Stalling /Erratic Idle

2002 dodge stratus r/t

Sometimes car stalls out right after started while in park.. RPM gets erratic up and down then really low and then it stalls out. Today was in neutral, stalled out and would not restart battery had to be jumped (1st time for this) drove it home and it was fine. 30 min. later tried to restart and it would idle normal then low and stall if I didn't accelerate. Also sometimes notice it will idle normal/low/normal and if i turn heat on it would idle low and stall. This erratic idle has been happening on and off.. sometimes it is fine and then it's not. Now 3 hours later today it is fine again?? Any ideas or suggestions?

something electrical, turning on heater uses more power makes me think your voltage is low, all other symptoms sound like a crank position sensor.. My bro- in-laws jeep just did the same thing then just stalled out and restarted going down rd. then just stalled and would not restart.. had to have it towed.. they tried to get it to do it again, and couldnt get it to fail. replace the ckp sensor and now its fixed.. Hope this helped.

Check out the EGR Valve.

I had an issue with an EGR valve, and it wouldnt stay running at all but in gear if you kept it running had plenty of power but wouldnt idle at all.. Also do you have any codes?? could be a lot of things.. maybe the MAF sensor. Also My 02 stratus is doing something kinda like that only it will catch itself and will smooth itself out and run fine.. the only symptom I have is its harder to start..it threw a code once then was gone, I think the code was p0452 , I have dont some reading about this car and this issue and was told it is one of he lines by the gas tanks/ fuel pump, but it hasnt done it in 7 days now..starts and runs fine

I have a 2002 dodge stratus that my wife drives. she was driving to work and it died about 20 miles from home towed it home and it started right up Grrrrr $135 later. checked voltage on the battery and was 12.6 let it idle for about 20 mins and was olding at 900rpm. I drove it around the block it died again. pushed it home and took the battery out and took it to Autozone and there was a dead cell in the battery. Installed new one 128.00 dollors later idled fine and drive it around the block 10 times. Nothing I did notice that the oil light came on only when i pressed in the clutch. I has engine oiled and it is full and new. I looked for the manual transmission dip stick could not find. I cleaned the throttle plate with Throttle cleaner and its spotless. There is A small black box on the positive of the battery and it has two main wires with a fuse looking thing on it. Its a thin piece of metal connecting the battery. I do not know what this is I have never seen this before. My wife drove this again today and it died again. I am out of ideas what could cause this dying problem It will not do this when i drive it. lol blame it on the wife or car lol . Please help with any answers. please and thank you.

Sounds like you have a vacuum leak, or bad egr valve. The egr valves are not cheap with this car. But however with mine I found a spot on the throttle body that was in the process of popping out. Check for vacume leaks. TPS good be failing.