erisalaw

The car (99 with 72k) was outside all day in Minneapolis where the high was 3 degrees. I got in the car at 6:00 and it started fine. I let it run a couple of minutes and then went on my merry way. About a mile into my drive home I noticed the same thing. The transmission would drag the RPMS down when I was at a stop light to around 1500. It was real weird behaviour and when I parked it the RPMs went throught the roof so I had to quickly shut it off. Went in for some shopping for about a half hour and it was fine the rest of the way home and was fine this morning after leaving my garage.

It has happened once or twice before - when it was real cold as I recall last year.

The other thing that has happened to me a year ago when it sat outside all day at below 0 temps was when I started it the check engine light came on and it turned out to be some kind of O2 or fuel emissions sensor for about $400. I have to believe the failure was directly related to the temp outside.

I am trying to avoid letting it sit outside all day when it is really cold to avoid a freek cold weather repair. Its hard to avoid below 0 in Minneapolis all winter. Thank goodness my heated steering wheel and seats still work!

I have the common "hunting" problem as well.