Sometimes it won't start!

[SCMom33]

Hello everyone,

I have a 2000 Explorer XLT, V-6, with 118,500 miles. I am having problems getting it started. Usually what happens is this: I will start the car and drive it for a while and everything is fine. If I park it and come back a short time later, it will stall when I try to start it up. It will run as long as I keep my foot on the gas but when I take my foot off (i.e. to put it in gear) it stalls. Today, after I got it running again, it stalled twice in the first couple of minutes I drove it. That never happened before today, once it was going it was usually fine. It is also using more gas than usual.

I just had a new alternator put on it about 6 months ago and the battery is a little over a year old. I don’t know if that makes a difference.

Does anyone have any suggestions?

Thanks!

 

[fixxxer]

Hi and welcome to the forum. Is the check engine light on? How long since the last tuneup?
There are many things that could cause your problem. It could be a vacuum line leak, bad or dirty MAF sensor (Mass Air Flow), sticking EGR valve, plugged up or faulty IAC valve, (Idle Air Control valve) clogged fuel filter, bad coolant temp sensor. It could also be a loose or corroded connection to any one of the many sensors on the engine or exhaust system. I would check the MAF and IAC first as they measure and meter the amount of air coming into the engine, especially at idle. If you perform a search for IAC cleaning on this site, you will find this post about how to clean that part

 

[Sams01XplrSprt]

welcome aboard

 

[BrooklynBay]

Welcome to this forum! I've moved your thread to the stock 95-01 section. I agree that it sounds like the IAC.

 

[dogfriend]

That is how my IAC failed. It would start and run fine when cold, but after it was warmed up it would stall easily when shifting into R or D. You could keep it running by keeping your foot on the gas slightly. The IAC was sticking closed after it got warm.

Cleaning it might help (there are threads on it, search on IAC), but I replaced mine to fix the problem.

 

[ws65]

I'd say start easy first...clean the MAF. If that doesn't work, at least you eliminated the simple thing first...move to IAC next.