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Calling cold weather gurus


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So we just finished a week of hard cold.

Yesterday I fired up the Pathfinder and took my wife to appointment. Probably 15-mile trip. No issues. Stopped at a store afterward. Was in there 30-45 minutes. Came out and started vehicle to find it idling erratically and wanting to die. Nursed it to where it held idle again and drove home. Drove it later to pick up the wife and it did fine except once I had to brake hard because of the guy in front of me and the car died when I did that. Started right up again, tho.

Very cold last night -11F.

Started it this morning and fired right up and seemed to idle normally but when I tried to pull away it stumbled and bogged down, pulled over and idle was bouncing between 600-900 rpm. Drove in neighborhood for awhile with that same stumbling going on, delayed reaction from hitting gas pedal. Finally it settled down and drove it to work and seemed OK, tho didn't push it beyond 50. No warning lights came on at any time during all this. Parked it in heated garage near work and when I started it after it had sat there for several hours idle and gas response seemed normal.

Thoughts? Anyone else seen their vehicle act up that way after being in cold for extended period?

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Was there any precipitation? You either have a vacuum leak or a problem with the idle air control valve (IAC for short). A partially frozen air filter can cause similar issues.

 

 

Bubba.....

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if you don't continue to have problems my guess would be, poor quality gas.and or water in the tank. it will freeze in the lines at really cold temps. I've had that happen while driving in a VW van through Quebec, I had to use a product called Gas Line Antifreeze (Probably just denatured alcohol) fill up with premium for the next couple of tanks and see if things continue.

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Thaw setting in today. Supposed to get up to 21F.

Pathfinder set out all night, so will be interesting to see how it behaves when I go to start it.

I did recently fill up tank, so bad gas certainly possible. Was also thinking maybe fouled injector.

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