# Truck goes dead when in neutral but will stay on in gear

**URL:** <https://community.cartalk.com/t/truck-goes-dead-when-in-neutral-but-will-stay-on-in-gear/89353>\
**Category:** Maintenance/Repairs\
**Tags:** dakota, dodge\
**Created:** [March 18, 2015, 9:35pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/truck-goes-dead-when-in-neutral-but-will-stay-on-in-gear/89353 "2015-03-18T21:35:39Z")\
**Posts on this page:** 5\
**Page:** 1

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**Author:** ![shaylake](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/838e76/32.png) [@shaylake](https://community.cartalk.com/u/shaylake)\
**Post date:** [March 18, 2015, 9:35pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/truck-goes-dead-when-in-neutral-but-will-stay-on-in-gear/89353/1 "2015-03-18T21:35:39Z")

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Yesterday my truck would stay on if I had the gas on, or if I put it in gear and drove but when it was in neutral it would shut off. And then after driving it for a few minutes it completely shut down. It is a manual transmission.

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**Author:** ![insightful](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/cartalk/user_avatar/community.cartalk.com/insightful/32/2732_2.png) [@insightful](https://community.cartalk.com/u/insightful)\
**Post date:** [March 18, 2015, 11:02pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/truck-goes-dead-when-in-neutral-but-will-stay-on-in-gear/89353/2 "2015-03-18T23:02:30Z")

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So now it won’t start? Will the starter crank the engine?

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**Author:** ![BillRussell](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/cartalk/user_avatar/community.cartalk.com/billrussell/32/3179_2.png) [@BillRussell](https://community.cartalk.com/u/BillRussell)\
**Post date:** [March 18, 2015, 11:55pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/truck-goes-dead-when-in-neutral-but-will-stay-on-in-gear/89353/3 "2015-03-18T23:55:29Z")

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make? model? engine? year? miles?

“I had the gas on” ? what does this mean

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**Author:** ![jesmed1](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/cartalk/user_avatar/community.cartalk.com/jesmed1/32/2097_2.png) [@jesmed1](https://community.cartalk.com/u/jesmed1)\
**Post date:** [March 19, 2015, 6:54pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/truck-goes-dead-when-in-neutral-but-will-stay-on-in-gear/89353/4 "2015-03-19T18:54:17Z")

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A clogged/faulty idle air control valve (IACV) can cause rough running/stalling at idle, but usually doesn’t “completely shut down” an engine.

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**Author:** ![knfenimore](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/9fc348/32.png) [@knfenimore](https://community.cartalk.com/u/knfenimore)\
**Post date:** [March 19, 2015, 7:14pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/truck-goes-dead-when-in-neutral-but-will-stay-on-in-gear/89353/5 "2015-03-19T19:14:22Z")

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Clean IAC and throttle body. Also, when was the last time the plugs and wires replaced?