Car is having issues

[LittleBastard]

Alright, I was driving home last night and I noticed a problem. I was in 5th gear and under 2000-rpm and I felt the car jerk a little, and it seemed like it wanted to stall but it didn't. I took it out of gear to see if it would do the same out of gear and it worked fine. So it's only happening when I am in gear and under 2000-rpm. I also checked the codes on the dash, it reads nothing (DEC NONE) but the check engine light is on. I was wondering if anyone had this problem before or might have an idea on what can be wrong and what I should be looking for. Any info will help

[PuckPuck]

Did you have your A/C on when it happened?

Did the check engine light come on when it started jerking, before or after?

Did the problem ever come back (were you able to duplicate it again)?

[LittleBastard]

The A/C was not on at the time, and the check engine light came on about 10 minutes after the car started jerking. It only does it when the car is in gear, (more noticaable in 4th and 5th) and under 2000-rpm. The problem is still going on. I am hoping it's only a fuel filter problem, and the fuel pump on it was just replaced, so I am hoping it is a small problem and not something that is going to kill the car.

[Spocket]

I have this problem (same symptoms) for a year now. Check engine light code in my case is "Insufficient EGR flow". I just receive a new DPFE sensor that I hope will fix my issue. Will install this weekend.

Now, your problem may be caused by different things. I'd say have the CEL code pulled, that's gonna be the best information to help you troubleshoot the problem. If you have the same code than me, you'll know something is wrong with one piece of the EGR system (DPFE sensor, dirty sampling tube, EVRVR, etc.), likely the DPFE sensor.

[ZnCoug]

FYI - there is a TSB for 01+ on the DPFE sensor.. I need to get mine fixed, coverage for this part is extended to 60k miles.

[rastaman]

mine is doing the same thing, but it only happens when i really stomp on it...and it only happens until the secondaries open up (around 3000rpm)...once they open, its fine...

[exigent]

The dpfm sensor or whatever the hell it is is almost $300 last time I checked.... Pull the line off the top of the egr valve and stick a golf tee in the line not the valve and then see if it still does it. If it does.... pull off the egr valve and soak it in a bucket of carb cleaner over nite. Blow it out with compressed air the next morning and hopefully it will stop sticking.

Its worth a try and about $295 cheaper then the sensor.


If you have a CEL then get the code pulled. That dash DEC is B.S. You need to have the obdII pulled. Some autoparts stores will pull the code for you. Other then that you can try to find someone with an autotap.

[LittleBastard]

Exigent guessed it right on. Had one of the guys check it out at work. It was the EGR. Pulled the wire and blocked it and it hasn't gave me a problem since. I don't know much about the engine, but the guy at work told me that the valve was fine, but the cylinoid was causing all the trouble. I called around, and a new one from autozone is under $25, so what could have turned out to be more money out of my pocket, isn't going to be a huge problem at all. Thanks for the info guys, I appreciate it.

[Spocket]

DPFE sensor is 54$ from www.fordpartsonline.com . I installed mine last weekend and so far so good. As exigent said, getting your CEL code pulled is a must.

I'm not saying your problem is for sure the DPFE sensor. But it could be. It all depends what code you are pulling. If it's "EGR flow insufficient" it's either the EGR valve not actuating, a problem on the vaccum line activating the valve, the vaccum regulator solenoid (EGRVR) or simply the sensor that detects if the flow is OK (DPFE). As it was mentionned, there is a recall on the DPFE sensor, and mine failed twice already in 70 K miles with same symptoms so you have a good candidate there..