Occasional stalling after starting

[jvanmol]

Hello,

My 2003 Saab 9-5 2.3t 140km occasionally stalls after starting, it also sometimes has a rough idle when the AC kicks on and if I start it the next day after a long trip. After it warms up it does not act up at all. Any ideas on what may be causing this or how to fix it? No check engine lights or anything out of the ordinary going on...

Thanks again for your help

Jacque

[metrognome]

This could be several things. If the fuel filter has not been changed, I'd do that. I'd also clean the throttle body. Both of these are cheap and easy to do. If those do not work, you may need a new fuel pump.

[Saab_Love]

Originally Posted by metrognome

This could be several things. If the fuel filter has not been changed, I'd do that. I'd also clean the throttle body. Both of these are cheap and easy to do. If those do not work, you may need a new fuel pump.

Using the same brand of gas on a consistent basis will help this problem. There are certain brands of gas that change the ethanol amount time to time and it causes big problems when first starting the car,

Replace your air filter.
Check your MAF*
Check your plugs
Check all your vacuum lines for leaks

I had this same problem and it was the MAF.. if there is a problem with the MAF the car has no idea what to do with the fuel/air ratio until it switches over to the predetermined quantity programed in the ECU..which is why once it's warmed up it ran fine.. in my case anyway. Changing my MAF solved the issue for me

[brewtide]

Also note, if it is the MAF, it should stall out / idle like crap, etc until it throws a CEL (or at least a stored code...) and then, instantly, it'll idle worlds better on the ECU's baseline values, as priorly stated.

I had this issue all Spring; And then it went away. I do think I am looking at a slight headgasket leak, so perhaps it had something to do with it.

I also have the two fuel check valves (feed / return) sitting in a box, awaiting a 'free moment', as these could be the culprit!

Cheers.

[stsleeper94]

Had this issue when my TB was getting older. Would turn the A/C on and ... Stall, start up, a/c on stall... So I cleaned it, no more issues. I pulled the TB, and cleaned it proper, but some TB cleaner could do the trick. I dumbly replaced my MAF as it was under 100bucks and thought it was the issue. Didn't do anything : (

[jvanmol]

What is a TB?

[Saaber95er]

Originally Posted by jvanmol

What is a TB?

"Throttle Body"

[jvanmol]

hey,

So I changed the Airfilter and tried to clean the MAF. I think that the Air filter was the original, man was it junked up with crap. Car is running substantially more smoothly. I am going to buy some liquid TB cleaner and run it through and see if there is more improvement.
Thanks for the recommendations.

[planosaab]

Not always the TB I swapped mine from my Viggen which has never had trouble and my 9-5 still stumbled and died with long cranks, then swapped di's, and plugs, still same thing. Swapped MAF and walla it hasn't done it in 2 weeks now. Just saying it's not always the TB even if it is very common problem.

And I swapped everything back as it didn't help so the old 9-5 tb is back on the 9-5 and still no hiccups or stalls upon crank.

[jvanmol]

Cleaned out my TB, no major improvement. Still, much better since the MAF cleaning and change of the air filter.

[stsleeper94]

I pulled my TB as it really was dumb easy and I feel like I cleaned so much more then what I could do sitting there hanging over the engine bay. All you need to do is re-grease the ring when you seat it back on and you will get a much better clean. Just my 2 cents.