My Car Stalls When Stopped or Idling – What Do I Do?

The last thing you want when stuck in traffic is a car that stalls every time you idle. If you’re constantly frustrated by this happening with your car, what could the problem be? Unfortunately, a car repair appointment is in your future, but that doesn’t mean it’ll cost you a fortune. While a mechanic is your best bet at this point, you can keep up with regular auto maintenance in the future to help prevent this problem from recurring.

Don’t Brush Off A Stalling Car as No Big Deal

The fact is, if you’re having trouble with your car stalling, it’s nothing to take lightly. While there’s a possibility it could be a simple fix, it can also mean a serious transmission repair that should be taken care of as soon as possible. So even aside from the inconvenience, you should get your car to a trusted mechanic sooner rather than later to have it checked out.

What Could the Problem Be?

So, you should have a mechanic take a look – but what might they say is the problem? There are a number of possible causes for your car stalling when stopped or idling, ranging from simple and easy to fix, to a much more serious and urgent car repair.

You Have a Faulty Oxygen or Mass Airflow Sensor

Every car has both an oxygen sensor and a mass airflow sensor that monitor air leaving and entering your car’s engine respectively. If either or both are malfunctioning or wearing out, it will impact the amount of air being sent into the combustion chambers, which can cause stalling. Your engine requires the right ratio of fuel to air, so anytime that balance is thrown off, it will cause trouble. Luckily, if the cause behind your car stalling is one of these sensors, it should be a relatively simple repair and shouldn’t cost you much time or money.

You Need New Spark Plugs

Another common cause is a worn-out spark plug. Your car’s spark plugs are responsible for igniting the air/fuel mixture in the combustion chambers. This powers your car’s engine and keeps it running. If you have old spark plugs, this is a very likely cause for your car stalling. Depending on what type of spark plugs you have, they could last anywhere from 10,000 to 100,000 miles.

Your EGR Valve is Clogged

You may not be familiar with this part of your car. If not, it stands for Exhaust Gas Recirculation and is responsible for circulating some exhaust back into the combustion chambers. This helps maintain a healthy operating temperature inside the engine, since exhaust is mostly carbon dioxide (CO2). Like the O2 and Mass Airflow Sensors, this valve failing will impact the air/fuel mixture, causing a loss of power to your engine.

image of exhaust pipes of a car close up

Going Longer and Keeping You Safe

AAMCO Colorado is here to help you with all your car maintenance needs. Count on us to help you with your auto stalling issues today!

Your Fuel System Isn’t Working Properly

Your fuel system, including the fuel pump, is responsible for getting fuel from your gas tank to your engine, powering your car. Another part of this system is the fuel filter, which keeps debris from getting into the combustion chamber. Over time, it will become clogged, which means less fuel can enter the combustion chamber. Both of these can lead to a loss of power in your car’s engine, meaning a stalling car. Bring your vehicle in to AAMCO for Fuel System Service & Cleaning.

Your Transmission is Malfunctioning

Unfortunately, a stalling car can also mean a serious car repair is needed, such as a transmission repair. Like the clutch in a manual transmission, the torque converter is responsible for getting power from your engine to the drivetrain in automatic transmissions. If this part is failing, it can cause your car to frequently stall. It’s also possible you may need a less serious transmission repair – worn solenoids can also cause a lack of power in your car due to inaccurate fluid pressure.

image of transmission cross section

Car Stalling? Don’t Wait, Call AAMCO Colorado

No matter what is causing your car to frequently stall when stopped or idling, it’s important to have a mechanic take a look as soon as possible. You may find it’s a simple, inexpensive fix, but if it is a more serious repair, you risk causing a lot more damage by putting it off. Give the technicians at AAMCO Colorado a call and we’ll quickly and accurately diagnose the problem so you can get back on the road.

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