Robbie1977

I have a 1996 Jeep Cherokee. It idles great. When I put the pedal to the floor it will run but when I let off the gas it dies. I’m not a mechanic and have no idea where to start fixing this problem. Has anyone had this problem or able to give me advice where to start looking?

00t444e

Bad battery or idle control valve.

BlueRidgeMark

Welcome, Robbie.

I agree with 00t. First thing is to wander down to your nearest AutoZone and ask them to check your battery. It's free!

If the battery tests okay, now it's time to check your connections. Battery connections and especially grounds. Poor connections can confuse the engine computer (ECM, also called the PCM), and cause lots of problems with performance or even running. See my sig #1 for a bit on that. Don't just eyeball the connections or the cables. Yes, do that, but also get in there and get dirty. Take connections apart, clean things up. Push, shove, and yank on your cables. You are trying to break them if they are marginal. You won't bother them if they are in good shape. Corrosion can wick up inside the insulation and wreak havoc with your beast, and be completely unseen.

Next likely culprit is your IAC, or Idle Air Control valve. It's attached to the throttle body, and it can get gunked up. It can often be fixed up with a good cleaning using carburetor cleaner, some pipe cleaners maybe, or an old toothbrush.. Take it off to do a good job. Sometimes it just needs to be replaced. This should direct you to a few threads on the topic.

Try those tips and get back to us. We'll make a mechanic out of you!