Can you help me figure out what's going on with my car pretty please? (2002...

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cupcakespumpkin

New member
...Infiniti G20)? The last few days my car has been doing something weird. When I start to accelerate from a stop, my car won't go for a few seconds. I have to fiddle around with the gas pedal to make it go every now and then.

If I have to stop really hard or fast and let off the brake a little bit, my car doesn't go forward like it usually does when I let off the brake without touching the gas pedal. When I'm just leaving a stop sign, parking spot, or red light it will not want to go when I push the pedal sometimes also, and then once it starts to go it like jerks the car a little bit.

Do you think my brakes are getting stuck after I stop or something? They aren't making any squeaky noises. Or maybe a transmission problem? I have never had this happen before, if you have any ideas of what to do please let me know! I'm hoping I won't have to tell my Dad about this... the car just needed a new radiator last month so he wouldn't be very happy.

Thank you so much!
Thanks for so many helpful answers! I will check the transmission fluid and the wheels for heat when I drive home today. I just got my tires rotated and balanced about a week ago and I thought they probably would have told me if it was a brake problem.

Also, I drove 600 miles home and 600 miles back a few weeks ago and told my Dad I was running low on some kind of fluid but I didn't know what it was. I can't remember if he said it was the transmission fluid or the power steering fluid, but either way he filled it up with brake fluid for some reason.... Don't know if this bit of info helps anyone.
 
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JonathanS

Member
The first thing I would do (because it is sometimes very hard to figure out what someone is describing without seeing the problem yourself) is check your transmission fluid level.
 
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RT

Member
It's kind of hard to figure this out without knowing and hearing what is going on... so i will try to explain a few things...

1) If you push on the gas and the gas pedal seems stuck and you have to push a little harder, then you need to clean the throttle body.

2) If you push on the gas and the engine revs up a bit, but the car does not move, then you need to check your transmission fluid.

3) If you push on the gas and the engine revs up a little and you can tell the car is trying to move, but it feels like you are pushing on the gas and the brakes at the same time, then you need to have your brakes checked... one of the calipers may have a problem and is preventing the wheel from turning. One way to check this is to take it to a shop and they can raise the car and spin the wheel.
if one of the wheel has trouble turning, then that is the one with the bad caliper.
 
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RT

Member
It's kind of hard to figure this out without knowing and hearing what is going on... so i will try to explain a few things...

1) If you push on the gas and the gas pedal seems stuck and you have to push a little harder, then you need to clean the throttle body.

2) If you push on the gas and the engine revs up a bit, but the car does not move, then you need to check your transmission fluid.

3) If you push on the gas and the engine revs up a little and you can tell the car is trying to move, but it feels like you are pushing on the gas and the brakes at the same time, then you need to have your brakes checked... one of the calipers may have a problem and is preventing the wheel from turning. One way to check this is to take it to a shop and they can raise the car and spin the wheel.
if one of the wheel has trouble turning, then that is the one with the bad caliper.
 
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AaronH

Member
Sometimes parking brakes have been known to stick. After you drive, get out and put your hand next to your wheels to see if there is a great deal of heat coming from them. Normally, you can tell if your brakes are sticking if they are extremely hot.

I would let your Dad know what is going on, it may be something small but if you let it go it will get worse and cost more money.
 
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lar

Member
Dear Cupcakes,

This problem isn't your fault. I don't believe its a problem that's so simple someone can talk your way out of it. It sounds like you could have a serious brake problem, but there is a whole host of other problems that it could be. Go to your Dad, its not your fault.
 
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