My girlfriend owns a 96 Cav with the 2.2l and auto trans, a few days ago after a massive rain storm she drove it through water that was a bit too deep to pass...(not the first time[])

The last time it happened the car immediatly begain stalling and sputtering, but after purging the cylinders, oil change, and a new filter she was running great again....this time it didn't want to be that easy.

The car is still sputtering and stalling, but it's doing something that I think is very strange, the instrument cluster lights will all come on (like the startup test) and the gauges will all drop to zero. This happens a few times a minute at random. And sometimes it just won't start after stalling out...


one other thing I noticed while changing the oil was that the alternator was making a soft, but very high pitched noise when the car was turned off. The alternator on the car now is about a year old.

Any tips would be great, sorry for the long first post

edit: check eng light is on as well...but I have no way to check the codes at this time...

 

I have no idea what's wrong with it but whatever it is you'd probably just be better off selling it and buying a new car i just got a 2000 mint cond.. with no problem's for only 2000$ Im shure you'd be better off buying a car that hasent sank twice ..

 

yeah...well she drove it today and said it sputtered once before she got out of the neighborhood...then started up and didn't give her any trouble after that. Calls me up at work and says "by the way I forgot that my car had problems and drove it up to Kroger....I might need you to pick me up if I can't make it home" I just thought....oh lord

Have most of tommorrow off...so I'll take some time and drive it around to check it out, see if it just needed to dry out a little (hopefully)



I almost bought a base model 2000 also (had air and "premium sound system" though), but it was at a dealership, 90,000 miles....wanted $4500 for it
Had my choice betwen that, a 2001 Catera (same price, same mileage...more of a lemon risk though...and ordering parts from Europe...ugh) and a 94 Escort w/ 75k for $1800.....went with the Escort because I'm cheap

My rear would have really liked the Caddy's leather seats though.....

 

ay maybe the spark plugs...... if there flooded, the throttle response is all messed up you kno?

but u said it started happening wen she was driving threw deep water?

 

Take the alternator off and have it tested my an Auto electric shop. You may have a problem with the volatage regulator that is in the alternator.