car dies right after starting

If you rev it as soon as it starts does it still die? keep the pedal somewhat pushed down as you start it and see if you can keep it running with some throttle

It would be really hard to test that. This problem happens so infrequently that I would need to gas it on every start up, then if it worked I wouldn't know right?

It's really weird, as soon as it turns over it shuts off. Like someone pulled the battery cable off.

definitely curious about this one too, I've had the same issue, and yes if you tap the gas or open the throttle right when you see the RPMs dive back to 0 she'll keep alive, barely and then rise back up to normal idle.
If I'm not mistaken, it goes like this, engine fires over, everythings fine for not even a second and than bam, nothing, no shakes or anything, as if the engine was turned off right?

Sounds exactly like my problem. Does yours also happen very infrequently?

Do you have keyless entry? Could this be a anti theft problem? Maybe it's not reading my key properly and shutting off the car?

I had a similar problem with my 2003 Ford Escape.

After I changed the IAC it never happened again.

speak said:

Sounds exactly like my problem. Does yours also happen very infrequently?

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yeah very infrequently, also I have keyless entry but my key doesn't have a chip in it so I know it's not an alarm issue. I'm gonna clean my IAC and see if tht helps at all.

Mine does this when i put regular gas in, I use premium usually to avoid this and the general lazy feeling of the engine.

Have you overlooked obvious things, like a dirty air filter or dirty throttle body?

Other than that, maybe try changing fuel brands (not octane, there's really no need for higher octane than the vehicle manufacturer recommends). I had a car years ago that did that because the fuel station I stopped at had excessive water in their storage tanks.

I'll be cleaning tb and iac. How often do I need to clean my K&N cone filter?

ProDriver77 said:

Have you overlooked obvious things, like a dirty air filter or dirty throttle body?

Other than that, maybe try changing fuel brands (not octane, there's really no need for higher octane than the vehicle manufacturer recommends). I had a car years ago that did that because the fuel station I stopped at had excessive water in their storage tanks.

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I hear this time and again that octane rating doesn't matter, but for whatever reason it has mattered to my forester, my wife's legacy, and our Tribeca. None of them have liked switching from our normal 93 chevron to 87. It has caused hesitation, poor fuel economy, and general sluggish running. The Tribeca I know is supposed to have 91 or better, my wife put regular because she thought she was saving money...she literally went 175 miles on that tank then refilled with premium and voila back to normal 230-250 miles per tank. I trust what I have experienced, my circumstances may be unique to me but they are what they are. I have no reason to lie about them to complete strangers on the internet.