2000 Ford Taurus stalls on hills

I have a 2000 Ford Taurus that has generally been a very good car… but it occasionally stalls when or just after long upgrades. It is not running hot, the weather is usually but not always warm or hot, and the grade is not excessive. The car usually starts again within a moment or two. I have had it to the mechanics several times, and though my wallet is lighter, nobody has a clue.

Any ideas on what to look for?



Thanks, Hugh

I would have the fuel pump tested

Replacing the fuel pump did no good

I had a 1992 Taurus that did something very similar, except it was always hot outside when it happened, so maybe you have a different issue. After the Ford dealer installed two different fuel pumps, my dad, who was an old auto mechanic, said that it sounded like old fashioned vapor lock to him, and somehow concluded that the gas cap was bad. We put a new gas cap on, and it never happened again. We could always smell fuel when it happened.

That’s a new one on me! I don’t understand how a gas cap could affect vapor lock, but I freely admit to not knowing as much as I would like about cars.
I replaced the factory gas cap with a locking one, because neighborhood kids were getting themselves a discount, but the car still stalls. I thought of vapor lock, but it does not always happen on a hot day, and not consistently.