Posted on 06/19/2002 9:27:46 PM PDT by Canticle_of_Deborah
I have a Firebird which is nine years old. Tonight I was driving it and the whole car started shaking, the base, the steering wheel, everything. I could still steer it but not well. The low traction light came on the dashboard. I slowed it down, then the light went off and I was able to drive it normally again. Scared the heck out of me but I made it home okay.
A couple of weeks ago the ABS INOP light came on but I haven't had anything happen associated to this. I took it to the mechanic and got a few suggestions but no one has been able to give me any solid ideas as to what is going on. Several years back the airbag light came on and it's never gone off. They told me it was probably the sensor but they'd have to take the car apart to get at the piece and it would cost me a pretty good amount. I've heard these cars eventually have problems with the electrical systems and I'm wondering if this is it. Lots of weird little things like this but tonight's episode was major. I can't buy another car and the way this seems, I don't know if I'm going to have the money to fix this. It seems like a big thing. Help!!
I'm not an expert mechanic or even a good shadetree mechanic, and I know approximately zip about your GM F-body (other than having driven a Camaro once). But the shaking thing sounds like it could be serious, no telling what it was. How fast were you going -- 90? 50?
Loss of ABS is Not Good. You didn't say how your braking system is working since the light came on, but you need to get that serviced pronto. Don't take it to a dealer. Take it to someone who has modern diagnostic equipment and who was recommended to you by someone you know personally and who has had his or her car worked on by that mechanic for some time. Do not rely on the Yellow Pages or dealer/mechanic networks; you will be skinned. And whoever you do call -- call the BBB first, and yes I mean it, no really I mean it. Call them first. I once almost got toasted for several hundred by a firm I'd done business with for over ten years, but got careless and didn't check up on their current BBB record. Big mistake. Super hassle, unless you like writing long, involved, fully-documented letters to credit-card companies about letters they apparently didn't understand or act on the first time you wrote them a long, involved letter. If you get my drift.
amen
You say it was hard to steer. Was this because the steering wheel was actually difficult to turn or because it was shaking while driving?
If hard to turn, check your power steering pump, the belt that drives it or the fluid within the reservoir. If the wheel was actually shaking, especially with the same frequency as the rest of the shaking of the base, do not drive that car until the front end is raised and both wheels checked for lose lugs or axle problems such as bearings and such. [my 25 cents :-)]
First, take out fuse to turn off warning light.
Second, go to the nearest auto dealer.
Third, accept 400 dollars on the trade-in value.
Fourth, purchase 1 year old used F150 4x4 with a Magnum v8.
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Seriously though, it sounds like it could be a front-end differential problem. Nothing to mess around with. Best of luck.
BTW, as to my qualifiactions, I am not a mechanic. But, I play one on TV.
But don't fall for the old "Gee, lady, your tie-rod ends are bent!" trick. Someone tried that on me 15 years ago, I had heard of the ploy and told him do not, under any circumstances, replace that tie rod. Dishonest shop managers are always looking for unnecessary repairs to make. This was a Western Auto in Houston. Make a note: All tie-rods have bent ends. Make them commit to telling you , in front of witnesses, that your tie-rods are damaged and need R&R. Then it's fraud if it turns out to be bogus.....oh, and tell them you want your original parts back for the insurance, or for your kids to play with -- whatever. But make them bag up and return your "bad" parts.
But get that looked at -- if the front suspension is damaged, you need to do something about that now.
A small bubble can cause the steering problems and if you keep driving on one that's separating you can probably count on a blowout.
I'm only driving it in town now and I was only going 20-30 mph. I was just leaving the post office.
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