Edmunds dealer partner, Bayway Leasing, is now offering transparent lease deals via these forums. Click here to see the latest vehicles!

Idle or Stalling Problems - All Vehicles

12345679»

Comments

  • steve1961steve1961 Member Posts: 6
    F150 FORD PICKUP 5.8 1998 IT IS LIKE IT HAS A MISS WHILE DRIVING CHECK ENGINE LIGHT IS ON WE HAD IT PLUG UP TO COM AT AUTO ZONE IT SAID PLUG AND COIL NEEDED AND REPLACED THE PLUGS AND COILS AND IT IS STILL DOING IT AND GETTING WORSE WITH THE MISS IT IT BUCKS AND JUMPS
    PLEASE HELP
  • Mr_ShiftrightMr_Shiftright Member Posts: 64,481
    do you mean 5.4L or the 4.6L engine?
  • fordfan_17fordfan_17 Member Posts: 175
    sounds like you might have it scanned by a transmission shop that does free road test and diagnosis. have the tech watch live data not just pull codes. have him check specifically torque converter clutch operation the bucking could be a tcc failure just a thought hope it helps
  • hstandehstande Member Posts: 5
    My car is at the shop right now. They think it may be a short in the ignition switch or the ignition harness. I soon as they call be I will let you know.
  • hstandehstande Member Posts: 5
    Ok they got back with me the problem is the turn signal switch. The one the has your cruise/washer and turn signal all in one. So I should have my car back here any day.
  • steve1961steve1961 Member Posts: 6
    it has a 5.4L thank you for your help
  • steve1961steve1961 Member Posts: 6
    THANK YOU SO YOU THINK IT COULD TRANSMISSION RELATED INSTEAD OF ENGINE PLEASE REPLY BACK THANK YOU
  • fordfan_17fordfan_17 Member Posts: 175
    this is a common complaint and we see it all the time especially in colorado with all the mountains and hills to climb torque converter clutch wears out and the vehicle bucks and stutters excessively especially going up hills..tcc slip ratio can be watched on live data on a snapon or mac mentor scanner most shops have some form of good scanner a code puller will not be able to watch live data therefore autozone or other supply shops wont be able to get the info you need thats why i recommend a trans shop that does free road tests and diagnosis
    Gene
  • joe390joe390 Member Posts: 7
    Car starts and runs, engine revs in park/neutral, but when driving/most noticeable on hills, can press the gas pedal through full range and no increase of power, until all the way to the floor, and power kicks in. Fuel pressure is within specs with key on and at idle. No DTC's(codes) are coming up. Compared throttle position sensor with new one(metered resistance through range and ok). Plugs/wires replaced and no change. There is tapping from engine(valves?), but am told it has been prior to problem. Next plan to do compression check. Any other suggestions would be greatly appreciated.
    Thanks,
    Joe
  • ramabamagrl1ramabamagrl1 Member Posts: 1
    I have replaced the Cam Shaft Sensor and the Catalytic Converter and it is still doing the same thing. The van starts fine and it idols fine, but after driving it about 15 miles it starts to buck, spit and then it stalls. No codes show on the tester and I have been told that the fuel system checks out. How can I fix my vehicle?
  • diegob4beforediegob4before Member Posts: 3
    If you already check your fuel sistem and is workin properly, check for spark problems, probably you have some spark jumping on ground some where or the module is not working good. What happen is, the module is a set of "wires" inside and some times when the "wires" get hot inside it make like a short, and decrese the spark power.
    Also this 3.4L engine have 3 Spark Plugs close to the firewall that is a pain in the neck to replace it, check this out too.

    Check and let us know!
    Good lock!
  • bchee1bchee1 Member Posts: 2
    I have the same problem, saw suggestion that the panel board behind the steering column might have bad solder joints,

    Please email: [email protected] if you see a fix., thanks
  • Mr_ShiftrightMr_Shiftright Member Posts: 64,481
    Please don't use e-mail if you have a good answer. Post it here so that all the members can take advantage of it!

    thanks!
  • glomarglomar Member Posts: 1
    Hi everyone

    I have a question, I have a 2003 Hyundai Elantra and lately when I stop at a light the car act like it wants to stall but doesn't. Can anyone tell me what it may be. I want to take it in but lately when shop see a women they just tell us anything and then wouldn't fix the real problem :sick: of shop owners......taking advantage of women
  • mazdaman10mazdaman10 Member Posts: 2
    i have a 1998 mazda protege lx its got 157830 miles. anyway, i got this problem...check engine light has been on and off (due to disconnection of battery to reset computer "chiltons way" ) for 1 1/2 years and has not been running properly for 8 months cant even get it to accelerate but idles nice.(got a obd2 code reader,diagnosed and came up with this) i replaced the mass airflow sensor ( 297 dollars ) wich stoped the check engine light and yet it still idles fine but accelerates really poor it chugs and putters when i apply foot to gas pedal but when i baby it nice and slow from under the hood it accelerates descent ( when its throttled down very slow ) and no other code appears on the code reader anyone got any helpful ideas?
  • galka5galka5 Member Posts: 5
    After stopping on a traffic light, when light changes to green and I take my foot from the brake and put it on gas the car either shuts off or it feels like it doesn’t want to go on the first gear, no matter how hard I push the pedal. If it shuts off, it usually restarts in about 20 seconds. It happens few times a day, not all the time.
    Mechanics are unable to determine the problem. Throttle body was cleaned, Oxigen senser changed ("Service engine soon" light when on), gas filter changed.
    Can anybody help? Pleeeease.....
  • Mr_ShiftrightMr_Shiftright Member Posts: 64,481
    Anybody do a diagnostic on the MAF sensor (Mass Air Flow) in the throttle body?
  • galka5galka5 Member Posts: 5
    I'm not sure, but i'll ask.
    Thank you.
  • shawn41shawn41 Member Posts: 3
    1996 mustang gt
    The car idles great in park but will not idle in drive, it keeps stalling out. Any ideas?
  • shawn41shawn41 Member Posts: 3
    I forgot, no check engine light on either
  • Mr_ShiftrightMr_Shiftright Member Posts: 64,481
    this is an automatic? Maybe your torque converter clutch is locked up?
  • shawn41shawn41 Member Posts: 3
    yes an automatic
  • Mr_ShiftrightMr_Shiftright Member Posts: 64,481
    Your transmission's lock up torque converter clutch may not be releasing. This is essentially the same problem as if you tried to stop a manual transmission car without pushing in the clutch pedal.
  • SpockeSpocke Member Posts: 1
    Rundown.

    Car starts OK but stalls sometimes when put into drive, usually after sitting overnight. May or may not stall again during the day at stop signs. Happens in summer and winter. Recently, it idles rough erratically.

    Just had crankshaft position sensor and camshaft sensor changed to the tune of $458. Didn't work. Read lots and lots of forums about PCM tricks and O2 sensors. I just don't know where to go from here.

    I am a car repair novice. What can I do to check out some other things? I am willing to tinker to death and get dirty but don't have a lot of tools.

    Jeep has been in the shop three times for the same problem. They can't isolate it and there are no error codes. It's getting expensive to guess.

    If anyone has a suggestion for a novice, please let me know. Jeep has 194 K miles but it's how I get to work every day. Thank you.
  • bauekelbauekel Member Posts: 2
    I have a 96 pontiac sunfire, 2.2 L engine with 110,000 miles. It will start up perfectly fine from a cold state, but doesn't like to start when the engine is warm.

    When I try to start the engine while warm, it will turn over normally but it won't fire. When the car does eventually fire, the engine will catch, shudder and chug as if it is not getting enough gas. Then the car will jerk and stall out.

    If I press the gas pedal when the engine fires, I can push through the chugging, stuttering stage and the engine will stay running but the idle will be very rough.

    If I let the car sit for couple hours after it was warmed up, (so the engine is cool again) it will start up normally.

    I have had new plugs and wires installed.
    Fuel pump tested o.k.
    Fuel Filter replaced.
    Crank shaft sensor replaced.
    I had the entire fuel system and spark plugs thouroughly cleaned.
    No sensor lights are on.

    I have invested over $1000 in the car and it still has this problem. Does anyone know what is going on? I would really appreciate any input as I am really not in a situation where I can afford to buy a new car.

    Thanks so much!

    -Kelly
  • obyoneobyone Member Posts: 7,841
    Have you replaced/cleaned your idle air controller? If not you may want to try that next as it's inexpensive to do.
  • ramman8ramman8 Member Posts: 1
    Can anyone tell me what I can do to diagnose a stalling problem with my 94 Olds. When you first start it up it will idle fine, but once you touch the accelerator it will act as if it isn't getting any fuel and then finally die. I replaced the fuel filter, checked the output volume of the fuel pump which was fine(putting out 2 1/2 pints in 15 seconds). The last time a ran the car it was acting like it was trying to backfire thru the throttle body. This car has just turned over 100,000 miles, any help would be appreciated.
  • kingavykingavy Member Posts: 2
    I have a 1995 Pontiac Sunfire Gt 2.3L....this car has been a huge problem ever since I bought it except now it got a lot worse. All of the sudden the other day my check engine light comes on with codes for a MAP sensor, O2 sensor, and fuel burning too lean. Right after the light came on, the car started running really rough. The O2 sensor code had already come up before but I had it replaced so it's only a month old. I just replaced the MAP sensor the other day. The car accelerates a little better but still way too sluggish. I'm not sure if it's misfiring but the engine seems to surge and vibrate rough when idling at a stop light. I also had a friend replace the spark plugs and while we were doing it we noticed one of the boots was taped to the cover, one of them was stuck inside the cover, and the other 2 were suctioned to the spark plugs. I'm guessing the guy who owned it last just rigged it so he didn't have to spend a small amount of money on boots or plug wires. Now I get about 5 miles to the gallon and sometimes the engine "surges" so rough that it feels like it wants to take off while i'm sitting at a stop light. A sudden powerful thrust. If anyone can help me i'd appreciate it greatly. Oh yeah, I can also smell gas burning strong.....i don't know if that means its rich or something.
  • ernesttternesttt Member Posts: 2
    this is an update to my post about my car here the 90 maxima. i put the car in the shop and it was diagenostic checked witch showed the temp sensor was bad and the timeing belt jumped time .replaced both and the pig tail to connect to the temp sensor and the car runs fine .
  • clunkerowner88clunkerowner88 Member Posts: 6
    Try Cleaning the EGR VALVE
  • clunkerowner88clunkerowner88 Member Posts: 6
    Make sure that the intake hose has no leaks, the hose that had the mass air flow sensor on it. I ounce had a escort Gt with a crack in that hose, i duck taped it up, stopped the problem., it was doing the same thing.. chugging.. lagging, it will run very bad.
  • clunkerowner88clunkerowner88 Member Posts: 6
    Try checking out the Mass Air Flow sensor, or even the air filter. To test it start the vehicle and unplug it if it does not make a differnece it is probably not working.
  • clunkerowner88clunkerowner88 Member Posts: 6
    The Coil Pack could be malfunctioning... these may work in the cold but when they heat up will not work... just an idea.
  • bigboy11bigboy11 Member Posts: 8
    I have a sensor an obo 2 diagnostic unit, My 99 bonny se said it was the mass air flow , and they have a cleaner that you can use to help if it is just dirty, and you won't maybe be able to see any dirt it's micro, it helped me some but now I am moving on to the EGR sensor and if it's not that I mwas told it might be the air vacume canister , I don't know where it is but if u you look up bonny scymantics you should locate it I hope it works for me. By the way to find your mass air flow unit just folow from your air filter to where there is no more rubber , take it off and spray it will be about 4 to 5 inches around , where you take it off it should be easy and the car should be cool when you do it or you will burn...auto101
  • 1xonly1xonly Member Posts: 1
    edited October 2010
    Have 94 Buick Lesbra Limited 3.8 engine 149,053 miles car runs great but stalls while driving, always start right up again. Change PVC valve, oxygen sensor, throttle position sensor, spark plugs and wires, air filter, cleaned throttle body put under diagnostic could not find bad code. Believed to be electrical but don't know what.
  • bigboy11bigboy11 Member Posts: 8
    It sounds like a possible combustion problem, but I would start looking into the fuel pump , or system in general , does your car have a fuel regulator for pressure? If it does your normal box parts store might be able to help locate it and check it, I have had to by a pressure check , it was 23 dollars, that if you can't find one...
  • vincerkvincerk Member Posts: 1
    Did you ever figure out what it was? I am having the same problem, same car.
  • beckygrbeckygr Member Posts: 1
    I have a 1994 probe when it is first driven when cold it runs fine. The longer i drive it the more it misses and cuts in and out. Did a tune-up on it 3 weeks ago and it ran great for about a week and now it is right back to the way it was running before the tune-up...Any suggestions on what this could be. Also the check engine light comes on and goes off at various times..HELP!!!!
  • Mr_ShiftrightMr_Shiftright Member Posts: 64,481
    EGR problems? Has those kinds of symptoms.
  • rfletcherrfletcher Member Posts: 25
    91 S10 Blazer Sport, auto, 4X4, 4.3L TBI. 189000 miles. No trouble codes. Code 12 only. Recent post #171 in Chev. Blazer forum. No response. Guess no one is interested in dinosaurs. Since that post have learned more how to use scanner. The O2 sensor generates abt. .550v max. at idle. and does not reach necessary .620 [for closed loop in this engine] until operating at 2000 or more RPM for close to one minute. In city driving it rarely meets this condition so remains in open loop most of the time. I think this explains excess fuel and stalling at sudden deceleration. Much to rich in open loop. Runs great on the interstate and gets 22mpg there. Could be the exhaust gas not hot enough at low speed, for the O2, but cannot find why. The O2 is new [ third one ] , MAP new and test normal. Coolant sensor new and changed twice. Thermostat as well [ 195F]. EGR is new. Vacuum abt. 16 at idle abt. 22 at 2000RPM. Does have a little jitter. Should not be necessary but I am tempted to change to a heated O2. Might solve the immediate problem but may be a crutch. Hope one of you Super techs can solve where four shops and I have failed. I love this old lady.
  • srs_49srs_49 Member Posts: 1,394
    edited September 2012
    Is the O2 sensor a 3 wire unit, with the built-in heater? Maybe the heater circuit is open.
  • rfletcherrfletcher Member Posts: 25
    Thanks, No, it's a new replacement O2 but the original one wire type. That's why I considered changing to the heated version. Real pain to do and a lot more expensive but would probably solve if not correct the problem. Seems a vicious circle. As I understand it, among other things, excess fuel will tend to cool the exhaust and non functioning / cooler than normal O2 will cause excess fuel. Maybe someone smarter than me can explain it.
  • free1913free1913 Member Posts: 1
    edited May 2013
    My 2000 Cougar will shut off without warning when I stop at stop signs and stop lights, but it will crank right back up, drive smoothly, until I have to stop again. I have replaced the MAF sensor, the O2 sensors on the left side, the IAC valve and motor. The alternator was replaced in December. The battery has been checked and is fine. I've had the fuel injection cleaned and replaced the fuel filter. The vacuum hoses have been checked and there were no leaks to be found. I'm going crazy!!! What else is there to fix, to stop this stalling???By the way, the check engine light does NOT come on, so there are NO codes showing up.
  • lsonneylsonney Member Posts: 2
    I am having troubles with my 2007 Pontiac G5 stalling at an idle or in 1st or 2nd gear. had the fuel filter changed and still happening.
    My mechanic is a bit stumped. Car runs great for a bit then starts stalling out.
    Anyone having this problem? I need some help here.

    Any technical Service Bulletins? I have owed the car for 6 months now. Pasted a very thorough inspection before buying it. Now I am having this trouble. I need some help here and fast!!
    Thanks, Lorraine.
  • lsonneylsonney Member Posts: 2
    I am having troubles with my 2007 Pontiac G5 stalling at an idle or in 1st or 2nd gear. had the fuel filter changed and still happening.
    My mechanic is a bit stumped. Car runs great for a bit then starts stalling out.
    Anyone having this problem? I need some help here.

    Any technical Service Bulletins? I have owed the car for 6 months now. Pasted a very thorough inspection before buying it. Now I am having this trouble. I need some help here and fast!!
    Thanks, Lorraine.
  • davidv_f150davidv_f150 Member Posts: 1
    Hey, I'm a new owner of an '89 F150. It's a four speed manual trans, 4.9L 6cyl. This is my first truck and I bought a beater in hopes of learning while I fix it up. I have minimal experience (biggest repairs have been replacing disk brakes on a previous car and replacing the EGR valve on this truck), but I want to learn more.

    The truck has a bypass switch and the forward fuel tank was removed. Both of these modifications occurred before I owed it. Also, the clutch is a bit grumpy. Sometimes I'm unable to get it into first (I usually "granny start" from second), and every once in a while it doesn't want to go into reverse.

    When I bought the truck, it would just choke and cut off after driving for 30 minutes or so. It would restart after cooling down. My mechanic said it was a problem with the fuel pump and replaced it, and that fixed that problem.

    After that, the truck began to have trouble starting. I would flip the bypass switch and the engine would rev up, then drop RPM's quickly until choking off within a couple seconds. When I flipped the switch again, it would start up fine. It would run fine after that.

    A mechanic recommended having the fuel injectors cleaned. The fixed the problem for about a week, then it started again. A friend of a friend who has a home garage suggested a vacuum leak, and we found a leak in the EGR value, which we replaced.

    Replacing the EGR valve fixed the problem again, for a couple days, but it came back. Meanwhile, immediately after the EGR valve was replaced, a new problem started. Periodically while I'm driving (I haven't been able to detect any pattern), the engine will just shudder or choke a bit. It feels like it's threatening to choke, but it never actually does. Once it starts, it typically does this every couple seconds until I shift gears.

    I'd really like help in diagnosing what might be causing the choking when it starts and the new shudder when driving. I realize it could be a number of things. I'd like to prioritize things which are least expensive and which would need to be done anyway for routine upkeep. Any ideas?

    Thank you!
  • Mr_ShiftrightMr_Shiftright Member Posts: 64,481
    edited July 2013
    Didn't see any service bulletins per se.

    This is a very generalized symptom--and "stalling" can encompass a wide variety of causes, especially without any history on the car or any trouble codes being scanned.

    Here's an OVERVIEW" of stalling conditions and what might cause them.
  • imandysfriendimandysfriend Member Posts: 1

    2001 Sunfire 2.2L automatic stalls when slowing down. Has a strong smell of fuel when it restarts but starts back up as soon as the key is turned. I can keep it running at stops but only if I throw it into neutral and drive it like a manual. RPM's start bouncing back and forth between 1000 and 500, then 500 and under just before it stalls. This is the first time I've had any problems with the car other than an intermittent misfire that it's had since I got it. It has 209k on it. I've read that this could be a temp sensor causing this but which one? The tranny temp sensor or the coolant temp sensor? It's been between 1 and 30 outside lately but the car only has problems when it warms up to the normal 195. Temp gauge is reading properly in dash. I gave her a tune up this spring (plugs, wires, oil air and fuel filters, coolant, etc.) and been a champ till last night. Has all original sensors. Any suggestions on which temp sensor could be causing the issue? Or could it be something more? Also, it doesn't like to get up to speed when it's cold outside. It takes a long time to shift and seems all around slow to get up to speed. Thanks for any input! I'd really like to keep her running for as long as I can, She's been good to me!!!

  • jwpinesjwpines Member Posts: 2

    We have a 1996 Nissan Quest - but only 72000 miles (we bought it from our daughters' 90 year old piano teacher who only used it for camping trips with 45K miles 3 years ago) I have an intermittent stalling problem. Only at low speed, sometimes going up hill or into a turn, I get a compete loss of power. Still have steering, (not power) so I wrestle the beast over, and it restarts right away. No check engine light. This has happened about 6 times. Not low gas level, usually 1/2 + tank.

Sign In or Register to comment.