Chrysler Repair: Hard starting, ineffective brakes...intermittently:93 Concorde, exhaust gas recirculation valve, exhaust gas recirculation

Question
I have been having a problem with my Concorde and have spent a small fortune trying to get it fixed, to no avail.  Two situations, and I believe they are connected.  Vehicle is hard to start, have the try turning ignition several times, when trying to start it a backfire comes from the engine on a somewhat regular basis.  Can smell smoke and gas when it backfires.  Recently as I drove the car, it felt as if it was going faster than it should have.  I put on the brakes and the brakes were not working to full capacity.  By the time I turned the car around to try to get home, the brakes were gone and the car was definitely "revved up.  After trying the emergency brake and neutral, I had to put it in park to stop.  When I started the car again it ran fine.  Local mechanics have been able to find anything wrong and it has been driven without this reoccurring for several weeks.  Please help!

Answer
Hi Peg,
Have you tried to readout the engine controller's memory for fault codes that might be stored within? Use your ignition key: "on-off-on-off-on and leave on" doing this in 5 seconds or less. Then watch the check engine light, which remains "on", to begin to flash, pause, flash, etc. Count the number of flashes before each pause, then repeat the readout to verify the counts are correct. Then combine the numbers in pairs in the order they appeared to form two-digit numbers that are the fault codes. Let me know what they are and we can go from there. Also check out www.allpar.com/fix/codes.html for a translation of fault codes.
Because the brakes lost effectiveness, I would verify that the large rubber hose at the brake booster (located in front of the driver, in the engine compartment, right above the brake master cylinder) is attached firmly with a clamp at both ends. If that were loose/ajar it would both make the car hard to start and the brakes weak.
The other possibility is the exhaust gas recirculation valve is stuck ajar. That can be freed up by spraying WD-40 on its stem where it enters the valve body. Tell me which engine size is in your car and I can help you find it.
Those are my best suggestions to move to improving your situation. I would suggest not using the transmission's "park" position to stop the car. That could provoke a major repair. Rather use the parking brake (foot pedal) in such an emergency. The park pawl in the trans can snap off instantly which will end its affect on braking and cost a bundle to repair.
Roland