2000 Sportage shakes, stalls

[bellamystation]

Periodically my ragtop Sportage, automatic, not 4wd, will start shaking while I'm at a stop light and also acts like it was to surge forward. It's fine when its moving. After a few days it will get progressivly worse and eventually starts to stall while I'm waiting in traffic. I bought the car used 5 years ago and the dealer has always taken it in and does something I think he said with the "pins", but it never lasts. It may last 3 months or 8 or even a year and then comes back. And half the time it won't do it for them so I bring it home until its so bad it won't stay running then bring it back. I don't think they will keep fixing it for free much longer. Has anyone had this problem and how did you get it fixed for real?

[Damkia]

The pins he is referring to are the 3 electrical connectors across the top of the manifold. These are a well known trouble spot, they are cheap connrctors that are prone to corrosion issues with the pins. Several people have carefully cut the connectors off and soldered the wires directly to the sensors, but this should only be attempted if the person doing it is competent in soldering.

Anothe thing you could do yourself periodically (evey 2-3 months) is to disconnect the connections and reconnect them several times to clean the contact surfaces in the plug/socket. This is all the dealer would be doing anyway.... (no doubt charges you $50 or so for 2 mins work???)

The three connectors are:
1. Beside the airbox, attatched to a hard plastic tube,
2. Above the little rubber plug on top of the No 1 cylinder,
3. Near a 2" thick adapter plate between the long tube over the top of the engine, and the inlet manofold going to the engine itself.

[bellamystation]

Thank you! I will try that tomorrow when I get home from work!

[Damkia]

Originally Posted by bellamystation

Thank you! I will try that tomorrow when I get home from work!

I should have mentioned that you have to press a piece of wire that goes three sides around the plug (retaining clip) to allow it to be pulled off. You'll see what I mean when you look closely at it.

[mgbgt1972]

You should make this a habit, every oil change check the connectors, a little steel wool or contact cleaner a few times a year will go along way, $5 for a can of contact cleaner and a few pennies for some steel wool sure beats a few hundred dollers in dealer work.

[bellamystation]

I tried cleaning the contacts/pins as you suggested and it seems to have worked! The shaking and stalling have stopped and I have been driving it for several days so it looks like it may be fixed for a while. Thanks so much! One other thing tho is that now the check engine light is on. Do you think that is just from the unplugging of the contacts? Can I shut it off myself?

[Damkia]

Originally Posted by bellamystation

I tried cleaning the contacts/pins as you suggested and it seems to have worked! The shaking and stalling have stopped and I have been driving it for several days so it looks like it may be fixed for a while. Thanks so much! One other thing tho is that now the check engine light is on. Do you think that is just from the unplugging of the contacts? Can I shut it off myself?

Disconnect the battery for 1/2 an hour. This should reset the ECU codes and CEL. (Make sure you know your radio reset code too...)