# Car engine dies

**URL:** <https://community.cartalk.com/t/car-engine-dies/3559>\
**Category:** Maintenance/Repairs\
**Created:** [August 23, 2007, 8:09pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/car-engine-dies/3559 "2007-08-23T20:09:48Z")\
**Posts on this page:** 3\
**Page:** 1

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**Author:** ![ANNOYED26](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/e47774/32.png) [@ANNOYED26](https://community.cartalk.com/u/ANNOYED26)\
**Post date:** [August 23, 2007, 8:09pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/car-engine-dies/3559/1 "2007-08-23T20:09:48Z")

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I HAVE A 98 GRAND AM WITH A 2.4 LITER  
  
 ENGINE AND A AUTOMATIC TRANS.AFTER STARTING  
  
 THE ENGINE AND PUTTING IT IN DRIVE THE ENGINE WILL DIE UNLESS I STEP ON THE ACCELERATOR HARD. ALSO STOPPING AT TRAFFIC  
  
 LIGHTS SOMETIMES IT DIES BUT IT DOES RESTART RIGHT AWAY. I HAVE HAD A NEW FUEL FILTER PUT ON BUT THAT DID NOT HELP. WHAT  
  
 DO YUOU THINK THE PROBLEM COULD BE?

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**Author:** ![87\_Ranger](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/8/f14d63/32.png) [@87\_Ranger](https://community.cartalk.com/u/87_Ranger)\
**Post date:** [August 23, 2007, 8:50pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/car-engine-dies/3559/2 "2007-08-23T20:50:28Z")

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Sounds like the torque convertor lockup solenoid is not unlocking.

Does it go into gear with a bang??

If you have a good/independant transmission shop close by, thats the place to take it.

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**Author:** ![Ranck](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/aca169/32.png) [@Ranck](https://community.cartalk.com/u/Ranck)\
**Post date:** [August 23, 2007, 9:00pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/car-engine-dies/3559/3 "2007-08-23T21:00:56Z")

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Intake air leak would be my guess. Check for loose hoses and the like around the throttle body. IAC valve maybe another candidate.