking about and where do you send it?
Hi, my daughter has a 2002 Lesabre and the dealer just replaced the ECM on. Now the gas gauge is stuck but on empty like in this video. I called the dealer and told them what it was doing and they immediately said its probably a bad fuel sensor. Can the same report be ran checking the fuel gauge sensor for an 02 lesabre? what would you recommend I do from here?
Every Vehicle has their issues. no matter the make 🙁 We might as well accept it lol
Thanks for the info. I fell into a Buick LeSabre over the holiday season and it's got a few problems with the instrument panel… the gas gauge doesn't work and recently some lights in the instrument panel don't turn on until maybe a minute of driving. I can feel for the gears but it's a lot more convenient to actually be able to SEE them! Is that a fuse issue or is there something else at play?
Stepper motors are not a problem, I have changed many of them.
So where do you send it into?
whata the name of ya scanner called cuz i want one just like it
I needed a cluster repair for my 2002 Buick Regal. Check out jeffesortlx on you tube. He is a true professional and you can see his work. Very reasonably priced. I paid both shipping/return and was cheaper than other repair places. He is located in Big, Lake, MN.
Needs new stepper motors. Used to fix hundreds of them for all the different car lots, cars off auction, etc. Found issues with steppers, display controllers, all kinds of different things. Even swapped mileage info between clusters.
My wife had a Buick that had problems with the instrument panel. It also had problems with cruise control and the AC suddenly blowing out hot air. Dealer wanted $900 to repair instrument panel. I told my wife to bring it home and let me look at it first. All was wrong were a few bad solder joints. I resoldered them and never had any more problems.
Every time I watch your videos I cry.
Thanks Eric!!
maybe that Buick has some fancy new time travel technology,,,
"Were sittin' in da ay doin' a buck twenty in da buick!" I freaking love it.
The cluster in my 70 Satellite is also dead but I can't find the scan tool plug! What to do???
I always laugh at the 140 MPH speedometer. Doesn't the fuel cut at a touch over 100? Most modern cars I've driven have. My Silverado used to cut at 99 … until I tweaked the computer with Hypertech. I just did it just to know I can – I never exceed the speed limit. 😁
Pretty much every GM I've owned from my '85 Monte forward has had crappy fuel and voltage gauges. A GM staple. My '88 S15 used to move around so much, you'd have to average the movement. When it stopped moving, you were out of gas. 😂
Just went from that crappy VW to a RX350 with a locked ignition. Had to drag it onto my trailer with the winch, after painstakingly lining up the trailer perfectly with the rear … since there is NOWHERE to hook onto this toilet from the front. I just realized that interior panel removal is my most hated job on the planet. I'd rather have back to back root canals done at the dentist – that's less stressful! 🤣
Have you heard of using a magnet to reset the stuck gauge's on these buicks? Try it if you haven't changed the cluster yet
Looking forward to the follow up video on this one!
So many gm automobiles from the 90's on have electronics with the tiniest bit of solder on every part of the circuit boards. Everything from the gauge cluster, the wiper motor to the climate control, much of it made my ITT america.
I've seem these things stop working completely or partially, but by removing the module in question and touching each connection with an extra tip of solder seemed to fix very nearly every electrical problem associated with those modules, unless it was the body computer of course.
If the bulbs aren't blown, that generation of HVAC controllers have a few large resisters in them that break their solder connections over time. You will see the heat discoloration around them. Usually simply reflowing the solder on these will bring the display and lights back to life.
But can she do it??
Sometimes the needles get stuck Id try using a magnet and see if you can physically move the needle back to its resting place. Then start it up see if they move.
Eric O. I have had code p0455 on my 05 Lesabre for 4 years. Replaced gas cap, fuel tank pressure sensor, canister vent valve, and purge valve. Yes I know its the parts cannon( I know better now) I actually found your videos while trying to solve this problem. Code keeps coming back. Only two things I can know left is hoses or fuel tank fill tube but it looks good. But seriously WTH?! What could it be? I hear 2 clicks from the canister vent valve, and within 30 seconds the code sets. Happens that way every time.
Its funny that you say that the Lesabre clusters are problematic because i looked at an 05 Lesabre for sale last year. Car was pretty solid, and clean for a $1800 car with 216K on it. Out of curiousity i ran a VIN check on the car, and it turns out that the mileage recorded annually seemed way off than present mileage which told me the cluster was probably replaced with one from a salvage yard. Also i was really wary about the color of the coolant in the radiator since it was brownish colored, but the oil was clean which possibly could rule out bad gaskets. No visible coolant leaks around the intake manifold either which tells me the intake gaskets were probably replaced already. I ended up buying my brothers truck since i already knew the history of it, but if i came across a great deal on a clean solid 3800 Lesabre i might consider it. FYI Youtuber bah53 has some pretty good videos on his experiences with the 3800 powered Buicks.
Hey if They didnt fail I'd be slow at work .
I was gonna say… "Didn't these get made during the stepper motor debacle?"
Had this happen on the 2002 Lesabre. With the ignition off, I placed a magnet on the front of the speedometer, and slowly (and carefully) moved the speedo needle back to 0. With the fuel gauge I moved the fuel needle to E. When I turned the ignition back on, everything was restored, and pointing to the correct position. This was not my idea, I learned it from UXWBill. Awesome video as always!
Guaranteed diagnosis steps…. 1) take your mechanic's diagnosis and put in a double shredder. 2) take vehicle to SMA. 3) pay Mrs. O 4) Enjoy life
I rebuild those.
Nice man! That classic reach around will get you every time lol
I don't know how much more GM bashing I can take. Wait a minute I can be a Ford guy also so I'm all good.
a GM with a bad cluster??? is that a common thing?? big surprise lol
If I remember correctly, you can individually sweep the gauges with a Tech2 or the Tech2Win software; I would not be surprised if your new Bosch scan tool supports the GM MDI interface; which means you could buy the Tech2Win software and have the same diagnostics capability that you have with 90s to mid 00s Chryslers from owning a DRBIII.
Cool
When my father had a 94 LeSabre the gauge cluster once started "floating" to other speeds while he was driving. He'd go 50 and it'd casually stroll to 100 and back down, or down to zero and back up. That car had a lot of intermittent problems.
You take me back to my formative years, If the the cars a rockin don't come knockin. Ah, the good old days!
Eric,
Great video – thank you! Id be curious if you can fix thodse HVAC control backlights or do you replace the entire unit?
SMA#1
God bless
Paul
All the PATRIOTS bought these cars new because they swore up and down they would never give any money to any "Jap" car company. Look at the junk these things turned out to be. I invite people to go to a nearby junkyard and look at all the "country of origin" on the parts in these things. My '02 Bonneville had Singapore printed on the original, failed fuel sender. The taillights in the Regal I had(before I swore off mid-2000's GM's forever) had Korea embossed on the taillights, and I've seen Delco speakers made in Japan. People are so fooled by this crap. If United Radio didn't have GM, Ford and Mopar electronics to repair they would go bankrupt.
got involved with a somewhat similar problem on an 05 Buick Century I had.The indicator for gear selection and the milege indicator wouldn't light up and because no milage was indicating the car couldn't pass its inspection and be used on the road. Did some research and found out there are four tiny diodes (poorly connected by what they called soldering,,lousy job of it) Got the diodes from an electrical supply outlet,,changed them out and,,,all good,problem solved. had to remove the cluster to the extent I could lay it down sort of on the steering column to desolder and solder new diodes in.
05 Lesabre! Those things are indestructible.
Send the cluster to jeffescortlx for repair, watch some of his videos. Very good electronic guy.
Eric O. is becoming a YouTube legend Top Gun.
I'm a GM guy and I concur on the fuel level sensor as being junk. Almost every GM car I've had needed the fuel sensor replaced. And the sad thing it's not a cheap repair. I was able to make the repair myself on a Grand Prix I had because there was access to it from the trunk. Why don't they do that on all cars………..oh yeah revenue stream.
I think on Dodges you can hold the trip reset and key on and it will do a cluster sweep.
Great video. Nice to know United Radio does repairs. Hard to find good repair electronic centers.
Delphi garbage with TWO check engine lights…