I have a 96 Stratus 2.4 automatic with a bit over 140k mileage. Installed new plugs, wires and coil (it was due anyway) was hoping this was part of the problem but it's not.

It has an intermittant problem with the rpms dropping way low when sitting at traffic lights. Even putting foot on gas to bring idle up it gives a very slow response in revving and it fights to stall. It's fine once you get it moving.

Also, it sometimes stalls after starting it and putting it in reverse. It will just quit like you shut it off. No chugs,no roughness just gone. Sometimes on restart it will do the slow idle thing but then after a few minutes will recover and be fine.

Again, these problems are not happening all the time, just enough to make me worry since it is the car my daughter drives to/from college. I really don't want/can't afford a newer car at this time so need to fix the one we have.

Anyone else have the same thing? What fixed it?
Thanks
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Great...so the car has an issue noone else has had to deal with. Lucky me. Ok...I was talking with my dad (used to be a car and airplane mechanic is his much younger years). He has a Honda Accord that was doing something similar. The idle air control solenoid was replaced and seems to have been the cure for that car. Could that be the problem with this one? And does anyone know where that part is found on this car?

Thanks
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My Avenger had a some what similar problem... mine was the EGR valve... but someone else here turned me on to this site... I think it starts on page 20
http://tearstone.com/eclipsefsm/70.PDF

 

He has a completely different car.

It could be yoru throttle positioning sensor. My gf's honda was doing this, but the check engine light came up and told me what it was. It actually didnt like to shift to 4th (auto) when it was bad.

 

The website helped alot! The cars might not be the same label but the idle air control is in the same spot so it works for me! lol I had my doubts at first too when I saw Eclipse but the engines are apparently pretty similar. Sister car I guess. I saved the link for future reference and thank you for the link Nightrider!

Pearl02stratcoupe, Thanks for the tip on the throttle positioning sensor! My daughter's Stratus has yet to give us an engine code for this. That's one of the irritating things about it...we have a code reader for the car but the Stratus isn't talking to us about this one. It sure let us know when the ignition coil was going bad! geeze! lol I'm gonna check into the throttle sensor too while I'm in there.

Soooo...now off to the parts store.
Thanks again!
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