Help me diagnose my car problem

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Hi, I have a 2002 Chevy Prizm (toyota corolla clone) automatic transmission with 106,000 miles. I have owned the car for 6 months, no troubles, has new spark plugs and a battery stamped 7/13. Yesterday on the way back from the park, the car stalled while at a light, it did not sputter it just switched off. Half tank of gas. Started right up. Happened 3 more times during my 5 mile drive home, on two occasions it switched off while I was pressing the gas pedal. I had to pull over twice and let the car site for 5+ minutes before it would start again. Car would crank but not fire up.

My first thought was loose battery cable, it was fine. I charged the battery overnight and I had autozone test my battery in the morning, they say it is in perfect working condition. Car will start fine now, I took it on a 5 mile drive with no issues however I am nervous about getting stranded again. As a reference point, it has been in the 40s temp wise in my area. Any suggestions? Thanks!
 
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Get the computer scanned. Sensor failure may have been recorded in there. Codes will be forgotten every time you disconnect the battery, so leave it connected from here on.

Also next time it stalls make note of whether the oil and battery lights on the dash come on. They normally come on whenever the key is on but engine not turning. If they don't that means there is a power issue.
 
No RPM fluctuations, no check engine light that came on before or after disconnecting the battery.
 
Not sure if that car has an IAC (idle air control) valve. I would check that first clean it with some throttle body cleaner and clean the throttle plate too.
 
First thing that comes to my mind is a bad Crank Sensor. Same thing happen with my Jeep. The sensor started going bad but never set a trouble code in the PCM.
 
Originally Posted By: JC1
Not sure if that car has an IAC (idle air control) valve. I would check that first clean it with some throttle body cleaner and clean the throttle plate too.
I work on these cars specifically, this car does have a IACV, change the gasket and clean the [censored] out of it, with those miles, It is most certainly dirty, never seen a clean one on these cars ever.

take off your Throttlebody/ IACV and clean both of them, and also replace your PCV Valve(oem ones can be cleaned with a clearer and compressed air) with an OEM one.

Your last issue could be the Fuel Injectors.
 
Originally Posted By: FirstNissan
on two occasions it switched off while I was pressing the gas pedal.


That's gotta be some kind of clue right there.
 
Originally Posted By: Merkava_4
Originally Posted By: FirstNissan
on two occasions it switched off while I was pressing the gas pedal.


That's gotta be some kind of clue right there.
yes usually if a car bogs down when your giving it gas, it either the fuel injectors or catalytic converter, I have personal experience of this when I installed some fuel injectors from a salvage yard to see if they were good or not, I have had a 80% success rate of finding good working fuel injectors from my local pick-n-pull.
 
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Crankshaft or cam position sensor. When they are going bad it usually manifests when it is hot and they rarely throw a code.
 
Originally Posted By: 01_celica_gt
yes usually if a car bogs down when your giving it gas, it either the fuel injectors or catalytic converter, I have personal experience of this when I installed some fuel injectors from a salvage yard to see if they were good or not, I have had a 80% success rate of finding good working fuel injectors from my local pick-n-pull.


"bogs down" and "switched off" is a little bit different isn't it ?
 
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