Rough Cold Starts & High Fuel Use in Buick LeSabre Fixed

I experienced similar symptoms in a 2002 Buick Park Avenue. The rough cold starts and increased fuel consumption pointed to a faulty PTC heater in the heating system. The temperature control issues started gradually, but the check engine light confirmed the problem. The PTC heating element had failed completely, causing the engine management system to compensate by running a richer fuel mixture during warm-up. This was a serious issue that required immediate attention because it affected both engine performance and the cabin heating system. The repair involved replacing the complete heating element assembly and testing the temperature control module. The job took about 4 hours in total. Worth noting that postponing the heater repair led to additional strain on other engine components. The symptoms match what you're describing exactly. Its best to have this checked soon, as running the engine with a defective auxiliary heater can lead to more expensive problems down the line. Make sure the shop has experience with Buick heating system repairs, as proper diagnosis requires specific testing equipment. Since getting it fixed, the cold start performance returned to normal and fuel consumption dropped back to regular levels.

Thanks for sharing your experience with the Park Avenue heater issue. The same problem hit my 2005 LeSabre last winter. Really glad you mentioned the fuel consumption part, that matches what I saw too. Would you mind sharing what the total repair cost was? My HVAC system is starting to show similar symptoms again, and I want to budget properly this time. Also curious if you had any other issues pop up since getting it fixed? The cold air problem in my car started exactly like yours, and the PTC heater definitely turned out to be the culprit. Trying to decide if I should take care of it now or wait until it gets worse.

Since getting my Park Avenue fixed at the shop, I havent experienced any heating issues. The total repair bill came to 350 for replacing the defective electric auxiliary heater, which was causing all those cold start problems we discussed. The heater repair was worth every penny, no more rough starts or excessive fuel consumption. The blower motor now delivers proper warm air instantly, and the heating system works exactly as it should. Would definitely recommend getting yours checked soon rather than waiting. The longer you delay fixing a faulty PTC heater, the more strain it puts on other components. Mine started just like yours with the cold air issues, but addressing it promptly prevented any secondary problems from developing. The heating element replacement completely resolved both the performance and comfort issues. If your symptoms match what we discussed, best to budget for it now before winter makes things worse.

Thanks everyone for the helpful advice. I ended up taking my LeSabre to a different mechanic who specialized in electrical faults. The total cost was 400 including diagnosis and labor. They found and replaced the faulty PTC heater, plus fixed some corroded wiring in the heating system. The repair took about 5 hours because they had to remove several components to access the heating element. But the results were worth it, no more cold starts, check engine light is off, and fuel economy is back to normal. The cabin heats up properly now too. Looking back, I should have addressed this sooner instead of driving around with the check engine light on. At least its fixed properly now and hopefully this helps others dealing with similar heating system problems in their cars.