Please help!!! I am desperate.
We just bought a used 2013 Chevy Equinox, 88,000 miles. Everything was going fine until three days after we bought it. It started shaking then completely turned off after I started to back out of a parking spot. That’s when it got worse… It has happened every day since. We got it two weeks ago. It turns off after idling for literally 10 seconds after I start it. We brought it to two different mechanics, NO code shown. NO engine light on. I read that the timing variable solenoids need to be replaced so we went ahead and got that done. $200 later, the problem is still there. I don’t know what else to do because no code is showing there is anything wrong with it.
Duplicate post
On some cars, if the oil pressure sending unit indicates no oil pressure, the fuel pump shuts off and the engine quits. A wiring diagram will give a clue if this might be the problem on yours. The fuel pump comes on for a few seconds when you turn the key to On - that’s why there’s fuel for it to start.
When it quits, it’s important to find out if it’s a no-fuel or a no-spark condition and take it from there.
Okay. Thank you!
I can tell you that a bad timing belt can be ruled-out, simply because your engine utilizes a timing chain, rather than a belt. If you don’t believe me, just check the maintenance schedule that came with the car. If it doesn’t list timing belt replacement at… let’s say… 90k, or 100k, or 110k, then it doesn’t have a timing belt.
What might be a source of the problem is a bad crankshaft position sensor.
If you can get it in a condition where it cranks but won’t start, that’s the time to do a spark test. If you have good spark, the next suspect would be a fuel problem of some sort.
My guess at this point, the description of your symptoms are consistent with contaminated fuel, like water or diesel in the gas tank. You might ask your shop to draw a sample from the tank. If it separates into layers sitting overnight, good chance there is some water contamination. I don’t think diesel would separate, but it might be possible to smell diesel contamination.
Are you sure the tank has enough gasoline in it? Don’t rely on the fuel gauge.
Alright I’ll get that checked out. Thank you! Today I gave it a little gas before it usually turns off and it didn’t turn off. Do you know what that could mean?
Today i started the car and pushed the gas pedal a bit around the time it usually turns off (10 seconds after I turn it on) and it didn’t turn off. Could that mean something?
If it has an external fuel filter it would not hurt to replace it, but I fear it has the sock in the tank filter.
It could mean that the oil pressure went up when you increased RPMs. That is how engines work. If a low OP signal was causing the fuel pump to turn off, you stopped that from happening.
Another possibility is trouble with the IAC Idle Air Control - maybe someone here can discuss that better than I can. Good luck.
That could happen if the idle rpm was too low for some reason. Ask your shop to measure both the cold and warm engine idle rpm. If that’s ok other possibilities are
- contaminated fuel
- Ignition system not working correctly: spark plugs, coils, crank position sensor, cam position sensor, ignition module/ecm
- fuel pressure is incorrect: ask shop to measure it and compare to spec
- fuel injection system problem: noid test light check
- vacuum leak or cylinder compression problem