Jump to content

Menu

Auto-savvy wtm folk - why would a car STOP and lose power (more)


Recommended Posts

OK, it is cold here, but if it was the battery the van wouldn't START, right? We'd been driving about 30 minutes when the van just lost power (and power steering- lucky it was hubby behind the wheel to force that sucker to turn and coast us off the mail road!). After a try or two the van DID restart and we made it home. Now I am nervous about going anywhere in case it happens again and it won't restart! Is this just the cold weather (never got above 0 yesterday) bugging our 9-yr-old van or ????

 

We are a one-car family, too.....:eek:

Link to comment
Share on other sites

On a main road, too. It turned out to be something in the engine - not the timing belt - but the mechanic had to go through that area to fix it. Since I can't give you specifics, I am not much help, am I?

 

My best suggestion is to take it into the mechanic. Hopefully it will happen for them and they can find the problem.

 

Amy

 

(one car family here too so I feel your pain!)

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Cars running involve spark, fuel and compression. How old is your fuel filter? It could be a fuel pump. It could be crud in the fuel line from the tank to the filter. It could be any part of the electronics providing the spark. This can go in and out, start fine, poop out later.

 

After one episode, my mother got a new fuel filter for her birthday every year after that.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

that could be a few reasons.

 

*if the battery isn't holding a charge it would die while driving.

*fuel pump related thing

 

I have driven two cars that stopped while driving(both while 17, scary!). one was OLD, one was new. Sorry, but you need to get the mechanic to troubleshoot.

 

Glad you were able to get off the road safely!

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Hmm. My first thought is that it vapor-locked. I'd do a little poking around to see if vapor lock is an issue w/ this particular vehicle.

 

Second, I would suspect the fuel pump. Considering it started right up again, I wouldn't say the alternator until I'd checked those two things, first.

 

The alternator going out can give you signs, such as your headlights will dim if you accelerate while they are on. Your battery gauge will also go down. For a quick and easy answer to that, you can pull up to an auto parts store and ask them to check your alternator and battery for you. (If there is suspicion that the alternator is wonky, but it tests fine in the vehicle, they can pull it off and do a longer test. Sometimes alternators can go out intermittently, which won't show up, necessarily, on a quick test.) Both of those services are generally free. I don't know what stores you have, but NAPA and Auto Zone are generally excellent for these things. (Plus, if you buy your replacement alternator there, you can get one w/ a lifetime warranty. We usually pay only for one alternator and one starter per vehicle. LOL.)

 

I do hate the feeling that my transportation isn't reliable. I know, vehicles are non-sensient things... but it still feels like a betrayal. LOL! On the upside, they're fairly closed systems, so once you get a feel for it, problems are generally easy to track down.

 

Good luck figuring it out.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Like they all said, alternator or fuel pump... but also check the fuel filter. The filter is usually the first thing to go and if it gets clogged it will act just as you described. It's also cheaper to replace :)

 

My guess is cold weather, it got clogged or water logged and stopped running. It started again after you pushed the water or the clog out. Try buying one of those fuel injection cleaners that you dump in the gas tank, take it on the highway or somewhere reliable, drive it for 5 miles at a constant hard speed, and then turn it off.

 

You might just need a good clean out.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

The alternator going out can give you signs, such as your headlights will dim if you accelerate while they are on. Your battery gauge will also go down.

 

Oh, Dy is right. I do remember DH saying that the lights and radio were wonky before the car died that night. He did manage to get it started again on that trip home (then it died again and was really stuck--fortunately he was near home by that point), but it was after sitting awhile, not after another try or two on the ignition.

 

Ick. I hope you figure it out. My van is nearing the end of its 5-year warranty period and I'm SO not looking to dealing with stuff like this again.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

He says it could be any number of things, of course. But dirt in the fuel line and a clogged fuel filter come to mind. If it were the alternator, the car probably would not have started up again. He also said it could be electrical - with the cold weather a sensor could have gotten overloaded and caused the computer to shut down. Or the engine could have overheated. If your antifreeze was not adequate for the weather, your radiator could have frozen and caused the engine to overheat without showing up on the temperature gauge.

 

Elizabeth

Link to comment
Share on other sites

We had this happen -- it was a computer problem that we couldn't get to happen for the mechanic. It would only happen for us while turning right. One time the mechanic leaned on part of the engine while looking at something else, and it jiggled just the right part of the computer. It cut out on him! Finally, after 4 or 5 trips to the shop.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

OK, hubby found a place open on Sunday - they checked the van out, replaced air filter and fuel filter (which were overdue anyway). Alternator seems ok. I hope the van is all healthy now - we JUST made the LAST payment on it! This is the same van that have a nervous breakdown halfway between Kill Devil Hills NC and Norfolk VA during our big trip to DC, Wmburg, Kitty Hawk, Gettysburg etc. We got to spend an unplanned night in Norfolk, and drove all the heck and gone in a rental van to see Monticello on a Sunday while waiting for the Norfolk dealer to reopen and fix the van Monday.

 

Once back home the van was still stopping, etc. Ended up needing a NEW BRAIN!!!! ok - whatever the master computer thingie is. Luckily still under warrenty. So the van has had it's nervous breakdown and is NOT ALLOWED TO HAVE ANOTHER ONE!!!

Link to comment
Share on other sites

This just happened to my brother last week. His truck lost power while he was driving. Later, when he tried to start it, it started. He took it to the shop and it was the alternator starting to go out. (The alternator charges the battery while the car is running.) For my brother's particular truck, my dh said a rebuilt alternator would cost about $200 including installation. (Was a little more than this, but this shop tends to charge top dollar for good work.)

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Join the conversation

You can post now and register later. If you have an account, sign in now to post with your account.

Guest
Reply to this topic...

×   Pasted as rich text.   Paste as plain text instead

  Only 75 emoji are allowed.

×   Your link has been automatically embedded.   Display as a link instead

×   Your previous content has been restored.   Clear editor

×   You cannot paste images directly. Upload or insert images from URL.

 Share

×
×
  • Create New...