# Technical question from a girl



## lisatw151 (Sep 8, 2004)

Hi all....my goat is doing something kinda funky.... When slowing down to a stop, say, coming up to a stoplight, when the engine is almost back down to idling speed there's a click and for just a split second, it almost sounds as if it will stall. It's more noticeable at night only because you can see it in the headlights. They dim briefly. You can hear it in the stereo too. Watching the tach, there's a split second drop in rpm's, all the way to 0. It's very quick and very brief, but it does it every time. Anyone else experienced this?


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## GTOJOE (Sep 10, 2004)

Lisa
I have not noticed this but i will see how mine acts tonight on the way home from work.
Joe


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## Redline (Aug 10, 2004)

sounds liek a short to the battery... i would bring your goat to a good shop and have them check the electrical system


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## lisatw151 (Sep 8, 2004)

good shop? how about dealership? it's under warranty! LOL


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## Redline (Aug 10, 2004)

if you trust your dealer... go for it


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## lisatw151 (Sep 8, 2004)

Baby boy, it's not a matter of trust... it's a matter of $$$.  Course, I don't have any reason to NOT trust them yet either.


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## George8211 (Sep 21, 2004)

For as short of a time that the GTO has been around... I can't image many 'shops' having much experiance working on these. The shops don't have a stock of parts for these cars either... and be careful of not bringing it to a dealer. If a shop does something wrong, they could end up voiding your warrenty with GM.

Yikes!


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## lisatw151 (Sep 8, 2004)

my point exactly. i don't have the kind of money to play around with it...whether it be mods or otherwise


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## George8211 (Sep 21, 2004)

Another thing to keep in mind is... that the dearships have access to the GM engineers that designed the GTO. I have seen engineers get flown to dealerships to help chase down illusive problems.


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## bobd1950 (Sep 18, 2004)

*Fix It Quick...*

Sounds as IF the ICV(Idle Control Valve)..is going bad..(sticking or carboned)/ Eventually it will stall out completely.,and at the wrong spot.Have some one w/ a OBD 3 diagnostic tool scan ASAP.

 (ARE u using 87 octane Fuel?..if so ..dont)

Happens to some Late model Emission engines that have been not run for a long time.(I.E.> A new car on the lot for months looking for a buyer!)


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## lisatw151 (Sep 8, 2004)

Okay...just got back from a weekend trip to Atlanta. It's still doing the headlight flash thing. Also noticed for the first time, that while cruising down the highway, the volume level on the stereo would occassionally drop to 0 all by itself. I guess a trip to the dealership is in order. And I run premium in it. I know very little about cars, but this all seems electrical.


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## BLACKTHUNDERGTO (Sep 22, 2004)

I know what all u peeps r sayin about dealerships. However, their butts are on the line with GM if they screw up. Also dont give them a reason to void you warrenty as long as its covered you sould most def utilize it. Anything other than brakes and windshield wipers should be covered!


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## boschxpert (Nov 24, 2004)

is your gto manual, or auto?


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## lisatw151 (Sep 8, 2004)

Manual. And now having had the car for almost 6 months, it's still doing the 'headlight' thingy. Haven't had any more problems with the stereo.


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## lisatw151 (Sep 8, 2004)

Oh and... I had the dealership check for whatever it is the headlights are doing and of course, they couldn't reproduce it, even with detailed instructions on how to do so. That figures. Guess I'm gonna have to take it down there at 6:30 in the morning when it's still dark and do it for them.


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## RED68GTO (Nov 1, 2004)

Kinda sounds like a tranny problem to me, maybe torque converter not unlocking fast enough when coming to a stop, and making the engine want to stop before it disengages( kinda like stopping in a manual and stepping on the clutch too late)

good luck at the dealer


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## boschxpert (Nov 24, 2004)

lisatw151 said:


> Manual. And now having had the car for almost 6 months, it's still doing the 'headlight' thingy. Haven't had any more problems with the stereo.


it sounds to me like a loose connection, check your battery cables and make sure they are tight, everything electrical gets its power from that source, computer, radio, headlights, sounds like they are all related problems, allso check ground cables, and straps


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## kevracer (Sep 27, 2004)

*good luck with electrical*

Good Luck with your electrical problem; I had a Cadillac Catera that was cursed with a headlight problem; took them seven visits to clear that up.


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## GasTiresandOil (Aug 2, 2004)

Your electrical problems are going to be linked back to a grounded BCM (body control module). It is found behind the glove box. There should be a TSB for this so please just take it back to your dealership and tell them your problems.


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## lisatw151 (Sep 8, 2004)

Actually, it's quit doing it for now. ???? I'm at a loss. But if it starts again, I will take it down there either early in the morning or in the evening after it gets dark so I can reproduce it for them. I'll have them check that TSB. Thanks!!!


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## westell (Oct 4, 2004)

This may or may not be part of what you're seeing, but I can relate it to my SS Camaro LS1 and the forum I belong to for it.

When you take your foot off the throttle, or engage the clutch, the computer will turn off the injectors, which are electric, when foot goes back on throttle, injectors back on. Some of what you may be seeing in dimming of electrical system may be this anomole. I know on cold start up I see a little of this dimming back and forth in my green windows and face of stereo.

I know I can feel the injectors shut off on deaccel and feel it as you describe.

The LS1's in the SS Camaros and maybe GTO's too, would leave enough unburned fuel in the combustion chamber, so that when you got back on the gas in heavy deaccel / accel situations you got a fireball out the tailpipes  Saw several VDO's proving this, as many of us did not believe it happened.

One of the heaviest "drags" on the electrical is your A/C compressor, and in GM's I've always noticed a slight "dimming" of the headlights when compressor kicked on/off. GTO is no exception and see it regularly.

Sorry for not more of a technical explanation and hope I didn't bastardize what's going on here. 

Keep us posted as I'm so used to this with the SS and now the goat, that I wasn't going to bother posting it. Now, as far as tach going to 0 rpm's - I've not experienced that. :confused but I agree the car may feel like it's going to stall giving you that split second of WTF is going on here. It is more pronounced in this goat than the SS


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