1994 Dodge Spirit from North America - Comments

Of course, since I've had the Spirit, it's had that transmission problem that causes it to jerk every time I stop. The paint is peeling off the roof at a very rapid rate. The worst thing of all, though, is that it has this horrid tendency to just stall out for fun - when I'm driving, when I'm stopped at a stop sign or traffic light, sometimes it won't even start...

My experience with the Spirit has been absolutely atrocious. I've had the car stop on me a few times when I could have very easily been in an accident (such as while driving down the road, and once at a busy intersection). I also hate how vicious the jerk is every single time I stop. Naturally, not all Spirit owners have had so many drastic problems, but from my experience, I will never buy another Spirit and I hope to be rid of mine soon before it either drives me to insanity or gets me into a fatal accident.

Hi Steven, I was wondering if you ever found out what caused the car to stall, or just dye. I have the same issue with mine. Please help if you can. My e-mail is rogerz_1000@hotmail.com

Thanks-

Roger.

I had the same problem with my spirit. The problem, in my case, was caused by carbon build up in the injectors. I put a bottle of injector cleaner into the gas tank, and the problem has gone away. As well, the fuel economy has improved. Try the cheapest solution first, you may not have to go any further.

Similar problem caused by the distributor pickup on the 2.5 liter, 4 cylinder on my '91. A simple test... with the engine running, gently move the wires around that come from the base of the distributor... any difference in the engine speed or did the engine stall? hope this helps.

The problem in most cases where the engine acts like it is running out of gas on the freeway -- cuts in and out at high speed, especially when you ease up on the accelerator -- stalls when you come to a stop occasionally, or stalls at low speed when you ease up on the gas, -- comes from a accelerator sending unit that is defective and sending incorrect voltage readings to the automobile's computer. If that is the case, putting in a new one will solve the problem perfectly. I suggest that you get the car diagnosed on an auto shop computer, but if you can ill afford this, go to a wrecking yard and get a used accelerator sender, with the right to return it the unit if it is defective. If It works your problem is over. If it doesn't, try another, and if that doesn't fix things. You'll have to shell out for a diagnosis. Make sure the shop has an up to date diagnostic computer and correct refference materials from the manufacturer, as well as a portable computer that can be carried in the car during road testing.

Cheers.

Great car. Only one problem is that the temperature gauge oscillates between the normal and hot range. It has not affected the car's performance to date. Other than that, no real problems.