What's wrong with my car?

I have a 2002 Chevy Malibu (affectionately named Malibu Stacy) with just over 80k miles on it. Just yesterday it started giving me a lot of trouble with acceleration, especially in the lower gears. Felt like all the power had been sucked out of it. After some steady coaxing, I was eventually able to get it up to highway speeds, but I know there’s definitely a problem that I’ll need to take it into the shop for.

I thought it might be the transmission, but when it doesn’t want to go - it feels more like there’s no fuel getting to the engine. When the tranny is going, won’t the engine rev up really high as if it wants to upshift? My RPM’s stay pretty steady as I’m pressing on the gas…also, if I let off the gas pedal and then press back down - it seems to give it a little more power…as if the fuel line is clogged.

Anyone here have any advice on whether or not this is something I might be able to diagnose and/or fix myself? Could it be the transmission? What else might cause this problem besides a dirty fuel line/filter?

Sounds like a lambda or MAF sensor problem. Take the car to the dealership. They can hook your car to the diagnostic and with some luck they will find the problem.

This might sound silly, but check to see if the floor mat slipped up under the gas pedal. I’ve seen happen several times, and that’s EXACTLY how the syptoms are described (lack of power, takes forever to get up to speed, feels like it’s not getting any gas even with the pedal all the way down.) Really, check it out. In fact, go run out to your car right now and take a look.

Could be a clogged fuel filter. Does the condition improve if the car’s sat for awhile with the engine off? If so, then it’s most likely a fuel filter getting clogged.

Sounds like your flux capacitor isn’t… fluxing.

Sorry. I have no idea.

Second vote for a fuel filter. At highway speeds, cars actually just sip gas, it’s during acceleration that they gulp. Momentum and all that.

The flux capacitors haven’t been a prblem since the introduction of Mr. Fusion.

It could also be something as simple as bad spark plugs and/or bad plug wires. I’ve had this problem once before and experienced the exact same symptoms.

It literally could be almost anything.

My 1996 Jeep Grand Cherokee was experiencing similar issues and was stalling when the engine was cold. Know what it turned out to be? Low coolant level. I kid you not. I’ve got a slow leak (perhaps in my rad) and when the coolant level gets too low I’m assuming that a particular sensor is reading the engine temperature as warmer than it actually is and is reducing the choke.

I’ve had similar issues on my Sable. The first time it was a faulty oxygen sensor, and the second time it was a vacuum leak.

Anyway, to make a long story short, cars are too complex these days to perform driveway diagnoses, like the good old days! It’s worth taking in to the dealer for this one.

It actually does seem to improve a bit after it’s sat overnight and completely cooled down. It’s definitely worse when it’s hot.

Thanks for all the tips. I’ll definitely be taking it into the shop rather than trying to take care of it myself.

Is the check engine light on?
if the answer is no, then I would tend to vote against bad plugs or wires, maf, or Lambda sensor (Oxygen sensor to everyone except the Swedes) since all of those are monitored by the Engine Control Unit. A failure of any of them should light up the Check engine light. (Note I said should)

I would look more at the fuel filter, floor mat, or possibly a failing fuel pump.