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Sweet Witch
Be the flame, not the moth.
MVM
join:2003-07-15
Gallifrey

Sweet Witch

MVM

[Help] 2001 Mercury Sable rough cold idle

This Mercury is why I prefer my Camry!!!

Ok, nasty rough cold idle started about a month ago. The plugs and wires were changed at 91k in November 2012, the idle air controller was replaced June-ish 2013. From November 2013 to April 2014 the car sat, never run, but it was running fine until last month.

From online research -

plugs - done
IAC - done
intake gaskets - please no
bad gas - multiple stations used

Could the idle air controller have gone bad or am I looking at a bigger repair I can't do myself?

Thanks
rody_44
Premium Member
join:2004-02-20
Quakertown, PA

rody_44

Premium Member

2001 is obd2
fixrman
From a broken heart to a hole in the sky
Premium Member
join:2003-02-10
Hatboro, PA
·Verizon FiOS

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fixrman

Premium Member

Wait a minute. What is the sense in throwing a part at the car if it isn't known if it will fix the problem? It could be anything causing the rough idle. I'd submit if the sensor failed, it would probably fail open with the system displaying a CTS reading of -40 which would result in black smoke likely coming out of the tailpipe and probable hard starting.

The fact that the car sat for 5 months without running could have something to do with it. Perhaps critters got into it, looking for something to chew on. Rodents have an affinity for wiring, so they could have chewed through something important. Or maybe something just failed in the mean time.

What the car needs is diagnostics and we need more information. 6 months have passed and there is more mileage since work was done between 2012 and now. The engine temp sensor might be an issue, but it might not be. Why waste parts if they aren't needed, plus it will take some time to replace.

If it were me I'd be looking for vacuum leaks or possibly carbon in the IAC before I started throwing parts at it.
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