Well, nobody has to feel obligated to give expert advice or anything… but my mechanic is on vacation and won’t be back until Monday, so I thought that I might as well find out if anyone has had this happen.
My van is doing something strange when it comes to a stop. It’s kind of shuddering to a stop but not really. It’s more like it stops fine and then… the best way I can describe it is that if it were a person running down the road, I would say that it was running too fast and took an extra clunky step after it stopped. It doesn’t feel like the brakes are the problem, for whatever that’s worth (not that that’s a guarantee of anything.) Has anyone ever noticed anything like this before?
And no, I’m not getting a new car. I drive vehicles into the ground until they can’t be resurrected, so let’s not even go there!
When you say it kind of shudders to a stop, is this an engine thing? Is it making any strange noises?
Hard to tell from your description, but you could try putting it in neutral as you come to a stop. If it still happens it’s probably not engine related.
I don’t think it would be warped rotors. Those usually give pretty distinct feedback. IME warped rotors will make the brake pedal pulse. I tend to notice it at high speeds more then low speeds.
Sounds like you have what’s called a “bump-stop.” I had this problem in my old Dodge Intrepid. You would come all the way to a stop, and then it would give a little bump, I assume as it shifted gears or something.
Unfortunately, the only solution was to rebuild the trans, which cost (at the time) $1400. Good luck, I hope I am wrong.
It’s old (1997 Ford Winstar.) A lot of work was JUST done on the transmission LAST WEEK. Also shocks and springs. It’s going back to the mechanic on Monday.
The other suspension stuff is always a possibility, but the shuttering pushes me to suggest that perhaps the lock-up torque converter is sticking or failing. This will seem like you are coming to a stop without putting the clutch in with a manual transmission. When they fully stick, the engine will stall out. It could also be a harsh downshift caused by a problem in the valve body of the trans. You can do a simple test by putting the gearshift into neutral before you stop and see if it happens then. If it still happens, then the suspension items are more likely.
Both the lock-up and valve body can be accessed from underneath without removing the engine. Another test of the lock-up is to pull the plug at the transmission and test drive. A warning light will show on the dash though.
I think so too. Maybe I’ll just get a pony and ride it everywhere… but this probably wouldn’t work too well with pulling that U-Haul trailer next month…
Likely yes. Sound like your lockup torque converter isn’t unlocking properly. A corresponding problem would be if when starting to drive, you push the accelerator and your engine revs up but the car doesn’t start moving then shudders forward. If you just had you tranny services you should tell them post haste becuase it may have been an issue with their repair.
Seconded that putting it in neutral would be a good way to rule this out. If you stop in neutral and it still happens, its not the tranny.
I presume that you have verified that the tranny has the proper amount of tranny fluid in it? Often, checking the fluid level requires the powertrain to be ‘running’, but in neutral-gear, not ‘Park’, per se (check the manual for the how-to, of course). I have heard of odd symptoms with underfilled auto-trannies, fwiw. I also know that mismatched torque converters/engines will perform very, very poorly. Just sayin’…
I’ve tried putting the van in neutral and then stopping. It doesn’t happen then, but in that case (and only in that case, when it’s been put in neutral and then stopped) the same thing basically DOES happen when the light turns green and it’s put back in drive and starts up again. I checked the trans fluid with the engine hot and running and there’s enough. I know what you mean about the “corresponding problem” because I’ve experienced that before with other cars, but the van isn’t doing that now, just the other problem. The earliest I can get the car back to the mechanic is Monday, and it’s going back then.
