Ok. So here's the story:

We traded in our 07 Solstice on Saturday 5/19. We purchased an 09 Cobalt SS/TC. The car came with an "128 point inspection" from the dealership. The dealership said it ran well so we test drove it and were happy with. Signed the paperwork and drove off with it same day.

Moving forward, the following Tuesday (3 days later), while driving home from work, the car starts jerking and almost bucking-like. When we slow down the car sputters and stalls out. We turn off the car and turn it back on and we get it home. It does the same thing the next day and then the CEL light comes on. We take it to Autozone to read the CEL and it comes back with code p0101.

That Wednesday we take it to the dealership to have it checked out. Of course, they keep it overnight only to tell us the next day that "there's nothing wrong with the car and the car runs just fine and there were some history codes that were cleared" We drive it home and for the most part it does ok. We get it home and it's doing the same thing.

We look at it Thursday and Friday and can't figure out why it's doing this. We checked the carfax given to us at the dealership and notice that both the MAP and MAF sensors have been replaced several times.

We checked the MAF sensor, take it out and clean it. After putting it back in we take it for a test drive and it works well. Then the car does it again. We noticed when we were putting the screws back in for the MAF sensor that they just spin after a certain point and the sensor itself is loose. So we put sealant around it and zip tie it as tight as we can and the car ran just fine. Then the zip ties came loose and of course the car does it again.

So we replaced the MAF sensor and zip tie is as tight as we can but we don't put the sealant around it. The car is STILL doing this.

Any ideas or suggestions?

 

you probably have a boost leak somewhere... Is the balt stock? if you have aftermarket pipes, check the connections, if its stock, check the intercooler out, you might have a crack or hole somewhere

 

the balt is stock except for an exhaust that was on the car when we bought it. I think i also spotted and aftermarket AEM rubber hose but it wasn't a very large piece.

if it was a boost leak will it still be getting boost while driving? when we are driving our boost gauge will show that we have up to 20psi.

 

yea, it doesnt sound like it's a huge leak, since the problems are intermittent.. if anything, check your intercooler out to make sure nuthins busted

 

I might not be able to check it until later but i'll keep everyone updated.

It's just frustrating because we just bought this car last week. And they promised us it drove well. Plus it seems like when we zip tied it, it worked just fine until the zip ties came loose. So we were sure that it was just a loose sensor that was causing an air leak but now after zip tying it again tight and it's still doing it, we're frustrated and unsure

 

check evap solinoid or whatever itscalled on the intake mani mine did the exact same thing and it was loose and also thewires ofmy map and maf were pulled out of thesensors

 

Hold on, wait.

Read what you wrote.

The MAF was loose. You try to tighten it and the screw spins. It's stripped. You tighten the MAF with zip ties and the car runs good. The MAF loosens, the car doesn't run good. Tighten - good. Loose - not good.


What more do you need to know?

 

well we fixed the car. looks like it was the loose maf sensor as well as a bad TMAP.

at least it runs now lol

 

Get bigger screws for the maf sensor. Was there bolts or screws in the intake tube for the maf sensor? It should be semi coarse thread screws.