Intrigue, Position Control Selonoid location?

[Dozer]

Im looking at buying an 01 Intrigue, owner says it needs a "positon control selonoid" in the transmission. Says this is causing it to not go into OD. Does this sound correct? Where is the "position control selonoid"? Can I get at it by dropping the pan?

Any thoughts on the 3.5L motor or this car in general?

[Scott K]

He may have meant a PCA (Pressure control solenoid)

[Dozer]

He may have meant a PCA (Pressure control solenoid)

He said "position control solenoid" but I wouldn't suprise me if he should have said "pressure".

Is that a common problem? Accessable through the pan? Looks like a pressure control solenoid is $59

[Scott K]

There are a couple different Tsb's about it. I dont know what year you have, but it looks as though from 97-02 are involved in the tsb's. You need to remove the side cover where the valve body is at to replace it. It is about a 4 hour job.

[zamboni]

Hate to say this, but from what I have heard, Aleros and Intrigues are fairly unreliable vehicles, you might wanna keep looking. Find something with a 3800, Bonneville, Park Ave, LeSabre, Grand Prix- you'd be much happier

[Dozer]

Hate to say this, but from what I have heard, Aleros and Intrigues are fairly unreliable vehicles, you might wanna keep looking. Find something with a 3800, Bonneville, Park Ave, LeSabre, Grand Prix- you'd be much happier

I find it funny that people say the Intrigues and Aleros and no good. Isnt an Alero the same drivetrain as a Grand Am? 98 and older Intrigues had either a 3.8 or a 3.5, as far as I can tell the 3.8 version is the same as every other 3.8 car.

I would much rather have a 3.8 but so would everyone else so those cars bring a higher price, the the 3.8 one of the best motors ever made second only to the 5.7. My family has had a fleet of Bonnevilles with 3.8s through out the years and only one of them has been nothing buy spectacular! The deal on this car is just too good to pass up.

[Macgyver55]

Both my dad and my mother in law drive Intrigues. Other than normal maintainance, I havent had to do any major repairs in the 10 or so years they have owned them

[zamboni]

Both my dad and my mother in law drive Intrigues. Other than normal maintainance, I havent had to do any major repairs in the 10 or so years they have owned them

We had them in our rental fleet and the mechanics were the ones that told me that. As far as the Grand Am being same as Aleros, basically, yes- but Grand Ams were in the shop quite often as well. Ironically, the plain Jane cars- the Tauruses, Impalas and especially the Lumina were the most trouble free.