Sorry for yet another car thread, but this is driving me crazy. Intermittently, my car squeaks and squeals and runs really rough, and when I am stopped at a light, it shuts off. All the lights on the dashboard come on, and it just dies. I am able to turn off the ignition and then start it back up again fine each time, but it's been happening more frequently. The only way make it stay on is to keep my foot on the gas while I'm stopped. This is annoying because people think I want to race them when I rev my engine at a light. I took it to Meineke on Saturday and they diagnosed it as the vacuum hose, which they replaced (cost me way more than it should have, too). The engine light went off and it ran well for a couple hours, but then it got even worse and even turned off a couple times while I was driving (not accelerating, but not stopped). I took it back to Meineke yesterday and of course, it wouldn't shut off for the mechanic, and the engine light was still off, so he couldn't diagnose it. He just said to come back when it's acting up (which it was, really bad, this morning on the way to work, but I didn't have time to swing by then). I'm worried that it will eventually stall and I won't be able to crank it back up. It's just frustrating, because it only runs normally maybe a quarter of the time, but it always seems to be at the time I'm free to take it to Meineke. My battery is brand new, my sparkplugs are brand new, I don't know if it's an electrical problem or what? I'd appreciate ideas that I could mention to the mechanic next time...he seems to seriously consider everything I bring up (which is kind of disconcerting, because I know next to nothing about cars). He said it's apparently a problem with 2002 Mercury Sables (seems like they should know right away then, but whatever). Research has told me that it could be the idle air control valve? Experts, does that sound right? Thanks for your help.
Sounds like the Alternator. Edit. I had this same exact problem in my expedition. In my case, the vacuum hose WAS bad. I did it myself and it fixed the problem. (Less than 10 dollars)
no expert, but when this happened to me it was fuel injectors (fixed this with a couple of rounds of LucasOil fuel treatment). Could also be your air filter, maybe? Unless Meineke is going to fix it for free, take it to someone who hasn't ripped you off yet.
Is your engine overheating? Check to see if the Engine is leaking oil into the radiator (The reservoir will have black engine oil instead of green/orange fluid)
It sounds like you might have dirty fuel injectors. Try a fuel injector cleaner on a full tank of gas. Hope this helps.
Please list the year/make/model of your vehicle. This sounds like a vacuum hose issue that was not indeed resolved by your mechanic.
Does your vehicle rpm drop to zero and the engine dies? It could be the IACV like you mentioned and when I had that issue on my car once, it was because the shop did my valve adjustment improperly. You could try getting your valves adjusted and it costs around $50-$60. Or you could just adjust the IAVC on the throttle body.
nope, no problems with overheating. I just did the fuel injector treatment a week ago, it made it run smoother but didn't help with the stalling problem. i'll look into the air filter / alternator, thanks
You could download sound card. "Oops, I thought you was somebody else!" - name that movie A couple of movies came to mind with the people think I want to race them and the squeals thing... Now on to the serious stuff: Did they check all the belts? When you're stopped and the car isn't using the drive transmission gear, it's mounted in a different way and it shakes or might make a belt become loose. This can also create whirring and squealing from the belts because they're moving at a rapid speed and are breaking the sound barrier. If you do have to rev while idling (when you're not stepping on the gas pedal), it might be that not enough gas is reaching the place where it's supposed to be burned with explosions from the ignition. EDIT: I see a lot of peeps pinpointed gas intake problems. Good stuff. It doesn't sound like an electric problem, if you mention that the spark plugs are new. Also, how do you know the vacuum hose "cost [you] more than it should have"? Did you bring this up with the people who replaced it? Looks like you could get some money back with a price matching guarantee. Good luck getting your car diagnosed properly. If you give an area of town that you'd prefer to take the car, some folks here might know some peeps. In KATY, I have taken an older car to the repair shop on Cimarron behind the Jack-In-The-Box... they did a good job.
Had a car do pretty much the same thing a few years ago, and this was the problem. The part was pretty cheap, iirc.
this is what i'm leaning toward because yes, the rpm does drop to zero. I have to keep it above 1/1.5 by revving my engine when I have my foot on the brake
Yeah, I think I'm going to go to another shop. they charged me $130 to change the freaking vacuum hose. I was desperate though, and I thought that would fix it.
and the valve... just get some cleaner for it at ORieleys... forgot what kind but they should know. Just spray it in there, wipe off the deposits and then burn the engine a little and see if that helps.
I will do that, thanks! thanks for all the help, rep for everyone. you have no idea how much I appreciate it
It definitely doesn't sound electrical. I had a similar problem with my 2001 Taurus, which is basically the same car, +/- your engine specs (mine is the 24v DOHC 3.0L V6). There is a small, rubber PVC hose in the rear of the manifold that weakens over time. When it weakens, it collapses in on itself, impeding the airflow and causing problems similar to what you're describing. Ford/Mercury made several changes to their Taurus/Sable lineup around this model-year time. Unfortunately, problems such as this are generally not found out about until many people have been driving the particular model of car for a given amount of time. It is a pretty easy fix, though. Best of luck.
Bring it by my shop Ill fix it ..I’m gonna need some pliers and a set of thirty weight ball bearings. And I’m gonna need about ten quarts of antifreeze, preferably Prestone. No, make that Quaker State.
LOL at all the helpful posts in this thread.... I can't help but think it'd be different if the OP was male.
