05 Ody dies while driving!

[granitedog]

My 05 Ody has been acting strangely for the past couple of weeks. It seems to hesitate, and I have to carefully adjust my foot on the accelerator to keep it from stalling - either when starting after a stop, or when stopping at a light. It shudders a bit and seems to lose power. If I am not careful it will die, with all the dashboard lights coming on, but it is easily re-started.

I took it to my mechanic who drove it and did a throttle bosy cleaning. Yesterday while I was driving on the interstate, the car died at 65 miles an hour - with lights going on as it did when it stalled at the light, but before I could react it came back to life. The best way I can describe it is like when you pop the clutch on a standard transmission. It just re-started on its own. It was pretty terrifying as there were tractor trailers behind me. Needless to say the van is in the shop as I type, but the mechanic was scratching his head over this... Has anyone every experienced anything like this before? The mechanic thought it was an electrical problem, a friend who is a mechanic in another state said it sounded like a fuel problem. Any ideas?

[dvpatel]

Sounds like a ignition switch problem too. I'd vote for electrical just like your mechanic said.

[davedrivesody]

Having to feather the gas to keep it from stalling points to the IAC valve. Were you coasting with closed throttle when the interstate cutout happened? If it happens again, step on the gas. Could be a bad IAC is starving the engine of air.

[wulfy848]

Has the battery been dying on you as well?

[granitedog]

The battery has not been dying on me, but it was one of the things I thought of.

I'm not sure what closed throttle is... I might have been coasting, with my foot off the gas. Is that what you mean? It is extremely possible...

[davedrivesody]

Yes, that's what I mean. The computer shuts off fuel when coasting until the engine slows to 1100 RPM or so. Then the fuel comes back. If there's not enough air, the engine will stall, the same as at idle. If it happens again, touch the gas a little. If the engine wakes up, it could be the IAC, and/or the throttle body may need cleaning.

[Bumancuzbrah]

how does the ignition switch affect the car dying?

[Rockwood]

Weird symptoms oddly matching another car I know of a Ford! Suggests to me a fuel delivery problem. Have fuel filter replaced and fuel pressure checked.

[mjody]

Wasn't there a recall for the fuel pump relay? If not eligible, buy one and replace yours. They are cheap and take a couple minutes to swap.

[mjody]

http://dvpatel.homelinux.com/forumfiles/SB/A07-020.PDF