Hello everyone, happy to be here ... this is my first post. This morning, on my 2004 Taurus SES, I started noticing that the headlights and dash lights have a very slight flicker to them and the idle surges slightly, about 100rpms up and down. I also noticed when sitting still at idle in Park that it will want to stall, dash indicator lights quickly flash (with warning bells), but then recovers and continues to idle back at a "slight" surge again. Any diagnosis and/or remedy? ... what could I be checking myself? Could it be an alternator/regulator problem?... Vacuum leak? I took the car to AutoZone and no codes were pulled. Any and all thoughts appreciated!!! - Thanks.

 

Welcome to the site..

So, anything off idle the issue corrects itself?

 

Well, thelighting issuesaren't noticable while driving, but at steady throttle the RPMs are a slight bit eratic (+/- 100rpm). The only other issue that I did not mention is that "sometimes" when the car upshifts into second gear it seemingly loses power (as if you have to mash the throttle pedal further to accelerate). Again, this is only occasionally, but maybe it could be related??

 

... Also, don't know if this could be related but I've noticed an exhaust leak (by sound) coming from the rear of the engine below the cowling. It's very hard to locate physically from the top of the engine bay. It is most noticed from a cold start-up and I suppose after the exhaust heats up and expands the pipe(s) the sound becomes less noticable.

I've only had the car for 2 weeks; I love the car and I'm just trying to figure this stuff out!