Okay so i don’t know how to start. Me and my old lady drive a 2001 ford taurus and we regularly take trips at least an hour or hour and a half of driving. So when we get there if I shut the car off alot of times it wont start again. Somedays its perfect can’t tell there’s a problem. Other times it acts like it really wants to start but it just spits and sputters. If I wait awhile it starts again. Even if I try and give it gas its doesn’t matter if I’m to the floor or feathering the gas it just shudders out and dies. What can cause this??? Its never stranded me but also I’ve noticed that it will like miss I guess while driving I can feel the motor like lightly surging when I hold constant on the gas. Please help. But no rush just looking for info. I’ve read about every one of these and it always say sensors or let the car roll some maybe it’s the security. But if it was that why would it sputter and want to run but not??? Lost af
So a lot of problem description but you tell us nothing about the car. How many miles? What engine? Has the fuel pump ever been replaced? Has the pump’s pressure ever been checked? And the biggie… is the check engine light on?
You say it spits and sputters… seems like spark is there. Have you checked for spark when it won’t start? Do you have the tools and ability to check the car or will you need to take it to a mechanic?
The problem might be caused by vapor lock.
Carry a bottle of water in the vehicle.
The next time the engine doesn’t start, open the hood and pour the water over the fuel rails and then try starting the engine.
If the engine starts, that’s vapor lock.
Tester