please help me? i have been having a problem with my 99 explorer. it has been acting up on me alot. When the car is driving it's fine but then I get to a stop light and it sounds and feels like it's about to shut off? But now yesterday I started the car and put it in drive and as soon as I put it into drive, it shuts off.Please help me figure out why this could be happening? i have been hearing alot of different things as in it could be a vaccum leak, or the idle control valve but what should I check for first? Does anyone know how much a vacuum leak could cost me? Please let me know and thank you !!

please help me? i have been having a problem with my 99 explorer. it has been acting up on me alot. When the car is driving it's fine but then I get to a stop light and it sounds and feels like it's about to shut off? But now yesterday I started the car and put it in drive and as soon as I put it into drive, it shuts off.Please help me figure out why this could be happening? i have been hearing alot of different things as in it could be a vaccum leak, or the idle control valve but what should I check for first? Does anyone know how much a vacuum leak could cost me? Please let me know and thank you !!

Usually with a vacuum leak big enough to kill the engine, you will get a check engine light - the code will be a code for too lean a fuel mixture.

Since you don't mention a check engine light, I think the idle air valve is more likely the problem. These almost never set a check engine light when they go bad, and they are a pretty common problem.

I would clean the idle air valve - you can search the net and find instructions. If that makes it better, but does not completely fix it, then replace the valve.

I learned from experience about this problem. I have a 99 xlt with SOHC engine. About 2 years ago, I was having the same problem. One shop told me I had O2 sensor problem(running lean), so I changed them. It didn't solve it. I did some more research and this below( I found this situation on another site):

>Rough Idle at Start Up - Recall Repair 0012MC

>At 46,XXX miles, I took it in for a problem with the engine running rough for >the first couple of minutes when you started the engine in cold weather. I >normally don't start the engine in the cold since the vehicle is garaged 99% >of the time. However, we were traveling to the Washington DC area and >had the Explorer parked outside (for probably the first time ever) and I >started noticing this problem. >My dealer did the recall repair for 0012MC which calls for replacing >tensioners and low intake manifold gasket. This fixed the problem (the >rough idle was caused by a leaking gasket...the tensioner was a side item to >replaced under the same recall).

Replacing the the lower intake gasket took care of my problem. It's been running smoothe ever since. Hope this helps.
-b

Clean the IAC first. It takes 15 minutes and is very easy to do. The plunger sticks and causes the vehicle to rough idle and/or stall when your foot is not on the gas pedal. All you have to do is remove the 2 bolts and flush the plunger area with oil. Use Wd-40 or clean engine oil. You may have to carefully pry the plunger open to flush it.