DIY: 2 Reasons & Solutions For A Car That Stalls While Idling

Automotive Blog

You may be one of the many people that have only one car to depend on. Even if you do have another vehicle, a car that stalls while idling can be frustrating. The following are 2 reasons why your car may be stalling and how to solve them. 

1. A Clogged Fuel Filter

Your vehicle, usually stalls for two reasons: either you don't have a proper electrical charge to ignite the fuel, or you don't have any fuel. One reason that your vehicle might not receive enough fuel to keep your car running is a clogged fuel filter. 

Another sign of a clogged fuel filter is a detectable change in acceleration when going uphill. You might even stall when going uphill. 

Thankfully, all you have to do is change your fuel filter. To do that, just follow the steps below:

1. Go to your local auto parts store, and get the fuel filter that fits your car. 
2. You should also buy a fuel filter remover tool; ask your auto parts specialist about this tool. 
3. Locate the fuel filter using your owner's manual. It is usually on the driver's side,  under your vehicle. You should wear goggles, and use gloves when performing this change. 
4. Remember to depressurize your vehicle. Do this by disconnecting the fuel pump relay. Find this by reading your owner's manual. Turn on your car when the fuel pump relay is disconnected, and let it run. It should turn off in a manner of seconds, allowing your fuel line to depressurize. Turn off your car and continue. 
5. Simply remove the fuel filter using the unhinging tool. You will need to unhinge the fuel filter from both sides. Some fuel may drip, so be ready for that. 
6. Replace with your new fuel filter. Push the fuel lines on the fuel filter from both sides until they click and secure. You are done. 

Remember that you can always just take your vehicle to your auto care specialist should you feel uncomfortable performing this job on your own. 

2. A Bad Idle Control Valve

Your idle control valve allows the right amount of air in for proper ignition, and it lets your car know just how much fuel is needed for ignition. 

Some of the symptoms that you might notice are the following:

• Rough or jerky deceleration 
• Unsteady idling
• Low RPM (which should generally always be at 1000 RPM's while idling)
• Stalling while idling

To fix this issue, all you have to do is clean or replace your ICV. You can do that by following the steps below:

1. Make sure your car is off and cool when you work on this. 
2. Buy your idle control valve at your local auto parts store. This is specific to your vehicle, so talk to the auto parts specialist to buy the right one. Or, just buy a idle control valve cleaner if you are just going to clean your ICV. 
3. Find your idle control valve. This is usually on the right or left side of your throttle body. You can use your owner's manual to locate it as well. 
4. Carefully disconnect the cable from the idle control valve. Remove the idle control valve from the throttle body using a normal screwdriver. It is usually connected with 2 screws. 
5. Simply replace your idle control valve with your new one. Or, clean the inside of the idle control valve using your cleaner. You should also clean the throttle body where the idle control valve is connected. 

As you can see, taking care of your car on your own is not too hard. Should the aforementioned tips prove unsuccessful, then talk to your auto care specialist like one from Integrity Auto and Truck. The problem may lie with the entire throttle body, or there may be some wiring problem. 

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29 January 2015