Ok I checked the other threads one dealt with stalling but during a different situation. So here is one for you gear heads.

My Fit from time to time wants to stall. It has actually died once, but so far only once. This only happens after I start the car, then shift from P to D. The rpms drop and the car sputters. It doesn't happen very often, but often enough that I am posting about it.

Any thoughts? Fixes? Im guessing something needs cleaning...

 

sounds like an idle problem or something with the ecu

not too sure... someone else should know
sorry im not much of a help

-Ricky

 

Idle seems ok otherwise. I was thinking the throttle body might need a cleaning as I had a similar thing happen to the NSX. Just wanted to get some input from the Fit folks first.

 

Alot of RSX's had issues with their IAC valves clogging up with carbon buildup if you had a cold air intake. Try cleaning that and the Tb and then relearning the idle.

The only other things it could be are the timing chain or the torque converter but I seriously doubt it. My taurus stalled in Drive alot until I changed the serpentine belt but I doubt that's the case.

 

FITrunner - When this happens, is your gas on low or close to? And how is the weather? Hot? I could see maybe an accute case of vapor lock. Since it's a newer car, I can't see the fuel pump or injectors being the culprit.

 

Nah gas is usually half tank or so. Weather...nothing specific. Only thing I will say is it tends to happen when the car is cold. Like after its been sitting overnight, or just after sitting out in the office parking lot all day. But again it happens probably once or twice a month, if that, but it just bugs me enough to post for some feedback.

 

How many miles? I know when I had my TB issue (my fault) I was around 15,000miles. And my TB was pretty dark. It wasnt caked though so I dont think it would be the problem.

Its deff a problem, not a big one but its a brand new car and it should not stall.
Maybe a faulty EGR?

 

Almost 16K miles. Guess I'll clean the TB this weekend to make sure. Everything else seems fine, once the car is going it never happens again. I'll have a mechanic peek at it during my next service I guess. Thanks.

 

Hey I read your post and I'm having the exact same problem. What was the solution, I'm sure you have fixed it since then. I would really appreciate the help since my car is out of warranty.

Thanks Matt

 

As far as the RPMs dropping, that should be normal if the car is cold. It is likely holding a higher idle in order to avoid stall / warm the engine upon starting it up. When mine does this, the rpms usually drop slightly when I put it into gear. Not sure of the reason for this but I haven't had a stall issue. Make sure you have enough coolant.

 

You might want to PM Fitrunner because he hasn't logged in for over a month. He might not see this question.

 

mine is a manual and its doing it too long after i've been driving it ( engine in operating temp) and in fla its 80 degrees right now

 

i had teh exact same problem. I serviced my throttle body, added a injector cleaner and did a Terra Clean. No issues now

 

Some "Poppa Secret Recipe" will surely do the trick!! PM and I'll give ya the details......

 

I vote for cold throttle return action. Its supposed to ease off into the idle position and hold at cold idle speed. Sounds like your idle return is a bit quick and your cold idle speed a tad low.
If the problem goes away once fully warmed up thats what I would check.
Thats prettymuch ECU.. Maybe throttle positioner sensor. And you might try the cheap possible solution: run at least one injector cleaner thru your gas lines and injectors. (oughta do that monthly anyway) I vote for the non-alcohol versions obtainable at WallyWorld for a $1.50 or so. While gas is usually pretty clean gas stations aren't and its not because they have poor maintenance. Dirt gets everywhere on its own.
good luck.

 

Hello everyone,
My first post here, and sorry it's to ask for help with a problem . My wife's '08 base 5sp.man. (1st gen, 33,000 miles) just began doing the same thing tonight for the first time. She made a stop, got gas from a Chevron station, then drove 15 miles to the local post office to retrieve the mail, all without any problems. Upon attempting to restart, the engine sputters & shakes, then dies, even after multiple attempts. My wife called me as I just got home half a mile away. I got the engine started, but only after revving to about 3000 rpms a few times when it seemed like the engine was going to die. The idle went back to normal and I was able to drive home with no noticable problems. When i pulled into the driveway, I put it in neutral and revved it slightly to about 2000 rpms. Revs climb normally, then drop to about 400, sputter, then back to normal. Every time I rev afterward it does the same thing. No CEL's. Can't do much tonight in the dark, but my thoughts are:

1) Bad gas, though i just filled up at the same station 4 days ago and my '07 VW GTI is running normal (though i use 93 octane and my wife uses 89).

2) spark plugs or coilpacks

3) fuel filter

4) clogged injectors

I'll start with the fuel filter and some STP FI cleaner this weekend. If no difference, then I'll try some new spark plugs. Does anyone know if there are any common problems that this could be attributed to? My searches revealed threads mentioning similar situations, but no one's reported whether or not they fixed it. Thank you for any insight you can provide.

 

If the problem was only engine dying when the throttle is released I go with the computer controlled throttle return and cold idle speed. However in your case there appears to be nother factor - hard starting and running. I agree that filter and contaminated injectors are a good place to start. If you're unfortunate, it will be the darned coil packs. seems a number of Fitters have experienced early failures. beginning at about 30,000 miles. I say darn because replacement coil packs are a hundred bucks or so. Being an old fart, having to pay more than a few bucks for new plugs - and a coil - I get annoyed.
Good luck.

PS Advance Auto offers a dianostic checker for about $30 that is a very worthwhile addition to your tool box. That will determine many causes of such problems quickly and accurately.

 

Thanks for the advice mahout. The engine now refuses to start altogether. I added a bottle of Heet and STP FI cleaner earlier today, and checked the spark plugs, which seem to be in good condition (and they should be with a 100,000 mile service interval). Cranked it over for about 8 seconds a few times, and pulled the plugs again. They were soaked in fuel. I let it sit for a little while. Put the plugs back in except for one. I left it in the coilpack and set it on the valve cover to ground it. The plug's producing spark, but the color of the spark is orange/white rather than the blue or blue/white that I'm used to seeing. I've read that this means ignition is bad. I put everything back together and tried a few more times without so much as a hint of firing.

Another big thing is, I went to the local auto parts store today (down home kinda place) and, after a few minutes of conversation, learned that I was the third person in the last two days who said I was having problems with a car after filling up at the same gas station. They're the ones who recommended the Heet additive. This was before I'd tried to start the car again. So now I have two possibilities for the no start problem.

I'm kinda wondering which it might be. I find it hard to believe that all 4 coilpacks would quit at the same time without any hint of problems before. Maybe I should try siphoning the full tank of gas out and put some good good gas in there. I don't know. Anyone have any ideas?

 

Sounds like bad gas and/or plugged gas filter. Still, while you were at the parts store you should pick up a diagnostic tool to confirm everything of the engine is working normally. I'm not sure about Heet but I do know several injector cleaners that will work to clean up fuel that isn't too fouled.
You need to pull the air filter out and make sure the engine 'sucks" air too although I have a sneaky suspicion that the fuel filter is plugged up so first check that as well. If it is, drain all fuel and refill with a gallon or two of good fuel laced with injector cleaner. Don't be shocked if your fuel filter gets plugged up again so buy a couple. Or substitute cheapies til it stays clean.
We have seen a case here of gas mixed with diesel fuel that acted just as you mentioned. Turned out the tankman put diesel in the gas storage tank.
Good luck.

 

Turns out that there are still some honest and decent business owners left in this world My wife called the gas station where she filled up before all of this. She left a very nice message explaining that we needed to know if they got a bad shipment of gas because I was trying to diagnose why the car wouldn't start and wanted to eliminate that possibility. Today while i was taking all the shielding off and disconnecting the fuel lines in order to drop and drain the full tank, the owner of the station (and connected repair shop) called and confirmed that he'd received a shipment of gas containing some water, and that we were one of a few calls that he'd received. He offered to tow the car 15 miles to his shop and fix it at no charge. He explained about how the water will sink to the bottom of the gas tank if left sitting overnight, and that the fuel pump was sending mostly water to the engine.

I am glad that the guy was decent enough to offer to fix this. Obviously he could've simply told me that it wasn't his shop's fault and that he's just a retailer for the gas company and that my problem was with them. It's a miserable job dropping a gas tank, especially without a lift and just a gravel-floored enclosed car port (and it's raining and 34 degrees outside). I reconnected all the lines and put all of the shields back on just in time for the tow truck to arrive.

Thanks to mahout for your excellent advice !!!