QuestionDear Van:
I've been having a problem with my car stalling a lot lately. My car is a 1988 Oldsmobile Cutlass Ciera Sedan 4-Cylinder. It has about 117,000 miles on it.
The stalling seems to occur, mostly when I am on a major highway going around 60-65 mph and then go to get off the exit ramp. When I get down to around 10 mph, the car starts to jerk back and forth, makes a rumbling noise and then stalls. The Oil and Charge Lights come on the dashboard. I usually have to re-start the car a few times and then it will go, but just this past Thursday I couldn't get it to start and had to be towed.
I have taken it to my mechanic a couple of times now for this problem. They have already replaced the starter, given it a tune-up, changed the spark plugs, etc. The mechanic is looking at the car again this week. A couple of the mechanics have taken it for a drive around town, but it doesn't stall for them. It seems to stall more, when it is on the highway going around 60-65 mph, not when driving at a low speed.
When the car was towed, the tow truck driver tried starting the car, he thought it could be the Fuel Injection Pump & Filters? When I asked the mechanic about this, he didn't think that was the problem. I am very frustrated right now. I am supposed to pick up the car tomorrow, but the mechanics can't seem to find out what is wrong with it. I am afraid that the car will stall again, when I get out on the highway and it will have to be towed. Please help. Your advice would be greatly appreciated. Thank you.
AnswerHi Bonnie,
Just a quick guess would be the idle air control valve if it is fuel injected, which I assume it is.
Ask them if they are running the air conditioner, and see if one of them will go for a ride with you driving. Then...don't drive differently than you normally drive.
Also, ask if they might check the EGR valve to see if it might be closing on some carbon, and allowing a vacuum leak.
Van
