The Lemon IndexStalling at a stop or when slowing down usually comes from the idle control, air or fuel side.
Fix soon. Get it checked soon. A stall in an intersection is dangerous.
A dirty throttle body or idle air control valve. Then: a vacuum leak; a failing fuel pump or dirty injectors.
Owners describe this in 8,914 complaints to the U.S. government, most often on the Ford Escape.
Cars owners report it on most
Complaints describing this symptom, by model, all years. Raw counts, not a failure rate: popular models get more complaints.
Model years that report it most
| Model year | Complaints | Share |
|---|---|---|
| 2006 Chrysler 300 | 98 | 6% |
| 2019 Volkswagen Golf | 91 | 33% |
| 2006 Dodge Charger | 90 | 7% |
| 2016 Honda Pilot | 85 | 5% |
| 2013 Ford Escape | 72 | 3% |
| 2011 Subaru Outback | 69 | 11% |
| 2025 Honda Odyssey | 68 | 15% |
| 2017 Honda Pilot | 62 | 7% |
| 2004 Ram pickup | 56 | 3% |
| 2005 Dodge Durango | 51 | 3% |
| 2006 Jeep Commander | 50 | 3% |
| 2007 Jeep Commander | 49 | 5% |
Each row is that model year's record in NHTSA complaints, not the history of any one car. Share = complaints describing this symptom out of every complaint we hold for that model year (shown when the year has 50+ complaints).
Where it makes up the biggest share
2019 Volkswagen Golf · 33% 2012 Subaru Outback · 15% 2025 Honda Odyssey · 15% 2010 Subaru Legacy · 13% 2011 Subaru Outback · 11% 2011 Subaru Legacy · 10% 2010 Subaru Outback · 9% 2011 Chrysler 200 · 8%
Model years with 150+ complaints in our data and 10+ describing this symptom, ranked by share. A high share means owners of that year who complained often mentioned it.
The details
Common causes of car stalls at stop or idle
- A dirty throttle body or idle air control valve
- A vacuum leak
- A failing fuel pump or dirty injectors
- A torque converter clutch that doesn’t release
- A faulty sensor (mass air flow, coolant temperature)
General causes, not a diagnosis. A shop should confirm the cause with tests before replacing parts.
Is it safe to drive if your car stalls at stop or idle?
Fix soon. Get it checked soon. A stall in an intersection is dangerous.
Get help right away if it stalls while moving too; it won’t restart.
Of the 8,914 complaints describing it, 1% mention a crash, 3% say the car was towed, 0.8% mention a fire and 0.5% report an injury.
What the complaints show
The parts owners filed these complaints under: engine (41%), electrical system (25%), engine and engine cooling (19%), power train (19%). A complaint can list more than one.
Median odometer reading when owners reported it: 61,000 miles.
Most reports by make: Ford (1,497), Dodge (845), Jeep (809), Chevrolet (713), Honda (622).
What owners say it cost to fix
Repair bills owners named in complaints that describe this symptom (cooling, engine, exhaust & emissions, fuel system repairs): the middle half ran $750 to $5,000, typical $1,500, from 101 bills.
Each figure is one repair bill as an owner wrote it in a complaint, not a quote for your car. Prices vary with the part, the shop and the year.
Engine codes that come up with it
P0011 P0302 P2111 P0010 P0017 P1450 P0171 P2112
Trouble codes owners named in these complaints more often than in other symptom complaints. Look up any code →
Related symptoms
Car shakes at idle Car stalls while driving RPM goes up and down Engine sputtering Car shaking and check engine light on Car jerks when accelerating
Quick answers
What causes car stalls at stop or idle?
Stalling at a stop or when slowing down usually comes from the idle control, air or fuel side. Common causes: a dirty throttle body or idle air control valve; a vacuum leak; a failing fuel pump or dirty injectors; a torque converter clutch that doesn’t release; a faulty sensor (mass air flow, coolant temperature).
Is it safe to drive if your car stalls at stop or idle?
Fix soon. Get it checked soon. A stall in an intersection is dangerous.
Which cars have this problem most?
In complaints to NHTSA, owners describe it most on the Ford Escape, Ford Focus and Honda Pilot. These are raw counts, so popular models rank higher; complaints are owner reports, not proof of a defect.
How much does it cost to fix?
In 101 repair bills owners named in complaints describing it, the middle half ran $750 to $5,000. The right repair depends on the cause.
Counts: NHTSA owner complaints whose text describes this symptom (we matched owners' own wording, then read samples to check the matches). A complaint is an owner's report, not a diagnosis or proof of a defect. Causes and advice are general information in our own words, not repair advice for your car. Every symptom · Engine code lookup