Why does your 1990 Sunbird stalls when you stop at a light or just slow down?

Answer 1

why your car stalls,There is a lock up solenoid in the transmission, if it does not unlock the steering whel shakes bad and the car dies! When you start it and put it in gear it usually does it again until it cools down! You can fix this by unplugging the 4 prong plug at the front of the tranny or by removing the tranny cover on the side ( requires removal of left front tire) Go to a tranny shop and ask for a lock up solenoid and gasket for your car. It is really simple to fix. Trust me, you can fix this yourself for about $50 bucks! Do you happen to notice that it only does it when you go over 35mph or 50 kph Its because you are going into passing gear. If you stay below that, it shouldn't do it. However if you just unplug the plug at the front of the tranny, you will notice that you will get crappier fuel mialage. AnswerHe's right it's called a TCC solenoid in these cars and basically it is a replacement for Overdrive. When you go into or above 3rd gear this thing kicks in to save you gas, just like Overdrive used to do in older cars. Problem is, when these things go, they cause stalling problems. Just unplug the wire to the solenoid and problem solved. If you really want it for highway gas savings, or your an aggressive driver (at these prices lately, it may well be worth it) the replacement solenoid is usually only $25-$35. Tip: I am an aggressive (but very safe) driver (former cabbie is where it comes from) and I just read recently that aggressive driving can eat up 30-40% more fuel then not driving that way. Started to not drive so aggressive, guess what?!