Why Is Your Car Stalling?

Automotive Blog

Are you having problems keeping your car running when you come to a stop? Before you take your car to the shop for repairs, you should try to get an idea of what is causing the car to stall. Below, you will find the three most common causes of cars stalling when idling to give you an idea of what could be going on.

Bad Gas

The gas that you put in your car could actually be what is causing the car to stall. If the gas has the smallest amount of moisture in it, the car will stop nearly every time it is idling. To see if this is what the problem is, simply purchase a bottle of fuel additive and dump it into your gas tank. This additive will eliminate the moisture and contaminants in the gas and solve the problem relatively quickly.

Bad Automatic Transmission Fluid

Believe it or not, the transmission fluid could contribute to stalling problems. To check if this is the problem, park your car on level ground. Locate the transmission fluid dipstick and pull it out. Wipe it clean with a clean cloth and insert it back into the hole. Pull the stick back out and check out the fluid on it. The fluid should be filled to the proper level and it shouldn't be brown. If it is low, add some fresh fluid. If it is brown, have your transmission fluid drained, flushed and refilled.

Failing O2 Sensor

The oxygen sensor can eventually go bad. When this sensor fails, the car won't receive an adequate balance of oxygen and the car will stall often. If your car seems to do well when it's cool, but when it warms up it starts to stall, the oxygen sensor is likely the cause.

To find out for sure if the oxygen sensor is the problem, use an automotive diagnostic computer. This little gadget is plugged into the outlet just under the steering column. Once plugged in, the computer will display a reading. There are several results that could come up – if the reading starts with HO2S, the problem is one of several things that could be wrong with the oxygen sensor.

If you cannot pinpoint what is causing your car to stall when it is idling, take it to your local mechanic for assistance in finding the problem and making all of the necessary repairs so you don't end up stranded at the worst possible time.

Contact a service like Monroe Transmissions for more help.

28 September 2015