Automatic Car Stalling When Slowing Down

Kimberley

I didn't think Automatics stalled but when driving the car it stalls when slowing down or coming to a stop and it takes a little while to switch back on. I have to turn my hazard lights on because it's stalled at traffic lights a couple of times. It has an anti theft immobolizer, would that have anything to do with it? :think:

gazfocus

What car is it? Does it only do this while the engine is cold or does it happen all the time?

Kimberley

gazfocus wrote: »

What car is it? Does it only do this while the engine is cold or does it happen all the time?

Vauxhall Astra. No it happens during a journey. Also when I start the Car sometimes the Anti Theft Immobolizer red light still flashes and I can't start the Car straight away.

fivetide

What type of Astra? Which engine?

there are various ways manufacturers stop a car from stalling and set the idle speed. It could be a contact somewhere is dirty or a sensor might be failing etc etc.

Knowing what year and engine will help narrow down common faults.

For example I had this on a Mitsubishi automatic and it was a wee unit known as the 'stepper motor' that was stuck. Swapped it myself in a few minutes, very easy job.

Kimberley

Vauxhall Astra Merit l Auto 1994 1389 CC

vikingaero

Could by a myriad of things. But on auto Vauxhalls the most common stalling problems are caused by a faulty air mass meter or the accelerator potentiometer/position sensor.

Hintza

Until you get it sorted pop it in to neutral just before it would stall and keep the revs up a bit until time to drive away again.

Lagoon

I have an automatic Vauxhall that's usually very reliable. When it started stalling when idle/slow, it was the MAP sensor which was a relatively cheap fix.

Mine didn't progress slowly. One day it worked and I drove the car hundreds of miles, and the next day I couldn't move it out of the car park. Still, it sounds like a similar issue.

TrickyWicky

Kimberley wrote: »

I didn't think Automatics stalled

They don't unless there is something wrong. Thats because they don't have a clutch so the driver can't stall it.

Clearly if the engine has a blocked breather system or a knackered head gasket the engine can and will stall - it's still an internal combustion engine just like any other car engine.

When people say automatics cannot be stalled they mean they can't be stalled by the driver through driver error.

Gloomendoom

I had Citroen that did the same thing. A hose had come off and the fuel injection was getting it's knickers in a twist a low revs.

Geodark

Kimberley wrote: »

I didn't think Automatics stalled but when driving the car it stalls when slowing down or coming to a stop and it takes a little while to switch back on. I have to turn my hazard lights on because it's stalled at traffic lights a couple of times. It has an anti theft immobolizer, would that have anything to do with it? :think:

Is the eml coming on when it stalls? Do you know any one with a vx code reader? I had a similar problem, but not with an automatic. Do you know which engine you have? Is it the 1.6 Z16xe by any chance? (1.6 2002/2003 ish) A few of the VX engines have the habit of fouling up the throttle body which messes with the idle on these. It also blocks up a breather which can also cause problems. I ended up taking off the throttle body and giving it a good clean with an old toothbrush and a load of carb cleaner and, touch wood, I havent had the problem since.