We have a 2004 Chrysler Sebring with the 4 cylinder 2.4 motor with 70,000 miles. When the car is in gear and idling it will stutter, and the RPM will drop 50-100 RPM. It will keep this up fairly consistently, but the RPM seems to stay within the 700-900 range. Once you get the car moving above 5-10 MPH it runs 100%. Sometimes when driving down the highway it will jerk, like it's missing, it does it once or twice and then stops. I think it does this after you have been driving it for 10-30 miles, then try to change the speed, or maybe start going up a hill. It's been several weeks since it's been on the highway, since we fear it might leave us stranded at this point and have a different car we can take for longer trips.

Error codes:
p0441
p0440
p0456 (not 100% sure on this one, recalling from my memory)

I took it to my buddy's shop, and he hooked up a Snap-On Solus Diagnostic Scanner to the car. One of the things that did pop-up (besides the codes) was a misfire on cylinder #2, but in 10 minutes it only detected this two times.

We have changed the gas cap and purge solenoid. We have also looked at all of the vacuum lines in the engine bay, and under the car (was on lift) and can not find any evidence of cracking.

Just a side note, 5-6 months ago I did do a exhaust repair. Midway down the exaust there was a part that looks similar to a "cherry bomb", the end of it was cracking. I welded the crack.. I don't think this would have anything to do with it.. but I would hate to do a bunch of other repairs only to find that this was the problem.


I would LIKE to fix the problem, but with both of us being unemployed, taking it to the dealership is out of the question. Also the "throw parts at it" also doesn't fix in the budget. I have worked on cars for the past 20 years (shade tree) and not afraid to do the work. I also have the skill to do what ever needs to be done.. just kind of lost on this one. To me changing the spark plugs, wires, and fuel filter are next... but I can't afford to just start replacing parts until it's fixed.

Anyone? I have spent 2-3 hours searching Google, and had my buddy's shop look at it twice (free) and still can't figure it out.

 

anybody?

 

The 0440 series codes relate to the EVAP system. Sounds like you have checked that to the limit of your budget. Might want to check the evap purge solenoid to see if it's working properly.

For the engine miss problem, check fuel pressure, throttle position sensor, MAP (Manifold absolute pressure) sensor, ECT (engine coolant temperature) sensor, IAT (intake air temperature) sensor and the idle air control motor. Your buddy with the garage should be able to check those out, but usually, they will generate codes if they get bad.

Spark plugs are probably a safe investment.

 

We have already changed the "purge solenoid".

Monday I will get some new plugs and try that.

 

By "check" I did not mean to imply that you should necessarily "replace" these various things. Sometimes a sensor will fail to give a proper signal because of a wiring fault and sometimes it's because the sensor itself is bad. Sometimes something is not working properly and as a result, the sensor is picking up information that is correct and passing it on, but the information is not what the computer was expecting so it generates an operational instruction that is not optimal.

 

Well we had changed the purge solenoid before you had recommended to check it, so I would think that since it's been replaced that it's working correctly.

Still need to pickup the spark plugs, waiting on unemployment check..

 

Well we did get around to changing the spark plugs, and that fixed the stuttering problems. I also found a cracked hose, that's been ordered and waiting for the part to come in. After the hose is changed, I will see if the codes come back, after we have the computer cleared.

I would have never guessed it to be something as simple as the spark plugs.. LOL

Thanks guys

 

Being a 2004 (and this being almost 2010)...

If you havent changed the plug wires when you did the plugs, you should go ahead and change them too!

Just sayin!

 

hey hows it going i was wondering what were the results