Hey guys, this is my first post here! I’m down in Baja California with my 2009 Hyundai Santa Fe AWD that has made the journey down to La Paz with me a few times at this point. I needed to replace the front drivers side CV Axle as mine has been leaking transmission fluid. After getting the part in I finally took it to a mechanic to have that done. I also had him change the engine oil and top off the transmission fluid. I do not think that anything he did caused what happened next as I was driving away, but figured this might be important background regardless. The car also has a brand new week old battery.
In an effort to Baja proof my car I recently purchased an Autozone branded portable air compressor that runs off the 12v power point. My tires are normally kept pretty low (not anything crazy, but definitely not at the recommended pressure) because I drive on a lot of sand. I won’t be on the beach for a while and wanted to test out the compressor, so as I am leaving the mechanics lot I plug it in so I can pump up the tires when I get home. I flip the power switch and it starts up. The car momentarily completely shuts off, literally so quickly I barely noticed. This has happened a few times over the past few years with seemingly no reason, with nothing ever developing further from it occurring, so I don’t think too much of it.
After about three blocks I decide that the compressor is a little too loud for the short ride home and go to unplug it, as soon as I nudge the plug a little bit the car dies again but cuts back on immediately, I go to yank it out and when I pull the plug out from the power point the car dies a third time and doesn’t come back on.
There are no lights, the engine won’t turn over, key is locked in the ignition and I’m in drive so I put it in neutral and push it to the side of the road. Car is still completely dead at this point only sign of life is the digital odometer display which is looking pretty faint. I call the mechanic and he tells me he’s going to come out to where I made it about five blocks away. I pop the hood and disconnect and reconnect the battery, which as I’d been expecting, didn’t do much but I’m more of a computer guy than a car guy, so I had to try. Also quickly check the fuses, nothing visible is blown.
The mechanic gets there about 10 minutes later and tries to turnover the engine, it starts right up! But dies again about 3 seconds later, he tries again, doesn’t work, tries again, starts back up, again, starts, starts a few more times, dies after 3 seconds, sometimes it doesn’t start at all though.
He tells me he’s going to get a tow truck, as I’m waiting I try too, all the systems cut on with the key in the ignition now, radio, ac, lights, it’s no longer completely dead. When turned over, it dies after about 3 seconds every time. I try it while revving, get to about 4000 rpms before it dies after the 3 seconds. I notice it almost seems like it’s revving on its own when I’m not giving it gas, I would start it and it’d be at about 1500, which I think is pretty normal idle, the would slowly start to climb towards 3000 before the 3 seconds are up and it dies again. Super weird.
The tow truck arrives and it gets taken back to the lot, I Uber home in defeat. So my question is, what the heck might have happened, anyone have any experience that might solve the mystery? Any ideas or suggestions are welcome!
