Chevy Silverado and GMC Sierra Stalling Problem

otis79

Something wrong happened with my truck. Engine starts without a problem but right after I change a gear to D, 1 or 2 engine stops suddenly. Thought it couls be transmission but I'm not an expert. Any ideas what would it be.
GMC Sierra 1500 '94

(there is a proper level of transmission fluid)

See Also: Diagnose Engine Stalling Problem

tjm5

I purchased a 2001 8.1 2500HD Silverado (used from dealer) about a year ago it ran great until recently. I am now experiencing stalling problems when warmed up approx. between 140*f to 160f*, when it stalls its not constant, its happens when highway driving or standing in line (low or fast idle)when it does stall radio and other electrical items still work, idiot battery light flickers slowly and will not restart until light stops flickering, restarting is real stubborn it usually takes approx. 5 min. to restart and so far seems to run great again, typically at full warm up (between 160*f to 180*f). I did take it back to the dealer (warranty) they see no problem/s. Its driving me nuts any help.

tjm5

0patience

Torque converter control solenoid.
What happens is that the solenoid continues to engage the torque converter clutch, so when you go from neutral to any drive or reverse gear, it is just like having the clutch released on a manual transmission.

jer_sierra02

This happen to my truck. I have the same engine but mine is a 2002. It was the crank position sensor. Its behind the engine on the driver side and a little about the bell housing. I guess this sensor is common to go out for this engine.

Hope that helps

jchase1

Hello my 96 gmc 5.7l will start and idle fine but when i try to get up to speed it will bog and/or die. now i was told it was probably the catalytic converters so i cut them out and still have the same problem any ideas?

padasso

I have been having this same problem for 4 years. It has been worse the last couple of weeks. My battery light comes on but does not flicker. Usually I stop & place in park & it starts back up. But lately it may take hours. I am having crank switch replaced today but they really don't know if this is the cause. Did it work for you!

xtremes10z

hey my 03 silverado 5.3 v8 gas has a very rough idle, and stalls at low manuver speeds like turning at low speed or backing up. the tach read 0 yes zero and below, llights are dim and driving my tach reads normal untill i slow down the the problem reoccurs. at idle the voltage goes from 12 to 14 just bouncing around , i tryed the the MAF sensor cleaning and it helped somewhat i have already changed air filter, plugs and plug wires,new Optima battery, and had a professonial injector cleaning preformed along with new high flow cat's installed that alone was about $1,000 and now my pockets are tight for repair bills. if anyone has any suggestions shoot me an e-mail xtremes10zaol.com

obyone

Did you clean the throttle body and linkages? That may be your problem.

bill1971

I have a 2000 silverado 4x4 with a 5.3 and an automatic tran. It started shuttering when I was stopped and in gear (ie red light) intermittently, when I put it into nuetral its stops. I changed the fuel filter, plugs and wires, I checked for arcing. Still does it. Now this week it has stalled twice on me while driving. There isnt a sevice engine light coming on and I used my buddies code reader... nothing. Any suggestions? I would like to save money and not have to bring it service center and have them trouble shoot it for $$$$$

obyone

Have you checked/cleaned your Idle Air Controller? That may be your problem if it is dirty and not been serviced. Some say it should be replaced and not cleaned due to the electronics inside. I just cover the electronics and spray it with throttle body cleaner.

45chrome

I have a 1987 Silverado 350 V8 and it stalls whenever you put it in reverse but it only does this after it warms up when driving it cuts out ecspecially at high RPMs and i lose the power to my radio but it turns right back on and my headlights occasionally flicker

COME ON HELP ME OUT HERE

jgower2

Sounds alot like a bad ground and/or battery connection problem. THe stalling in reverse could be caused by the movement of the engine in the opposite direction due to the reverse torque combined with a loose ground cable on the engine. Hope this helps.

chevellessman

Does anyone know what the problem is when the truck stalls at idle, slow speeds or turning. I have heard that new and old trucks have this problem. It doesn't do it all the time.

mickeymouse2

You didn't specify year, I assuming 2000 or newer. You might have a bad IAC valve. (idle air control valve) The PCM retracts the pintle in the valve constantly to maintain desired rpm idle, and rpm at low speeds. Its a 4 wire valve bolted on to the throttle body. If its a mechanical problem with the spring or pintle in the valve, it will not set a code for the IAC. If you decide to replace it. Your PCM will have to go through the relearn. Another words, it may take up to 5 miles of driving or 15 minuts for the idle to stop fluctuating. Good luck

diesel106

My 2002 with the 8.1 had a similar problem for a year for which the dealer or various independent repair facilities couldn't find a solution. Truck would die at idle, city driving or at 80 mph. Never threw a service engine light or a code and would readily re start. 2 weeks ago it quit at 30 mph, wouldn't restart and SES lit up. Code indicated crank positioning sensor. Had it replaced and so far so good. If yours behaves as mine did it could be a while before you get a traceable code.

dan125

I own a 1998 GM Sierra 5.7L 2wd automatic. My truck intermittently stalls while idiling, city speeds and at highway speeds. The idle stall has started in the colder months ( I live in Canada). I can start the engine right away and it runs perfectly until the next time it stalls. Immediately after the stall my transmission will shift hard going from second to third gear. I have had this checked out by the dealer ship (GM Goodwrench) and it is a faulty Pressure regulating valve (PRV)in the transmission that is faulting. However when I turn the engine off for thirty seconds than start it, the hard shift disappeears but the code remains. The dealership has replace the valve three times and have no idea what is causing the stall. The relevant service history is as follows. Aprill 2007, brought truck in for service and inspection, dealership repaired/replaced the folowing relevant items 1)transmission oil and filter change and flush 2) replace fuel filter 3) changed oil and filter 4)replaced spark plugs, 5)performed semi annual inspection 6)replaced lower intake gasket 7) replaced water pump 8)coolant system change and flush. April 2007, Stalling ocurrred at highway speeds (first time), diagnosis was faulty PRV and repaired. Stalling contiuned intermittently after replacement. August 2007, Brought truck into dealership and they figured it was a weak fuel pump and was replaced, September 2007 stalling of engine continued. NOV. 2007 dealership replaced ignition harness, and stalling continued. Dec. 2007 I replaced the battery and did a thourough cleaning of the battery terminals. Stalling continues and now more often when idling, warm or cold. During idling the engine sputters and surges before it stalls. The dealer ship figures that the stalling and the PRV are two seperate issues. The only code that comes up is the faulty PRV. My local goodwrench service dealer has no idea what may be causing the problem and I am tired of paying them not to fix the problem. Can you give me any ideas of what may be at fault. I realize that there could be many components at fault but would like to know where to start troubleshooting. Sorry for the long rant, more info better than none.

mickeymouse2

First I would like to commend you on the amount of information you have given about your vehicle. Some of these post don't even include engine size.

I have run into this before on a few customers vehicles. Same issue, been to the dealer, numerous things replaced. On that vehicle it was a faulty alternator. Yes, it was charging fine, but the AC voltage was leaking through the regulator and confusing the PCM. Most technicians don't have the test equipment for this test.

However, with your problem I would suspect faulty grounds to the transmission and or PCM first. Add some extra ground straps to the chassi, transmission ect. Next, if that doesn't work, disconnect your battery. On the back of the alternator, disconnect the B+, thats the fat 8 gauge cable leading eventually to your battery. Wrap the end of the cable with tape to prevent a short. Unplug the plug on the back of the alternator also. Reconnect the battery and run the engine and see if the problem goes away. Of course the check engine light will come on about the alternator being disconnected. It won't be charging so you cant run it more than 10-15 minutes, but its only a test. If this fails, reconnect everything. Borrow a scan tool from auto zone, and drive around with it plugged into your DLC port. If the problem goes away now, there is a grounding problem with the PCM itself. If this is the case, it is very difficult to trouble shoot. Let me know how it works out. Good luck.

tjm5

2001 Silverado Vehicle update: After running into another owner with the same truck and a year later (model) and the same symptom we both went to the same dealer explaining problem. The dealer felt they had to diagnose the problem because we weren’t both nuts, it must be a real issue to these trucks (daaa). It turns out it was a faulty Crank Shaft Positioning Censer after changing both trucks ran like new, extra power, better fuel mileage, etc.. Apparently this censer has magnets that detects crank position, went this censer goes bad it sends erroneous information to vehicle’s computer showing numerous faulty readings about other areas of concern not associated to problem at hand making it hard to dianose.

chops3

I have a 93 Silverado 1500 5.7L. My problem is that the engine wants to surge at low rpm's. It idles fine and runs fine after you get it going. I have already replaced the plugs, wires, distributor cap, ignition coil, rotor button, pcv valve, and fuel filter. Any help would be greatly appreciated.

pogomonster

I have a 1998 GMC Sierra ( 4.3 ) It also starts and idles fine , even in cold weather ... but after 6 - 8 miles.. it starts to bog down ... new fuel filter ... same result ... the fuel pump whines all the time ... but only runs 2 -4 sec. on key on ( normal ) some say fuel pump whine is not a problem run it till it quits ... others say after several miles fuel pump motor gets hot & falls in output pressure , like any elec. motor ... but it won't quit ... make sense ?????

chops3

Truck is finally running fine. After all the things I tried on it with no luck. I decided to try some gas treatment. I used seafoam in my gas and still no luck. So I tried it in my oil and I probably drove it 2 miles and suddenly the problem quit. I have not been able to recreate the problem since. Don't know if that fixed the problem but it's gone and thats all I'm worried about.

mikeusmc

WOW thanks a lot i had no idea what it could be. I am a diesel mechanic so i am not so good with wires and censers crap. hopefully this will fix the problem.

jthiesfeld

I have a 2001 sierra 2500hd that has been stalling out over the last 4 or 5 weeks. 2 times already engine cuts out and then restarts itself, and the last time it took 5 minutes to get it to start after shopping. at first i thought it was a vapor lock, so i would open up the case cap, and then it would start, but now that doesn't even help. if i have gmc run diagnostic on it, will it bring up a traceble code for the crank sensor. even though gmc is having a recall on this problem, my vin number is not encluded, the local gmc dealer said they would put it on the computer, and if it brings up this code, that gmc said they will fix it as a good well, but if not i will have to pay,

padasso

Hi diesel106, Mine was the crank sensor. It went on for about 3 years. Stalling & stopping. Shut off key & restart. No traceable codes. Then it started stalling everyday & finally a code came on. They still didn't know for sure from the code but it hasn't stalled once since replacing the crank sensor. (Sept07 to present.) I have not heard about a recall. Mine is a 2002 GMC 2500hd with the 8100 engine. If you have any info on the recall please let me know. Thanks, Stu

jthiesfeld

i found the recall on the www.nhtsa.gov gm recall no. 06083, this one is for the 2001 sierra 2500hd 8.1, i'm not sure about 2002. hope this helps, and thanks for the information, mine hasn't started stalling everyday yet, but I am hoping the times it has that there is a traceable code so they will fix it under the recall.

hbjay

i have a 2003 silverado 1500 v8 4.8l engine the other day it was running fine went to girlfriends house for couple hours then when i went to leave it started stalling on me.run fine till i let off gas to stop or turn then it dies but can start the engine again with no problem and it will run till i let off gas again.got new plugs ,wires and alternator but still does it.also no warning lights come on or nothing any ideas would be greatly appreciated thank you.

highflow

I have an 03 Silverado with the 6.0l auto and recently have developed this problem. When I apply full throttle from a standing start and my speed increase passes 120kmh the truck acts like the fuel is shut off and dies. I usually have to sit on the side of the road for a few minuets before the truck will restart. No codes come up and Installed new fuel pump and filter. Does anyone have any suggestions.

drake75

I have a 2003 gmc sierra 1500 4wd with 4.8L engine. My truck stalls more frequently when turning at low rpms but will also stall sitting at a stop. At a stop, the truck will surge before it stalls. I have been told it could be the fuel pump but I am not sure. Any ideas?

mickeymouse2

No trouble codes? Fuel pressure is a likely cause. Hook up a pressure guage and see if the pressure drops below 55psi during the stall. Other likely causes are an extreemly dirty throttle body, or a malfunctioning idle air control valve. Start with checking the fuel pressure, Vortec's are very fuel pressure sensative. Injecters will not spray fuel unless there is at least 55psi at the rail.

mo29

I have a 93 chevy silverado and the other day was idling fine then the truck just died. I had a little trouble turning it back on. Drove fine the rest of the day. Next day drove it to work and on the corner turned off again. No warning lights come on but if you leave it off for a couple of hours truck turns on again but turns off when you drive it. Any help would be greatly appreciated.

adam11788

i have a 94 silverado. it starts right up, runs great, but when i stop at a red light or stop sign, id stalls, sometimes it does this 10 times a day, others not once. i changed the fuel filter already and sprayed throttle body cleaner but didnt get to run it enough to see if the cleaner made a difference, any help would be greatly appreciated. thanks

jumlah

I have a 1998 2500 sierra that I bought used.. Automatic. 256,000K I had the rad changed and the original manifold gasket changed at the same time a few months ago. After the work was done, I noticed a hesitation in the "power band" almost like the engine was misfiring. It was very subtle and easy to miss. there is no hesitation while moving up through the gears until I hit about 90 km/hr (3rd gear), this usually corresponds to about 2000 to 2500 rpm. after that when I reach about 100 to 110 km/hr, and the RPM drops to about 2000 RPM to 2200 RPM (Overdrive) and there is another hesitation. It happens no other time. there are no Codes or check engine light. I also notice after the work was done the engine runs at a lower RPM while idling, and sometimes when I am in reverse and begin to give the engine a shot of gas it almost stall out. It did at least once.

I thought at first the mechanic may have messed up the timing so I brought it back. they double checked and everything was OK. They even checked injection ports and cleaned them. The problem continued, I took it to a transmission shop to see if it was a tranny problem, again no codes, the mechanic took it for a drive and was convinced that there was NOT a problem with the transmission or it's mechanical operation. The transmission was rebuilt about 76,000KM ago, and has only been on light duty. The transmission mechanic thought that it might be related to the ignition. Well, I don't know when the plugs were changed last and the truck has remote start that is no longer able to start the truck. The characteristic of the "hesitation" has not changed and continues to happen at the exact place and time while driving it.

I am at a loss as to what is happening. I would rather not spend ton of money trying to find the problem. Since there are no codes it is kinda hard to pinpoint. I appreciate any assistance I can get on this matter.

regards,
John

mickeymouse2

A lot of miles on this truck. Here is what to look for. I understand mechanics have checked this, but maybe they over looked the obvious.

Low idle than normal may be the key to this. Check fuel pressure, and throttle body for carbon build up. IAC (idle air control) valve may be malfunctioning and not setting a code(pintal may be stuck in wrong position) I have run into this after manifold has been removed. Pintal position will not set codes for IAC, only electrical malfunctions of the IAC will. Pintal spring may be coked with sludge, impeeding correct relearn proceedure. Recommend cylinder balance test. Verify each cylinder is contributing on its power stroke. If this vehicle was brought to me, this is where I would start.

Keep in mind that my first rule to repair is to fix the obvious first, it might be related. I would focus on the low idle issue first. Even though timing has been checked, check it again by someone else. Timing cannot be accurately checked or set if your idle is below specs. Timing and idle are related. Your emission sticker under the hood will show the specs for timing at what idle rpm. Low idle retards timing, while a higher than normal idle advances timing.

lrichy3

I have 03 sierra that i bought new, for the last year and a half it stalls when i come to a stop or turning. It runs fine when it is cold. After it warms up the rpm's drop down to about 550 and it has a miss. It's driving me crazy!! I put new plugs and wires on it,checked the fuel pressure. It's fine.Put new K&N air filter on,the throttlebody is clean. It does not have an IAC valve they only had them up to 02,it has one big electrical unit in the side of the throttlebody and nothing else!! ANY HELP WITH THIS I WOULD REALLY APPRECIATE IT!!!!

mickeymouse2

Hmmm, sounds like its starving for fuel only when warmed up. Check the output voltage signal from your upstream O2 sensors. They should be switching back and fourth between 600-900 mili volts within 1 second. If you don't know how to do this try a propane enritchment test. Take a propane torch(don't light it) and give your engine some extra fuel (propane) when it is warm and see if it smooths out. Just put the end of the torch into the air intake. If it runs worse, than your problem is too much fuel. Look for vacum leaks, and exhuast leaks, these will fool your O2's into sending a lean signal to the PCM wich inturn dumps extra fuel in there. Too much for the engine to burn up.

gixxerman1981

I was having the problems that some were having on here with the truck stalling at low rpm maneuvers. It wasn't the alt or battery, I put a new fuel filter on, still nothing, finally i got some cleaners and cleaned out the MAF sensors and the TB, by the way was loaded with carbon build up. I haven't have any luck with finding the IAC valve though, its not bolted on the TB like most, unless it is attached, meaning riveted on the TB, however since the cleaning it has ran fine, the test drive around the block was a success! If anyone knows where and how to get to the IAC valve shoot me an email, i really would like to clean that as well!

neelaviat

Hey, I have 2001 Chevy 2500HD Duramax w/ 200,000 plus miles.
It's been a great truck, but... engine stalls when I use the turn signal to change lanes on the highway, or when coming out of a slow turn when the blinker arm returns. I can't duplicate this by wiggling the blinker arm. I have to put truck in N, and usually restarts first try. I can feel the truck hesitate or bump while changing lanes on the highway (70-80 MPH) if it doesn't stall completely. THANKS for any help. No codes being stored.

2doorhoe

had the same thing happen, replaced the harmonic balancer ran like new

neelaviat

Did you experience this while using the blinkers? Or @ idle? Thanks.

loom

I have a 2003 Sierra 1500HD, 2 Days ago I went to start it and the battery was dead. I jump started it, never had problems with the battery sense. Now it idles
very low when I start it and when I come to a stop, sometimes it stalls. I was
told that it could be the iac valve, and then I was told that the 2003 models doesn't
have one. Any replies would Help Thanks.

jaysgmc03

hey dont have a answer either but mine also did the same thing i boosted my atv off with my truck and ended up draining my battery in my truck and i got a new battery and now i have low idle to the point it wants to stall . so if u find a answer please let me know. i will do the same .

hmann54

My truck has a 4.3 with automatic. trucks runs great after about a hour it will go to stalling. I have replace ign module, coil, cap plugs ,fuel filter..put the OBD2 scanner no codes show everything is great..fuel pressure from pump is @ 60 psi.
I was told by tech from the dealership that some sensors do not read on obd2 with out service engine light coming on. if any has run across this or can point me in the right direction I would appreciate it

drake75

I have the exact vehicle as you. I had the same problems as you. KEY WORD "HAD". I believe my friend, the problem has been solved. Try this simple, inexpensive solution. 1.) Change fuel filter. COST=under $10. 2.) Buy 1 can of CRC Mass Air Flow Sensor Cleaner. COST=under $10. 3.) Remove the MAF housing between the air box and the throttle body. Complete the following steps when vehicle is cold. 4.) Completely douse hot-wires and hot-plate. Be sure to spray all sides of the MAF sensor. 5.) At throttle body, completely douse the entire air intake. With your finger, open the throttle body and use an old toothbrush to remove all residue build-up. 6.) Reassemble the MAF housing. After assembly is complete, wait 5 minutes to allow cleaner to dry. 7.) Start your truck. You might exerience an initial rough start. Reving the engine will cure this quickly. RPM'S should hold @800-900. Voltage should stay steady with no fluctuation. Truck should purr like a kitten. GOOD LUCK! Let me know if this works for you.

kenakin

2002 Chevrolet Silverado 1500 4x4 Z71 5.3 Vortec
Engine. 109000 miles. Only on cold mornings/days
does it stall and idle really rough and missfire. Here is the strange part: if I unplug the MAF sensor, it runs
fine. If I plug it back in, goes right back to crap. So I
thought i had found my problem and replaced the MAF Sensor but to my surprise it did the same exact thing. It is throwing a coolant temp sensor code so maybe
that is the culprit. My question is if it is a bad coolant temp sensor, why does it run fine when I unhook the MAF? I also tried unplugging the coolant temp sensor but it still does the same thing if the MAF is plugged up.

kenakin

roundrockpaul

roundrockpaul

Hi, I am looking for advice on my truck. I went out and cranked it for work this morning and it was a real hard start. I let it warm up and when I went back out to leave I started having problems. Right when I put it in drive and gave it gas, it stuttered /cut out and what sounded like valves clattering could be heard. Every time I got on the gas good it just cuts out and makes that sound. I tried it again later and it didn't cut out as much only when I really got on the gas hard it did, but first thing this morning it was doing it when I barely gave it gas.

It feels like a fuel issue, maybe the fuel/air mixture issue or I am beginining to wonder if could be my timing chain?

Any help is appreciate.

ptmcn

Did you ever find the cause?

ptmcn

drake75

It sounds to me your truck is stalling during turns. Check out my post #47 and follow the simple directions. Let me know how this works for you.

rjfpicc

my truck had the same problem.. the brake vacuum booster was leaking and messing up the vacuum for the engine.. unplugg the hose to the brake booster and plug it and step on the gas see if it helps. if the motor doesnt' cut out or sputter when you hit the gas its the booster.