Car is a 2004 Chrysler Pacifica, AWD. For the last 4-6 weeks, occasionally it has happened while driving at steady, highway speed, car will suddenly shudder really hard just once, but sometimes twice or three times in quick succession – but then just keeps on going. The shudder is so strong it’s almost violent – it’s more like a hard shake or jerk – like possible the engine completely cut out for just a half a second.
It doesn’t happen every time I drive. For example, I drove the car on a 5 hour trip and it happened once during the entire drive, about half way. I am not positive about this, but it seems to me like it happens more when I might be giving it a little bit of gas, like to speed up slightly – but at least once or twice it has definitely happened while driving at a steady speed.
More recently, the same thing has been happening when driving at slower, “in town†speeds, and a couple of times it happened when moving very slowly like taking off from a red light at low speed – so stepping on accelerator slowly but steadily and the car sh-SH-SHAKES kind of violently, sort of like it wants to stall, but then carries on.
Today when I was driving around town – twice when I was slowing down, like to pull into a parking spot – the car completely stalled – like completely shut off and needed to be re-started. I was able to turn over the ignition and re-start it right back up with no problem.
I am really scared of an expensive wild goose chase to find the problem and can’t afford it! Any suggestions?
It doesn’t happen every time I drive. For example, I drove the car on a 5 hour trip and it happened once during the entire drive, about half way. I am not positive about this, but it seems to me like it happens more when I might be giving it a little bit of gas, like to speed up slightly – but at least once or twice it has definitely happened while driving at a steady speed.
More recently, the same thing has been happening when driving at slower, “in town†speeds, and a couple of times it happened when moving very slowly like taking off from a red light at low speed – so stepping on accelerator slowly but steadily and the car sh-SH-SHAKES kind of violently, sort of like it wants to stall, but then carries on.
Today when I was driving around town – twice when I was slowing down, like to pull into a parking spot – the car completely stalled – like completely shut off and needed to be re-started. I was able to turn over the ignition and re-start it right back up with no problem.
I am really scared of an expensive wild goose chase to find the problem and can’t afford it! Any suggestions?
Feb 4, 2010 at 7:37 PM
