Engine stalls while driving at idle?

Tiny
05EXPLODER94
  • MEMBER
  • 2005 FORD EXPLORER
  • 4.0L
  • V6
  • 4WD
  • AUTOMATIC
  • 144,000 MILES
Back in July, I had a couple instances where my vehicle would stall at idle: the first time it took about two to five minutes for it to happen. The second time, later in the same day, it only took about thirty seconds for it to stall. Then it was fine for a couple weeks until it stalled as I was turning onto a street going about five mph. Then I started it up and drove it until I was at my destination and it ran fine. I thought maybe it was because it was due to some bare wires behind my fan speed control knob, so I turned the fan off completely (this was back in the end of July) and it ran fine since then up until today still with no A/C fan on. I was playing a CD (do not know if this will help or not but I mostly play music through my aux cord and this was the second time I have played a CD since this happened, and the only time it stalled doing so). It stalled going about twenty mph and I was braking due to traffic. Through my hazards on for two seconds, started it up and off I was. It ran fine up until I pulled into the parking spot at work as it stalled again, still playing the CD. On my way home, I switched to listening to music on my iPod through the aux cord and it never stalled. I have seen similar posts suggesting it could be a faulty crank position sensor or a bad fuel pump relay, so I am thinking that is it. On a side note, the odometer reads approximately 144,000 miles but that is only approximately 78,000 miles on the engine I had installed two years ago to replace the original one that quit running. Do not know if that will help with this but figured I would specify that. Any suggestions would be greatly appreciated. Thanks
Saturday, September 9th, 2017 AT 5:13 PM

29 Replies

Tiny
KEN L
  • MASTER CERTIFIED MECHANIC
  • 48,363 POSTS
It sounds like you have one of two problems either the IAC valve is getting slow to respond and needs cleaning or replacement or you have a vacuum leak.

Here are some guides that will help us get to the bottom of the problem and get is fixed:

https://www.2carpros.com/articles/how-to-use-an-engine-vacuum-gauge

and

https://www.2carpros.com/articles/how-to-replace-an-idle-speed-control-motor-iac

and

https://www.2carpros.com/articles/stall-at-idle

Please run some tests and get back to us so we can keep helping you.

Cheers, Ken

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Monday, September 11th, 2017 AT 11:35 AM
Tiny
KILLER_POLLO
  • MEMBER
  • 5 POSTS
  • 2004 FORD EXPLORER
  • 119,000 MILES
2004 ford exolorer did tune up disconnected the battery and when I try to turn it on it trys and the when it turn on it stalls what is wrong
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Friday, October 9th, 2020 AT 12:33 PM (Merged)
Tiny
ASEMASTER6371
  • MECHANIC
  • 52,797 POSTS
You cleared the adaptive memory by disconnecting the battery. It has to relearn to idle. It still should idle at very low, 500 rpm, till it learns.

Roy
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Friday, October 9th, 2020 AT 12:33 PM (Merged)
Tiny
DJCL
  • MECHANIC
  • 767 POSTS
Some times you will have to drive to get it to relearn to idle.
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Friday, October 9th, 2020 AT 12:33 PM (Merged)
Tiny
KILLER_POLLO
  • MEMBER
  • 5 POSTS
The wrench light light up and the service engine soon ilght is also
on so it has to relearn how to idle.
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Friday, October 9th, 2020 AT 12:33 PM (Merged)
Tiny
ASEMASTER6371
  • MECHANIC
  • 52,797 POSTS
Lets back up. Why did you pull the cable? Was the light on? If it was. What was the code?

Roy
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Friday, October 9th, 2020 AT 12:33 PM (Merged)
Tiny
KILLER_POLLO
  • MEMBER
  • 5 POSTS
The service engine soon light was on before I pulled the cable and I turned it on before I pulled the cable it was fine but the light was on so I pulled it and now I try to turn it on and the engine stalls I cant get it to run very long. PLEASE HELP
Thank you
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Friday, October 9th, 2020 AT 12:33 PM (Merged)
Tiny
ASEMASTER6371
  • MECHANIC
  • 52,797 POSTS
What was the code?

Roy
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Friday, October 9th, 2020 AT 12:33 PM (Merged)
Tiny
JFULTON806
  • MEMBER
  • 4 POSTS
  • 2004 FORD EXPLORER
  • 6 CYL
  • 4WD
  • AUTOMATIC
  • 62,200 MILES
My explorer will stall when I slow down at a turn, it will jerk when I pick my speed back up. Also when I stop at a stop sign or light it will stall too. It died on me twice at a stop light and I could put it in park and it would start right back up, for the most part. I have driven it while the engine is hot and cold and it does it both ways. I hooked it up to the computer to see what was wrong and no error codes came back. I checked the fuel system, plugs, injectors and all seems good. Can you please tell me what you think the problem is? I also had my transmission serviced at 62000 miles as the normal servicing, not sure if that matters or not since we are talking about the engine. Any help would be greatly appreciated.
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Friday, October 9th, 2020 AT 12:33 PM (Merged)
Tiny
JACOBANDNICKOLAS
  • MECHANIC
  • 109,885 POSTS
Have you checked for vacuum leaks? Have you checked fuel pump pressure?
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Friday, October 9th, 2020 AT 12:33 PM (Merged)
Tiny
KILLER_POLLO
  • MEMBER
  • 5 POSTS
I dont know I dont own a computer for that
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Friday, October 9th, 2020 AT 12:33 PM (Merged)
Tiny
JFULTON806
  • MEMBER
  • 4 POSTS
Yes I have checked for vacuum leaks and fuel pump pressure. It seems to want to try to stall if I have to come to a sudden stop, I have noticed. I added an additive to my fuel to see if maybe its just bad gas. I still have a half of tank of that fuel.
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Friday, October 9th, 2020 AT 12:33 PM (Merged)
Tiny
ASEMASTER6371
  • MECHANIC
  • 52,797 POSTS
You should never guess on this. There are over 1500 codes possible. You may have actually caused an issue by doing what you did. You removed the upper intake and hopefully replaced the orings. It could be vacuum leaks as well.

Cannot give you a definitive answer without seeing it but I still think it needs to re learn which may require driving for a bit.

Roy
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Friday, October 9th, 2020 AT 12:33 PM (Merged)
Tiny
JACOBANDNICKOLAS
  • MECHANIC
  • 109,885 POSTS
Has it made any difference?
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Friday, October 9th, 2020 AT 12:33 PM (Merged)
Tiny
KILLER_POLLO
  • MEMBER
  • 5 POSTS
THANK YOU sooooooo much I drove it for a while and it didnt turn off any more it was great but the service engine soon light is still on
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+1
Friday, October 9th, 2020 AT 12:33 PM (Merged)
Tiny
JFULTON806
  • MEMBER
  • 4 POSTS
It has a little bit, but I notice that sudden stops or sometimes at a stop light it wants to try and stall still. What do you think it could be? I know its hard without seeing the car, but I just dont want to keep driving it and it cause more damage to it.
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Friday, October 9th, 2020 AT 12:33 PM (Merged)
Tiny
ASEMASTER6371
  • MECHANIC
  • 52,797 POSTS
Back to square 1. You need to have the code pulled and then get back to us with that info.

Roy
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Friday, October 9th, 2020 AT 12:33 PM (Merged)
Tiny
JACOBANDNICKOLAS
  • MECHANIC
  • 109,885 POSTS
It is hard to tell. I'm going to try to explaine something. If you have ever drove in a car with a standard transmission, imagiane what it would feel like if you stopped without pushing the clutch in. The engine would continue pulling until the brakes overcome them and then it would die. Is that what your car feels like or does it just seem to die before a complete stop?
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Friday, October 9th, 2020 AT 12:33 PM (Merged)
Tiny
JFULTON806
  • MEMBER
  • 4 POSTS
Thats kind of what it feels like, it comes to a complete stop and then tries to die. Like a standard transmission where you didnt push the clutch in or let it out too much and then it just dies on you, thats kind of what it reminds me of.
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Friday, October 9th, 2020 AT 12:33 PM (Merged)
Tiny
JGRANVILLE1934
  • MEMBER
  • 1 POST
  • 2004 FORD EXPLORER
  • 4.0L
  • V6
  • 4WD
  • AUTOMATIC
  • 100,000 MILES
My 2004 ford explorer 4.0l will not idle on its own only way to keep it running is to keep the gas pedal pressed to a 1000 rpm's. I did a test on it and its showing that the fuel rail in bank one is running to rich and the fuel rail in bank 2 is running to lean. Its also getting a high voltage error to the fuel rail pressure sensor and its showing multiple misfires. I also know that atleast one of the timing chains tensioners has gone bad and I also need to change the air intake gasket. Im just looking for a direction to go in to getting the car back to idling normally. The problem happen about a month a car the car just died on the highway and after trying to start it a few dozen times it finally started been then thats when its stopped idling on its own and hasnt idled since
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Friday, October 9th, 2020 AT 12:33 PM (Merged)

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