Loss of power when driving

Tiny
MRRUSLANM
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  • 2 POSTS
Does it make sense to go to repair place and first ask to replace trans fluid?
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Saturday, August 31st, 2019 AT 12:18 PM (Merged)
Tiny
SERVICE WRITER
  • MECHANIC
  • 9,123 POSTS
I doubt it is going to help if it hasn't been done on a regular basis. If you do try it, make sure it gets the right fluid (atf+4), may want to add a bottle of lube gard too. IF there is a valve or solenoid sticking it may help.

I would suggest finding what codes are in the pcm first, as it may lead down a different path.
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Saturday, August 31st, 2019 AT 12:18 PM (Merged)
Tiny
TIM.BURKES
  • MEMBER
  • 1 POST
  • 2001 DODGE CARAVAN
  • 6 CYL
  • AWD
  • AUTOMATIC
  • 149,000 MILES
The car runs sluggish with slow acceleration and I smell gas throughout the car sometimes. When you press down on the accelerator it seems as if the motor is choking.
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Saturday, August 31st, 2019 AT 12:18 PM (Merged)
Tiny
CAROLGIO1164
  • MEMBER
  • 4 POSTS
Alot of times sluggish response is from the catalytic converter being clogged however there could be many reasons for bad or sluggish performance. It could be your fuel pump since a majority of cars are set to run at a fuel pressure at a certain p.S.I. It could also be a partially clogged fuel filter or even out of time or even clogged fuel infectors. If I had to take a guess I would say the catalytic converter. You can drill a small hole in the exhaust pipe between the converter and the exhaust manifold and see if that helps if it does replace the converter and plug the hole with jb weld if it doesn't improve performance just plug the hole with the jb weld and check the other items. Hope this helps you.
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Saturday, August 31st, 2019 AT 12:18 PM (Merged)
Tiny
GAURDMOM1
  • MEMBER
  • 1 POST
  • 2001 DODGE CARAVAN
  • 6 CYL
  • FWD
  • AUTOMATIC
  • 89,500 MILES
As a single mom its hard to find an answer when I turn my air conditioning on my van loses power and doesnt seem to run well it also has like a miss to it. When I turn the air conditoning off it runs normal again
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Saturday, August 31st, 2019 AT 12:18 PM (Merged)
Tiny
OBXAUTOMEDIC
  • MECHANIC
  • 3,711 POSTS
OK, Does the A/C work normally? Is the Check Engine Light On?

If A/C Doesn't work normally then it may need to be replaced. Sounds like it may have bad or going bad compressor.
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Saturday, August 31st, 2019 AT 12:18 PM (Merged)
Tiny
PYHAINES
  • MEMBER
  • 2 POSTS
I have the exact same problem. Did you find the solution?

OK, Does the A/C work normally? Is the Check Engine Light On?

If A/C Doesn't work normally then it may need to be replaced. Sounds like it may have bad or going bad compressor.[/Quote:07c5a73c5d]
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Saturday, August 31st, 2019 AT 12:18 PM (Merged)
Tiny
SERGIO DELACERDA
  • MEMBER
  • 1 POST
  • 1999 DODGE CARAVAN
  • 1.4L
  • 4 CYL
  • 2WD
  • AUTOMATIC
  • 220,000 MILES
Hi, my van starts fine, but when I step on gas it loses power. When I ease on gas slow it down it moves slow then picks up speed, not much though more than 35 mph. I do not have that much to spend. How could I clean fuel filter manually?
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Saturday, August 31st, 2019 AT 12:18 PM (Merged)
Tiny
CARADIODOC
  • MECHANIC
  • 33,729 POSTS
Forget the fuel filter. Other than on diesel trucks, you will never solve a running problem on a Chrysler product by replacing the fuel filter. There is no practical way to clean one either. If one were to become restricted, the symptom would be engine stalling when the highest volume of fuel is being pumped, which is during coasting. That applies more to the pickup screen inside the tank.

What you are describing sounds a lot like what we used to run into in the early 1990's with failing MAP sensors. That sensor has the biggest say in fuel metering calculations. There is a range of acceptable signal voltages, and even though the voltage could be wrong, as long as it is within that acceptable range, no diagnostic fault code will be set.

A leaking vacuum hose going to the MAP sensor will make it send the wrong signal voltages too. Your sensor plugs right into the intake manifold so you do not have to worry about that hose, but you should check for other vacuum leaks. Next, read the diagnostic fault codes. If there are none related to that sensor, a mechanic would use a scanner to view live data during a test drive to see if anything looks wrong. I am never a fan of throwing random parts at a problem, but with no scanner, you might want to swap in a good used sensor and see if that helps before pursuing more expensive solutions.
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Saturday, August 31st, 2019 AT 12:18 PM (Merged)
Tiny
KEN L
  • MASTER CERTIFIED MECHANIC
  • 42,840 POSTS
This is from Sergio Delacerda,

So I changed spark plugs and fuel filter, but it still bogs out.
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Saturday, August 31st, 2019 AT 12:18 PM (Merged)
Tiny
CARADIODOC
  • MECHANIC
  • 33,729 POSTS
I told you to forget about the fuel filter. That, and the spark pugs won't cause this problem. Look for vacuum leaks and have the diagnostic fault codes read and recorded. You might want to look at fuel pressure too. I'd have to look it up to be sure, but I think it should be around 50 psi.
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Saturday, August 31st, 2019 AT 12:18 PM (Merged)
Tiny
EAGLEVIEW
  • MEMBER
  • 2 POSTS
  • 1997 DODGE CARAVAN
  • 6 CYL
  • 2WD
  • AUTOMATIC
  • 136,000 MILES
First, service engine light on / off sveral times a week, whila at a stop the engine loses an rpm or two with just a bit of a rough idle then smooths out again, finally the engine loses power once in awhile when driving at highway speeds for 1-2-3 minutes it seems to just coast and slow down a bit, then it kicks back in and runs smoothly again.
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Saturday, August 31st, 2019 AT 12:18 PM (Merged)
Tiny
MERLIN2021
  • MECHANIC
  • 17,250 POSTS
Is your check engine light on? If yes turn the key from off to on three times, on the fourth one leave it in the on position, the codes will display on the odometer, write em down and post em.
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Saturday, August 31st, 2019 AT 12:18 PM (Merged)
Tiny
RASMATAZ
  • MECHANIC
  • 75,992 POSTS
Pull the codes as suggested, go to Autozone and get scanned for free and comeback with it-I've been here before with a weak spot on the throttle position sensor on a different make/model
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Saturday, August 31st, 2019 AT 12:18 PM (Merged)
Tiny
EAGLEVIEW
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  • 2 POSTS
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Saturday, August 31st, 2019 AT 12:18 PM (Merged)
Tiny
KERI001
  • MEMBER
  • 1 POST
  • 1997 DODGE CARAVAN
  • 6 CYL
  • FWD
  • AUTOMATIC
  • 171,000 MILES
I was driving the other day and my ABS light came on and then at times when I would come to a complete stop the car would lose all power and the auto locks would go crazy. The light is not on anymore and I can still start the car when it loses power. Does this have anything to do with the ABS system? IF not can you please give me some info on why this might happen? Thanks
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Saturday, August 31st, 2019 AT 12:18 PM (Merged)
Tiny
BMRFIXIT
  • MECHANIC
  • 19,053 POSTS
Clean and tighten the battery terminals.
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Saturday, August 31st, 2019 AT 12:18 PM (Merged)
Tiny
MICHELLE BROWN
  • MEMBER
  • 1 POST
  • 1997 DODGE CARAVAN
I have a 1997 Dodge Chrsyler 3.0L engine size @ 190K. It has recently been serviced and was running fine until this am. I was driving on the highway doing 100 km/h on the highway. All of a sudden I realize I was losing power. Gas was not going through the system. I pulled over to the side and decided to look in the tank and found that someone had put what smells like fabric softner in my tank. I am not sure that this is fixable or not. Does anyone have any suggestions?

:cry:
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Saturday, August 31st, 2019 AT 12:18 PM (Merged)
Tiny
RASMATAZ
  • MECHANIC
  • 75,992 POSTS
Change the f/filter Get it siphoned out and refuel and hope it works.
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Saturday, August 31st, 2019 AT 12:18 PM (Merged)
Tiny
MUMTOAKL
  • MEMBER
  • 4 POSTS
  • 1996 DODGE CARAVAN
  • 6 CYL
  • 2WD
  • AUTOMATIC
  • 14,500 MILES
Hi, I have a 1996 caravan that within the last year started just losing power spontaneously. Last may we took it to the dodge dealership and they replaced the ECM to the tune of over 600.00 yet it's still doing it. It doesn't seem to matter what speed or what the temp is outside when I'm driving. It's done it a few times over the summer then three times on the 28th of Oct (once at 60mph, just lost power and coasted, took me 20 minutes to get it to start, 2nd time was at a stop light in the middle of downtown portland (yikes) and third was going through a parking lot and pulled onto a street and it just died). Only engine code is the 02 sensor. Everything else was checked and rechecked by dodge in may so we have NO idea why it's doing it again. Seems to come and go when it feels like it.
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Saturday, August 31st, 2019 AT 12:19 PM (Merged)

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