i can't figure out what's wrong with my car. i let my car break in for 1500 miles before my first full throttle run. i left it in drive, and from a rolling start at 10 mph, i put the pedal to the floor. the car pulled very hard for about 2 seconds and then fell flat on its face. it tacked up very quickly to 6000 rpm without ever shifting. at 6000 rpm the motor went silent and stopped pulling. i lifted the pedal and it shifted and came back to life.

i tried it again from a rolling start and it happened again. i just can't floor the car to enjoy the power it hides.

my second problem is when i first start driving the car, the car pulsates very noticeable like a lean top fueller while taking off slowly. there is a hesitation in throttle response everywhere below 3000 rpms.

my gas mileage is 16.9 on the highway. not very good for a modern day motor. any clues???

 

Not much of an expert on these things....

....but can it be your ESP? Your description sort of sounds like the way a test-drive Magnum felt when I was testing out the cornering in snow and ice. No matter how hard I jammed on the gas, she wouldn't accelerate.

Maybe your car is detecting some kind of control problem and the ESP is trying to kick in.

Just a guess.

Cheers,
Tilt

 

Something ain't right if you can hit 6000 rpm. The rev. limiter is suppose to kick in at about 5700-5800 rpm. If yours, is not shifting just before that rpm, you're probably hitting the rev limiter. What you describe is exactly the way it is suppose to work. It just takes throttle control away from you and kinda shuts everything down for a few seconds. Then you're back to normal. Sounds like a trip to the dealer and a Starscan adjustment is in order. On your other problem...have you done the throttle pedal calibration? When cold some LX hemi's have a rich lope, especially at idle, in gear. Mine does it, but I don't have any off idle or low speed problems like you're describing. Hope this helps.

 

Does anyone know when the Cylinder deactivation kicks in, like at what speed or RPM? Maybe its the car waking up from 1/2 power and switching modes. I had this same problem a few times, but now I use 4th when driving around town and I haven't had it happen again. I still use Drive for the commute though. About 1800 miles on my magnum.

 

it goes in for service thursday. hopefully it's not a bad motor or trans. no check engine lights ever came on, so i don't thinks it is a sensor or electrical. i am having doubts they can fix it. worried they will say nothing's wrong.

 

My guess is that it's either something with the fly-by-wire throttle control or the computer itself. Either should be an easy repair, if they can diagnose it correctly. Therein lies the big question... [:@]

 

My guess is he didn't turn the ESP off and it's working as designed.

 

Pulsating part-throttle and the motor cutting out at redline doesn't sound like ESP to me....

 

i tried with the traction control off, and same problems. i am starting to think the on board computer is bad because i didn't get any check engine lights or anything.

 

65 Standard,
Have the Service Manager call the Technician Support Line and check for a Service Bulletin that addresses the Wiring Harness between the Transmission Computer Module and the Valve Body that attaches to the Computer. My RT was only like the second or third RT diagnosed with this problem. The Wiring Harness was pinched behind the Dash at the Parking Brake location. Did you ever step on the Parking Brake and hear a 'plastic snap'? Once the Wiring Harness was replaced, the problem was gone and has never returned. I believe in driving your car HARD from Mile One. Find the problems early, seat the rings nice and good and go through the bad components while it is still under warranty. Post your problem and solution, once solved. Good luck with that....