About 4 months ago, the car stalled out on the highway. I was going slow because traffic was building up and the car jsut stopped. I was able to get off to the side. I turned it off, waited a few minutes and then it started up with no problem. I drove it with many stops and starts for about 2 weeks until I could get an appointment with the dealer. The computer did not show a problem. Then in April, the same thing happened. This time, they replaced the Body assy-throttle and./or gasket. Yesterday, the same thing happened though not on a highway but on a city street. I am waiting again for the dealer to call me with suggestions. Your thoughts??? There is no noise before the stall, no warning.
Anytime I hear someone say that their vehicle just shuts off, the first thing I suspect is a primary input into the computer. And one of those primary inputs is the Crankshaft Position Sensor which can be effected by heat.
Have someone start the engine, and while it’s idling take a heat gun and point it at the crank sensor. If the engine shuts off, that’s the problem.
Tester
This may be a tough one to diagnose. When the engine is running fine, running at normal temperature, no ECM codes, then stalls for no apparent reason, it could be something simple like the ignitiion switch, but to find the cause your shop will have to go one by one, probably starting w/ the following:
- No or not enough gasoline is getting into the engine.
No gas in the gas tank; fuel pump stops pumping; fuel filter or line obstruction; fuel pressure regulator stops regulating; ECM not firing injectors; camshaft or timing belt (or chain) failure.
- Too much or too little air is getting into the engine.
Throttle plate sticking completely shut and/or idle air control has failed; large vacuum leak of some sort or another; air filter plugged; exhaust obstruction.
- No spark
Crank sensor failure; coil/plugs/hv wires/igniter failure; battery or corroded connection problem;
- Compression problem
Check compression
It’s going to be difficult to fix unless and until you can get it to the shop when it is failing. I guess if this were my car the first thing I’d do Google the problem, see if others owners of the same vehicle are having it. And I’d look carefully at all the fuses, see if there is a loose one or one that looks different than the others, like it is cracked or semi-blown. I"d probably pull all the ones associated with the fuel and ign systems and test them individually with a DVM. Best of luck.