Need help with diagnosis on wife's car.

[bake74]

     Ok I need some help with a problem on my wife's car.  It is a 2001 Mercury Sable LS ( I know, but she loves her car ).
     Here is the problem, when you start it up when it is cold, it will run fine until the fast idle shuts off and then it spits and sputters and dies sometimes until it warms up.  After it warms up it runs fine, and if you get back into it and drive it before it cools all the way back down, it runs fine.
     I am kinda stumped, I do not know what would make her car do this.  I am taking it in tomorrow, but I like to know before hand what could be wrong with it.
          Thanks in advance for any insight.          Tom

[Lt.Del]

IAC is only thing i can think of.  It most likely is a false reading from a sensor from the sound of it.  O2 sensor maybe?  but that is just a guess.

[zieg85]

Sounds like the Idle air control.  My 2005 Sable and 2006 Taurus both had the same symptom.  It took about 5 minutes to change it and my issues went away.

[zieg85]

Great minds think alike

[bake74]

Sounds like the Idle air control.  My 2005 Sable and 2006 Taurus both had the same symptom.  It took about 5 minutes to change it and my issues went away.

     Zieg, how did you fix it ?  I am looking up Idle Air control now.

[Lt.Del]

youtube

 http://www.youtube.com/results?search_query=sable+idle+air+control&oq=sable+idle+air+control&aq=f&aqi=&aql=&gs_sm=e&gs_upl=4703l9281l0l10203l22l21l0l12l0l1l406l1827l1.4.3.0.1l9l0

[zieg85]

It is an easy replacement.  I researched the symptoms, found links similar to what Andy posted and just replaced it.  I think it was under $30 from Autozone if I remember correctly

[bake74]

     Thanks guys, you guys are awesome, I hate having to rely on someone else to fix my stuff when I don't know something.  You probably just saved me about $150.00   

[zieg85]

     Thanks guys, you guys are awesome, I hate having to rely on someone else to fix my stuff when I don't know something.  You probably just saved me about $150.00   

I accept PayPal.... Just kidding... 

[Blazin]

X2 on IAC, if not that it also sounds like a MAP sensor except the running fine when warmed up. The check engine light must be on?

[Lt.Del]

yeah, paypal here too.

sometimes the IAC just gets dirty.  you can get carb cleaner and spray it to clean it real good first and see if that helps b4 you buy one.

[bake74]

     I don't want to take chances with my wife's car.  ( I would feel terrible if she got stranded somewhere unsafe, she drives the money for the company to the bank ).  I looked up how to test to make sure the IAC valve is getting proper voltage from the PCM, I will do that and just go buy a new one if that is the problem.  In the meantime I will have her drive my 2000 GMC.
    Thanks again everyone, I will sleep better tonight.

[heavychevy91]

A real simple and over looked starting point could be the throttle body. Does it have a lot of carbon build up? Get yourself a can of gum-cutter and clean that puppy up. If not i second what was mentioned above.

[bake74]

     Well here's the update.  Went and replaced the AIC valve, and it ran worse than before.  It would start and race at 3000 rpm.  IT would take about 1 whole min. to come down to normal idle.
     So I took the new one off and cleaned the old one up and re-installed.  Works fine now, went to where I bought it and they have to order me another one, so I have to wait for a couple of days to get it. 
     Thanks again for all the help.