It has been doing this more often recently - when I start the car it will start, but won't stay running. The tachometer drops back to 0 immediately. If I keep my foot on the gas pedal it will stay running (revving) until I take my foot off, then it dies.

After twenty seconds or so it will finally start and stay running, at which point everything is fine. When it finally starts, I can sometimes smell gas, but the car is running.

Here is a link to a video of my car acting up. The beeping at 7 & 26 seconds is my radio.

It has 133,000 miles. The ignition switch recall work was done when that first came out, '01 or '02? I bought this car new in late '98 so I am the only owner and know its full history.

http://www.youtube.com/embed/OiNUImC_fOw

One more thing - I need to go to Oklahoma this weekend, it will be a 1,000 mile round trip. If the solution involves a gas additive this would be a good time to do it. I did put in a can of "sea foam" a few months ago, I guess it helped because I don't remember having any issues after that but it has been occurring more and more often.

Thanks!

 

See how the green immobilizer light flashes when it stalls? It's not recognizing the key. I've read that it could be a low voltage problem. Have you tried replacing the car battery? Also try a different key.

 

Thanks, I wasn't even thinking immobilizer.

Turns out that the issue was that the car was not recognizing my main key until after four or five seconds. I had never even thought about the immobilizer so I didn't notice that the green light was flashing. If it keeps acting up I'll get a new key made, and I'll keep an eye on the battery which is about five years old.