Hello all - this is my first post. I’ve read some similar posts but not quite what I’m experiencing and I’d appreciate it if you could help me generate a list of suggestions for my mechanic.

Car is an automatic 2003 Japanese import, 125K km. Nothing fancy. I’ve had it since 2010 and it has been a dream all that time. The only quirk was a little shimmy when accelerating from a stop. But not alarming and if I accelerated gradually not at all.

Two months ago I was stopped in traffic (in drive). The car died. It started right up. Then died again maybe a minute later. It didn’t exactly roar back to life the second time, but it started and made a 10K journey home.

Took it to my mechanic. Car drives fine for him (and my husband), no codes. Mechanic replaces all the spark plugs, gives it a service (which included cleaning EGR valve). Car drives fine for a few days.

Shortly thereafter, husband was driving it and he notices the rpm’s flutter down to 600 while stopped in traffic, but it never actually stalls. It lurches a little bit a couple of times when accelerating from a stop. We get where we’re going park a few hours, and it’s fine on the way home.

After this, I drive it around for a few weeks, no problems, figure we hallucinated the fluttering rpm’s. Then again, it starts with the fluttering rpm’s when stopped in gear (usually only after it’s been running for several minutes - the only time it has done this at the start of the journey was after my husband had driven it around all morning and I took it out right after him).

Back to mechanic - again it behaves perfectly for him. He cleaned the throttle body, reset the computer, sent me away without charging me and said to check in. I drove it three or four times (definitely felt different ) before it started the flutter/lurch behaviour again last Friday. Hasn’t stalled again, but scares the crap out of me.

It’s going to the mechanic again tomorrow, but I just did the school run without issue. I know my mechanic believes me, but it’s frustrating as the problem is so inconsistent.

So, experts, any next steps I could suggest? To recap, already has new spark plugs, got a standard service (including fluid change and cleaning EGR), cleaned throttle body and reset computer. Problem only seems to happen after car is warm.

Thanks in advance. I love this car and even though it’s old, I don’t want to give up on it over a few hundred in repairs. And I can’t afford a new car.

 

I don't see replies to your question, but I have the SAME prob.
2019 Honda Fit, 66K

Took it in for cracked transmission pan. Upon leaving the garage, within a mile, it immediately started to what you describe at the next light. Almost like it was running out of gas. It repeated EXCEPT when the mechanic drives it. AAARGH!

I'm now getting every dash light lit steadily, so I'm trying an OBD (on board diagnostic) device, then off to the dealer.

My bias is we have a computer-firing problem, but alas, just a guess.

Did you find a resolution?

[QUOTE=OldLadyDriver;1465469] ....Two months ago I was stopped in traffic (in drive). The car died. It started right up. Then died again maybe a minute later. It didn’t exactly roar back to life the second time, but it started and made a 10K journey home.
Took it to my mechanic. Car drives fine for him (and my husband), no codes.
Shortly thereafter, husband was driving it and he notices the rpm’s flutter down to 600 while stopped in traffic, but it never actually stalls. It lurches a little bit a couple of times when accelerating from a stop. We get where we’re going park a few hours, and it’s fine on the way home.
...QUOTE]