My wife has a 2000 dodge stratus. Yesterday it broke down on her. The spark plug came out somehow and was hanging there in the spark plug wire. She put the spark plug back in and tightened it up.

The car would not run right and sounded like it was missing. It would not go faster than 30 mph. Any ideas on what is wrong and how to fix it.

Thanks

 

i'd start by changing the plugs (check engine light on?). sounds like it's not running on all cylinders. although it is rare for plugs to come out like yours did, it does happen (not installed tight enough).

i'm guessing you have a 4 cyl engine (every bit of info helps). start the car and pull one plug wire at a time. if the engine runs worse then the plug/wire that you pulled is ok, if nothing changed you have a bad plug/wire. remove the spark plug and look at it's tip. it should not be coated with anything. if it is, clean it untill you see metal on both sides of the gap.

with the car running this bad, i'm wondering what the ECU says is wrong, any major parts store will read it for you for free.

let us know what you find