My Explorer Stalled-Now What?

[stiffaknee]

I have a 2002 Explorer XLT. When I first got it (about 3 years ago) I noticed when I first cranked it on cold mornings, it would stall out (I learned to drive on a manual trans 300zx, so it was just like when I use to stall out going from neutral to first..Like I wasnt giving it enough gas) but it would always start back up. Yesterday, it stalled as I was pulling out of my work parking lot onto a busy street, and I was stuck. It took me about 3 minutes (which felt like 3 hours, as I'm sitting in the middle of a 4 lane road) and I tried cranking multiple times before it finally got going again.

I'm not entirely worried, but my boyfriend deals with some pretty catastrophic car injury situations and is concerned my Explorer is a death trap (His concern, I'll stall in a major intersection, resulting in an accident, and it would be my fault because I had prior knowledge of the car problems)

Does this sound like a transmission issue or maybe fuel injector? I have 144K miles, and it was approx 75 degrees when it stalled yesterday (if that matters!) Should this go to the dealership, or would I be better off taking it to a local garage?

Thanks in Advance!

 

[shorrockt]

I feel like a broken record on this, but have the timing belts checked. They are plastic parts, and if they have failed, your engine may be going out of time.

You can fix them now cheap, or think it's something else like me, and end up replacing the engine.

(I may be totally wrong on this, but I had some stalling issues with mine before it just stalled out and would never start again.)

 

[stiffaknee]

I definitely don't want to have to replace the engine! I was hoping to at least drive the car until it's paid off, and I'd like to keep it running at least that long too! I have to take the car to the dealership for a recall, so maybe I'll have them take a peek at the timing belts! I appreciate your advice, I feel if I am an informed consumer (and have done my research) I'm less likely to be taken advantage of by repair shops!