Had a bit of a scare tonight with my automatic '99 Protege. I was backing out slowly out of a parking spot when my girlfriend mentioned that the car felt jerky. Indeed the transmission seemed to be jerking the car a lot and I was barely out of the parking spot when it suddenly died on me. Battery and oil lights were on, everything else had shut off and the gear was stuck in reverse. I managed to shift to park, turned the ignition off, and started the car.

I haven't had any major issues with the car since I bought it used in September and had it serviced. The only things worth mentioning are that sometimes the transmission used to jerk once when turning the car on and shifting to drive, although that hasn't happened in a while. Also, the O/D off and check engine lights have been on since I first started driving it, but I've passed them off as minor sensor errors.

Any thoughts?

 

on 2001 protege, there is a button on the left side of shifting lever that turns O/D off/on

were batt and oil lights on BEFORE car stalled or after car stalled?

the check engine light (CEL) can be read at any auto zone or advance auto parts store for free. come back with the CEL code ( it'll be in a Pxxx format) and we can help

 

CEL's will be in a Pxxxx format (P0170 for an example)

 

It's a sensor error, the light's been flashing ever since I had the car and turning the O/D on or off doesn't help. It's not an issue.

Right after, never before.

The car's actually fine now, no more jerkiness even. Could've been just water in the fuel tank.