How to Determine Why a Car Stalls at Intersections
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.
Step-by-Step Guide
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Step 1: Look for initial idle OK after a cold engine start-up
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 on-line for around $50 and they are generally pretty easy to replace.
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. -
Step 2: but a warm engine idle will surge and stall.
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Step 3: Take your car in to get a reading.
Detailed Guide
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 on-line for around $50 and they are generally pretty easy to replace.
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.
About the Author
Angela Harvey
Enthusiastic about teaching organization techniques through clear, step-by-step guides.
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