Engine keeps hesitating

Just spit-balling here but have you tried replacing the fuel filter? A clogged fuel filter could cause hesitation and sluggishness like that. This guide should help fix it

https://www.2carpros.com/articles/engine-hesitates


Please run down this guide and report back.

I had the fuel pump replaced about six months ago and my filter is built inside. My problem just started about a month ago and I was told it was the water pump. Also, could broken motor mounts cause this?

Broken motor mounts will cause a jerk when you shift the transmission from one gear to the next (like reverse to drive, etc) and sometimes when you accelerate. I do not think you would feel anything from them at highway speeds though.

As for the water pump, with it being an external pump, I seriously doubt it would cause any running issues.

Honestly, it could be a bad fuel pump. If the pump is an aftermarket one, there are some quality problems with them. You would have to get a fuel pressure tester (can be borrowed from AutoZone) and run a pressure check on it.

It might also just be that you need new plugs and wires/coil. That would be what I would check. Here is our guide on checking/changing plugs: https://www.2carpros.com/articles/how-to-change-spark-plugs

I will keep thinking and see if anything else comes to mind.

my 2004 dodge stratus 2.4 LT. when in drive and apply brakes at stop light will hesitate or stumble like it wants to stale. also hesitates on acceleration. i had a code finder on it and it came up with vacuum leak at engine or evap canister crackeg or hose not connected or purge or vent solenoid defective and i have replaced the fuel cap 5 times i have checked for leak and cracked canister but cant find anything please help.

After checking I see some wires cut

And your question?

where do these go and do they affect the car in the way that i described?Dodge Stratus Car hesitates

Evaporative emission Purge solenoid has been removed does check engine light come on? have you had it checked for codes?just but car?

Hey, My 02 STratus RT 3.0 problem started about a month ago, if car was stopped, in gear, foot on the break, it would kind of jump every few seconds. Missing (for lack of a better word). Now it has progressed to the point of missing while driving down the road, it stumbles on accelaration, and the problem doesn't stop completely. It gets some better but as soon as I stop and take off again, the same problem. I have not done any major repairs to it in the past couple years. (Female with no engine repair experience.) I appreciate any info you have to offer. Oh yeah, I did get it tuned-up last year and oil and filter changed every 3 months. Thanks Belinda

When it starts missing does the check engine light come on or is it on now ?

If it is miss firing there is a couple of things it could be .

1.0xygen sensor
2.Coil
3. Spark plugs and wires.
4.Clogged are filter / fuel filter

yes have had it checked and it shows a code for random misfire

P0300 only code? that is MOST difficult code to diagnose. With that Evap solenoid removed may effect EGR operation and cause code. Need to have diagnostic scan done to help find fault

Would this have anything to do the hesitation?

I have a 2001 dodge stratus that hesitates when the car is cold. The car starts up first thing in the morning with no problem but starts to hesitate at the next stop sign. Sometimes it stalls but sometimes it takes off. If the car is completely shitched off after driving only for s short distance (engine still cold), the car has some problem starting up. but it does start up and then with some hesitation takes off. After the engine is warmed up I have not seen the problem. This happens every day when the car is not warm yet. Also, the car refused to start one day and it had a bad SKIM module and that was recently replaced and the problem still continues. Also, no CEL is thrown and hence no codes to read. Please HELP!!! Running out of options.

One of the first things I would try is to clean the tbody and the iac motor they could bee gummed up.There are other things to check check your batt a weak batt can cause allot of problems.

Thank you
Two Lane

Thanks for your response. I will try your suggestions. The car is at the repair shop. But I did have battery problems from the car lying without use for several months. Also, the car has 80K miles on it. So time to replace the battery.

Two Lane,


I took it back to the dealer and after several days of analysis, he is telling me that the real cause is that the engine coolant is leaking and hence the engine is over heating and shutting off. This explanation just doesn’t make sense in my non-expert mind.

The dealer wants to fix the leak and charge me $600 for this and is willing to guarantee me that if this does not fix the problem, he will fix the problem free of cost after that.

Does anyone think the dealer is talking sense?

Also, the heating in my car has not been working properly for a while. For atleast over a year or two. The blower runs but hot air takes a very long time to circulate. The dealer seems to think the coolant leak problem is related to this as the coolant circulates and acts as a heating element and since the leak, hot air does not blow?? I have been taking my car of regular oil changes and so on and no one ever pointed out the coolant leak before

Someone please help…really running out of ideas??

Did they say where the coolant was leaking from and what they wanted to do.

Did not mention exactly where it was leaking from but I assume before it gets to the heating coils?? He was going to show it to me tomorrow. Is there a specific point that will confirm if the reasoning by the dealer is correct.

2001 Dodge stratus 2.4 L DOHC. I've put new spark plugs, wires and power pack and I still have a hesitation went I come off idle, high speeds is smooth, it idles and if I get on it it performs, could it be a EGR valve and I have no check engine light on? Waiting to hear from you Rick

Hi Rick. This sounds like a problem with the throttle position sensor. As long as it reads between 0.5 and 4.5 volts, no fault code will be set, but that doesn't mean the reading is correct. The place to start is by connecting a scanner that can display live data so you can read the sensor values. If the battery was recently disconnected or run dead, "minimum throttle" will have to be relearned by the Engine Computer. Until it does that, idle speed will be too low and it can cause a hesitation.

Also look at the MAP sensor to see if it is responding properly. It too must stay between 0.5 and 4.5 volts to prevent setting a code. It should have a lower voltage when manifold vacuum is high. Look at the barometric pressure reading too. The MAP sensor's reading represents that before the engine starts to run.

If the EGR valve isn't closing properly you should have a rough idle.

Although not at all common on Chrysler products, you might want to measure fuel pressure to see if it is low.

caradiodoc

Was the original problem the car not starting, are they saying that the coolant leak is causing this or is it something different and did you find out why the car was not starting. The coolant leak could just start thats why someone might of not seen it before. The heat if it is low on coolant the heater will not get hot because the coolant runs through the heater core and then the blower motor blows over that. Find out what they are fixing and get back to me.

Two Lane, thanks for your reply.

The original problem was hesitation and the car not starting up after the first complete stop. It would and it does always start up on the first crank in the morning even if it is cold.

The car did not start up at all a few days ago and that was due to the SKIM module. towed it to the dealer and changed the SKIM module (the red security light was blinking and I assume the dealer replaced the module rather than just tweak it to work). The car starts up fine now but the original problem of hesitation and difficult to start after the first complete stop still exists. Still not sure if the car has any problems once it is heated up.

The Dealer now wants to fix the coolant leak. The leak is before it gets into the heating coil but under the hood and not inside the car. As you say, the coolant leak might have just started but the dealer thinks fixing the leak and the gasket will fix the hesitation problem and is willing to guarantee or fix the problem for free afterwards (provided he can figure it out).

They should have pressure tested the system to find the leak do you know if they want to replace your head gasket and if so that can cause an idle problem if the car was low on coolant sometimes car will run rough. It is hard to tell you what is wrong with out seeing the car but if the shop is a good shop and they make sure it is in writing you should be ok. You can also ask them for an estimate on the job and what they are going to do and then call around to other shops and see what they would charge that will let you know if they are charging a good price.

The tech did not perform coolant pressure check. He definitely showed me visible signs of leak. not sure how bad the leak is as it was not dripping. The leak was at the coolant temperature sensor before it get diverted to the heating core for the cabin heating. So the leak is not at the head gasket. he is recommending to fix the leak and replace the coolant sensor.

I would replace the sensor if it is leaking but they didn't want 600 dollars to do it that is high.The hesitation problem and runs rough could be due to low coolant but is rare to see it would have to be very low. I would say if you still have the hesitation after the repair and the check engine light is not on try cleaning the throttle body and then go from there because it could be allot of other things.

I am having an issue when I am cruising at a highway speed (60-75) when I have my A/C on. The engine will occasionally hesitate slightly. I notice the problem happening more when driving in the afternoon on a hot sunny day. The problem doesn't happen too much in the morning. The problem also seems to be consistent when the A/C is set to low or high. I have had the fuel injectors cleaned and I replaced the fuel filter. I do not have any issues when I am driving without the a/c on.

The fuel pressure should be checked when the problem is happening. A hand held diagnostic computer can be hooked up at the same time and the O2 sensors can be monitored for a weak one.

Have seen Cat Converters start off like this. The exhasut can be disconnected and driven for the symptoms to see if they still exist to verify.

I got the car back from the dealer. He fixed the leak and sensor and the coolant was really low. The car runs very smooth and I also have heat in the car right away. So the coolant was low.

Today is a warm day and the car ran very well. Got to check on a cold day as the problem used to occur on very cold days. Thanks for your help. I will post again after the car has ben running for a few days.

A bad ECT can cause the symptoms described and if you have topped up the coolant and do not have ant losses issues, I believe the problem is resolved.

The car is running smooth now but the dealer did fix the leak - a very small one and topped of the coolant. No problems so far.

Thanks for your help.

Good to know the problem is fixed.

Have a nice day.

car hesitates on take off lots of work pu into it allrady new radiator new fan assembly new distributor new cam and crank seals new tps sensor timing adjustment and new timing belt nd cover new egr and solonoid new catyletic converter oxygen sensors are next but still hesitates rpm`s go up but power doesnt kick in till around 3000

any possibillity a vaccume leak on cruise control could b causing this only code is 4 the oxygen sensor past the cat have 1 on order only other thing i can think is vaccume cuz this o2 sensor code came up as after i replaced the cat and ive chased it from the egr back replaced egr then it gave me the code 4 the solonoid replaced that it gave me catalyst effciancy below threshold bank 1 replaced cat now o2 sensor is there somthing not monitored by the computer that could b causing this

Just got my car back from a mechanic, after replacing the fuel pump, fuel filter, spark plugs. It is chugging. It wasn't doing this before I gave it to him for repair. It wouldn't start and was determined it was the fuel pump. Can you tell me what to do ?

First, I would contact the mechanic that did the work and demand he fix his work. If the car wasn't doing this before, he needs to fix it.

WHat was the reason you took it to him? Also, has the check engine light come on? Backfiring, smoking...?

My ex husband took the car to him, as it wouldn't start. The friend mechanic who said he was licensed, but not working at the time, said it was the fuel pump.

Had more trouble with it last week, finally got ahold of an old friend of mine who used to repair my cars, and had it towed to him. It quit running on the road, and gas was all over. He determined that it was the fuel filter, that was not attached properly at all. It still has a slight chug at a slow speed.

Yes, the check engine light is on, and he is putting on the computer to see why.

Thank you for your help.

Let me know what codes you get or if you have other questions.

Joe

My car hesitates while accelerating at highway speeds, especially going up hill, and my check engine light will flash. What could be causing this?

sounds like an excessively rich condition. raw fuel is probably getting into the converter and will ruin it. Don't drive like that.

Possible bad fuel pressure regulator?