Mazda :: 1997 - Car Died Suddenly During Driving
Jul 25, 2012
Traveling approximately 40-45 MPH and my engine just quits. I was able to turn(very hard without power) to get off the road. I tried to restart the vehicle and it wouldn't crank over. After calling roadside assistance and the PD, I tried again and it stated. On the same day, I was driving home from appointment and it happened again, this time while accelerating from a stop and making a left turn. Same scenario, only this time the truck turned over a lot quicker than the first time. A couple days later, it happens again while accelerating after a stop and making a left hand turn. Now I call the mechanics and ask if this could have something to do with the module they replaced for my AC. They check out the truck and get a new module to install, which they did under warranty. We also left the truck with them to drive to see if it did it to them, it didn't. So DH takes truck and he drives it and it does it to him. Now though, with me and with him, the truck seems to start back up quicker than the first and subsequent times. We are going away for a bit and plan to leave the truck with the mechanics to drive to see if it does it to them since they still haven't had it happen while they've had it. I'm stumped. They were able to fix the ac very reasonably and a few other things have popped up, but this truck has been really good to me and I'm trying to drive it into the ground, so to speak, as it still has very low mileage for its age. Of course, the thought of it just conking out while driving is very disconcerting. I wait until the roads are completely clear to do u-turns and such, but in the back of my mind, I know it can shut off anytime.
View 7 Replies
Advertisement
I have a 2001 Volvo S80 with about 200,000 miles and it died on me while driving. The battery is about 6 months old. The shop I took it to said the timing chain slipped and might have caused damage to the piston and head. Does this seem reasonable as the cause?
View 2 Replies
I have a 2003 Mazda 6, 5-speed manual transmission. I was driving on the highway today (going about 65mph), and all of a sudden, my car kind of "jolted" (like it stalled out). When I tried pushing the gas pedal, the car wouldn't accelerate. When this happened, the check engine light (and some other lights) went on, too. I pulled over to the side, turned the car off, and turned it back on. It seemed to start fine and gas/acceleration was working. Fortunately, I was able to get home, but it started doing it more frequently up until I got to my apartment. Each time, I had to turn the car off and restart it.
Oddly enough, when the car does this and I pull over to the side, the engine is still on. However, even though the engine is on and the car is idling, I noticed the RPMs were sort of jumping between 0 and 1000, and the engine was sputtering (like it was sputtering with the RPMs jumping, the only way I can describe this sputtering is like a heart beat). The only thing that seems to work is to turn the car off and turn it back on, which will then allow the gas pedal to work, only to have it happen again a few minutes later. The gas pedal doesn't get stuck or anything, it's just pushing it doesn't seem to accelerate the car.
I've already had the engine replaced on this car last year (at 80K) and the clutch a few months ago, too.
View 5 Replies
Today leaving work my 2009 Mazda Tribute suddenly lost all acceleration after pulling out of the parking lot. Didn't die but was running like it was about to. Pressing the gas pedal had no effect at all. When I turned the car off and started it again, it did start -- with trouble but it started. It ran OK for a few miles but suddenly lost acceleration again. Same thing. The car ran but the gas pedal had no effect. Shutting off and restarting got it going. In the 30 mile trip home it did it a total of 3 times. Each time shutting off and restarting. When I was able to accelerate, it seemed to accelerate OK, but at the same time felt weak and .... laggy. That last part could just be in my head though. Just wondering where to start to fix this.
View 13 Replies
2004 F-250. 6.0 I was driving down the road when the engine dies. It was like I had turned off the key. When I tried to restart it, it was no click, no starter sound, nothing. The glow plug light remained on, even while turning the key over. What could cause this?
View 10 Replies
My 4.2L died all of a sudden, it cranks but won't start. Checked the harness side to coil packs, pos. signal but no neg. Tried a code reader keeps coming back link error. Does this mean PCM is fried?
View 4 Replies
My niece has a 1999 F150 with a 4.6L engine. She was driving it down the road and it died and would not start. She called her husband, he went where she was, and when he got there, it started. She drove it home, and the next day, same thing. Died going down the road, no start, let it sit overnight, cranked like a new truck. Now it has died and will not start at all. They replaced the fuel pump. Nothing. When you turn on the key, the fuel pump runs continuously. If you pour fuel in the air filter, it will start. They checked all the fuses, nothing blown. When they try to hook it up to an OBD scanner, it does not work. No codes, nothing, it won;t pick it up.
View 9 Replies
I drive a 97 Honda Accord and just recently started experiencing an issue where while driving, my ignition suddenly shuts off. Sometimes when this happens I'm able to turn the key and get the ignition started right back up while coasting, but usually forces me to coast to the side of the road instead to throw it in park and restart ignition (instantly, no sputtering). This problem seems to occur most frequently while driving at low speeds or stopped at a light or sign. Despite the ignition cutting, my headlights and radio, etc remain on leading me to believe that the battery is fine. I've taken it in to get it diagnosed at two different mechanics so far but they've been unable to replicate the situation and couldn't do anything. The problem is occurring more and more frequently (as much as 4 times for a 10 minute drive last night) and I'm going crazy trying to figure this out. Anything similar seen before? (spark plugs, alternator, blocked air filter, etc?).
View 15 Replies
My Truck : 1999 Ford F-150 Extended Cab 4x4 5.4L V8
So the other day I was driving the truck and it just dies on me. Tried starting but it just cranked and cranked. Got it pulled over to a parking lot and then tried to start and I got it to run again. Died a couple mins later uo the road and it will not start at all anymore. I got it towed to my driveway and I've started diagnosing some things.
I dropped the tank thinking it was a pump I replaced awhile back. The pump wasn't running but jumped to conclusions and took it back to the auto parts store. They bench tested and it works fine. I checked for voltage at the pump connector. NOTHING. So I'm not getting power to Fuel pump. Then I checked the fuse and relay for the fuel pump. Everything was okay.
I did some research and decided to check for spark. NO SPARK. Another thing I noticed the other day was that the odometer is displaying all dashes. So I'm really unsure on what to really troubleshoot. I am going back to the truck tomorrow to check a few other things. I'm not sure if the Theft light is blinking or not so I will check that tomorrow and get back to you.
What to check? Any other relays or fuses besides the fuel pump? What about any modules to check like PCM, GEM, etc. Or I've heard the crankshaft sensor could be an issue.
View 14 Replies
1996 Mazda Protege air conditioner died today in the lovely 2nd week of Kansas heat wave of over 100 degrees each day. Was replaced in 2006.
What should be the approximate cost of the parts and labor to replace? Is it normal to have died after 8 years? It was a reconditioned one.
View 2 Replies
I drove the truck a night before and all was well. 24 hours later no sign of power, completely dead. I jumped the battery last night and the truck started. I drove it around and came home started right up, this morning started without an issue.
What happened here, all doors were closed and dome was off. It is an Exide battery, I don't know how old the battery is, PO changed it.
View 3 Replies
I have a 2004 Prius @ 150k miles that randomly shut down today at idle.
My girlfriend was driving the car at the time and I received a call saying that the car would not start and she was stuck under a bridge. Apparently she was at a red light when the car died and it wouldn't start, so some people pushed the car out of the intersection. When I got there, the car started up fine, but I did notice that the traction battery was just about fully drained.
She mentioned that the car felt like it was in limp mode and that when she braked the whole car shook. After the car died, she tried to start it but it would just click, and it showed the red triangle. I've been driving the car for a few miles on and off the highway and no problems now and the red triangle never reappeared.
Past history of the car is just a P0420 CEL which is either the sensors or probably the cat. I just had the CEL re-read and its now showing in addition P0171 and P0121. I'm not sure when the P0171 and P0121 came up, but I did clean the MAF less than 10k miles ago.
View 2 Replies
Driving home tonight went to take an exit and was over come with great surprise when my car didn't move haha. The power steering has seem to have gone. I got home and opened the hood, but due to the antarctic temps couldn't use my fingers to open the fluid cap. The little black box with the fluid seems to have a tick ticking every few minutes. Any thoughts as to what it could be. How bad is it to drive it like this till Thursday when I can make an appt..
I plan on bringing it to a mineke on break just to see if they can narrow it down.
View 16 Replies
Factory fog lights worked fine, had body off for the head studs recently, they worked fine after. One day they just don't work. Fog light indicator light still comes on. Fuse is good. High beam indicator still works. Where to troubleshoot next?
View 6 Replies
I have a 2001 Mazda 626. It has stopped unexpectedly while moving 2 times in the past 3 1/2 months. When it stopped (both times) it was mid-day, the a/c was on and I was moving at a low speed (between 5-15 mpg). When this happens, the gear shift locks up and the car won't move. Then after about 15-20 minutes it starts right up!
The car has been checked by my regular mechanic both times, who is terrific, and although he ran a diagnostic both times, found no electrical problem. He's convinced it's some kind of simple mechanical issue but hasn't be en able to diagnose what and isn't inclined to just start replacing any/all possible parts without a definitive reason.
The second time the car did this the Mazda dealership also did a full diagnostic and only reported "repairing" a couple of the battery wires, did not replace anything.
No one knows what's wrong but if the problem isn't resolved soon I will have to get another vehicle because I no longer feel safe in the car.
View 3 Replies
I was on my way home suddenly the acceleration of the trib went sluggish.... low idle especially when you put it on drive and with the a/c on. It can rev but it feels like you are revving a 1.1L engine.
What could be the cause? I already had the sensors etc cleaned 6 months ago.....It has NO check engine light.
View 11 Replies
Once again back to the ol' 92 GMC C1500 V6. Had my Ford Escort air assembly disassembled to clean something and received an emergency phone call, the truck seems to start just fine so I took it to get where I needed to go. Ran fine no issues even took it on the highway, ran just like she used to. On the way back I stopped at a gas station, when I went to start it she wouldn't start (towed it home again).
Checked ignition system and it was fine, removed the top of air filter housing and filter and looked down into the fuel injection system and had a person crank the engine and once again no fuel was squirting out. Took out the injectors and they both tested good and the same, 1.7 ohms each, going out to rent noid light again but doubting it will do any good to test again but who knows at this point.
View 19 Replies
So here's the scenario: Driving home. Traffic is pretty heavy, I'm not traveling more than 20 MPH. When I go to change lanes the engine suddenly dies; I have no more power and can barely steer the car off the highway. I had enough momentum to roll to the shoulder. Try to restart the car, but all I hear is a high-pitched whine.
Get towed to the dealer. The mechanic took a look and said the timing belt snapped and bent the valves. But he also thinks there might be additional damage to the engine. We're gonna get a better assessment of what's going on on Monday when the service department's boss comes back from vacation.
My question is: if the car is indeed dead, can I expect to get anything from VW? Will they reimburse me the value of the car towards a new car? Should I see how much to get the car fixed? (They say a new engine might be needed.)
Specifics on the car: 1999 Passat, 1.8 turbo, a little over 86k miles. Car is in great condition, aside from what just happened.
View 9 Replies
Some guy I know was driving his 99 Mercury Sable Le about 30 mph when the speedometer suddenly died. Why did the speedometer suddenly die? The car continued to run albeit a bit sluggishly. He then stopped and turned off the ignition. He had been driving the car for only 5 minutes and the heat gauge was at the normal midpoint where it remained for almost an hour before declining. Why did the heat gauge take so long to decline? There also is a precedent to this puzzle. A couple weeks ago, he was driving the car 55 mph when the speedometer fluctuated wildly from 0 to 55. He stopped and after 10 minutes resumed driving without a hitch. Now he's had the 30 mph speedometer problem. In neither instance did the engine repair light appear. What's going on with the speedometer and the heat gauge? Where are those Magliozzi brothers when you need them?
View 4 Replies
5 miles to the airport last night, cruising on the freeway, my transmission suddenly accelerates from the steady 3000 rpm to 3500 rpm. When I press on the accelerator, the engine speed and my actual speed are no longer in sync. It feels like the transmission is no longer shifting. The radio cuts out and all the lights dim. My airbag warning light flashes intermittently at me. I make it to the airport, afraid to turn the key off; but I must. I attempt a restart - nothing. All red lights but no engine cranking. What gives? A fuse, the alternator? The car - 2003 mazda protege. The driver - stranded when I return home.
View 3 Replies
2000 Silverado ... 5.3 ... 260k miles ...
A while back the truck died on me driving down the road. It just stumbled a few times and then shut off. Acted like it was out of fuel. Drug it home and still would not start. Put fuel pressure gauge on, 0 fuel pressure. Bled gauge then cycled key to prime pump. Gauge read 40 psi, low but its something. Try to start truck and it fires right up. Assuming fuel pump is bad I go ahead and change the pump. All is good ~50 psi of fuel pressure.
Fast forward about 6 months and 10k miles to today. Same symptoms. Shuts off going down the road. Will not restart. Figure i would see if there is fuel pressure before I bother dragging it home again so I open the schrader valve with a small screwdriver and get a trickle of gas and a pssst. Try to restart truck, fires right up and drove it home. When I got home I put a FP gauge on it and fuel pressure is good. Ran fine all the way home.
Truck gives no codes/ warning lights. It does occasionally buck a little when trying to accelerate at low RPMs. (for example when in overdrive at ~45-50 and try to accelerate it will buck slightly) It's been doing that for years so I'm not sure if its related. Otherwise it runs good.
View 7 Replies