# Sudden rpm drop

**URL:** <https://community.cartalk.com/t/sudden-rpm-drop/26111>\
**Category:** Maintenance/Repairs\
**Created:** [February 6, 2009, 4:31am UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/sudden-rpm-drop/26111 "2009-02-06T04:31:37Z")\
**Posts on this page:** 6\
**Page:** 1

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**Author:** ![virtus](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/v/c67d28/32.png) [@virtus](https://community.cartalk.com/u/virtus)\
**Post date:** [February 6, 2009, 4:31am UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/sudden-rpm-drop/26111/1 "2009-02-06T04:31:37Z")

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After about 5 minutes of driving, the rpm’s would suddenly drop about 1,000 rpm and then bounce back and drop and bounce again in a second, and then do the same thing about 5-10 seconds later. It did this until it died in the parking lot. It did the same thing after 5 minutes when I tried driving it home about 2 hours later. My car is a 2000 Toyota Camry I got a little less than a year ago and I haven’t had any trouble with it at all before this. I haven’t driven it in a week and a half because of ice and snow. I made a shorter trip to the store about an hour before this without any trouble, but I might have bumped something underneath getting back in the driveway after that. Any ideas? Thanks!

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**Author:** ![Joseph\_E\_Meehan](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/cartalk/user_avatar/community.cartalk.com/joseph_e_meehan/32/21_2.png) [@Joseph\_E\_Meehan](https://community.cartalk.com/u/Joseph_E_Meehan)\
**Post date:** [February 6, 2009, 11:23am UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/sudden-rpm-drop/26111/2 "2009-02-06T11:23:08Z")

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```
Is the engine actually slowing down that much or is it just the gauge?
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**Author:** ![BustedKnuckles](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/cartalk/user_avatar/community.cartalk.com/bustedknuckles/32/25_2.png) [@BustedKnuckles](https://community.cartalk.com/u/BustedKnuckles)\
**Post date:** [February 6, 2009, 11:26am UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/sudden-rpm-drop/26111/3 "2009-02-06T11:26:54Z")

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Is the ‘Check Engine’ light (CEL) on? If so, get the codes read, and post back here. If it is flashing, get it towed to a shop. Do not drive it if the CEL is flashing. Expensive damage can result.

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**Author:** ![virtus](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/v/c67d28/32.png) [@virtus](https://community.cartalk.com/u/virtus)\
**Post date:** [February 6, 2009, 1:02pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/sudden-rpm-drop/26111/4 "2009-02-06T13:02:46Z")

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Yes, the engine is actually slowing down, as if I suddenly let up on the gas and stepped on the pedal again.

The check engine light only came on a second before it died (maybe both times; at least it did it the first time). It wasn’t on any other time.

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**Author:** ![virtus](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/v/c67d28/32.png) [@virtus](https://community.cartalk.com/u/virtus)\
**Post date:** [February 6, 2009, 1:15pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/sudden-rpm-drop/26111/5 "2009-02-06T13:15:35Z")

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Since the CEL had come on, would it have saved that code?

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**Author:** ![BustedKnuckles](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/cartalk/user_avatar/community.cartalk.com/bustedknuckles/32/25_2.png) [@BustedKnuckles](https://community.cartalk.com/u/BustedKnuckles)\
**Post date:** [February 7, 2009, 12:25am UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/sudden-rpm-drop/26111/6 "2009-02-07T00:25:19Z")

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Yes.