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There may be lots of reasons a car stalls at intersections, including low automatic transmission fluid levels, moisture in your gas, broken sensors, or issues with the EGR valve.
Things You Should Know
- Park and turn off your car, then pull out the automatic transmission dipstick under your car’s hood. If the fluid is low, add more.
- Look under your car at the catalytic converter after driving around for a while. If it looks like it's glowing, it might be clogged and needs to be replaced.
- Take your car to a mechanic if your check engine light comes on.
Steps
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Look for stalling, no power when accelerating. The check engine light will likely be on.[3]
Look under the car at night after the vehicle has been running for a while. If the catalytic converter is glowing, it's probably clogged. You will have to replace the converter if you find this to be the problem.[4]
Look for initial idle OK after a cold engine start-up, but a warm engine idle will surge and stall.
Take your car in to get a reading.[5] After a few thousand miles of this, most cars will turn on the "check engine" light. You can take it to any AutoZone, Advance auto parts, Napa, or O'Reilly's (but some places may only check cars made after 1996, so call and check first) and they will read the codes for free. There can be any number of reasons for the "check engine" light to come on, so it is good to check. Codes complaining of unexpected lean mixture is a good indication of O2 sensor failure. O2 sensors will typically last 60–75K miles. The good news is that you can buy an O2 sensor online for around $50 and they are generally pretty easy to replace.[6] Another possible reason is that the engine is idling too low (the idle is adjustable) or the control module is going out, which is relatively inexpensive and easy to access and fix.
Look for the Engine Code Error (EGE) P1406. If the EGR valve is stuck open, the car will run sluggish at lower RPMs. If the valve is stuck closed, the car won't run well at higher RPMs (on the highway).
Community Q&A
- QuestionMy car started for a minute or two, then shut off. Now it won't start at all, but it sounds like it is trying to start. What might the problem be?
Community AnswerIt's probably something with the fuel transfer system pump filter or maybe the spark plugs. - QuestionWhere is the screw to turn the idle up?
Community AnswerOn the side of the EGR valve/throttle body, there's a cable that connects to a screw where you can adjust the idle. - QuestionMy 2000 Nissan Sentra doesn't want to idle -- when it does, it stalls when giving it gas.Community AnswerClean your throttle body and intake manifold. Most likely the AFRs (air to fuel ratio) may be off, causing it to run too rich or too lean. Buy a can of throttle body cleaner and spray it in and around generously, while the vehicle is running. If that doesn't work, try running some seafoam through a vacuum hose while vehicle is running and also pour some in the gas tank. The fuel injectors could be clogged or need to be cleaned.
Tips
- The car may be just idling too low which can be adjusted very easily with a screwdriver if you drive an older car. There is a small screw on the throttle body where the throttle cable connects to it you can adjust the screw to make the car idle smoother.[9]Thanks
- In vehicles with automatic transmissions that sometimes have a problem with stalling at lights or stop signs, most of the time it is a difference in pressure on each side of the pressure plate. A loss of pressure on one side or another will cause a stall. When you have low transmission fluid and come to a stop, most of the fluid travels to the front of the transmission and you get a difference in pressure that causes your car to stall. Check your transmission fluid.Thanks
- If you have to check the fluid with the car running, make sure to set the parking brake. Most cars will ask you to put the car in Park or Neutral. Make sure you do not have the car in gear.Thanks
Warnings
- Use the proper type for your vehicle. Do not overfill.Thanks
- Often, you will have to reach into cramped, hot spaces to check your fluid. Check your manual for the proper location. Take care not to be burned by engine parts. Wear long sleeve shirts or gloves as appropriate. Also, when adding fluid, it is a good idea to use a funnel with an appropriate length of neck.Thanks
- Inspect the EGR valve while outdoors, or in a well-ventilated area, to reduce exposure to fumes from the carburetor cleaner or exhaust.Thanks
References
- ↑ https://www.dummies.com/home-garden/car-repair/how-to-check-automatic-transmission-fluid/
- ↑ https://www.meineke.com/blog/how-to-check-transmission-fluid/
- ↑ https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=q5VaQ0wLOLw
- ↑ https://www.2carpros.com/articles/catalytic-converter-replacement
- ↑ https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1ZBjHy76Pwc
- ↑ https://www.2carpros.com/articles/how-to-replace-an-oxygen-sensor
- ↑ https://www.familyhandyman.com/automotive/how-egr-valve-cleaning-can-stop-stalling-and-idling-problems/
- ↑ https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Vr1BGRjllUQ&vl=en
- ↑ https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZedF7QsnYag
About This Article
To determine why your car stalls at intersections, you’ll want to test things like the transmission fluid level and the catalytic converter. To check the transmission fluid, park on level ground. Check your owner's manual to see where your transmission fluid is located. Unscrew the cap to the fluid and check the dipstick to see if your transmission fluid is low. If you have a clogged catalytic converter, your car will not only stall but will also have little to no power when accelerating. Look under your car at night after it's been running for a while. If the converter is glowing, it’s likely clogged. You might also have a clogged or stuck EGR valve. When your EGR valve is stuck open, the car will run sluggishly at lower RPMs. If it’s stuck closed, the car won’t run well at higher RPMs, like on the highway. To learn how to figure out if you have a broken O2 sensor, keep reading!
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