1999 Buick Park Avenue Vents – Cadillac Traction Light Problems

Buick Park Avenue has no heat from the heater.

OK. Have you checked the coolant level in the radiator?

Yes. radiator temp ok @ gauge.

What year is your Buick? Does it have passenger and driver side temperature controls?

1999, yes to both.

OK. Place the system in the vent position. Adjust the passenger side and drivers side controls with the fan speed on high. Listen for a change in airflow sound by listening closely at the center vent. See if you hear a change.

OK will take a while.

If you can try that, i will be online for another 15 minutes or so.

No change was noted, the air conditioner was cold the heater was outside air temp, both sides the same temp.

OK. Well you should have noticed a little change in the sound, since the temp did change a little from A/C cold to outside temp when adjusting to heat. Try having the engine running and keep the RPM’s up around 1,500 or so for a minute. With the control set on heat, see if the air starts to get hot, or at least warmer with the setting on hot.

Was rather hot @ 3000 RPM, outside temp @ idle.

OK. Then it sounds like the controls and temperature doors in the dash are working just fine. I think you may have a resrticted heater core. Raising the RPM causes more coolant to flow through the heater core, thus getting more heat. With a low amount of flow through a restricted core, there is not enough hot coolant to change the incoming air temp drastically. The colder the outside air, the less heat you get at idle with low flow through core.

Sounds great, your help has been appreciated. what a help! Thanks so much.


2007 Cadillac Escalade

Is it safe to drive if the traction control comes on after taking off from stop signs. .it shuts off after i take my foot off the gas. i have to drive a ways tomorrow and can’t get it in right away.

Mechanic JK:
Yes. It is safe to drive. Your truck just will not have the traction control function. Depending on what the problem is, you may also not have ABS brakes, but the regular brakes will be just fine. The truck also dies out?

No. The traction control goes off after i take my foot off the brake. Off the gas I meant.

OK. Then yes, it is safe to drive. Sounds like a sensor or wiring problem. You would need to have the computer scanned for stored problem codes to find out what part of the system has a problem. Thank you, have a nice night.


Buick Park Avenue

We replaced a starter on a 1997 Park Avenue with 3800 engine. Now the AC clutch won’t engage, the Trac Off light is on, the ABS light is on and the airbag light is on. All were fine before the starter was replaced.

You either left something off, such as a power feed off the starter, or you blew a fuse or fuses.

Don’t remember another wire on the starter. Checked the AC fuses and all were good.

There should have been one or more fusible links attached with the big red power wire at the starter.