Hi, new here from the Red Line forums. I have an '04 RedLine that I bought new in Nov '04.

Last Pctober, I started having an issue that persisted throughout the winter. Some may be familiar with my "saga" from the other board. In cooler temps, below 50, and with a cold motor, my car sputters at startup and sometimes stalls. It has been in and out of the dealer, they were given a final repair attempt, that failed and to see if it failed, they sent out an engineer as a final solution.

His response? This is normal for this motor. He said all Cobalts do it as well. So, anyone here who's motor is not sputtering and blowing black smoke at cold starts, your car is broken. I'm so lucky that my car is one of only a couple that are running correctly...

Video of what happens...

http://www.we-todd-did-racing.com/we...EzZGZkMzF5NTQx

All I have asked for was to have my car run correctly. I think they are trying to get out of a buy back or replacement, which would be the next step. But I still have not given them that letter. just wanted my car fixed...

Thanks, Kirt

 

Yep, that sounds familiar. Mine does it too. I even got the GM reflash and it didn't help. As a matter of fact the problem worsened until it did it all of the time. And finally it died. Last Friday. Still don't know what the problem is. Guess instead of being mad that my car's in the shop again I should be grateful that according to the engineer they sent to you it's running like normal.

 

Mine does the same thing. its on its way to being lemon lawed. My car stalled it sputtered so bad the other day. and everytime i get first get on the gas is blows black smoke out the tailpipe. I think i will be glad to just see this car go away. Nothing but problems...

 

Take out your sparkplugs and look at them. GM service techs are a joke. I ended up fixing my own misfiring issue by changing my fouled plugs after taking it in and being told there was nothing wrong.... I only had 5000 miles on my car.... I told them to look at the spark plugs and they looked at everything but that. they even blamed it in my CAI. Said and I quote "Your sucking in more air into the engine and the fuel cant compensate so the car is misfiring" ARE YOU F'ING SERIOUS? anyway long story short new sparkplugs problem gone.

oh and I dont have that problem... and I think the main guy was being sarcastic.

 

God I hope mine's not headed down the same path...this is the second attempt to fix the same problem. I love the car, and this is one of the very few problems I've had with it.

 

I hope for your sake too. Ive had a rubbing sound in the rear that has been "fixed" 4 times and is going back again, two brake problems, the sunroof switch bezel twice, the leather on the door panel twice, this sputtering problem 3 times, and that is just what i can think of off the top of my head.

 

! t iPlease avoid all inclusive staements!! I'm a GM service tech and i take MUCH offense to your comment!

If you do a search, they are working on a couple of engineereing/pcm reflash fixes for these issues.

ANYTIME you alter a stock set-up, be preparred to hear about it as i get it everyday!

 

I've got the door panel leather issue (the proper piece is not out yet for the SS/SC, some places can make it work with the part for the 2.2), a sunroof rattle, a dash rattle, no high beams from time to time, and a suspension squeak/thump in the front. The first dealer I took it to didn't even look at anything I told them to look at, so I don't consider it to be "properly" looked at yet.

Xenozx, what plugs did you put in? Same as stock or different?

 

IM sorry man but the majority of service techs (actuall all of them) have been ass holes. They have so many cars come in and out they dont spend the time to properly diagnose your issue. Had this been your doctor and they diagnosed you with a flu instead of some major disease you would be pissed and probably seek legal action, yet its OK for your service tech to pawn an issue off on something hes knows damn well isnt the problem. Hell he freakin installed it....

Nissan service techs are just as bad though....

Maybe you are the exception to the rule, but thats what I've seen from my POV. Has anyone had good experiences with their service techs? Maybe 1 in a 1000....

If you doing your **** right you know you are so pat your self on the back, if your not you know that too and you know I am right im my call out.

AlleyCat
I used some autolites from autozone. they checked the computer and they said they worked for my car, I put them in took 5 minutes. I have a thread on here with pictures of both my new and old plugs. After that my problem was gone. I even gained more power and quicker start ups.

My dad was like "its those cheap ass jap plugs LOL. Hes an old as man who has been arround cars forever, and he couldnt believe GM used non american plugs.

 

Yeah, my tech is knowledgeable, and knows when he does not know. I've always seen that as the sign of a good mechanic. Once the car stupmed him, he admitted it and called in the GM techline people. They kept telling him to clean the upper by running a fuel cleaner through it. Well, that didn't work. Nothing worked.

I just think it's odd that they accepted a final repair attempt and now are trying to get out of it by saying that it is normal, instead of admitting that there is an issue with the car.

If it was normal, why did they keep trying to fix it. Why did they want to see the valves? Once they saw that there were no deposits on them and could find nothing, they just declared it "normal"

And to actually say that all these motors are doing this... I know one other RedLine owner in canada that is having the issue...

Plugs have been changed a couple times. Injectors, rail, tank inspected, pump checked, filter. I think it has something to do with how dman rich it runs. They admit that at least, that it runs rich...

 

I've actually had 0 problems with the service techs where I take my car and I've been dealing with them since before I bought the Cobalt. I used to live out of town and would make the hour drive and drop my car off there since never once did they fail to diagnose the issue...and the Cavy had a few bizarre ones misfiring/stalling consistently was one of them. They always took the time to look into it and let me know what was going on.

 

Yea I guess it all depends on the place and the people. Round here everyones an ass hole. My breaks are freaked. Rotors warped and they test drove my car and said "oh it only happends when your going above 60. It will have to get worse and then you can bring it back to us and we will fix it"

I was like WTF!

I dont care what speed my steering wheel and car starts shaking from, its a problem you need to fing fix it....

Nucar Service in Delware SUCKS!

 

Mine sputters on cold mornings sometimes. Seems like just on wet cold mornings though. Usually goes away within five minutes. I just figured it was because I don't have the lid on my aribox.