Q: Car won't accelerate after a stop, what could be wrong?

asked by on July 14, 2016

So far this has happened during stop and go traffic. When coming to a stop, I press the gas and the car won't move, nor does the RPMs go up. This issue happens occasionally, and when I turn the car off and back on, it works properly. Transmission oil level is fine. The check engine light or no other light is on. The car drives perfectly normal, nothing seems out of the ordinary except this issue.

My car has 189000 miles.
My car has an automatic transmission.

You could have a problem with the electronic throttle control motor not responding or the throttle plates sticking. You should have the throttle plates checked for excessive carbon build up. Also, I’d recommend checking in with your local dealer. See if your vehicle has any active recall campaigns for the air inlet system of your vehicle. There may be a recall for the intake tubes blocking the intake which is causing the loss of acceleration and possible stall. If the dealer comes up with nothing, consider YourMechanic, as a certified technician can diagnose your acceleration issue and fix it accordingly. Good luck.

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