Hyundai Repair: 2005 6cyl Tucson, air intake hose, throttle position sensor


Question
QUESTION: My car will die at any given time, turning, stopping, slowing down it will feel like it will die and then not.It is very sparatic. It also will rev (RPM's) kick up for no reason. From about 1 1/2 to 3 1/2, and sometimes this will go on for couple of miles. This is so annoying and scary. They have already replaced the speed sensor, thinking that would cure it, it has not. any suggestions?



ANSWER: I've seen situations where the air intake hose came loose from the throttle body, but this usually resulted in a rather severe bucking condition.  While I haven't seen the issue, a defective throttle position sensor could also cause your symptoms.  It's also possible you have a transmission-related issue causing your transmission to shift abnormally.

I realize you probably don't have this information, but I'm interested in knowing why they replaced the speed sensor, and which speed sensor was replaced.  None of the input, output, vehicle, or wheel speed sensors would typically cause the rpm variation you describe.  Do you know if there was a trouble code of some sort that led to replacing the sensor?

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QUESTION: They said no error code came back, but they had contacted Hyundai and they suggested that. My father in law thinks it might be the fuel pump? I do not know what sensor they replaced. I am getting the feeling they just wanted to get rid of me or they are waiting to fix the problem till my warranty goes out. What would cause the car to die when I come to a stop or it feels like it wants to die but does not. I am on the edge here, lol...I work till very late and drive home on back roads, I can not have my car die on me. Esp with this being a new car.
ANSWER: Unfortunately, there are many things that could cause your car to stall or nearly stall.  That's probably the largest reason the shop is having difficulty fixing it.  Without being able to test the vehicle while the problem is occurring, it's difficult to pinpoint the exact cause.  How frequently does the problem occur?  If it's every one or two days, you might request the dealer have a technician drive the vehicle so he can feel the problem firsthand.  This is invaluable information for a good and experienced technician.

While the fuel pump is technically a possibility, it's not likely the cause.  Usually, fuel pump problems first manifest themselves on high speed acceleration.  Since your vehicle seems to be attempting to stall at idle (a time of low fuel delivery), it's not likley that the fuel pump is the issue.  

I also doubt the dealer is trying to put you off until the warranty expires.  Unless you've racked up quite a lot of miles in two years, you've got plenty of warranty left.  I think it's more likely that they have no trouble codes to give them any hints, and they cannot duplicate the problem.

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QUESTION: Well they drove it around and it did it once, dying. And they did not have the computer hooked up, or something like that, and it did not do it again. They had the car for four days before I got it back and they said they thought it might be the speed sensor. The problem occurs every so often. It can start for a good couple of miles and then be good for a few days. Its really odd.

Answer
Unfortunately, many problems arise in the manner you've described-- a few times or even many times over a couple days, and then not again for quite a while.  The problem  with this is that it's very difficult to detemine exactly what's occurring, let alone what's causing it.  If you're confident the dealer will be able to replicate the problem, set up an appointment to return it to them for further investigation.