2002 Dodge Stratus, BAD IDLE HOT

njxc500 · #1 03-03-2006, 03:39 AM

Hello, and thanks for helping me with this problem. My wife drives a 2002 Dodge Stratus ES with a 3.0 V-6, and this has been a good car, except for the idle. When it is cold, it idles fine. But if you drive somewhere for about 30 minutes, shut it off and go into a store, come back in five minutes, It will start fine, but drop back down to under 500 rpm, it sometimes even stalls. There are a couple things that are odd about this, the slightest touch of the go pedal eliminates the problem, and it ONLY happens when the engine is warm. Please, please the Dodge dealers are worthless on this one. I hear rumors of vapor lock, oxygen sensor problems, or electrical or electronic gremlins. Please give me any input you have. Thanks very much,

Nick

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BadStratRT · #2 03-03-2006, 04:04 AM

ok a few things..my car was doing this for a while back it had a bad spark plug..at first, it only did it at idle like when i would start it cold, but as time went on, it got to the point that i could feel it missing at higher rpms. how many miles? and has it ever been tuned up?

njxc500 · #3 03-03-2006, 04:13 AM

More info, this happens starting warmed up. It has 57,000 miles on it, and I have done plugs and wires. I really suspected a plug. Didn't change a thing...

Thanks

B_52 · #4 03-03-2006, 04:38 AM

Sounds like a bad sensor, as most modern cars will start and run on a pre-programmed set of parameters(called Open Loop), until it gets warmed up. During this time the ECU will ignore many sensors. Once operating temps are reached, the ECU will then switch to Closed Loop, and start monitoring all the various sensors.
Could be that one of those sensors is bad. Id guess at o2 or TPS.

I suppose this could be related to a vacuum leak, although my experience saw those type problems more with a cold engine, and vanishes when warm (expansion closed off the leak). Still I would think it possible that expanding metal might expose a leak?

Beyond that, many parts store will go out and check for codes on your ECU for free. Have you had those checked yet?
Maybe someone here can list the correct sensors that are ignored in open vs closed loop?

njxc500 · #5 03-14-2006, 11:44 AM

Would it be possible that an O2 sensor could cause this, they aren't expensive, maybe I should try that.

Nick