Car idles high and then low, and then becomes a 30 second cycle.
My 2008 Dodge Ram 1500 has a 4.7 L engine. When i drive and i stop at a light or i am just at idle, my truck idles around between 750-1000 and after a while idle goes down between 600-750 and it just becomes a 15-30 second cycle. what could cause this?
My car has 130000 miles.
My car has an automatic transmission.
Experienced mechanics share their insights in answering this question :
Hello. A few things I would check are the throttle body, the idle air control valve, and the vacuum hoses. A dirty throttle body or idle air control valve can cause the idle to fluctuate. I would also examine the condition of all of the vacuum hoses, any cracked or leaking hoses can cause the idle to fluctuate as well. If you need assistance, a certified mobile mechanic from YourMechanic can inspect your vehicle’s idling issues at your home or office.
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A few things I would check are the throttle body, the idle air control valve, and the vacuum hoses. A dirty throttle body or idle air control valve can cause the idle to fluctuate. I would also examine the condition of all of the vacuum hoses, any cracked or leaking hoses can cause the idle to fluctuate as well.
The most common problem is a faulty fuse. In modern vehicles, engine idle speed is most often controlled by the idle air control (IAC) motor. This can be impacted by bad fuses in many different electronic systems in your car. Next, your high idling could be caused by a computer malfunction.
Malfunctioning Throttle: A malfunctioning throttle system can cause both a high idle as well as an engine stall. A dirty air intake or cracked air intake tube is often the culprit. Computer Malfunction: A computer malfunction can cause a high engine idle, especially the powertrain control computer.
Engine Coolant Temperature Sensor failure
if the engines coolant temperature sensor fails, then the engine electronic control unit (ECU) may think the engine is still cold and keep the engine rpm high, by commanding the idle air control valve appropriately.
Engine hunting and surging at idle is usually caused by a fuel delivery, air leak, or governor system problem. Cleaning/overhauling the carburettor, adjustment of the governor, and/or changing the air filer may be required.
On a fuel injected motor, a vacuum leak can cause the engine`s RPM at idle to increase. In fact, it`s possible to double the idle speed if the leak is significant enough. When a vacuum leak is detected, the O2 sensors on the engine will detect extra oxygen is entering the intake manifold.
If the MAF sensor is bad or unplugged, the engines computer will use a programmed default strategy to control fuel flow. That could result in a high idle.
Rough Idling
Improperly functioning spark plugs cause an uneven burn of fuel in the engine, resulting in fluctuating RPMs and a louder noise. You might also experience increased vibrations of your vehicle while sitting idle or while traveling at low speeds.
If the PCM offers no hints, the best place to begin looking for problems is with the Idle Air Control Valve/Bypass Air Control (IACV/BAC). You can try cleaning it and see if that improves your idle speed. A throttle body cleaning is likely to cure the high idle speed as well.
An idle air control valve, also called an idle air sensor control motor, is an electrically operated valve that controls the amount of air that bypasses the throttle plate in cars with a fuel injection system [source: Autozone]. This causes the idling speed of the engine to change as needed.
Once the O2 sensor goes bad, your vehicle`s main computer may push too much fuel into the combustion chamber. This will make your engine surge and you feel as if you are driving a bucking bronco.
Yes. While the damage may seem small initially, the longer you drive with a bad oxygen sensor, the worse the damage will become. Eventually, you may experience rough idling, poor acceleration, engine misfires, an illuminated check engine light, and failed emission tests.
Common culprits include the ignition control module, plug wires, coils, and spark plugs. Defective Airflow Sensor: A defective airflow sensor can be responsible for a rough idle. A mass airflow sensor detects the amount of air coming into the fuel injection system and sends that information to the vehicle`s computer.
The common causes of engine surging are due to 2 factors a default in the ignition system or a malfunction of the fuel delivery system. These 2 systems can cause surging while idling, engine surge on start-up, or car surging when stopped.
Replace the sensor with a compatible one and correctly install the crankshaft position sensor to ensure that the engine runs optimally and safely. A qualified technician can prevent further issues with RPM fluctuations while driving by installing the sensor correctly.
A rough idling engine can be caused by spark plugs or spark plug wires. Spark plugs use the electrical current received from ignition coils to ignite the air/fuel mixture within the combustion chamber. A plug that is damaged or installed incorrectly can result in fuel being burned at an inconsistent rate.
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Car idles high and then low, and then becomes a 30 second cycle.
ANSWER : Hello. A few things I would check are the throttle body, the idle air control valve, and the vacuum hoses. A dirty throttle body or idle air control valve can cause the idle to fluctuate. I would also examine the condition of all of the vacuum hoses, any cracked or leaking hoses can cause the idle to fluctuate as well. If you need assistance, a certified mobile mechanic from YourMechanic can inspect your vehicle’s idling issues at your home or office.
Read Full Q/A … : Car idles high and then low, and then becomes a 30 second cycle.
High idling, jumping while idling, idle air control valve code
ANSWER : Hi there. This can be caused by the issues that you mentioned or a number of other things. You need to make sure all of the connectors are making good contact. I would then need to know what codes are in the computer to know if this is a circuit issue or not. Most of the time, it is not the circuit but instead a vacuum leak.
If there is a vacuum leak, then the vehicle will act like this and the computer cannot control the idle. Most of the time it is a bad hose or an EGR valve that is stuck open. That is the most common cause for this. I typically remove the EGR to check it to feel the diaphragm on the bottom of it to see if it is moving correctly. If you need to have this repaired, consider YourMechanic, as a certified mechanic can come to your home or office to diagnose and repair your car’s idling issue.
Read Full Q/A … : Car idles high and then low, and then becomes a 30 second cycle.
Car is idling at high rpm’s and when the days are hot the car cranks but doesn’t turn on and also exhaust is smoking when i rev it
ANSWER : Hello – your symptoms suggest worn piston rings or valve stem seals (smoking), and a possible air leak in the intake, or idle air control valve sticking open (high idle). Both are signs of a higher-mileage engine with significant wear. I recommend an engine inspection performed by a mobile, professional mechanic, such as one from YourMechanic, who will come to your location, diagnose this problem, and give you an accurate assessment of damage and cost estimate for repairs.
Read Full Q/A … : Car idles high and then low, and then becomes a 30 second cycle.
Low idle problem
ANSWER : Hi there. If the idle control valve is good then the problem is typically caused by a vacuum leak or an issue with the throttle body. I usually check the engine for vacuum leaks first. It may be a vacuum leak in one of the hoses or in the intake manifold. The intake gasket is a common failure.
If there are no vacuum leaks, then I would test the throttle position sensor to make sure it is reading correctly. If it is also reading fine, then I would check the throttle body itself. If the bore or plate is worn then this will occur. If you want to have this low idle problem inspected, consider YourMechanic, as a certified mechanic can come to your home or office to diagnose and repair this.
Read Full Q/A … : Car idles high and then low, and then becomes a 30 second cycle.
Car revs high and jerks when first starting to drive car, while driving.
ANSWER : Hi There,
It sounds like you may have low transmission fluid or a faulty transmission control solenoid. As you know, automatic transmissions use pressurized hydraulic fluid to change gears. Every time a gear change is required, the car’s computer activates a transmission solenoid, which directs transmission fluid into the valve body to engage the correct gear. When this is faulty or not working properly, this can cause a delay in gear shifting or in some cases cause the car to not shift at all. This type of problem is amplified any time the transmission is low on fluid creating a drop in hydraulic pressure. I would recommend having a professional from YourMechanic come to your location to diagnose and inspect your vehicle.
It sounds like you may have low transmission fluid or a faulty transmission control solenoid. As you know, automatic transmissions use pressurized hydraulic fluid to change gears. Every time a gear change is required, the car’s computer activates a transmission solenoid, which directs transmission fluid into the valve body to engage the correct gear. When this is faulty or not working properly, this can cause a delay in gear shifting or in some cases cause the car to not shift at all. This type of problem is amplified any time the transmission is low on fluid creating a drop in hydraulic pressure. I would recommend having a professional from YourMechanic come to your location to diagnose and inspect your vehicle.
Read Full Q/A … : Car idles high and then low, and then becomes a 30 second cycle.
My car has a rough idle when I start my car, when I stop at a light my car turns off. Is it the purge sensor?
ANSWER : This may be a result of a dirty or failing idle air control valve. The idle air control valve reads the air intake as it is mixed with fuel prior to being injected into the engine at low speeds and at idle. Since this valve is controlled by the vehicle’s computer, it will adjust idle speed based upon other measurements such as engine temperature, intake air temperature and electrical system load or voltage. When you accelerate, the engine RPM increases, and as you let off the gas, the RPM slowly returns to the normal idling speed with the help of the idle air control valve making the transition from a higher RPM back down to idle speed. When the engine RPM drops below the normal range of about ~800 RPM, this often times will cause the engine to stall indicating a dirty or faulty idle air control valve. I would recommend having an expert from YourMechanic come to your location to diagnose and repair your idle air control valve.
Read Full Q/A … : Car idles high and then low, and then becomes a 30 second cycle.
High idling, engine misfiring, car jumps at high RPMs
ANSWER : Hey there thanks for writing in about your 2002 Hyundai Elantra GT. The high idle is likely a bad idle air control motor (or air leak in the intake system). The misfire also may be caused by the factory spark plug gap being too great (.045"). Gap your plugs to .032" instead. To have this checked, have a qualified mechanic inspect the high idling and misfiring problems in order to have this correctly repaired and addressed.
Read Full Q/A … : Car idles high and then low, and then becomes a 30 second cycle.
High Idle, stalls when a/c or defrost is turned on and dies completely after some rough idling. If turned back off car is fine.
ANSWER : Hi there. The fact you able to get the idle speed to drop by tapping the gas pedal, lead me to believe the high idle is due to a sticking accelerator cable. Another possibility could be, a faulty throttle body not allowing the throttle to return to the closed position. Proper diagnoses should be performed to avoid unnecessary repairs. I recommend having your vehicles high idle be diagnosed and repaired by a certified technician, such as one from YourMechanic.
Read Full Q/A … : Car idles high and then low, and then becomes a 30 second cycle.
