# Car won't stay started

**URL:** <https://community.cartalk.com/t/car-wont-stay-started/180418>\
**Category:** Maintenance/Repairs\
**Created:** [November 3, 2021, 10:28am UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/car-wont-stay-started/180418 "2021-11-03T10:28:41Z")\
**Posts on this page:** 4\
**Page:** 1

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**Author:** ![amisfitlife\_164142](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/85f322/32.png) [@amisfitlife\_164142](https://community.cartalk.com/u/amisfitlife_164142)\
**Post date:** [November 3, 2021, 10:28am UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/car-wont-stay-started/180418/1 "2021-11-03T10:28:41Z")

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My husband has a 1999 Ford ranger. His truck will start then immediately sputter like it is about to die. When he lays on the gas to try and get more power it continues to sputter then eventually dies and hus battery gauge keeps fluctuating.

He replaced the alternator a year and a half ago and the battery was replaced almost two years ago.

He started it yesterday and it died soon after. We jump it and it started. When he stayed on the gas and it managed to stay started a few minutes then died again and would not start. Any thoughts on what to check? He thinks it is a bad battery. I think it’s something more.

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**Author:** ![It\_s-Me](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/cartalk/user_avatar/community.cartalk.com/it_s-me/32/12660_2.png) [@It\_s-Me](https://community.cartalk.com/u/It_s-Me)\
**Post date:** [November 3, 2021, 10:58am UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/car-wont-stay-started/180418/2 "2021-11-03T10:58:26Z")

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> [@amisfitlife\_164142](#):
>
> My boyfriend has a 1999 Ford ranger.

> [@Battery intermittently going dead](https://community.cartalk.com/t/battery-intermittently-going-dead/159650/1):
>
> My husband has a 99 Ford Ranger.

Your boyfriend and husband both have 99 Rangers

Alternators don’t last forever, I’d say his alternator is shot again.

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**Author:** ![OverlandG](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/o/977dab/32.png) [@OverlandG](https://community.cartalk.com/u/OverlandG)\
**Post date:** [November 3, 2021, 12:04pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/car-wont-stay-started/180418/3 "2021-11-03T12:04:50Z")

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I’m not sure it’s the alternator if it’s sputtering out after running for a few mins. I’d tow it to a local mechanic and get it checked out.

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**Author:** ![Tester](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/cartalk/user_avatar/community.cartalk.com/tester/32/15976_2.png) [@Tester](https://community.cartalk.com/u/Tester)\
**Post date:** [November 3, 2021, 4:33pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/car-wont-stay-started/180418/4 "2021-11-03T16:33:07Z")

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It sounds like a bad crankshaft position sensor.

[https://www.1aauto.com/content/articles/bad-or-failing-crankshaft-position-sensor-symptoms](https://www.1aauto.com/content/articles/bad-or-failing-crankshaft-position-sensor-symptoms)

Tester