What would cause vehicle engine to shut off for no reason?

Marvin

• 85242 Answers
• Posted on Mar 30, 2009

SOURCE: car will start fine but will shut off as soon as I place in gear.

Here are the most common causes of surges, stalls at stops, low erratic idle speed, rough idle and engine hesitation, it is in most cases the idle speed control air-bypass valve and or throttle valve and upper intake, these area's get full of gunk and combustion residue over the miles and cause idle issues (stalls, low idle) like yours, Get a can of intake cleaner from any local parts store, not carb spray, intake cleaner, it is made by a company called CRC, remove the air intake hose to the engine, hold the idle high so the engine won't stall, then spray the can of cleaner into the intake while keeping the engine running, use at least 1/2 the can, shut down the engine and disconnect the battery for 5 minutes, then restart and complete a number of mixed driving cycles, town, freeway, stop and go etc., after a few days the problem will go away as the system will relearn to the clean intake.