Ford Mustang Dies at Stops and Idles Too Slow

Reader Question

I have a 1998 Ford Mustang GT. It has 95k miles and last week it started doing this. When it starts it won’t idle, it dies. If you hold the gas down and let if warm up it will start to idle on it’s own at about 500rpms. When I drive it, it drives fine, it doesn’t bog out or anything when driving, but, when I got to stop it will idle down so low that it will die. It just started this last week. I don’t know what to do and I don’t want to take it somewhere for them to tell me it needs 1k in repairs if it really only needs the plugs changed.

What should I do or where should I start?

Many thanks,
John

Hey there John ,

I would take it to your local repair shop and have them inspect and clean the throttle body and the ISC – idle speed control motor, this really should be done every 25,000 miles as general maintenance anyway. This will probably cost you about $125

Of course this is just my best guess without doing any testing or having any more information than what you gave me.

I would also check for a vacuum leak under the hood somewhere like in a rubber vacuum hose or plastic connector.

Blessings,

Austin Davis