The Computer Took Over this Buick!!! HOW?

[@martinlazar9420]

Passing the savings onto your customer is a true class act. Wish all shops were like yours.

[@cheftomsd]

A lot of shops are out for max. bucks now. Honesty pays off in dividends of loyal customers who tell friends about you and come back for years. The shop makes more in the long run without screwing people. Such a concept, Honesty pays.

[@canadianintheukbrian]

Even here in the UK you might get the odd decent garage that actually cares for the customer they release word of mouth of giving great service helps a business instead of trying to rip off customers off

[@Cassinspace]

And he's passing this little trick on to us, to the delight of a dozen LaCrosse owners!

[@Jeffrey-t8g]

I've bypassed stupid designs for 50 years. If it was my car I might put a toggle switch on the fans. A Country Boy Can Survive 🤠.

[@SeattleSoulFan]

That's the sort of thing my garage in Seattle would do. I've been taking my cars to them for 20 years.

[@miketeeveedub5779]

Buick ECM: "Engine not up to temperature? Better turn on the cooling fans! Vehicle turned off? Still going to run the cooling fans until the battery is dead! Problem solved!" 🤣

[@larryjohns8823]

The programmers doing the code for the ECM had little understanding temperature and fan function.😮

[@jesusmercado6947]

It’s a really stupid design

[@scgamer2442]

It's because it doesn't know what the coolant temperature is. It puts the fans on to prevent a chance of over heating. Not a stupid design at all. Killing your battery is better than killing your engine.

[@glennfields8121]

HaHa, shame on the customer for buying GM crap cars!

[@MattExzy]

It makes a tiny little bit of sense if it had lost *all* temperature readings, and had that as a failsafe. But yeah, how very bizarre, and dare I say 'lazy' programming. Since that also then, as shown, can leave the driver with a flat battery - so a whole new big problem as well.

[@graze105]

The timing chain issues with the 3.6 liter were fixed around 2012. Chain design and chain supplier were changed as well as the design issues that starved the system of oil. Most of the old chain stretch problems stemmed from oil neglect and overheating problems.

[@atx-cvpi_99]

There are some instances where some 2013 and 2014 models had timing chain problems particularly on the Traverse, Acadia, and Enclave because they still used different heads that have external exhaust manifolds.

[@g-mang-man7924]

Local Chevy dealer STILL has an entire technician bay with 20 3.6's. They stock 30 of them

[@LS1007]

Good to know. I have a 2013 Cadillac ATS4 Performance 3.6. 🤞🏻

[@Jeff-sp7bg]

GM never fixes anything thetes always some bs problem with something thats why theyre failing. People got fedup with being ripped off

[@scewston420]

Gonna have to disagree, buddy

[@twentyeightmcd]

I had two GM's with 3800 engines. Yes they are super reliable and bulletproof.

[@RobertMesa-fu9oy]

I have a 97 Buick regal LS with that engine not a bad beater car

[@madmike2624]

The world needs more honesty like the Wizard has!!!~ Bravo!!~

[@ericcarl5253]

Exactly the same thing happened on my 2017 Chevy Tahoe. Fans would keep running even after turning the engine off it would never get warm. After some KZbin videos lol found out it was a common problem. Was the thermostat and temperature sensor. Everybody said to replace both at the same time.Luckily on mine, they are both easy to get to. So far about $75 and about an hour of my time it was fixed haven’t had a problem since. Knock on wood.

[@Dingus04]

same with our 2017 GMC Yukon Denali on a family road trip from Cali to Florida, Driving through Amarillo Texas and noticed the truck sounded like a vacuum cleaner, my coolant temp was cold,and the check engine light was on. Reading the codes gave me a faulty temp sensor. went to NAPA auto parts, got the sensor, a thermostat and some Dexcool. After 45 mins at a Love’s travel stop, i cleared the codes and problem solved, 297k miles and still running strong! I love our truck! Just thought i would mention, GM puts a protection mode in the PCM that essentially sets the fans to full blast all the time and leaves em running for 1 min after shutting the truck off. The truck has to assume worst case scenario if it doesn’t know the coolant temp! To reset this protection mode, just disconnect the battery while changing the sensor, or disconnect it for 1 min after doing the work.

[@ericcarl5253]

@@Dingus04 I love the truck too, but I’m just really scared of the lifters problem. The active fuel management. Hope that never happens knock on wood.

[@ozarkliving7263]

What an awful vehicle

[@ozarkliving7263]

@@Dingus04a terrible vehicle

[@Oh-That-Guy-Again]

If the computer does not know its temperature then it is smart to put the fans on. Not dumb, but smart.

[@brianwhitney9181]

Wizard once again shows what an honest shop does for it's customers.

[@MrTilbin]

Lol lol lol lol lol lol

[@brianwhitney9181]

The best marketing is word of mouth from your customers.

[@Redeeminglightasmr]

He runs an honest shop. My favorite automotive channels are Car Wizard, Daves Auto and NZ Diagnostics!

[@stevenrichard6226]

Yep daves auto is a good one too

[@alanwilson7792]

...and M539 Restorations :)

[@legitautotech]

I actually just found NZ Diagnostics channel recently too he seems to be honest and knowledgeable as well. Hopefully his channel will get more views, it's definitely underrated. I like Car Ninja too. Johnny is awesome 😎

[@gtmonyfckbtchs]

South main auto for the win folks

[@legitautotech]

@@gtmonyfckbtchs yeah, South Main is good too 👍

[@vincezab1]

This Buick is a surprisingly nice car that has held up incredibly well.

[@syloui]

The last gen lacrosse (in the us) is actually really nice, they even have Aisin transmissions from Lexus. Unfortunately they were overpriced for what they were and they sold only like 70k of them in the 3 years it was available (in the us) so they were deleted when GM decided Americans don't want sedans anymore. They still sell like hotcakes in China though so they got the next generation

[@jtbDDOepMNNVIpk]

I get the logic. The ECU gets an odd temp reading. If the temp sending unit is bad, the car could be overheating and the ECU wouldn’t know to turn on the fans. So it turns them on to be safe. Dead battery is safer then toasted head gasket (or worse)

[@troyjollimore4100]

That kind of thinking isn't dramatic enough to get Da Viewz, though...

[@marko7843]

Yes, that's a valid statement when the car is running. But when the engine is shut off, there should be no worry about overheating...

[@volvo09]

​@@marko7843yeah a 5 minute timer would be all that is needed. No need to kill the battery.

[@scgamer2442]

Few people seem to understand this! Thank you

[@marko7843]

@@volvo09 I wonder if this thing's programmed in normal conditions to run the fans after the ignition is turned off in the summer? It's been a very long time since I walked past an empty car that had the fans running... and my Buick always kills them with the ignition.

[@rosenraikov]

It's so strange to see a normal car among all of the crazy cars in your shop. It's cool that you still take regular cars and not just the special ones.

[@volvo09]

This person was a neighbor, but it is still good to see regular cars in the shop. Exotics don't really appeal to me on the repair side, but I get it business wise since he has the crew, and they take their time rather than slamming cars through.

[@Cwh19xx]

I love my 2013 Lacrosse 🤷‍♂️ they're comfortable & have plenty of power... It's been reliable & rides like a dream. It also has it's own unique style unlike many newer cars.

[@rogerwatson2255]

So the fans running aren’t the only symptom of a bad thermostat on a GM. My son had (actually still has) a Pontiac G6 3.5 liter that he bought used as a junior in high school in 2016 with like 70,000 miles. When he was a senior he told me one day that all of a sudden the fans were just running on full blast all the time. But he also said the air conditioning didn’t work. After doing some quick online research I found out the air conditioning shut down is also part of GMs strategy to put the car in self preservation mode. It puts to a minimum any sort of load on the engine because like Mr Wizard says, the car doesn’t know exactly what is going on so it tries to save itself. Replaced the thermostat (not fun on that car either) and problem solved. That car is still running like a champ with 200,000 miles. He did, however, just replace the plug wires and plugs because it was running a bit rough. The plugs were terrible. The electrodes were all but gone. The gap was ridiculous. I don’t know how it was still running. Runs like new again now. So lesson here. Don’t wait to 200,000 miles to change plugs 🙂

[@garyalford9394]

You were lucky it did not burn out the coils or computer drivers !

[@volvo09]

​@@garyalford9394 yeah, worn plugs place increased load on the coils since they have to generate a higher voltage before the spark jumps the gap, which can break down the insulation of the hair thin wire coils inside the pack.

[@robertveronese4405]

Plugs at most last 100k!

[@mlyssy2]

Now this is why the Wizard is so beloved not only by us, his KZbin followers, but by his customers. I have only met one mechanic here in Houston that will try and save his customers money. He works with cab fleets most of the time and he understands that the individual customer doesn’t always have those deep of pockets so he’s always willing to work something out to make sure he helps the little guy! Thanks for being one of those guys Wizard and y’all have a Merry Christmas!

[@Randyplaysguitars]

Took me a whole weekend to replace the thermostat on my 2009 Cadillac SRX 3.6. The engine is rear wheel drive position and the thermostat is behind the engine next to the firewall.

[@volvo09]

That sucks!

[@Jeff-sp7bg]

Typical GM junk

[@moniack]

Yea, I did it on my LFX '14 CTS 6 years ago and it was not fun.

[@ianmontgomery7534]

That sounds like it the same as an Aussie Commodore - they are a real pain to replace.

[@Myrune1]

Wow, kudos to you. Sometimes I think you overcharge, but if this is your standard strategy, you're welcome to it. Bravo!

[@paulfarber701]

I have that same car. 2017 premium awd. The 3.6 was completely redesigned for that model year. Seemed to have fixed all the issues from the previous generation. That same issue happened to my car. Was repaired under warranty. The outside temp sensor and thermostat failure. Fixed the issue. There was a TSB and a common issue.

[@matthewstaugler]

Same. Have a '17 Premium and had this happen, dealer took care of it under the powertrain warranty. Disappointed wizard keeps bemoaning the 3.6L, especially the final gen version. They're wonderful vehicles.

[@paulfarber701]

@matthewstaugler i only purchased this car because the engine was fully redesigned addressing all of the issues with the prior generation. I am still concerned about the AFM and start stop systems on longevity but it's a stong engine. The car is beautiful and special.

[@matthewstaugler]

@@paulfarber701 agree, I'm hoping it's as durable as my other GM 3.6s. it was a wards 10 best when it debuted. This is my fourth high feature V6 I've owned and they all been relatively reliable, so I'm expecting the same with the upgraded design.

[@thevacdude]

The LY7's were the 3.6's with the timing chain issues. The LLT's and LFX's, like in this one, are fine. Basically anything from like '04-'09.

[@thevacdude]

@ You want the 3.4

[@robertwhall]

I have an LGX 3.6 in my ‘19 CT6. Been trouble free so far.

[@matthewstaugler]

​@@robertwhall this lacrosse has the LGX as well. Phenomenal engine.

[@toxiclovept]

This chassis in europe is Opel Insignia from 2016-2017 era, with the digital display.

[@koopakoop]

it does look like a rebadged Opel Insignia. The back is pretty much the exact same too.

[@williamegler8771]

The Regal is a rebadged Opel Insignia and the vehicle in the display is a generic image.

[@tbm7301]

@@koopakoop they imported these vehicles from opel in Germany (back when Opel was a GM brand) and rebadged them as buick for sale in the North American market.

[@mmllmmll22]

​@@tbm7301I don't understand about that. You mean that Saturn Sky and Opel GT with 2.0T are from same factory? Just with different badges? Thats not possible! Awawawa. Lol, jk. This is common. Like... Saab in EU with LS. 9-7X which is based on TrailBlazer, Envoy, Bravada etc. Yes, it was avilable in EU, but made mostly for US market. Then we have "GM" car, Saab 9-2X. And You're goin lookin for parts at.. Subuwu. It is 99% Subaru Impreza GD in station-wagon. Also a lot of EU Opels/Vauxhalls(Opel but in UK) were in AU market with different names. Ford also did that in some models. EU Ford Sierra? No, thats Mercur XR4Ti. Ford Mondeo of 5th generation? Well.. check out Ford Fusion from 2012 and up. Basically they are the same cars. Cheers. :>

[@garyalford9394]

Would never own any vehicle with a digital dash after having one once ! would shut off for no reason !

[@dougsalzwedel8678]

This is a common GM issue. I had the same low engine temperature problem on my chev truck. Just replaced the coolant temperature sensor and thermostat last week. Super easy repair. Only took me 20 minutes to replace both myself.

[@donaldharen]

I've been subscribed for awhile now and am impressed with your honesty. It's really difficult in this day and age to find repair facilities that can be trusted! Kudos to you for being one of the few "good guys."

[@hirisk761]

as soon as you said 3.6 all i heard was doom music

[@garyalford9394]

For Chrysler Penstar 3.6 as well !!

[@camaromodschannel]

he calls them trash..LOL

[@paulprice5466]

The SAAB 9-5 done exactly the same thing from as far back as 1998. Better to keep the engine too cool than melting bits.

[@JamesSterling]

Two things. The 2017 3.6 V6 was redesigned with a less complex timing chain than the one you don't recommend. As soon as you described the fan staying on I knew it was the thermostat. I have 2017 GMC Canyon with 132,000 miles. The only problem I have had is the thermostat causing the fan to run. My thermostat replacement was easy. I did it in 20 minutes. Spark plug replacement is a pain however......intake removal required.

[@jeremiahlyleseditor437]

Good Video. You're right about the Charcoal Canister and also you should have mentioned the same about the oil filter. Terrible place for that without a belly pan especially since a rock puncturing that on a long trip could cause the destruction of the car. Terrible design. That customer was lucky. Some cars are worse.

[@clsickspeed904]

As a tech I love the updated design...the old ones, especially FWD and/or SUV 3.6L u have to reach down and burn the ever loving shit out of yourself to remove oil filter because the exhaust is literally right next to it(also probably not great for oil temps). Newer design is very similar to RWD LS design they've been using for 20+ yrs and have never heard of an oil filter being taken out in any of them due to location of oil filter. I suppose it could happen on a slammed vehicle that is inches from the ground, but not likely.

[@sandybrown7730]

10:30 "It's not a very good strategy" - as compared to the alternative of letting the engine overheat?! Yeah, your idea is waaaay better.. 😂

[@UKAbandonedMineExplores]

"Cars all look the same these days" is not a new thing. My parents used to say the same in the 80s and 90s, all cars from an era tend to look the same as it goes on what the consumer wants.

[@Sourman1545]

yea... the mid 90s is where I lost alot of respect for designers. they have zero imagination and zero desire to actually try. There a are a few stand outs like in anything else but gone are the days of cars actually looking good. just give me a time machine and send me back to the 60s

[@dcole9589]

Cars since the 80s have all looked alike, hideous.

[@jacobyo99]

@@Sourman1545It took you until the mid 90s to come to that conclusion? Every single car in the 80s looked exactly the same. 3 rectangles.

[@Sourman1545]

@@jacobyo99 but those looked good i give those a pass. if i cant have a 50-60's era car give me an 80s chevy anything dont care what

[@MattExzy]

Still, cars to me from 20 or so years ago look somewhat the same as today - they just have bigger, stupider front grills and headlights.

[@ziploc2000]

Given the cheapness of data storage now, it's surprising that cars don't automatically back up data to an SD card for the mechanic/owner to access. But they'll add a karaoke app...

[@MattExzy]

Good point. Flash memory though over the course of the lifetime of a car (let's be ambitious, and say 20 - 30 years, if we're lucky) would possibly become corrupted during that time. Volatile memory that requires power is usually more robust. Although, ironically, now we have very modern brand new cars basically tracking their owner's every move and action, having data sent off somewhere in the cloud.

[@twentyeightmcd]

The reason we have crap for cars today, is that kind of design. The throw away mentality rather than fix it is alive and well.

[@Jeff-sp7bg]

GM has been crap for 50 years

[@digitalrailroader]

I can almost guarantee that the DTC that was there before the customer disconnected the battery was a P0128 “engine not reaching operating temperature” I’m not sure if that DTC in a modern GM is enough to disable remote start, but I know that older GMs on the GMLAN CANBus architecture would disable remote start if there were ANY powertrain DTCs.

[@Randyplaysguitars]

Had the same code and replaced the thermostat. And yes it's super annoying not being able to use my remote start with the check engine light on. Have to keep clearing my p0420 until I decide to replace the cat.

[@RidinDirtyRollinBurnouts]

The v6 camaros are terrible for those and the coolant temp sensor

[@BillGates_Alex]

Diag starts at 8:30, for faulty thermostat

[@comegetsomedude]

Damn Dog! At least say "spoiler alert"!

[@Steve_Smith_141]

But everyone will miss the rare Buick interior walkthrough!

[@kar4tube]

The world needs more Car Wizards! Mad respect for your knowledge and integrity.

[@coyleatkinson]

i had a 17 la crosse, it had the same issue, but gm had a extended warranty for this, its a big job, took the dealer 2 days replace the sensor

[@jazzjokesjalopies]

I’ve learned so much from this channel. 😊

[@barryking4533]

The car wizard rules!!!!!!

[@a.m.9357]

Interior looks far more beautiful than the kangaroo manure in Mercs, BMWs and Audis.

[@wespotter6985]

You are so right about the bad timing for breakdowns, and the shop is always closed, ask me how I know.

[@keithnsearle7393]

How do you know?😊

[@rodneynierman1357]

I have a 2013 lacrosse 3.6 . So far so good at 136000 but I change oil at around 4000 miles because otherwise it is very dirty. Hoping this helps the timing chain problem stay away. Only time will tell.

[@sherryswisher8911]

2017 and later 3.6 is totally new and no issues on chains or carbon. It was a full redesign

[@MrHugemoth]

While watching this it occurred to me that I've never heard the fans come on on my 2018 Versa since I bought it new! Maybe the cold climate where I live.

[@Vincent-ke5zn]

They do take care of their vehicle very well

[@Pozzibilitiiz]

On a lot of newer cars, they will run the engine fans with the vehicle off if the engine is warmed up quite hot, like on a hot summer day. It will run the fans for 5-10 minutes after you walk away and then they turn off when the temperature comes back down. If the thermostat never sees the temperature come down, they'll just keep going and going

[@ToolsPlus-z7k]

Just did a thermostat on one of those 2 weeks ago. Took me less than an hour and get it off Rockauto for $60.

[@josueelombre931]

What a nice looking Buick sedan. Too bad Buick only has boring suvs.

[@Starflare5]

Even though they undid the battery, it should have stored that history code that causes the "Engine Hot A/C Off error" which is technically Engine Thermostat Plausebility Failure. Thank you for showing people an easier way to replace it too.

[@JasPlun]

Like you have said Wizard Plastic is ruining the auto industry. Thank you for being an honest mechanic that is why you have been blessed sir the Lord blesses those that try to do the right things.

[@sayaben]

all of the new chevrolets do this. I see atleast three silverados and sierras a week that have the fans running all because the thermostat is stuck open and the ecu by default doesnt trust the temperature sensor anymore

[@Redeeminglightasmr]

Neil from NZ Diagnostics had a case where he diagnosed a Buick with electrical issues...the battery had leaked out and caused all the issues.

[@garyalford9394]

They also make crappy expensive batteries now also !

[@an3ony]

These cars are so good looking. I almost pulled the trigger on a wagon version until I saw Wiz's vid on the 3.6 and sprinted away from that deal

[@rogerwatson2255]

I have a 2018 La Crosse. Believe it or not they made a mild hybrid version (E-assist). I saw it on the lot and thought it was a great looking car. It was used with 18,000 miles. An older couple who owned it had trouble getting in and out of it so they bought an Enclave and traded this in. I went back and forth on the whole hybrid thing. It only has a 2.5 liter 4 cylinder but believe when I say there is no lack of power. When you step on it the E-assist kicks in like a turbo. Dealt with the dealer for weeks. Finally settled on a great price. We’ve had it for 5 years. Flawless car. Rides like butter. Has all the lights bells and whistles. Even massage seats. And the gas mileage is ridiculous for a car this size. We get a little better than advertised. 36 to 37 mpg on the highway and 30 mpg overall. We hardly do any city only driving. Who knows how long the battery will last. The thing I like about it is if the battery gets weak it will still run. The gas engine is what drives the car. The e-assist is just there for help. The mileage and power will suffer though.

[@an3ony]

@@rogerwatson2255 seriously glad to hear, I love the styling of this car. To me, its one that you'd "look back" at when you've parked it.

[@matthewstaugler]

​@@an3onymy 2017 has been solid, have owned it about 18 months. Had this same thermostat problem that was covered under the powertrain warranty. Really is a phenomenal car.

[@SIERRA-dx9wm]

You run honest shop 👍🇺🇸

[@internationalhiphopscreenw7866]

This is one of your greatest videos ever car wizard

[@blahblahh7249]

car wizard 🧙‍♂️ for president

[@Primus54]

Question for viewers: GM has been using the 3.6L VVT well over a decade in millions of cars, including Cadillacs, sedans, and SUVS/Crossovers. The Wizard mentions timing chain issues. What are the other problems with it and how could these issues go on for years without GM getting hammered in the press with negative publicity?

[@billhammon]

My 2017 Colorado has this issue. It will eventually throw a P0128 code. It only happens when the outside temperatures start to get cold. Fans on full blast, but it does time out after 10 minutes or so. Two other symptoms appear, temp gauge remains at the minimum, and the AC compressor will not engage. Resetting the DTC temporarily makes the symptom go away. Since I live in Texas, It doesn't pop up that often! I have the replacement thermostat, but haven't been motivated to get under the hood yet!

[@ronseg8779]

Wizard! Que bonito ver, escuchar, y demostrar gente que sabe, denos un buen consejo para nosotros los pobres de latinoamerica

[@matthewhaddon599]

The inside trim is very similar to my Jaguar XF, even the centre cup holder works the same. Well done for saving the customer a few dollars!

[@joeyt6089]

10:41 coolant loss could also cause a low temperature reading. In this case the strategy to run the fans at full blast makes sense in an effort to provide some air cooling.

[@RamiroLomeli-js1wm]

Same happened to my 2018 Cadillac ct6 3.6l around last year. Thankfully it was still under gm warranty some how and Cadillac did it for free

[@royhardy5566]

Hey wizards, that's so cool you find ways to save your customers money. I wish there were a lot more mechanics like you.

[@jamestyndall529]

The thermostat went bad in my 99 Honda CRV it was a 20-minute job to replace it

[@Larry-d1c]

Actually it seems to me the computer logic is covering the case where the temperature sensor has failed. If the sensor is indicating low temp after plenty of warm up time, no way to know what the temperature is so be safe, run the fans. However it does seem like it could shut them off say 10 minutes after the engine is stopped or something.

[@thefalloutshelter7799]

my Audi had the thermostat behind the water pump

[@felipefernandezlomas6770]

Preaching to the choir right there. I had the UK version of this car, the Vauxhall Insignia. Nothing but trouble with it. Finally the infamous oil seal broke on Christmas eve on the way to my Sister's place for Christmas. NEVER EVER again. Great looking car and lovely to drive, but an absolute nightmare

[@kapekodbob]

WOW, I bought a 16 LaCrosse in 22 with 68K and now have 82K am also senioe with no kids at home and the same color. Love the Buick design. It rides great. DW hates it because she is to little for nthis car and has to wiggle to get to the edge of the seat to get out. Coming from a 05 Liberty we bought new and clocked 180K with only normal issues. Traded because of rusted out suspension components and they wanted more money then worth. I have niticed lately not getting hot and will check out fans. My car does have pans. Thanks for posting

[@gadmorskix6883]

The majority of youtube now seems to be an exercise in speaking for the sake of speaking, even when it is not an ai voice. Car Wizard is kinda different mostly telling sensible stories and being informative. I usually politely pass the interior parts, although Mrs. Wizard have excellent and outstanding speaking skills! However it is still an organic part of the series that many may find relaxing and attractive :)

[@indolentcheese]

It's nice to know that even The Wizard utilizes a GM guru occasionally. Sometimes you learn a "hack" when you least expect it.

[@timanglin89]

Very good video. This is why you’re the wizard! I hope everyone with a Buick 3.6 sees this.

[@chrisg1043]

For me it was my 2015 Fiat Neon…. I mean Dodge Dart (ended up getting rid of it) AND my 9 year old GSD (she slipped a disk). Always on holidays…

[@dr.detroit1514]

Good old Murphy's Law rules all. My furnace is an example. Not necessarily on a holiday, but the sintered electric ignitor element in my furnace always seems to go open in the middle of the night of a weekend, always. I can tell because the evacuation motor keeps running and running, but the furnace never fires, and the house starts getting cold. I've been keeping a spare ignitor on hand for many years for such occasions. I just acquired a 2006 Buick Lacrosse CX with the 3.8. It's a very nice car, but I think I caught it just before the rust, especially in the rockers, got bad enough for it to start falling apart. Drilled holes and rust proofed it inside and out with used oil and Fluid Film, hoping to stop the rust and preserve it.

[@buckjones4901]

The computer was programmed by a person, and they decided to just run the fan all the time to be safe if they aren't getting a normal reading from the sensor, overheating is the worse thing that can happen, that would be the reasoning behind it.

[@connor_flanigan]

what's the point in having the fan run after the water pump has stopped?

[@buckjones4901]

@@connor_flanigan A sensor fail or thermostat fail doesn't mean the water pump failed.

[@connor_flanigan]

@@buckjones4901what I meant was, does the water pump also keep running with the fan after you turn the engine off? if not, what's the point in having the fan run?

[@williamjones7821]

I just put a new thermostat in my 2002 plastic 1.9L Saturn SL2 a few weeks ago. The old one had a 1-year warranty, and it lasted 5 days longer than that. If parts are poor quality, we are all going to be replacing them more often.

[@RobertD-y42]

I used to have a Ford Aerostar that broke down 2 times on 2 separate vacations. On 1 of those vacations, I managed to solve the problem and continue on with the vacation. The last time it happened we were on a camping trip and the fuel pump died when we were 20 miles from the nearest phone. There was no cell service in this remote area, and it was a Sunday with most campers heading home. Luckily a retired CHP officer gave us a ride to the nearest pay phone to call a tow truck. He drove us back to the van and waited for the tow truck to show up. I paid to fill his truck with gas and got his address. He got a 2-pound box of See's candy with a thank you card shortly after we got home. After a shop in Truckee replaced the fuel pump, I asked the wife if she wanted to try a 2nd time for the vacation or go home. She chose to go home. That Aerostar was the worst vehicle I have ever owned.

[@garyalford9394]

Terrible to work on that 4.0 v-6 also !

[@marko7843]

There's just something about Donner... I had at least 3 major problems in the motorhome on one trip to CalNeva. (I made sure everything was perfect for the next trip, to Lake Berryessa, so naturally the BOAT rusted through the bottom of the gas tank, and then broke the Morse throttle cable the next day!) 🤬

[@Jeff-sp7bg]

I had a transmission get stuck in 2nd gear on I80 near Auburn,CA. 81 Ford Fairmont station wagon this was 1985 or 86. Worst car ive ever owned. It was just awful lol

[@RobertD-y42]

@@garyalford9394 I replaced the water pump on it once. Afterwards I told the wife it would go to a repair shop from then on.

[@Titanic19127]

The 3.6 got better after 2012 with the LFX and onward. I had a 2013 CTS coupe with one and no issues at all. Yes you still want to always change oil on these, but don’t misinform people. The older 3.6 are the ones with a lot more and fatal issues.

[@mowinkid]

I did that job on a 2018 XT5. I did end up taking off the intake but did the pipe trick. Wasn’t my favorite home project lol

[@nickayivor8432]

Happy Christmas 🎄 Car Wizard

[@jbazanblog]

2 minutes ago Honesty at a car repair shop - well done! I took a car to a local dealer who had one tech work on it for 9 hours but they billed me for 14 hours. I complained. The manager simply shrugged his shoulders. I decided not to sue but take my business elsewhere. That dealership lost my business for the last 25 years.

[@gordonstarship]

Very cool video. I love that you put the effort in, to save your customer money.

[@atx-cvpi_99]

11:11 the EcoTec family of inline 4 cylinder engines from 2000-2017 is even worse. It’s in the back of the engine and it’s a PITA to get to. Correct me if I’m wrong but the thermostat on the GM Kappa cars are easier to get to because it’s a RWD drivetrain. My mom’s Equinox is starting to turn the fans on right after the car turns off. It doesn’t happen all the time though. Unfortunately, the 2015 Equinox needs a thermostat which is behind the engine. Taking the intake off is not a big deal if you know what you’re doing. Take the GM LS Gen III engines for example, it’s really not that hard to replace the knock sensors on them. 9:33 the Chevrolet Equinox with the 2.4 is listed on the papers that the Car Wizard showed you.

[@tg8150]

You almost had it but you’re still off on the 3.6. The 2017 Acadia saw a different design. It’s no longer a problem. Please update your internal hard drive and stop bad mouthing these new GM 3.6’s. However, the thermostat issue is real. GM needs to recall all of these for thermostat. Edit- the belly pan has been removed. It had one.

[@vermontguy7692]

An $800 thermostat job? What were the engineers at GM thinking! You never run into bull crap like this on a Camry or a Corolla! Thanx, Wizard! 😁

[@damianpasour]

I seen a similar thing happen on a Cadillac XT5 3.6 V6 the fans would come on and stay on and it ended up being a thermostat I thought the same thing very strange how it can cause this 🤷‍♂️

[@Barbarapape]

I wonder what the average milage is for the thermostat failing at. could it be about 80k ? Modern cars are desgined to fail, owning one that is out of warranty is asking for expensive trouble as they approach 100k miles. Audi's and BMW's are realy bad for this, even the latest Toyota's are going that way.

[@OwenPoley]

Just did one on a xt5 Cadillac 3.6 same set up. Dealer quoted 1,200. Took 45 minutes tops. I charged 120.00 and put a new temp sensor and MAP sensor on. Crazy how the newer car are put together.

[@jeffjankiewicz5100]

This is why I still drive a 1991 Silverado, it`s not a rolling computer and I can fix it. Hard to screw up a 350sbc of that era. But I wish I could find an honest mechanic like you near me in Pa, I`m getting too old for this and my arthritis does not allow me to do a lot anymore.

[@jeepinintexas6215]

The TBI 350 is gutless but they are simple. I had a 95 Silverado that was in great shape, original paint that was faded or oxidized, engine and transmission with 190k miles. Then some stupid UPS driver punk kid pulled out into traffic onto the main road right as I was coming upon that side street and I didn't have time to stop. I hit him at about 40 mph and it totalled my truck. I had plans on swapping a 6.0 LS into that truck.

[@jwdickieson]

The Chevy 3800 was such a great engine to work on it seemed like everything was easily reachable

[@jaguar7051]

Those cooling Fans are driven by PWM Modules When becomes missing PWM puls from ECU (Computer) fan runs forever. Smarter Engineers project control safety by using an extra terminal 15 switches on 12V to cooling fan module when the ignition is on to aloud run the fan - when the ignition is off the fan is off.

[@nye307]

Good work wizard!

[@agrippa1234]

The power of knowledge! Well done good Wizard!

[@danielsteward5090]

That redundant "Fan on all the time" reaction to not having the coolant temperature sensor signal match the signal from other sensors that measure temperature with the engine running in" closed loop" setting would be fine for limp home if it had a "manual shut-Down" with ignition shut down when the car is parked and engine shut off. Maybe a software update from General Motors would be good. (But dealerships are there to sell, not update software for free.

[@theadvocate4698]

Beautiful car! You are very informative wizard! Love those vids!

[@dptropepe]

Ya gotta love GM and their t-stat issues. Like the 2017 Silverado that came in with the cooling fans running for 10 minutes after the key was out of the ignition. The fix was a t-stat replacement and hold the battery cables together for five minutes. I was sure demonic possession was the only explanation.

[@Quickwrench75]

P0128 is common on alot of models. GM runs fans once codes set as saftey measure. Glad ya found the trick to it Have donee many. I charge labor for intake plus .8 to change.

[@mnbvcxz4406]

I was guiessing sensor or thermostat, may as replace both if senor cost isnt to bad.

[@davidnovak9159]

12:10 You'd want to see this labor hours tip in the Identifix research not needing to rely on a familiar GM-only mechanic. Makes me question whether or not Alldata includes the tip for the DIYers? Great video.

[@lenny108]

Google search shows hundreds of results - "Buick fan keeps running". In this case, the company should pay. They definitely made a mistake that other cars don't have. In a car, the cooling fan relay takes a signal from the car's computer and turns on or off the cooling fan. After many cycles of switching on and off, the relay will eventually fail, and when it fails, it could either be “stuck” at the closed or open position, leaving the fan permanently on or off.

[@kenbo80]

It’s unforgivable to use volatile memory to store codes. Bean counters at work.

[@JW-lo2bh]

I see the oil pads for Hoovie's Genesis are on the floor! Let's see, the engine isn't up to temp, turn on the fans! Great jog GM.

[@Blueagle8u]

First thing I thought was the thermostat!

[@rjolly87]

GM has had this strategy for the last 40 years. In my experience, even the 3800's would do this, but usually it would be a failed temp sensor that failed open circuit (full cold, -40 for more than 4 seconds with engine running). I can get behind this as it is a safe fail. It wouldn't know when to turn on the fans because it's flying blind, so it runs them all the time. They also had a thermostat code for the 3800's that would trigger if the vehicle didn't reach 170 within a specific period of time, but that failure condition would never trigger a full fan failure mode. I wonder what changed... Because that is rather silly.

[@Emilthehun]

My 16 malibu did the same thing. The shifter was replaced under warranty, and all good since then.