For the first time since I've own my car (nearly 100K miles) it almost left me sitting today. Symptom began with it stalling while going through the drive-thru. It's stalled before for no apparnet reason, but always started back up and ran fine afterwards. Today though it was a bit hard starting back up and at first I had to feather the gas pedal to keep it running. By the time I got my food it seemed okay and I continued to get on the highway.

About a mile up the road it began bucking and jerking and I immediately pulled off the road where it then stalled. I could barely get it started again and when it did it ran rough and I could not rev the engine hardly at all. I had trouble getting someone to drive 40 miles to come pick me up so I continued fighting with the car. Sometimes I would get it on the road again but couldn't get it over 50-55 mph. Other times it ran perfect, lots of power, accelerated fine, like it never had a problem. Eventually each time it would start the bucking again and stall. I'd sit for a few minutes, keep trying to start the car, and it would then start running fine again. Took me over two hours to limp it back home, but I eventually made it.

My first thought is clogged fuel filter. It's been a while since I've replaced it and I was down to about a 1/4 tank when I began having the problem. I have always let my car get down to the point the fuel light comes on before filling it. My second thought was some kind of sensor that had become sensitive to tempature. It's "only" about 93* today, but each time I stopped the car along the road I opened the hood, looking for the problem to jump out at me. Thinking that maybe it allowed the sensor to cool just enought to start working again. I know that might be reaching but I figured I'd add the info see if anyone had any other ideas.

So, does anyone have any ideas? The cel didn't appear until about the 3rd or 4th time I had to pull off the road. I have not checked the codes yet, I'm sure there's a misfire, just don't know if it's fuel or spark related.

Thanks for reading.

 

maybe i missed it, but what engine are we dealing with?


the stutter and buck could be misfire, but i am going to lean toward crank sensor, had very similar issue when mine went out

 

Check for fault codes first but I'm going to guess and say it's your maf.

 

Okay, I was finally able to pull some codes today. I too suspected the MAF as a problem- read a thread about someone having a simular problem.

I currently have a temp sensor that needs replaced, but it's been running fine for the past couple weeks while I waited for the sensor to arrive. The problem has only been around since Saturday so I don't think they're related. So I've got a 0118- Temp sensor code.

I've also got the 0102 Mass Airflow current low code and a 03008 multiple misfire code.

But along with these I also have a 1426- Aux emmision control code. Anyone have any ideas what that is exactly and if it could be a cause or a result of my problem?

I'll fool around with the MAF tonight when I get home, kinda hard to track down this problem being a single dad with a 2 year old that's into everything!

Oh, and the car is undrivable now. Would a vacume leak cause that? I found a small one and plugging it with my finger didn't let the car run right though.

 

The 1426 and misfire codes are a byproduct of a bad MAF. Definitely replace it. I'd suggest cleaning it, but that very rarely ever works. A bad engine temp. coolant sensor and maf will pretty much disable your car. The ecu uses those sensors to determine air and fuel ratios. A vac leak isn't going to help the situation.