Saab - 900 :: 1989 - Engine Dies While Driving
Oct 7, 2014
My 1985 Saab 900 turbo has been dying while being driven. Suddenly, and usually while the car is relatively hot and in traffic, the engine will die while driving. Usually it will die when at a light stopped but not always. This has never happened before the last week or so, but the car has always had trouble with cold starts and will die while idling when the ignition is first turned. This hasn't been diagnosed. At times a lot of smoke will come from the exhaust, and this has not had a trigger (too much oil, hard driving, etc) but the car did pass smog in California (the strictest state!). Just now, a light I've never seen (and I've had 2 80's Saabs) came on the dash which said EXH, which I read could be regarding the o2 sensor?
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My 1989 Honda Civic engine randomly dies usually while driving. When it dies I hear a relay click sound coming from the area of the glove box. The tachometer and speedometer go immidiately to 0. The dashboard indicator lights all go out. The turn signals windshield wipers and electric windows all quit working, but the emergency flashers, radio, and comfort system blower continue to work. I think the transmission goes immediately into neutral too because deceleration is much slower than it would be if the engine were running and I take my foot off the accelerator. So far I have always been able to restart the engine and continue driving, though it often takes many tries before it will successfully restart and keep running.
In an unsuccessful restart the engine will fire and start to rev up but die again as soon as I release the key from the Start position. Occasionally the engine will spontaneously restart while we are coasting to a stop. We took it on a long trip this summer and it would almost always work fine until we stopped for gas, food or restroom break. After the break it would die one to three times in the first 5 miles and then would work fine until the next break. My mechanic says the computer is not storing any failure codes and he is having a hard time troubleshooting it because the problem only randomly occurs. I'm wondering if the problem might be a flaky electrical connector somewhere.
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I have driven small Toyota 4X4 pickups since 1980 including an '89 for the past 25 years and > 200,000 miles. One day a couple of months ago it would crank but would not start although battery and starter seem fine. I did some basic testing eventually measuring the ignition coil resistance (within published range) and inspecting the distributor cap (looked fine). Upon reassembly, it started right up and ran fine for a few weeks. I hadn't really done anything beside cleaning the rotor and cap contacts, moving around the wiring while in the process.
A few weeks ago I was driving in traffic just a few miles from home and it momentarily lost power twice within a mile. Check engine light was noted the second time. I was busy watching the cars ahead of me the first time. Both times it resumed running on it's own and I continued on. A couple of weeks later it died three times within a few miles from home.
The first two times I was able to pull off out of traffic. Several minutes later, I was able to restart the engine. The third time I was stuck in a turn lane at an intersection, police arrived right away and the vehicle was towed to the dealer where I had purchased it only two miles away. They have been unable to reproduce the problem but believe they have eliminated the fuel filter and fuel pump as the cause. They have driven the vehicle several miles and left it running for an hour and a half with no problems noted. No diagnostic codes were recovered.
They now want me to retrieve the undiagnosed, unrepaired vehicle. We know it will fail again, probably under the worst possible circumstances. In heavy traffic, a multi-vehicle crash with associated injuries or deaths could result. It's like if the vehicle itself doesn't tell them what to do, they don't know how to approach such a problem on their own any more. I'm not in a position to pour unlimited funds into a vehicle I have recently replaced (with a 2014 Tacoma). There must be a logical approach beyond checking the fuel filter and pump but they seem clueless. I can't safely drive the vehicle and won't offer it for sale until the problem is identified and corrected.
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I've recently acquired a 1989 ford ranger xlt 2.9L V6 and iv got my elbows deep already..... starts right up and scene its an older truck i let it warm up for a few minutes seems to sound alright so i jump in and take off... well i make it about two blocks and as soon as the truck seems to warm up it starts to sputter and die out... starts back up and idles for a min and i try to take off, but it seems to have NO power and jerks and dies.... so i push to a street parking spot and get situalated start the truck up again and take off only to make it about half a block tell it does the same....
First i think iv run outta gas witch i might of not sure so I walk to station and get three gallons. put in truck and same is happening. so i start kicking myself for not haven any tools with me and i leave tell next day... that night do a little research and get some idea's of what could be the problem'(s) so i start out with things that look like they need tending Badly WIRES, PLUGS, ROTOR, CAP, MAP SENSOR, and now after a whole day in the rain (Northwest BTW) and grease to elbows? 2.9 V6? What step's should i take next?
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I got an old 1989 F-150, manual, in-line 6 engine, with an 8-foot bed. I use it for hauling landscaping equipment, as i am starting a business. i will likely start hauling trailers with it this summer, but I also just want the engine to give me more power.
What are some things I could do to up the HP, or a better truck in general. I'm not looking to make it into a 350Hp monster, just get a little more out of it. What can I replace or add that would do this?
First, the idle dies on me when i put it in neutral, or gets stuck at 2500rpms. is this a vacuum leak, or the idle-air control valve?
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I just purchased a 1989 F250 with a 5.8 motor. Great truck for its age. Ive owned other Ford trucks in the past and my Dad had them as a kid. Love them.
When I bought the truck from the 2nd owner it had a problem so I bought this truck with the problem figuring with my past knowledge I could fix it. Not the case. When I got the truck it would start fine and run really great but when it got warm it seems it would die and I would have to wait till it was cooled down to start back up and again it would run fine. Well the problem got worse and worse and now it wont run at all.
It will run on starter fluid so that leads me immediately to the fuel pumps. I say that plural because none of them will run it seems. I did a fuel pressure test at the shrader valve at the top of the motor on the fuel rail and I get no pressure at all when I turn the key. The relay in the engine compartment seems to be working to as I can hear it. I put a new on of those on to to be sure. Leads me back to the pumps again. I replaced the external pump on the fuel rail and I know thats working. I replaced the fuel filter to while I was there.
Is it possible to have BOTH fuel pumps in the front and rear tanks go at once? Seems unusual. My other F150 with dual tanks worked great and when the back tank pump went I could just switch it over to the front tank.
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While driving my car on the highway the engine died on me. I made several attempts to start the car again with no success. The mechanic has yet to find what the problem is. He has checked the timing belt, fuel pump, and everything else.
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I bought my 2007 Santa Fe with 112,000 miles in April. It ran fine until about a month ago. When I turned the key to aux, the radio and lights came on but when I tried to start it I lost all power. Turning the key off and back on had no effect, it acted like the battery was dead. I opened the hood and noticed the pos cable was loose on the terminal. As soon as I touched it I heard a click, the security light started blinking and it started fine.
A week later as I was driving on the highway the electricity started blinking in and out and the car would shutter as it lost and regained power, then eventually died completely but the radio was still on. I got to the shoulder and tried to turn it back on but even though the radio and lights worked, nothing happened when I tried to start it. I lodged a matchstick between the pos terminal and the cable to make sure the connection was tight and it started. Driving home the power would occasionally stutter when I hit a bump but it never died completely.
I used a battery and alternator tester that plugs into the cigarette lighter and both registered as fine. I've driven it to work, about 2 miles, several times since and the power sometimes cuts out at bumpy parts of the road and it has died completely twice while sitting still at a light. The clock doesn't reset when it dies so, knowing nothing about electrical systems, I would guess that the electricity isn't being entirely lost. Every time it dies the radio and lights still come on but I have to get out and jiggle the pos cable to get it to restart. While driving the battery and seat belt lights flash randomly. A friend told me to try removing the pos cable while it's running and that if it died, it was probably the alternator. Tried it and the engine died immediately. Don't know what this means since the alternator tested fine.
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1992 Escort GT 1.8 liter ... It's been a problem for a while, where I'll just be driving (or at a stoplight) and the engine dies. It doesn't sputter or give any signs (that I know of) before it goes. Usually if I let it sit for a while, generally under an hour, it'll start right up again and run for a few days and then happen again. The engine light will sometimes come on, but only after I get it started up again, and it never stays on for long. The other day, it died on my way to work and didn't start up again for a few days, but the engine light was on, and gave a code 23. I think this means I should get the throttle sensor fixed.
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Recently, today in my 87 Ranger suddenly the engine dies and all electronics in the cab fail.
I noticed under the hood that the fusible link connected to the battery and an orange and black wire was smoking. Tracing this line i found that it leads to the ignition switch, as well as some other places.
There is another fusible link and the junction between the yellow ignition wire and the orange and black wire from the battery. This fusible link also was failed.
I'm planning on replacing the fusible links tomorrow but in case that does not fix it, where to look next.
The problem only occurs when the key is in the ON position. I'm thinking maybe I could do some tests with a multimeter on the ignition switch but am not sure of the details of what I should test for.
Summary: Fusible Links C, and E burn out when the ignition is in the ON position.
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Yesterday while driving to work the acceleration on my car just died; the engine was running and the car was in drive. I lost power steering and all the dash lights came on. I was driving down the road about 55mph and it just died, but the engine stayed on. What could cause this problem?
2011 Toyota Camry LE ...
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I have just inherited my recently deceased father's 1992 Ranger with the 2.3 liter engine. He was a Ford Mechanic but got to ill to worry about fixing the Ranger. So, let me begin, the engine dies randomly, (at idle or in gear driving doesn't matter what gear or speed), turning key to off and then to on will allow vehicle to restart every time. No "Check Engine" light has ever lit, I do have an "Antilock" light that comes and goes. The engine codes I keep getting are: 10, 218 and 222.
Code 10 is a computer check code,
Code 218 is "Loss of Ignition Diagnostic Monitor (IDM) signal/left side, and
Code 222 is "Distributorless Ignition System - Loss of right side ignition diagnostic monitor (IDM) signal.
These codes were from my Innova reader. I have read where other similar problems were fixed with a new Crankshaft Position Sensor, replaced mine, no change. Another symptom I just noticed is my temp gauge stays near the cool end when it should be higher.
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What would cause the vechile to die randomly, while driving? have check all ground wires, coolant, spark plugs, air filter, and changed fuel filter. no check engine lights come on.
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I have a 2005 Camry and it was stalling while driving occasionally. It had gotten worse, so I cleaned the throttle body as was suggested. Now, when I try to start it, the engine revs really high then goes back down and dies. This is without putting any pressure on the accelerator. What to do next?
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Has 118,000 miles and we have replaced speed sensors and changed transmission fluid and updated computer software. It runs perfectly for 30 minutes whether driving in town or highway but then hesitates and jerks when shifting from 1st to 2nd and downshifting also. After it shifts into 3rd, it is fine. Repair shop says it could be gear box or computer problem. No one in town seems to know what it is for sure. 2004 Saab 9.3 2.0T
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So have a 1991 Saab 900 about a 3 month's ago I bought it and each time I would fill up the tank the gas light would always be on well after awhile of driving it for about a month it broke down. I would just be driving and all of a sudden it would shut off, and won't start for a few hours and now it won't start at all just crank I've replaced the fuel pump and it's pumping though the line but I took the injectors out to see if it would spray when cranking and it's not.
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Car was idling and driving real rough and dying at stops. Turns out that the transmission mount was torn so I replaced it and verified that the other two motor mounts were good. Car was still running rough but on a drive with some jerky shifts (automatic) after about 20 miles all is well and I'm running as smooth as a baby's bottom with great turbo action. Cars just don't fix themselves. What could have been wrong? By the way there were no codes from the Tech ll. Using a pc of tubing I can't hear any vacuum leaks nor when spraying brake cleaner on the hose ends does the engine race.
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My brother was the original owner then passed it on to me. I then passed it on to my younger cousin about two years ago. The car is completely stock and has never been modified. Everything is OEM.Just a couple of weeks ago I was called by my cousin saying the car broke down on her .The problem is that we took it to a few mechanic shops but they still haven't fixed it ...
Problem with car: When pressing on the gas, the idle drops and then the car dies (a scary event that happened to us and on a main road). I do not wish to bring it to another fail mechanic shop.What the shops did: changed all fluids, distributor cap and plugs, new spark plugs, and replaced air intake piping with oem piping.
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I just bought my first car, a 2000 saab 9-3 convertible (base model) a month or so ago. The car had been neglected for the last year or so and I have been spending the last few weeks fixing all its issues. This last weekend I replaced the rear shocks, font struts and the rotors and brake pads on all four wheels. After driving about 20 miles or so I started to notice a squeak coming from the front right wheel well and since has become more and more noticeable/pronounced.
Squeak description:-cyclically increases and decreases in volume with each rotation of the wheel
-the squeak is constant: squeak that gets louder at a certain point in each wheel rotation but is always a certain baseline volume as long as the wheel is turning
-the volume of the squeak is NOT AT ALL effected by braking (EXACT same noise driving as while braking) which leads me to think its has nothing to do with the pads or rotors
-HERE IS THE WEIRD ONE: the squeak disappears completely when driving in reverse!
-the squeak is about the pitch and sound of a cricket, only constant and Ii guess louder.
-the noise is unaffected by turning sharply to the right and left.
Additional details:- I had to use a gear puller to press the axle out of the wheel bearing (was stuck from rust). I hooked to the back of the wheel bearing ( what the lug nuts screw into ) and pressed on the center of the axle. Maybe this could have damaged it or the cv joint?-while I was switching that wheel's strut insert out, the carrier bearing leaked 1 (maybe 1 and a half) teaspoons of grey oil from the larger end of its boot and stretched out an inch or so from the weight of the hanging axle.
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My 1989 Honda Accord LX, with 135,000 miles on it, stalls after a few minutes of driving. Then, after re-starting, it stalls before I even have a chance to put it into drive. My mechanic replaced an electric base plate gasket in the carburetor but warned me that this repair might not fix the problem. If it didn't, I probably would need to replace the carburetor -- if one could be found for a 1989 model. Well, I still have the problem. My question: Is it worth it to invest $1,500, more or less, for a carburetor for a 22-year-old car? I've been using it strictly as a second car for the last 11 or 12 years. It seems to be in good shape otherwise.
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My mechanic wants to use an engine cleaner to add to oil, then blow it all out!! It's a 2001 Saab 9-5 with 110k miles and is starting to burn its semi-syn at the rate of 1 qt. per 1400 miles.He says there's no discernable leaks.Should I let him add anything? Just keep adding the oil?
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