Stalling and idling rough

Its a '97 2.5 V6. It's had a fuel system flush, the idle control valve done and the EGR valve replaced and its still stalling when you come to a stop and idling rough. Its not throwing any codes. Any ideas? Please!:banghead:

MY 97 cirrus does the same thing. The veh does not really idle rough though. The car used to stall out all the time when idling or even moving a low speeds. One thing i replaced which was easy and helped a little bit was the pcv valve that thing can get dirty and clogged up. I also had a mechanic say that he cleaned the throttle body and when he did this it has been fine ever since untill 2 days ago the veh stalled and now will not start back up. I have ruled out the timing belt the egr valve I replaced the fuel module and the fuel filter still will not start. The car burns oil sometimes and other times it seems to be okay. all in all the cirrus is just a pretty crappy car.

My mother-in-law is having a similar problem with her '95 Cirrus, it runs smoothly but stalls intermittently. She bought it new and has accumulated only 19,000 miles of slow stop and go city driving. Original Michelins with like-new tread and cracked sidewalls. All of a sudden she and my wife decide to drive from L.A. to Berkeley and back (almost 1,000 miles at Interstate speeds) to visit our son at school.

I asked "How long since you changed the oil?" About a year. "Has the transmission EVER been serviced?" Don't think so. "The radiator flushed and/or coolant changed?" What's that?

So I said she should put a couple hundred in it. I arranged appointments with my tranny guy and radiator guy, picked up the car and drove it home (40 miles) to replace the oil and filter with 5W-30 Castrol Syntec and top of the line Purolator. Nearing my house the engine temp was still on the low side, so I pulled it into a lower gear and started uphill at 3,000 RPM to warm it up. The poor engine made severe distress sounds and quit. I pulled over; it would crank but not fire. My cell 'phone was dead so I walked home.

Next morning I tried to start it and it fired right up and ran smoothly. I put it in gear and it stalled. Did this a couple of times. Finally it refused to start at all.

I had it towed to a gas station that has done good diagnosis for me on several vehicles over the years (hereafter to be referred to as Numbnuts). Hard to pinpoint exact problem as the first-year '95 cars have OBD I, '96 and later are OBD II which gives more specific data. But to the best of their reckoning, "It needs a new computer." Local dealer was out, drove 50 miles round trip to pick one up. $300 reasonable, the fact you have to turn in your old one not reasonable at all. I guess they need cores.

Shop installs, then the Numbnuts call me to say only dealer can program the new computer with VIN, mileage, etc. so car can start. Had it towed to dealer, $100 to program computer but car won't start. After additional $98 diagnosis they say it needs a new distributor, special Mitsubishi part, $1400 installed, please. No thanks!

Had it towed to a better independent shop, where the best mechanic from Numbnuts moved a couple of years ago (if only I'd known). Good guy gets and installs rebuilt distributor, services trans and radiator, $800. I change the oil 10 days late. Car runs great, ladies make their trip with no problems.

A couple of weeks after they get back, mother-in-law is afraid to drive Cirrus. Seems it stalls at red lights. I pick the car up and in my less urban driving it does stall at idle once every 15 miles on average. Fires right up no problem, but car is obviously not 100% right. Once, and only once, it stalled at 25 mph in a gentle right turn. No problem for me but unnerving and dangerous for an 85-year-old lady.

Of course it won't stall for good mechanic. So when mother-in-law goes to Europe for several weeks I give it to mechanic and tell him to drive it between home and work 'til it does stall.

It stalled on the way in yesterday morning, and he had the good fortune of stalling it as he pulled up to his service bay. He hooked up his scanner and all data was wiped clean. Starting the car brought the codes back, but whenever it stalled, the computer would be erased again. He felt there must be a short in the computer or a programming error(!).

I called the local dealer today (December 28th) and told them what's happening. Service writer said $98 to check out, free if it was their fault. However, "If there was any error in programming, the car would not start or run." Situation complicated because computer is from another dealer. Service writer then said "We had one acting like that a week ago. It turned out to be the crank sensor." By the way, the first service appointment available is January 8th! Must be a great business fixing all those out-of-warranty Chryslers and Dodges for four figures a pop...

Good mechanic tells me crank sensor was the first thing he tested when he got the car two months ago. He checked it again and said it's fine.

I'm sure some of you there have had similar experiences. Please share.

I have a 99 Cirrus with the 2.5L V6 that would cut out while driving. Did lots of research on Web and spoke to mechanics who said it is likely one of the following:

-distributor
-crank sensor
-EGR sticking open

I shot-gunned the repair and replaced the distributor (with a "NEW" one from PartsAmerica.com ~ $299) , replaced the crank sensor (~50), cleaned the EGR, and did new plugs and wires while in there. That fixed the problem, but I can't say what exactly fixed it. This car is no joy to work on. It requires more than average skills.

BTW, my mechanic friend said these Mitsubishi 2.5's are well known for distributor problems and was pretty sure the distributor was the problem. He said to stay away from used/rebuilt ones because they're hit-n-miss.

Thanks, Kelvin!

Car runs beautifully 99.9% of the time. Never stalled before new computer and distributor. No professional ever suggests it could be the distributor.

Dealer says "probably the crank sensor", wants big $$ to check it out. Independent mechanic says it must be the new computer, nothing else can wipe memory.

I can eliminate stalling completely (except for maybe once a week cold start) by putting trans in neutral if idling for any extended period - this also seems to "program" the car not to stall when I don't.

Wires are pristine and the $12 OE plugs should be fine with only 19,000 miles. It runs so smoothly I sometimes have to look at the tach to be sure the engine is running!

Thanks for EGR tip. That's a new one!

Had same issue, cracked distributor and needed new EGR. No more stalling at low idle now. Maybe you got a bad distributor?.

I have a 99 Cirrus with the 2.5L V6 that would cut out while driving. Did lots of research on Web and spoke to mechanics who said it is likely one of the following:

-distributor
-crank sensor
-EGR sticking open

I shot-gunned the repair and replaced the distributor (with a "NEW" one from PartsAmerica.com ~ $299) , replaced the crank sensor (~50), cleaned the EGR, and did new plugs and wires while in there. That fixed the problem, but I can't say what exactly fixed it. This car is no joy to work on. It requires more than average skills.

BTW, my mechanic friend said these Mitsubishi 2.5's are well known for distributor problems and was pretty sure the distributor was the problem. He said to stay away from used/rebuilt ones because they're hit-n-miss.
My 97 2.5L V6 Cirrus was stalling while idoling and during slow driving. Then it stalled and will not start. It cranks but won't fire. At first I thought it might be the fuel filter. I didn't want to relieve fuel pressure, jack up the back and drop the tank. to put in a new filter when I'm not sure thats the prob.. Are you talking about the distributer or the distributer cap?