2005 Chrysler Sebring Hello

Tiny
JMM042789
  • MEMBER
  • 2005 CHRYSLER SEBRING
  • 150,000 MILES
My car is a 2005 crysler sebring with a 4 cylinder 2.4l engine. Sometimes when I leave from places my check engine light will come on and my car will start jerking at about 15mph bit I can stop and put water in it then it runs fine and a few days later it will do it again. Do you have any ideal of what this could be? The car does not run hot at all.
Friday, June 14th, 2013 AT 2:49 PM

5 Replies

Tiny
ERNEST CLARK
  • MECHANIC
  • 1,730 POSTS
Taking a wild guess wouldn't do you any good, only waste your time and money. Whenever your check engine light comes on, that means your computer wants to tell you something, and that's in the form of a code. You should immediately take your car to have the computer scanned for this code. Parts stores will do this for free, as well as provide you with a definition/meaning for the code. Take your pick, AutoZone, O'Rielly's, Andvanced, Napa, etc. After you get the code and definition, feel free to contact us back at 2carpros and a tech will be happy to assist you from there.
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Friday, June 14th, 2013 AT 3:05 PM
Tiny
JMM042789
  • MEMBER
  • 10 POSTS
I have taken to an autozone and the code machine said it was a sensor that needed to be replaced but if that was the case I do not see how adding water tempolary fixes it.
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Friday, June 14th, 2013 AT 3:19 PM
Tiny
JMM042789
  • MEMBER
  • 10 POSTS
Camshaft postioning sensor
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Friday, June 14th, 2013 AT 3:24 PM
Tiny
ERNEST CLARK
  • MECHANIC
  • 1,730 POSTS
Sounds like you have more than one issue going on at the same time. First, a rough driving condition wouldn't be effected/fixed by adding water, no matter the reason for the water level being low.

Without providing me with a lot more detail, I couldn't possibly pinpoint a cause and I really don't like taking shots in the dark. But I will give you some quick explanations.

It sounds as though your car was running rough from an intermittent problem, then when you pulled over and noticed the water level was low, you momentarily let the car rest (weather you turned it off or not) and the problem righted itself. This could've been because there was a misfire, the transmission was slipping/overheating, a faulty sensor, bad gas, etc.

Next, if you added water, that means you have a leak somewhere in the system. Adding water won't fix it. You need to find out why your coolant is disappearing and fix it before it blows a head gasket and permanently ruins your engine. Also, adding water without anti-freeze is a sure way to ruin your water pump. Anti-freeze acts as a lubricant for the pump, and running without it is like your engine running without oil. It's a ticking time bomb waiting to go off, and it'll be expensive!

Finally, it is ABSOLUTELY necessary for you to scan for the codes in your computer before you proceed any further. If you neglect this, you'll only spend your time and money chasing these problems with no success. Keep in mind, if the check engine light goes out, the code will remain in the computer anyway. However, once the light goes out, some of the part stores' scanners may not be able to retrieve them. They all use cheap scanners that only recognize codes while the light is on, not off. Only shops and dealers have the professional level scanners capable of retrieving codes with the light out.
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Friday, June 14th, 2013 AT 3:40 PM
Tiny
ERNEST CLARK
  • MECHANIC
  • 1,730 POSTS
Sorry, your last response about the camshaft sensor came in after my last response. That sensor will definitely cause your engine to run rough. But as I said earlier, adding water will have NO effect either way. Have the sensor tested before you have it replaced. I've ran into several instances where the wiring/connector was actually faulty and not the sensor. But the computer doesn't know this. It only knows there's a problem in the camshaft circuit. It's up to the technician to diagnose it correctly.
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Friday, June 14th, 2013 AT 3:43 PM

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