Stratus SHUTDOWN

my bf was driving my car the other night with me on a ONEWAY street and the car made a pop noise, all the lights dimmed and then the “check oil” light came on. We pulled over and turned the car on and then it wouldn’t turn back on. The engine was catching but it wasn’t working starting. We pushed the car onto the sidewalk and put the hazard lights on. There was a puddle from where the car broke down once we moved the car. By the time the AAA guy came my battery had died, which was weird. There was also a puddle from my car on the sidewalk and it wasn’t oil…it was water. I took it to these mechanics and the guys sound iffy…they said it was my timing belt, then they called a day later and said it isn’t the timing belt it is the waterpump that is bad. But they still don’t know why my car won’t start. I’ve always had my “check engine light on” but its been checked and they said “its just a glich”. Do you think its my computer? What could be wrong?

Year/Make/Model would really help.

Computer?? Probably not…Water-pump…That shouldn’t prevent it from starting. Need more information.

Ok, (from the tag it’s a 2001 Stratus, still need mileage, etc) you might consider taking the vehicle to a reputable independent tech/shop.

You definitely need another opinion (proper diagnosis) before throwing money at the problem.

From your post I get the feeling those ‘mechanics’ sound a bit dubious.

Never drive with the CEL continuously on as you’ll never know if something else (perhaps more serious) happens until it’s too late.

While I’m at it…are ‘they’ the same 'mechanics? (The ones who told you ‘its just a glitch’)

it has 180,000 miles…and i went to more than one mechanic who told me my CEL is nothing because they’d run it and it’d say the computer…then one time i had it checked and the guy said my computer was fine. I was thinking of gettin a 2nd opinion. The car broke down on Thursday and this is all the information the guys gave me since today on Monday!!!

The oil light came on because the engine quit and the key was on, the puddle under the car was just from your air conditioner drain, and the popping noise could have been your alternator blowing. Have the car towed to a shop where they know what they are doing, there is no way a mechanic should confuse a bad timing belt with a bad water pump.

well i just moved it to a new shop…Apparently I blew a whole in my engine and the liquid that was coming out was coolant. Also my computer is no good…they had said something about the air not making combustion and not allowing things to work properly. Either way it would be 1800 to repair it…so I guess I’m just going to get a new car! thanks for all of your help!!!

p.s. i have no A.C.