# Why my car is shut off? **URL:** \ **Category:** Maintenance/Repairs\ **Created:** [October 12, 2008, 2:08pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/why-my-car-is-shut-off/20634 "2008-10-12T14:08:11Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 3\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![ahmedmakled](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/ee59a6/32.png) [@ahmedmakled](https://community.cartalk.com/u/ahmedmakled)\ **Post date:** [October 12, 2008, 2:08pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/why-my-car-is-shut-off/20634/1 "2008-10-12T14:08:11Z")
Dear Tom and Ray,I have VW Jetta GL 1998 4 cyl.,a week ago when I am driving and am going to stop at the red light,the car is shut off,my mechnic said it is the Distributor , I changed the Distributor ,timing belt and tune up,but still same problem,please can you tell me what I should do? thank you very much, Ahmed ---
**Author:** ![Cougar](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/cartalk/user_avatar/community.cartalk.com/cougar/32/21348_2.png) [@Cougar](https://community.cartalk.com/u/Cougar)\ **Post date:** [October 12, 2008, 4:15pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/why-my-car-is-shut-off/20634/2 "2008-10-12T16:15:57Z")
There may be a vacuum air leak causing this problem. If you have a idle air and EGR valve check them also for trouble. ---
**Author:** ![Nickb2](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/cartalk/user_avatar/community.cartalk.com/nickb2/32/5745_2.png) [@Nickb2](https://community.cartalk.com/u/Nickb2)\ **Post date:** [October 12, 2008, 4:24pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/why-my-car-is-shut-off/20634/3 "2008-10-12T16:24:56Z")
I have seen this problem on many golfs and jettas, there is a rubber vacuum hose about 3/4 inch in dia, at the back of the head on the #4cyl beside intake manifold,this hose often fails due to its thin construction,if not, spray intake cleaner around TBI while wiggling it, there is a rubber mounted TBI gasket that often fails in the 1.8l engines.