Truck stalls while driving, slips out of Cruise control

Jsinclair92 · Aug 30, 2013

I drive a 2001 Dodge Ram and am a huge DIY'er. This past week I've noticed my Ram would shut off while idling, and even a few times while I was coasting up to a stop sign. A few times while using Cruise control it would slide out of cruise control, for the lack of a better word. Does anyone have any ideas as to what could be causing this? This kind of thing isn't up my ally as far as what I've worked on before.

ihnken33 · Aug 30, 2013

I was having that issue with my 97 dakota for about 4 years. 6 mechanics later, no one knew what it was. It got so bad, I traded it in for my Ram. I wish I could help, but man... it was a pain in the rear.

Jsinclair92 · Aug 31, 2013

I figured it would be tough to find the cause since it could be a number of things causing it from electrical to fuel. If it helps, my check engine light was on for about a year prior to the truck stalling. Since it started stalling the light has been off.

ihnken33 · Aug 31, 2013

Yea, I ended up changing fuel pumps, fuel filters, checked timing, distributor, plugs, plug wires, fuel injectors, fuel injector cleaners...

Although I got the best response when I changed the distributor cap and wires. But then 5 months later, it got worse again. It went from skipping and kicking out of cruise every time, to about once a week until the course of 5 months went back to skipping, dying at idoling and stop lights and kicking out of cruise daily. It was super frustrating. Good luck, if someone figures it out, I would LOVE to hear how I could have saved my dakota. A little late now, but at least I would have closure on that issue.

HolyRamBatman · Aug 31, 2013

The first place I would start is the vacuum lines.
Does it happen while you are slowing down or after you have already stopped?

Jsinclair92 · Aug 31, 2013

HolyRamBatman said:
The first place I would start is the vacuum lines.
Does it happen while you are slowing down or after you have already stopped?

It has happened while I was slowing down and when I'm stoped with the truck in park

MegaMouseGW · Sep 1, 2013

Sounds like a vacuum leak. Start checking hoses and any that look suspicious replace. To be sure you get the correct one I suggest replacing all the vacuum hoses. Also while at it check to be sure that no connector has broken. Had a Dakota that was heck to troubleshoot. I finally found that one of the plastic connectors tat a hose plugged into was cracked enough to cause a leak. Replaced the connector and it lasted another 6 years. The new owner has had no problems with the truck yet.

Jsinclair92 · Sep 1, 2013

Thanks for the input guys. I'm going to look into replacing the hoses and connectors. If that's going to cost too much my plan was to check for leaks with carb cleaner (unless there's a better way that I'm not aware of) and replace the hoses with leaks.

wingnut · Sep 3, 2013

Sounds like mine when the fuel pump was failing. Didn't know it at the time. My suggestion is to rent the "fuel pressure tester" from Autozone, and do like I did. Tap it into the schrader-valve on the fuel rail. then run the gauge out the hood, and secure it under your windshield wiper so that you may monitor fuel pressure as you drive. Ram psi is 45-55. If it is low, or dips, then you may have found your problem. Low fuel pressure may also show-up as "random-cylinder-misfire" in your "check-engine" codes.

wingnut · Sep 14, 2013

Oh, one more thing I forgot! My Stratus started doing that. First in parking lots where you would be at low rpm, then let-off the gas. Then more frequently at stop-lights. Then just going down the road. Turned-out to be the crankshaft position sensor.

IndyRam96 · Sep 14, 2013

Our 96 Ram hasn't had a working cruise control for a few years now. No one can figure out why. The headlights don't turn on if the steering wheel is down, and once in a while it stalls out with idling down a hill. Any thoughts? We figure the headlight issue is in the steering column.

Jsinclair92 · Sep 17, 2013

Sorry for the delayed reply guys, i dont have so much free time to work on the truck as i'd like to these days. Being a pre-law student and working a full time job sucks. Anyway, i checked the vacuum lines for leaks with carb cleaner and didnt find anything. My next thought was to smoke test the vacuum lines if I can figure out a cheap way to do that, and do a fuel pressure test once I find an auto parts store than loans the gauge.

wingnut said:
Oh, one more thing I forgot! My Stratus started doing that. First in parking lots where you would be at low rpm, then let-off the gas. Then more frequently at stop-lights. Then just going down the road. Turned-out to be the crankshaft position sensor.

Thanks for the input! Did you fix this yourself? And if so, how did you do it and figure out it was the crankshaft position sensor?

Jsinclair92 · Nov 4, 2013

I don't mean to resurrect this post from the dead, however I just got back from the garage and wanted to update the post in case anyone ever has this problem in the future. First off, I tried to find leaks in the vacuum hoses using carb cleaner but did not have much luck. I wasn't 100% sure of where all the vacuum hoses were, so I could have easily missed some. Anyway, the mechanic I went to simply cleaned the throttle body and re-set the computer. I asked him to check for a vacuum leak, to check the o2 sensor and to check the fuel pressure and he completely ignored it.. more than one time. He suggested a tune up (plugs and wires) and said it may or may not fix the problem, but I told him not to worry about it. By the time I got back home the truck had already died on me again.

Jsinclair92 · Dec 20, 2013

Today I did a fuel pressure test and soaked all the vacuum lines in carb cleaner, I used half a can. I'm at a loss as to what it could be. It's obviously not fuel related since the fuel pressure was normal. Knowing this information, does anyone have any ideas as to what it could be?

crazzywolfie · Dec 20, 2013

what was the fuel pressure reading that you got? have you tried cleaning the idle air control motor on the back of the throttle body? i know you said the mechanic cleaned them but it don't sound like he was that good of a mechanic if he just wanted to throw parts at the truck without testing some of the basics. also how many miles on the truck. it is most likely dew for a new o2 sensor anyway. i think you are suppose to replace them every 90k miles because they tend to not work as good after that.

Jsinclair92 · Dec 20, 2013

crazzywolfie said:
what was the fuel pressure reading that you got? have you tried cleaning the idle air control motor on the back of the throttle body? i know you said the mechanic cleaned them but it don't sound like he was that good of a mechanic if he just wanted to throw parts at the truck without testing some of the basics. also how many miles on the truck. it is most likely dew for a new o2 sensor anyway. i think you are suppose to replace them every 90k miles because they tend to not work as good after that.

The fuel pressure stayed around 46psi pretty steadily. I haven't cleaned the IAC motor, ill do that now and let you know it turns out. The truck has 118,000 miles. And yeah you're right about the o2 sensors, but is there a way to test or clean them? I may be wrong but I've heard a 318 v8 would have 4 o2 sensors. That could easily cost a few hundred dollars to replace all of them, which I'm trying to avoid if can help it.

dodge dude94 · Dec 20, 2013

Jsinclair92 said:
The fuel pressure stayed around 46psi pretty steadily. I haven't cleaned the IAC motor, ill do that now and let you know it turns out. The truck has 118,000 miles. And yeah you're right about the o2 sensors, but is there a way to test or clean them? I may be wrong but I've heard a 318 v8 would have 4 o2 sensors. That could easily cost a few hundred dollars to replace all of them, which I'm trying to avoid if can help it.

Not aware of a way to test them and there is no way to clean them. You must replace.

If you have a Federal emissions truck you'll have two O2 sensors, one pre-cat and one post-cat. When I had to replace my cat, I got the pre-cat and the cat off Amazon for $80-ish shipped, so buying both O2s is going to cost less then what I had to do.

crazzywolfie · Dec 20, 2013

i don't think there is any way to clean the o2 sensors especially on dodge trucks. usually they get fouled up by a leaking plenum gasket. i think the trucks built to California emissions standards might have 4 o2 sensor. i think most only have 2. now i don't think you would have to replace all the o2 sensors. just the upstreem ones. if they are too expensive locally you can usually order them from rockauto for about $30 per o2 sensor plus shipping. also make sure to get the NTK brand one. these trucks don't like the other one as much. now before you order any o2 sensors you may want to check and see if your o2 sensor connector is round or square. i think 2001 might have had both. you could also count your o2 sensors while your down there.

Jsinclair92 · Dec 20, 2013

I really appreciate the help guys. I am going to go ahead and replace those two o2 sensors. I'll post back on here soon and see if that resolves the issue (fingers crossed)

Jsinclair92 · Dec 20, 2013

I'll take you're advice and go with the NTK's. I know with buying spark plugs for a dodge that you should get the basic plugs and not go with anything fancy such as E3, since the ignition system and computer doesn't like those for whatever reason. Does the same apply to o2 sensors? If I forked out a few extra bucks for the higher priced NTK sensor is it going to benefit me any, Or am I better off with getting the cheapest? Thanks again guys

Truck stalls while driving, slips out of Cruise control

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