Our car is stalling while driving it. It happens at stop lights or just when you are cruising. The engine just shuts off. Our mechanic can’t figure out what is causing this. Any ideas?
What happens right before it stalls? What happens after is stalls? Does it start right back up? Have to wait a while? Call for a tow? Is there a check engine light on?
Nothing happens before it stalls. The engine just stops running. No warning. And we drift off to the side of the road. After it stalls it will start back up. Usually within the 3rd try. We haven’t had to have the car towed. The check engine light does come on.
Do you mean the the check engine light comes on when it stalls? That will happen no matter what. If the engine light stays on, though, then there are trouble codes stored in the computer and you need to find out what they are. You can find instructions for doing that here: http://www.troublecodes.net/GM/ or you’ll want a mechanic to scan it if you don’t want to do that.
The fact that it doesn’t always fire right back up is an advantage, though nothing about it is easy. I would carry a spark tester and a can of starter fluid. The next time it stalls you can use the spark tester to see if you’ve lost spark and the starter fluid to see if you lost fuel. That gives a mechanic someplace to start. The tricky thing is just the extent to which it may or may not fire right back up.
Thank you this is very helpful.
It is the crankshaft or camshaft position sensor. It will cost you a little more, but the dealer will be able to figure out which one it is right away.