I have a '97 Dodge Neon. While driving, the car will buck once, or rather it feels like I just went over a bump, then it dies. The dash lights don't come on until the car is almost stopped. I will crank it over, doesn't start. Crank it again, nothing. Wait 30 seconds with the ignition off, then crank it again, starts right up.

I've got this down to a science now.

This has been happening for almost two months. The first day it did it three times. Did it a couple the next day, and then for about it week it was at least once a day. Then the occurrence went to about once a week. Every Wednesday in fact, on my way home from work.

The problem always happened in the afternoon, never in the morning. Weather doesn't matter: hot, cold, wet or dry. Speed doesn't matter: fastest was about 80, slowest was at a stop light, there it just died, didn't feel a buck. Doesn't matter if the car's warmed up or I just left.

I've had it at the mechanic. No check engine light. No error codes. He could not recreate the problem. Says all systems were functioning properly.

Yesterday (Wednesday) it did it on the morning. Three times within a mile. Thought it was finally it for the car. Then the last time I got it started and it was fine the rest of the day and so far today.

Any ideas?

 

Sounds like a crankshaft or cam sensor issue which is common. If its not either of those 2 it could be a short in the wiring somewhere. When the car doesn't start you need to check for fuel and spark, and watch the cam/crank sensor on a scanner.

 

It is hard to check for fuel and spark on the side of the road. By the time I'd get the hood open the car would have started, lol. It's not like the car just won't start, it only doesn't start immediately after it dies. But 30 seconds after I try restart it, there is no problem.

If it was a short in the wiring, what would cause it to feel like I hit a bump? It would just die without any warning.

I'll check on crank and cam sensors. Seems weird to me that this would be a common problem.

 

The crankshaft and camshaft sensor will kill fuel and or spark to the motor causing it to shut off like someone flipped the key. Crankshaft and camshaft sensors are common on most vehicles because of how they are made I assume. Sometimes the wires near the crankshaft sensor come loose from the clip that holds the wires away from the exhaust and/or axle which can cause the wires to be harmed and possibly short out randomly. I would scan the car every now and then and see if you can find a history or pending check engine light code.

Let me give you an example of a neon I worked on the other day. A customer had the neon towed in. When I got in the car it would not start. I unplugged, and plugged the cam sensor back in. The car then ran, but shortly died. new cam sensor sent him on his way.

I had a neon a few years ago that would randomly die and start back up shortly after. It started to get worse. I noticed the wires were frayed near the crankshaft sensor, I fixed the wires and it helped but still acted up. I changed the crankshaft sensor and it was all good.

On a friends neon a few years ago it to would randomly die and start when it felt like it afterwards. If the car sat for a while it would always start. Turned out the crankshaft sensor had some oil in it from the valve cover leaking causing it to short.

A few months ago I had a customer that had the same issue, the car would randomly act up and die then restart shortly after. It would never act up for me. One day the car died for good, ended up being a fuel pump. If I could of gotten it to act up I would have found no fuel, but spark.

A few years ago I was driving down the highway when the car just died. No spark. Turns out the wire harness fell down and got wrapped around the CV axle cutting the wires.

All these issues were first diagnosed by checked for fuel and spark before anything else. No fuel, but you have spark is more then likely a fuel issue. No fuel and no spark is the cam sensor, no spark should be a crankshaft sensor. *Most of the time*.

These may not be the issues but without seeing the car I would tell you to start with the basics and common issues. It could also be a short somewhere else or possibly a PCM going bad. You car needs 3 things to run. Compression, timed spark, and fuel. So you gotta figure out which one you don't have, and trace it back to the culprit.

I think you can also check the crankshaft sensor by watching the RPMS on a scanner while cranking, or waving a screw driver in front of the sensor while watching RPMS on a scanner.

Another common issue is the cam sensor magnet which is located under the sensor on the camshaft itself, these are known to crack and cause issues. usually this makes the car run like crap in general.

If your still having troubles tracking down the issue I could dig out the diagnosis procedures. But i would first need to know if the car has fuel or spark when it dies.

 

The problems you are describing are the car just shutting off. This car doesn't just shut off, it kicks...hard, one time THEN dies. I feel the motor jump, it shakes the car like I just ran over a speed bump.

I replaced the cam position sensor was replaced last spring when I did the head gasket. I dropped the tank and replaced the fuel pump last summer. It has no error codes. I checked it and the mechanic checked it when I took it to him.

 

The kick is the car dieing for a second before it kills completely. Just because the car recovers itself the first time it dies doesn't mean anything. The car is still shutting off either way. Maybe its for a second, maybe its for a year. Either way the "buck" Is the motor dieing. I have installed fuel pumps and cam sensors that failed in less then a year. Not saying it is or isn't the issue. The car needs to be diagnosed like explained above. The car needs 3 things to run. Figure out which one(s) its losing and start from there. I gave you all the information I can give you at this point until you give me some diagnosis feedback. Everything I mentioned is what I would do if the car was sitting in front of me. Have you checked fuel pressure when it dies, have you check spark when it dies, have you tried using a scanner to check for codes yet, have you used a scanner to watch your rpm signal, have you tested the sensors magnets, have you check the wiring?