# my truck stalls what I make left or right turns... help please?



## PlowOrDie

I have a very strange problem with my truck... 

everytime i make a left or right turn, it stalls.... it is VERY dangerous...

it is a 1997 dodge ram 2500... 

what could be the problem??


----------



## SnoFarmer

just an idea or two.

Is the power steering pump going bad??
?I'm sure it would have trashed the belt by now??

next start your truck and then giggle the ignition switch...

just an idea...


----------



## PlowOrDie

sno, 

let me describe the situation a little better here...

when i make turns, the engine shuts off.... all of my lights and everything stay on... the power steering shuts off, making it VERY hard to keep the truck in the turning motion...I then have to immediatly turn on my hazards (for SOME safety), put the truck into park, and then re-start it. 

I dont have the foggiest idea what it could be...

this truck is just a huge money pit... its really aggrivating me.. all of my profits seem to be going back into this apparent lemon of a truck...


----------



## KGRlandscapeing

that sounds like what my buddys powerstroke dose when the belt jumps off being a diesel its got to batts so it will run all day with out the belt till it over heats or the batts die. id say check ur belts it could be a bad pump whenn u demand on it it binds up and the blet stops running


----------



## SnoFarmer

That's a good one..

If the power steering was doing it you would have trashed the belt by now, don't you think?

You would think it would be making all kinds of noise and trashing the belt of it was the power steering?

Does it do it sitting still and you turn the wheel?
Is it like it is just turned off?
or does it bog down first then die any noises?

Does the voltage drop??


Just thinking of some ideas???:waving:


----------



## tom_mccauley

Just a thought, Have you checked the Grounds(engine to frame, bed to cab/ frame)? my dodge did some wierd s**t when it lost the ground to cab from the bed (wipers turned on by themselves,turn blinkers worked then did not radio came on went off by it's self and finnaly it would start/run then just die as yours does, only while going down road an hitting bumps!. BAD GROUND!!! go figure.


----------



## stangman35

Check for engine codes

if it a gas motor in could be a tps ,throttle posistion sensor

you might also check your battery cables,i had a bad connection one time that would cause stalls on a dakota.

Have any other problems other than the ones you pointed out?


----------



## PlowOrDie

alright... im starting to think more and more here... i just took it out for a spin, and i have more of a description to add...

it seems to shut off only when I am not throttling while i turn. For example, when I come to a stop light/sign, then hit the gas while i am turning, about 95% of the time it will not stall. Now when I have to brake going around a turn (no gas) it putters out and shuts off. My ABS as well as my Check Engine lights are on. (The ABS light has been on since I had to get some linkage and a vacuum line pump for my 4 wheel drive repaired, so I have no idea if this has anything to do with my problem.)

My heater in the truck seems to vary in terms of strength from time to time, recently. For example, I will put it on full blast... then I can hear it getting weaker, then it jumps right back up to full strength. It repeats this vicious cycle. (once again, i have no idea if this has anything to do with my problem at hand, for this truck seems to be sprouting up many problems for me)


----------



## tom_mccauley

Have your "Tech" check your grounds! I never would have thought all those problems could have arisen from a bad bed to cab ground!!!!.


----------



## stangman35

This is a gas motor right?

Check the grounds,cable ends,and the TPS

My guess is the tps is bad


----------



## DAYTONA Z

What speed are we talking about? If very low speed it could be the vehicle speed sensor. At very slow vehicle speed if a load is applied to engine such as turning it will tell the computer to speed the engine up slightly to avoid stalling. I have replaced several on chrysler product over the last few years.


----------



## MarksTLC

I'm no mechanic by any means. Just some thoughts...

Please clarify Gas or Diesel.


The ABS code - I believe you can reset, short of a true failure and then that's another story.

The stalling when going around a corner.
Assuming it's gas, not diesel: 
Fuel level in the tank? below a 1/4 of a tank, maybe the (in tank) fuel pick up is sucking air when the gas sloshes going around corners..


----------



## tom_mccauley

DAYTONA Z;485138 said:


> If very low speed it could be the vehicle speed sensor. At very slow vehicle speed if a load is applied to engine such as turning it will tell the computer to speed the engine up slightly to avoid stalling.


Didn't think of that one!


----------



## wild bill

*dies*

carb or injection carb float level injection fuel filter !


----------



## PlowOrDie

it is a gas engine. 

i have driven many times below 1/4 tank of gas, so i dont know if that is the problem...

im assuming most of my turns are taken at a slow speed of about 5 mph...


----------



## DAYTONA Z

At 5mph I'll bet on speed sensor. Mine always got me while trying to pull into a parking space. Turning and apply the brakes would slow the engine enough to stumble and stall. 

Hope that helps.


----------



## Plowinpro03

TPS...throttle positioning sensor...what's going on is when yoru turning, your truck requires more RPM to power the pump, therefore your trucks motor is not getting enough power/gas to turn so it...stalls out.....hence y when you smash ur gas while turning the problem is non-existent..also sometimes it could very well be an intake vaccum leak......


----------



## BREAULT69

If it's stalling due to the additional load applied by power steering at idle (foot off accelerator) then the engines idle control system could be at fault. Also with the heater changing this could be a vacuum problem. The computer may be doing it's best to compensate for a vacuum leak and keep engine idling but as soon as a small load applies (steering) it can no longer control idle and eng. stalls. See if you can steer lock to lock in park. If you can, you most likely have an idle control problem.


----------



## Plow Dude

I have a 97' Ram 2500 with the same problem, except it stalls when I come to a stop, and seems to happen a lot more when it is very cold out. I have had the truck for 3 years and have never been able to figure it out. Very annoying.


----------



## KGRlandscapeing

Plow Dude;494775 said:


> I have a 97' Ram 2500 with the same problem, except it stalls when I come to a stop, and seems to happen a lot more when it is very cold out. I have had the truck for 3 years and have never been able to figure it out. Very annoying.


ya know my mom had a van that would do that shoot now i started typing i cant remember what the heck was wrong with that thing


----------



## ramitall

check your transmission fluid level.If it gets low what happens is on a turn when slowing down and turning if there isnt enough fluid the trans cant down shift and it stalls the motor.being a nine year chrysler trans tech I have seen it several times.


----------



## deckboys

vacum leak is a good possibilitie being that when on the brakes it uses vacum and may stall motor.
i know on some cars/ trucks on the PS pump they have a sensor that sense load and will tell the computer to give more rpm.


i know on my f150 if i have the wheel cranked and just gass it a little bit it will hesitate and want to stall.


pop the hood and look / listen for a vacum leak, cheap easy fix if you can find it!

I always try the at home fix firstr tends to be cheaper!

hope that helps


----------



## jjtmarineb2

I'll second or third the vacuum leak idea. Easy to find too. Start engine, spray starting fluid in different areas around the engine. If/when you spray and see an RPM change, you know where to start looking, as the engine will suck in the starting fluid along with the extra air it is sucking in. Also, find out what codes your computer is throwing.

NOTE!! do not saturate the exhaust manifolds! duh! best to do this with a cold start engine.
:salute:


----------



## SnoFarmer

He(PlowOrDie) was just on today?
I guess he has bigger problems?


----------



## Dneskora

*Ram stalls while turning and not accelerating*

I have a similar problem with my 2011 Ram 1500. What was your final solution?


----------



## dieselss

Bet he got rid of the truck seeing how it's an 8 year old thread


----------



## Dneskora

dieselss;1995226 said:


> Bet he got rid of the truck seeing how it's an 8 year old thread


Your probably right but I thought it was worth a try since dealer hasn't helped!


----------



## 1olddogtwo

I heard the guy straighten out.


----------



## Dneskora

1olddogtwo;1995258 said:


> I heard the guy straighten out.


LOL! Yeah, but the problem is still around 8 years later! I'm going through the suggestions proposed back then.


----------



## SnoFarmer

Dneskora;1995207 said:


> I have a similar problem with my 2011 Ram 1500. What was your final solution?


What are the codes?

I dont see a 2011 stalling without throwing a code or 2.

Everyone should have a coed reader/scanner so they can read and clear any code.

lastly and a easy one, have your batterie load tested.
The new trucks can and do weird things when the batt goes bad.


----------



## Automasters

Check connection between battery n alternator n check ur battery is not stretching any wires


----------



## Automasters

I meant check that the battery is secure and not moving when u turn n stretch any wires


----------



## MXZ1983

Automasters said:


> I meant check that the battery is secure and not moving when u turn n stretch any wires


You realize thread is from 2008 and 2015 right


----------



## Automasters

Yup never is too late , i have seen cars not been used for years for little things that people that dont work on cars see like a big problem , like an 72 mg i worked on got mised diagnosed with " low compression on one cylinder " and the problem was a loose spark plug now if they checked compression to come up with that diag result i would love to borrow or buy that tester that dont require removing spark plugs but either way someone else might be chasing the same problem in 2018


----------



## MXZ1983

Automasters said:


> Yup never is too late , i have seen cars not been used for years for little things that people that dont work on cars see like a big problem , like an 72 mg i worked on got mised diagnosed with " low compression on one cylinder " and the problem was a loose spark plug now if they checked compression to come up with that diag result i would love to borrow or buy that tester that dont require removing spark plugs but either way someone else might be chasing the same problem in 2018


Sorry but if you're reviving threads from three years back, check to see if the members have even logged in. The member hasn't even been on here since April of 2015. So sometimes it is too late. 
If you're trying to get your post count up to post other threads then post in areas like truck and equipment photos. Comment on people's pics.


----------



## seville009

It’s actually good to update an older thread because when people do a search and one pops up, makes more sense to add onto that thread than start new ones since the existing thread may be more complete. Obviously it doesn’t make much sense to ask someone from a ten year old post for a response, but you never know.


----------



## bossman34

So let me see if I can help, I was a tech at a dodge dealership for several years. One large problem of these engines is the pan at the bottom of the intake. the intakes are so big that the bottom is open and there is a steel plate that is bolted on. what happens is the paper gasket gets soft from oil in the galley and pushes out causing a large vacuum leak. to the point that the computer has issues idling under low rpm. with the added load of the pump while turning it can kill the engine. To inspect for this is easy. take the plastic intake tube off of the intake. climb up in the engine bay with a good flash light, open the throttle plates with one hand and look into the intake. if you see a lot of oil puddling then the gasket is blown out. From my experience it will be. to fix it just pull the intake and replace the pan and gasket, make sure to use the upgraded metal gasket. Another possibility is the egr valve not seating causing a vacuum leak. You can remove it and cut a piece from a pop can and bolt it back down using the pop can piece to block the passages. I have done that a lot to diag poor sealing egr valves on older engines


----------



## iceyman

:terribletowel:


----------



## Charles

I would hope he is still not having this problem after 10 years. Closing this one


----------

