P5 engine stalling problem

[ajjande]

I purchased my P5 brand spankin new (only 3 miles on it) back in 9/2003.

Drove it around town for a while showin off. On the way home the POC (piece of crap) stalls. Long story short...it stalls about 20 times (on the highway) b4 I can make it home. I call the dealer and tell them to come pick up the POC. The service dept had it for a week. They had to replace the main computer.

Now about every 2-3 months, it likes to stall...but just once. I can usually tell when it's going to happen because the P5 gets 'flaky' on me. If you've driven a car long enough, you get to know it...it starts to hesitate, sometimes when starting, it cranks longer than usual when starting, etc...

When it does stall, I'm sittin at a stop light in rush hour traffic with all of my accessories on (lights, stereo, a/c or heater, etc). It acts like I have a manual transmission and don't know how to work the clutch...but it's automatic! Of course, you have to put it in neutral or park to restart and it cranks 2-3 longer than normal to start back up. It seems to happen about 5-10 mintues after I've left home so the engine is not cold and I'm not stompin on the gas either.

I've taken it to the dealer every time right after this happens and they can't find anything wrong. One time they said they downloaded updates for the computer...I laughed and said 'Do I need to bring it in for downloads and put some anti-virus software on it?'.

Any idea's why my P5 is behaving this way?

It's loaded (leather, auto, pw, pl, 6disc cd, side air-bags)...I wonder if the electrical system can't handle the load sometimes....

thanks,
ajjande

[Lord_Zath]

Possible EGR valve problem. EGR is Exhaust Gas Recirculation and it's something connecting exhaust mani to intake. If it gets too dirty or worse busted, you'll get idle and stall problems. Happens on both manual and auto.

I also got my p5 new in the summer of '03. Do you have the shiftronic transmission?

LZ
Z

[RaiderMP5]

Do you have the shiftronic transmission?

LZ
Z

If he got it in 2003, then he has the shiftronic. I think I have seen a few threads about stalling automatic transmissions too. I searched for automatic stalling, and found a few threads. Here is one:

http://www.msprotege.com/vbb300/showthread.php?t=52475

[Lord_Zath]

I also have a thread about stalling. However my stalls occur from a stop to a creeping start (i.e. leaving foot off brake pedal and not placing it on gas right away). It idles too low and I think the sudden load of the car pushes the engine RPM too low and it stalls.

But this thread is about highway stalling, that's why I figured it's different than my situation.

As for the tranny, the person could have bought an '02 that was sitting for a year and a half... you never know!

LZ
Z

[RaiderMP5]

I hear that. The local dealer had an 03 on the lot that sold about 6 months ago! I guess we will find out soon when he replies, what year he has.

[SuperWagon502]

One time they said they downloaded updates for the computer...I laughed and said 'Do I need to bring it in for downloads and put some anti-virus software on it?'.


That's the response of the year for Me!!!

But seriously.....man i wish i had something helpful to say but....nope.

[ajjande]

If he got it in 2003, then he has the shiftronic. I think I have seen a few threads about stalling automatic transmissions too. I searched for automatic stalling, and found a few threads. Here is one:

http://www.msprotege.com/vbb300/showthread.php?t=52475

Yes, I have an 03 and it has the shiftronic feature. It's never stalled on me when I have it in manual mode...but then again, I don't use this feature a lot.

I notice sometimes that the idle does seem low sometimes...almost like the engine isn't even on or running...gets real quiet.

When it stalls..it happens fast. I'm focusing on traffic (and singing real loud to the music), but I'm pretty sure I do step on the gas right when it stalls...so maybe it stalls between that second or 2 when I take my foot off the brake to step on the gas.

I'll definitely print out the info on the EGR valve and inform my dealer.
I still love my zoomer, but it sure would be nice to have this problem fixed.
I'll let you know if the EGR value solves the problem!

BTW, I didn't introduce myself. My name is April.

thanks,
ajjande

[Salmon_Rob]

you have leather? p5s dont come with leather?

[mogi]

leather was an option on the p5

[Salmon_Rob]

woah for real?

[SuperWagon502]

It was for the '03 year

[ajjande]

you have leather? p5s dont come with leather?

To get the side airbags, I had to get leather...part of the 'package'.

I didn't really want black interior and black leather cause it gets really hot and humid down here in the Tulsa area. As part of the deal, I made them tint the windows and throw in a front end cover.

Ok, ok, ok...I'll tell ya what my 'Laser Blue Mica' zoomer has (all factory):
Leather, tilt, cruise, pw and pl, 4 wheel abs, 16 in polished alloy wheels, 6 disc changer, power sliding glass moonroof, remote keyless entry, a/c, 4-spd sport mode auto trans, 100-watt subwoofer integrated into the spare tire, abs w/ electronic brakefore distribution, and side air bags.

I didn't want the roof rack junk cause that makes it hard to wax. I had one on my Tribute and it was a pain.

For the curious, here are a couple of pics right after I purchased it:
http://www.geocities.com/ajjande/protege5a.JPG
http://www.geocities.com/ajjande/protege5b.JPG

April

[Lord_Zath]

Umm the dealer got you on the leather then.

The two "packages" for the P5 were the sunroof/6cd changer package and the abs/side impact airbags package. Leather was an option and was like $700 or something.

Your car is a 2003.5 - the .5 is the midyear revision when they added the 100watt subwoofer. Consider yourself lucky.

Your car is identical to mine when I bought it two years ago. Same options (except the bra). I also have yet to tint it. And no leather. But otherwise most p5's only came w/one of the packages I listed above - not both.

LZ
Z