# Car bogging down

**URL:** <https://community.cartalk.com/t/car-bogging-down/63084>\
**Category:** Maintenance/Repairs\
**Tags:** chrysler\
**Created:** [March 28, 2011, 4:55am UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/car-bogging-down/63084 "2011-03-28T04:55:34Z")\
**Posts on this page:** 3\
**Page:** 1

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**Author:** ![neenio](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/e36b37/32.png) [@neenio](https://community.cartalk.com/u/neenio)\
**Post date:** [March 28, 2011, 4:55am UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/car-bogging-down/63084/1 "2011-03-28T04:55:34Z")

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My 2009 PT Cruiser has about 38800 miles on it and in the last two weeks, only when I turn my air on, it has started bogging down and missing when driving or idling…any ideas what would cause this??? Changed gas and that didn’t help

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**Author:** ![cigroller](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/c68b51/32.png) [@cigroller](https://community.cartalk.com/u/cigroller)\
**Post date:** [March 28, 2011, 12:00pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/car-bogging-down/63084/2 "2011-03-28T12:00:03Z")

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Is the check engine light on?

At that age & mileage there really shouldn’t be anything causing it - which just means that anything related to how the engine runs could be doing it. The basics are fuel, air & spark.

If you have no check engine light, then the first thing I would do would be basic maintenance things. I would do those things because they a) do not involve a lot of time or money and b) are good to do no matter what. My basic list would include new fuel and air filters; an inspection of spark plugs & wires; cleaning of the throttle body, idle air control valve and mass airflow sensor (if so equipped). I don’t know the recommended plug replacement interval but if it was even close I’d just replace the plugs.

I would do all of those things and if it didn’t help I’d feel fine about it anyway since all of that is good basic maintenance. But I would then be thinking about getting it on a high-end scantool. The AC puts a hefty load on the engine and the computer is supposed to adjust for the load. Perhaps there is a communication problem in there.

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**Author:** ![system](https://global.discourse-cdn.com/cartalk/original/3X/1/d/1d47c66a543aa6c5a7873bb2320858f978ff52ed.png) [@system](https://community.cartalk.com/u/system)\
**Post date:** [March 28, 2011, 5:44pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/car-bogging-down/63084/3 "2011-03-28T17:44:00Z")

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Plugs are due at 30k. That’s a good place to start.