My 2000 Intrepid went through a spat something like that. One day I was driving along and it just cut out on me without warning. I coasted to the side of the road, stopped, put it in park, and turned the key to see what would happen and it fired right up. I thought it was a one time glitch, but then it happened a few weeks later, and then started happening more often. It got to the point I was getting so accustomed to it that I could throw it in neutral and start it up again. But, eventually it refused to start, leaving me stranded at work.
The next day it started with no trouble at all, and I drove it to my mechanic. Naturally, it didn't act up for him. He adjusted some vacuum hoses and said to take it home and give it a try over the weekend. It stalled out again about a half hour later so I took it back.
I got online and found that either a camshaft position sensor or crankshaft position sensor could be the culprit. Unfortunately, the computer didn't store error codes for either one, so replacing them was trial by error. I had the mechanic replace them both at the same time, and it was about $500 for both. That was around May of 2008 and the car never stalled out again in the 18 months I had it after that, so I guess one of those sensors did the trick!
Mine never surged though. It would simply stall out. Sometimes, if I feathered the gas pedal just right, it would simply buck and kick for a couple seconds, but wouldn't stall, at least.