I have 97 nissan altima, It stalls when I stop at stop lights and idle, the RPM vibrates and falls down and the lights come on, it
I have 97 Nissan Altima, It stalls when I stop at stop lights and idle, the RPM vibrates and falls down and the lights come on, It does not stall if I press the gas pedal while idling, and keep the other foot on the brakes. It does not happen all the time, it happens randomly. Last couple of times, I had to hold the gas pedal half way down, then start the ignition and it started.
Sometimes while driving it also feels like it is losing power and I have to press the gas pedal harder.
Otherwise it runs smooth, Check engine light is not on..
What could be the problem, any help is appreciated
Experienced mechanics share their insights in answering this question :
Hi there. Usually when you have a problem like this, it is caused by fuel system components that are clogged with excessive carbon build-up or deposits. This creates a restriction in the efficient flow of fuel and can cause the vehicle to stall. It’s also possible that emissions system components like EGR valve, mass air flow sensors or O2 sensors are faulty. I would recommend having a professional mechanic come to your location and complete a car starts the dies inspection, so they can pinpoint the source of your issues and recommend the right repairs.
How to Identify and Fix Common car Problems ?
Our sources include academic articles, blog posts, and personal essays from experienced mechanics :
Common reasons for this to happen:
Loose connections at the positive and negative battery terminals. Very dirty or clogged air filters can also cause your engine to underperform. Loose timing belts are another likely cause. A mechanic will check these and replace them if they appear loose and worn.
A clogged engine air filter or dirty throttle body may not allow the proper amount of air to flow while the engine is idling and cause a low, rough idle.
Stalling when the vehicle is put in gear simply occurs if the engine cannot accommodate the load. Among the potential causes of that are faults in engine controls. A mechanic can test the throttle position sensor and idle control valve as well as the manifold absolute pressure (MAP) sensor.
Fuel injectors may become dirty over time and not be able to provide as much fuel to the cylinder as is needed. Dirty fuel injectors may cause the engine to run lean which will in turn, cause hesitation when accelerating.
The most prevalent cause of vibration is problems with your wheels or tires. The potential problems include improper wheel and tire balance, uneven tire wear, separated tire tread, out of round tires, damaged wheels and even loose lug nuts.
This is a common symptom of a plug or wire electrical current problem. Air or Vacuum Hose – Another common cause for engine vibration and power loss is when air or vacuum hoses come loose, begin to leak, or rupture. The three necessities for all combustion engines are air, fuel, and spark.
Oxygen (O2) sensor
An oxygen sensor monitors and analyzes the amount of oxygen in a vehicle`s exhaust system after combustion. A dirty, damaged or malfunctioning O2 sensor (or sensors) affects the air/fuel mixture, causing the engine to idle rough.
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.
Automatic transmission vehicles need to manage their level and pressure of transmission fluid when the car is idling. They do this with a component called a torque converter. When this converter fails, your engine will stall.
Your car may have 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.
Why does my car not accelerate when I push the gas? A car not accelerating properly can be caused by a number of things. It could be due to the throttle body, gas tank, spark plugs, or the ECU. It could also be because you have a dirty air filter or a clogged fuel filter.
There are several causes for your car to lose power significantly while accelerating. The most typical causes of a car not accelerating while driving include a faulty sensor, contaminated fuel or air filters, or a faulty timing belt.
If the rotor is warped or has a variation in thickness, you may find your vehicle shakes when braking, or the steering wheel could shake, or the brake pedal may pulsate. Have your brake system checked and, if a damaged rotor is the problem, the part can be replaced.
Motor mounts: It`s the job of the motor and transmission mounts to dampen vibration. When they break, you`ll feel excessive vibration, especially at idle. You can diagnose this yourself by putting your car in neutral. If the shaking lessens, you very well could have broken mounts.
Some of the most common sensors that lead to engine stalling include the mass airflow sensor (MAF), engine coolant temperature sensor (ECT) and manifold absolute pressure sesnsor (MAP). The idle air control valve (IAC) and exhaust gas recirculation valve (EGR) are also well known for causing engine stalling.
Common causes of a shaky car include problems with tires, brakes, engines, and axles.
Common causes of a shaky car include problems with tires, brakes, engines, and axles.
Worn or dirty spark plugs can cause a petrol car`s engine to misfire in one or more cylinders, which can cause vibrations when the car is idling or at running speeds. The easiest solution is to replace your spark plugs and check the related wiring. Engine vibrations can also be due to the air and fuel systems.
The most likely cause of the shuddering most often happens in the vicinity of your car`s rims and tires. They plant your car to the road, and if anything is broken, will feel it. On a serious note, it may be a broken transmission mount or a broken caliper.
Relevant Questions and Answers :
the most relevant questions and answers related to your specific issue
I have 97 nissan altima, It stalls when I stop at stop lights and idle, the RPM vibrates and falls down and the lights come on, it
ANSWER : Hi there. Usually when you have a problem like this, it is caused by fuel system components that are clogged with excessive carbon build-up or deposits. This creates a restriction in the efficient flow of fuel and can cause the vehicle to stall. It’s also possible that emissions system components like EGR valve, mass air flow sensors or O2 sensors are faulty. I would recommend having a professional mechanic come to your location and complete a car starts the dies inspection, so they can pinpoint the source of your issues and recommend the right repairs.
Low coolant light comes on when AC, defrost or heater is on, but only if the car is in gear and stopped, what’s wrong with my car?
ANSWER : First, you want to make sure your cooling system is full. Check the radiator not the coolant jug. And check it when it is cold. If it needs coolant, add some. Of course, I don’t feel this problem is an actual low coolant condition. I would expect to find an electrical failure in the instrument cluster or from a component or wiring harness that is connected to the instrument cluster.
As a technician, I have access to reports from technicians across the country. I could not find any reports of this problem, so diagnosing this will require an experienced tech as this is not a common problem. In addition, this happens at intermittent times making it difficult to recreate. The most challenging part of this diagnosis will be recreating the symptom. I suspect it has something to do with the brake switch circuitry because it only seems to happen when you have your foot on the brake. I would begin my diagnosis there with a wiring diagram and test light in hand. The brake switch, instrument cluster, and environmental controls all interact with each other. Something is crossed either because of a failed module or damaged wiring in a harness.
Aside from making sure the coolant is full, this will not likely leave you on the side of the road. If you take it in to be diagnosed, be prepared for them to spend more time than usual to figure it out. Since it isn’t a key problem, you may need to live with it until it completely fails making it much easier to diagnose. Either way, I do recommend having a certified mechanic diagnose the warning light to make sure there isn’t anything serious going on.
Good luck.
2007 Honda Pilot Check Engine Light and VSA light on and idling at higher RPM, problem with acceleration
ANSWER : Hi there. The Vehicle Stability Assist light typically will trigger when the system has been disabled and it not the source of misfiring or acceleration issues in most cases. Since your check engine light is illuminated as well, it is highly probably that the root source of this issue will be discovered by having a professional mobile mechanic complete a check engine light inspection. This will permit them to download all stored error codes and correctly diagnose the root issues your Honda Pilot is experiencing and recommend the right repairs.
1999 Jeep Cherokee idles fine, loss of power at higher rpm. Cruise control stopped working at the same time. Stalls at stopped when revved up from idle.
ANSWER : The cruise control switch could have an issue and may have shorted the contacts inside the switch terminals. For the engine stalling after pushing on the throttle pedal, there could be either a vacuum leak on the engine or the air idle control valve could be stuck causing the idle to not return correctly. Check all of the vacuum lines and the brake booster for any vacuum leaks. Tighten all of the intake bolts to ensure that they are tight and not loose. A loose intake bolt, broken or cracked vacuum hose will cause the engine idle to run erratic making the idle not steady. If you need more assistance with your engine idle issue, then seek out a professional, such as one from Your Mechanic, to help you.
No dash lights, back right tail light is out, no parking lights. Brake lights work though as does head lights.
ANSWER : Hi there. In many cases, when you have electrical problems like you’re describing, it’s caused by multiple electrical component failure. It’s likely that a few electrical relays are not working; especially if you have systems that utilize the same components (such as your brake light and tail lights). I would recommend having a professional mobile mechanic come to your location to complete an electrical problems inspection first, so they can pinpoint what is damaged and recommend the right repairs.
Rear brake light, and some interior lights don’t come on unless I’m braking
ANSWER : Hello. Replacing the stop light socket with a new one should have solved the intermittent problem of the stop light not working all of the time. It is possible that when you tweaked the socket, it caused a short to ground. This could explain why the dash lights only come on when you press the brakes.
The first thing that I would suggest is that the stop light socket be replaced. After replacing the stop light socket, if the dash lights still only come on when you press the brake pedal, the wiring for the dashboard will need to be inspected for any shorts to ground or bare wires touching metal that it shouldn’t touch. Since this issue started as a rear light problem, I would start with having your rear lights inspected by a certified technician, such as one from YourMechanic.
My dash lights, radio, and gauge cluster on my 2007 Nissan 350z are not coming on when the car is started or in accessory mode.
ANSWER : I see no reports of the issue (in the NHTSA database, for instance) you are describing and so there are no obvious clues. You are lucky, though, that the issue is not now intermittent because all that you need do is use the wiring diagram from the Factory Service Manual to trace (using a volt ohmmeter) even one of the circuits and you will eventually find the interruption in the power source. The fault could be a micro solid state relay, a fusible link (not a fuse), a bad ground, high resistance in a wire, a faulty control module on a printed circuit board and so forth. Regardless of what the fault is, or where in the circuit it is, if you request a diagnostic the responding certified mechanic will simply trace the circuit, per the wiring diagram, find the fault and fix it. The service to request is a non functioning electrical component diagnostic. If you have further questions or concerns, do not hesitate to re-contact YourMechanic as we are always here to help you.
My Hyudai elantra 2014 stalled and stopped after the battery light, engine light and oil light came on
ANSWER : Hello, thank you for writing in. With check engine lights on, the first step is always scanning the vehicle for codes. These help direct your attention and ease diagnostics. The main concern is that the engine is making a loud noise. We need to determine if the noise and the battery or oil light are related. A major issue with the engine would effect the alternator charging the battery, the oil pressure, and several other components. However issues with the drive belt and other components can play a factor as well. Electrical and charging issues can cause various sensors to fail, and cause other warning lights to turn on. Only further inspection will tell, and you may need to get a second opinion. For help from our technicians, contact our service department to schedule an appointment.
