[alexzed]

Every so often, only upon starting, my wife's 2005 Malibu will not go beyond 3000 RPM. This lasts for anywhere from 5-15 min before the car kicks in again.

It only happens on start, and the dealer cannot replicate the issue, as it is something that happens once every 6 months - there does not appear to be a pattern. Their best guess is only a guess, and we've been told that it will cost $1400 to find out if their guess is right - and even then we won't know for sure. Nothing is showing up on any dealer diagnostic test, so everything is a guess.

We have our first child on the way, and I'd rather not have them driving a car that could potentially be a hazard, so I am hoping that someone here has heard of something like this.

Thanks!!!

 

[Red LTZ]

I propably won't be the one to finally answer your question, but I am guessing we will need to know which engine is in the car. Also how many miles is on it now and how many miles it had when the problem first happened. Also maybe maintenance habbits and if any modifications were done just before the problem started.

 

[alexzed]

It's a 2.2L, 4cyl engine. Problems started around 30k miles, and there are no mods. All maintenance done on time, and oil changes were at every 3-4k miles. It is currently at 80k miles.

Hope that helps someone!

 

[martymart9]

I have had the exact same problem as alexzed. It happens one once every few months. Strangely, the car runs smoothly when this is happening, no stumbling or backfiring. It's like trying to drive the car with only 2% of the throttle even though your foot is to the floor. Even in park it won't rev high enough to hit the rev limiter.

I did find out how to fix it when it happens though...let the car idle for 10 seconds in drive. The car will hunt, stumble, and run like crap then all of a sudden it will idle normally. Then you can drive it as if nothing happened, problem solved...until next time.

2006 Malibu 2.2L

 

[alexzed]

Yes - that's exactly it. Glad to see I'm not the only one...though it seems like we may be the only two.

We took to the dealer, and left it there a week to see if they could replicate the issue, and they were unable. No history of this, no idea of what causes it.

Fun.