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Why Does My Car Stall When I Come to a Stop? Download Article Diagnose a stalling car by its transmission fluid, catalytic converter, & more Co-authored by Tom Eisenberg
Last Updated: February 25, 2026 Approved
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Transmission Fluid
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Catalytic Converter
|
O2 Sensors
|
EGR Valve
|
Video
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Q&A
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Tips
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Warnings
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This article was co-authored by Tom Eisenberg. Tom Eisenberg is the Owner and General Manager of West Coast Tires & Service in Los Angeles, California, a family-owned AAA-approved and certified auto shop. Tom has over 10 years of experience in the auto industry. Modern Tire Dealer Magazine voted his shop one of the Best 10 Operations in the Country. There are 9 references cited in this article, which can be found at the bottom of the page. wikiHow marks an article as reader-approved once it receives enough positive feedback. In this case, 100% of readers who voted found the article helpful, earning it our reader-approved status. This article has been viewed 733,254 times.
There may be lots of reasons a car stalls at intersections, including low automatic transmission fluid levels, moisture in your gas, broken sensors, or issues with the EGR valve.
Things You Should Know
Park and turn off your car, then pull out the automatic transmission dipstick under your car’s hood. If the fluid is low, add more.
Look under your car at the catalytic converter after driving around for a while. If it looks like it's glowing, it might be clogged and needs to be replaced.
Take your car to a mechanic if your check engine light comes on.
Steps
Method 1 Method 1 of 4:
Low Transmission Fluid Level
Download Article
1 Check the dipstick on the automatic transmission.[1]XResearch source Check the owner's manual for the correct procedure for your vehicle — generally, manufacturers prefer testing with a warm engine.[2]XResearch source
Be sure to check the fluid when parked on a level surface. Do your best to not allow any lint or dirt to contaminate the dip stick before reinserting.
Advertisement Method 2 Method 2 of 4:
Clogged Catalytic Converter
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1 Look for stalling, no power when accelerating. The check engine light will likely be on.[3]XResearch source
2 Look under the car at night after the vehicle has been running for a while. If the catalytic converter is glowing, it's probably clogged. You will have to replace the converter if you find this to be the problem.[4]XResearch source
Advertisement Method 3 Method 3 of 4:
Broken O2 Sensors
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1 Look for initial idle OK after a cold engine start-up, but a warm engine idle will surge and stall.
2 Take your car in to get a reading.[5]XResearch source After a few thousand miles of this, most cars will turn on the "check engine" light. You can take it to any AutoZone, Advance auto parts, Napa, or O'Reilly's (but some places may only check cars made after 1996, so call and check first) and they will read the codes for free. There can be any number of reasons for the "check engine" light to come on, so it is good to check. Codes complaining of unexpected lean mixture is a good indication of O2 sensor failure. O2 sensors will typically last 60–75K miles. The good news is that you can buy an O2 sensor online for around $50 and they are generally pretty easy to replace.[6]XResearch source Another possible reason is that the engine is idling too low (the idle is adjustable) or the control module is going out, which is relatively inexpensive and easy to access and fix.
Advertisement Method 4 Method 4 of 4:
Clogged/Stuck EGR Valve
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1 Look for the Engine Code Error (EGE) P1406. If the EGR valve is stuck open, the car will run sluggish at lower RPMs. If the valve is stuck closed, the car won't run well at higher RPMs (on the highway).
2 Try cleaning the excess carbon out of the EGR valve first. It may just need to be cleaned and not need replacing.[7]XResearch source If cleaning the EGR valve does not work and you are still getting code P1406, the EGR valve needs to be replaced.[8]XResearch source
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Community Q&A
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Question My car started for a minute or two, then shut off. Now it won't start at all, but it sounds like it is trying to start. What might the problem be? Community Answer It's probably something with the fuel transfer system pump filter or maybe the spark plugs. Thanks! We're glad this was helpful.Thank you for your feedback. If wikiHow has helped you, please consider a small contribution to support us in helping more readers like you. We’re committed to providing the world with free how-to resources, and even $1 helps us in our mission. Support wikiHow Yes No Not Helpful 2 Helpful 14
Question Where is the screw to turn the idle up? Community Answer On the side of the EGR valve/throttle body, there's a cable that connects to a screw where you can adjust the idle. Thanks! We're glad this was helpful.Thank you for your feedback. If wikiHow has helped you, please consider a small contribution to support us in helping more readers like you. We’re committed to providing the world with free how-to resources, and even $1 helps us in our mission. Support wikiHow Yes No Not Helpful 5 Helpful 18
Question My 2000 Nissan Sentra doesn't want to idle -- when it does, it stalls when giving it gas. Community Answer Clean your throttle body and intake manifold. Most likely the AFRs (air to fuel ratio) may be off, causing it to run too rich or too lean. Buy a can of throttle body cleaner and spray it in and around generously, while the vehicle is running. If that doesn't work, try running some seafoam through a vacuum hose while vehicle is running and also pour some in the gas tank. The fuel injectors could be clogged or need to be cleaned. Thanks! We're glad this was helpful.Thank you for your feedback. If wikiHow has helped you, please consider a small contribution to support us in helping more readers like you. We’re committed to providing the world with free how-to resources, and even $1 helps us in our mission. Support wikiHow Yes No Not Helpful 9 Helpful 14
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Video
Tips
The car may be just idling too low which can be adjusted very easily with a screwdriver if you drive an older car. There is a small screw on the throttle body where the throttle cable connects to it you can adjust the screw to make the car idle smoother.[9]XResearch sourceThanks Helpful 0 Not Helpful 0
In vehicles with automatic transmissions that sometimes have a problem with stalling at lights or stop signs, most of the time it is a difference in pressure on each side of the pressure plate. A loss of pressure on one side or another will cause a stall. When you have low transmission fluid and come to a stop, most of the fluid travels to the front of the transmission and you get a difference in pressure that causes your car to stall. Check your transmission fluid. Thanks Helpful 5 Not Helpful 0
If you have to check the fluid with the car running, make sure to set the parking brake. Most cars will ask you to put the car in Park or Neutral. Make sure you do not have the car in gear. Thanks Helpful 4 Not Helpful 0
Submit a Tip All tip submissions are carefully reviewed before being published Name Please provide your name and last initial Submit Thanks for submitting a tip for review! Advertisement
Warnings
Use the proper type for your vehicle. Do not overfill. Thanks Helpful 14 Not Helpful 5
Often, you will have to reach into cramped, hot spaces to check your fluid. Check your manual for the proper location. Take care not to be burned by engine parts. Wear long sleeve shirts or gloves as appropriate. Also, when adding fluid, it is a good idea to use a funnel with an appropriate length of neck. Thanks Helpful 5 Not Helpful 2
Inspect the EGR valve while outdoors, or in a well-ventilated area, to reduce exposure to fumes from the carburetor cleaner or exhaust. Thanks Helpful 9 Not Helpful 9
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Co-authored by: Tom Eisenberg Auto Technician This article was co-authored by Tom Eisenberg. Tom Eisenberg is the Owner and General Manager of West Coast Tires & Service in Los Angeles, California, a family-owned AAA-approved and certified auto shop. Tom has over 10 years of experience in the auto industry. Modern Tire Dealer Magazine voted his shop one of the Best 10 Operations in the Country. This article has been viewed 733,254 times. 2 votes - 100% Co-authors: 19Updated: February 25, 2026 Views: 733,254 Categories: Car Maintenance and RepairArticle SummaryX
To determine why your car stalls at intersections, you’ll want to test things like the transmission fluid level and the catalytic converter. To check the transmission fluid, park on level ground. Check your owner's manual to see where your transmission fluid is located. Unscrew the cap to the fluid and check the dipstick to see if your transmission fluid is low. If you have a clogged catalytic converter, your car will not only stall but will also have little to no power when accelerating. Look under your car at night after it's been running for a while. If the converter is glowing, it’s likely clogged. You might also have a clogged or stuck EGR valve. When your EGR valve is stuck open, the car will run sluggishly at lower RPMs. If it’s stuck closed, the car won’t run well at higher RPMs, like on the highway. To learn how to figure out if you have a broken O2 sensor, keep reading!Did this summary help you?YesNo
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Reader Success Stories
Cynthia Paoli
May 4, 2019
"My car's been fine at initial startup, but stalls 1-3 times a day at intersections. My mechanic can't figure out what's wrong with, but this article gave me some ideas. Thanks! "..." more
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Yes No Advertisement Cookies make wikiHow better. By continuing to use our site, you agree to our cookie policy. Co-authored by: Tom Eisenberg Auto Technician Co-authors: 19Updated: February 25, 2026 Views: 733,254100% of readers found this article helpful. 2 votes - 100% Click a star to add your vote
Cynthia Paoli
May 4, 2019
"My car's been fine at initial startup, but stalls 1-3 times a day at intersections. My mechanic can't figure out what's wrong with, but this article gave me some ideas. Thanks! "..." more
Lettie Walker
Apr 20, 2018
"The article is very helpful and informative, with many options and alternative solutions before a diagnostic check. Thank you."..." more Rated this article:
Joshua Tedor
Jul 2, 2016
"All of it really helped my needs. Thanks."
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Mar 15, 2016
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Download Article Diagnose a stalling car by its transmission fluid, catalytic converter, & more Co-authored by Tom Eisenberg 
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Co-authored by: Tom Eisenberg Auto Technician This article was co-authored by Tom Eisenberg. Tom Eisenberg is the Owner and General Manager of West Coast Tires & Service in Los Angeles, California, a family-owned AAA-approved and certified auto shop. Tom has over 10 years of experience in the auto industry. Modern Tire Dealer Magazine voted his shop one of the Best 10 Operations in the Country. This article has been viewed 733,254 times. 2 votes - 100% Co-authors: 19 Updated: February 25, 2026 Views: 733,254 Categories: Car Maintenance and Repair Article SummaryX
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1 Check the dipstick on the automatic transmission.[1] Check the owner's manual for the correct procedure for your vehicle — generally, manufacturers prefer testing with a warm engine.[2] 
1 Look for stalling, no power when accelerating. The check engine light will likely be on.[3] 
2 Look under the car at night after the vehicle has been running for a while. If the catalytic converter is glowing, it's probably clogged. You will have to replace the converter if you find this to be the problem.[4] Advertisement 
1 Look for initial idle OK after a cold engine start-up, but a warm engine idle will surge and stall. 
2 Take your car in to get a reading.[5] After a few thousand miles of this, most cars will turn on the "check engine" light. You can take it to any AutoZone, Advance auto parts, Napa, or O'Reilly's (but some places may only check cars made after 1996, so call and check first) and they will read the codes for free. There can be any number of reasons for the "check engine" light to come on, so it is good to check. Codes complaining of unexpected lean mixture is a good indication of O2 sensor failure. O2 sensors will typically last 60–75K miles. The good news is that you can buy an O2 sensor online for around $50 and they are generally pretty easy to replace.[6] Another possible reason is that the engine is idling too low (the idle is adjustable) or the control module is going out, which is relatively inexpensive and easy to access and fix. Advertisement 
1 Look for the Engine Code Error (EGE) P1406. If the EGR valve is stuck open, the car will run sluggish at lower RPMs. If the valve is stuck closed, the car won't run well at higher RPMs (on the highway). 
2 Try cleaning the excess carbon out of the EGR valve first. It may just need to be cleaned and not need replacing.[7] If cleaning the EGR valve does not work and you are still getting code P1406, the EGR valve needs to be replaced.[8] Advertisement 
Community Answer It's probably something with the fuel transfer system pump filter or maybe the spark plugs. Thanks! We're glad this was helpful. Thank you for your feedback. If wikiHow has helped you, please consider a small contribution to support us in helping more readers like you. We’re committed to providing the world with free how-to resources, and even $1 helps us in our mission. Support wikiHow Yes No Not Helpful 2 Helpful 14 
Community Answer On the side of the EGR valve/throttle body, there's a cable that connects to a screw where you can adjust the idle. Thanks! We're glad this was helpful. Thank you for your feedback. If wikiHow has helped you, please consider a small contribution to support us in helping more readers like you. We’re committed to providing the world with free how-to resources, and even $1 helps us in our mission. Support wikiHow Yes No Not Helpful 5 Helpful 18 
Community Answer Clean your throttle body and intake manifold. Most likely the AFRs (air to fuel ratio) may be off, causing it to run too rich or too lean. Buy a can of throttle body cleaner and spray it in and around generously, while the vehicle is running. If that doesn't work, try running some seafoam through a vacuum hose while vehicle is running and also pour some in the gas tank. The fuel injectors could be clogged or need to be cleaned. Thanks! We're glad this was helpful. Thank you for your feedback. If wikiHow has helped you, please consider a small contribution to support us in helping more readers like you. We’re committed to providing the world with free how-to resources, and even $1 helps us in our mission. Support wikiHow Yes No Not Helpful 9 Helpful 14 
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