My Plymouth Breeze is having issues starting up. It started a while back, my wife was driving the car and she got stranded because her car wouldn't start. I gave her a jump. I had the battery and alternator tested and the battery was bad, but supposedly that alternator is good--so I replaced the battery. We get a week or twos use out of it, and the the rear brakes sprung a leak-- so I replaced the rear brake lines. When I tried take the new brakes lines for a test drive the car wouldn't start. I have a battery charger and used the 50 amp start feature, the car would still not start (it would turn over but not start). So I gave the battery a deep charge from the battery charger and the next day it was fine. My wife used it for a week and all seemed well. That is until the other day where she tells me it has a new problem.
Apparently the defroster randomly turns off and on, and the vent constantly switches which direction it is blowing. She took it out for a drive while it was like this and got stranded again. I went to give her a jump and the car wouldn't start at all. In fact none of the electrical came on, it was as if the battery had been disconnected. So we eventually get the car towed, and as I put the key in the ignition to put the car in neutral I hear the beeping to indicate the car door is open. I tried to start it and all of the electrical shut off again. So the guys tows car back, having to push it into a parking spot. I realized the tow truck driver left the keys in the ignition and it just occurs to me he had rolled the window down. I get in the car and turn the key and it starts up without hesitation, like there were not problems at all. Needless to say I'm a little confused and frustrated with this car. I'd like to get another year or so out of it before I replace it.
So here is what I am thinking...Battery: This should be fine I just replaced it.Alternator: I had it tested coupled with the last scenario leads me to believe this probably isn't the problem, but is suspect.Starter: This seems to work when there is power, so I don't think that is it.Fuses: They either work or they don't, there is no "getting better" so I doubt it is a fuse.Computer: I think this might be the culprit. Before I had to give it another jump (when it wouldn't take) things were turning off and on at random. It is also the only thing I can think of that might act in a fickle way.
Another theory is a loose wire coming off of the battery.
I have a mysterious exhaust issue on my 1991 Montero. After the engine warms up and I have been stopped at a red light for a minute or so when I accelerate away from the light a cloud of blue (I assume oil) smoke puffs out of the exhaust pipe. If I sit in the vehicle with it idling for, say, 5 minutes then the cloud of blue smoke can last all the way down the block. Then it goes away. Spark plugs are all clean. PCV valve recently replaced. Mo warning lights. What can this be?
View 10 RepliesAbout 2 weeks ago my 1997 Buick Park Ave (115,000 miles) began running bad during a heavy rain storm. It was running fine. Then all of a sudden at a stop light the motor hesitated and wanted to stall. I nursed the gas peddle and limped home and turned the car off. The car hesitated and sputtered all the way home as if I was running out of gas.The next day the car would not start. It turned over but would not start. I tried starting the car for three days. My mechanic friend later diagnosed the car and stated the computer was not functioning correctly. He replaced the computer. The new computer seemed to correct the problem.
The car ran great for the next 2 weeks. Yesterday, it was raining hard while I drove the car about 150 miles without any problem. Then suddenly again the motor started running badly. Again, the motor wanted to stall and hesitate as if I was running out of gas. I limped home again. This morning I tried to start the car without any luck. In addition to installing a new computer, In the last 2 months I have changed all the fuel injectors and installed new spark plugs.I have also changed the fuel pump and repaired the fuel tank. My mechanic say the cam sensor and crank sensor are operating correctly. There is spark coming from the coil packs and to the spark plugs. I do not want to randomly change parts.
There is a clicking sound coming from the front passenger side of my dash. I have narrowed it down to being a problem with the Air Outlet Servo Sub Assembly. How should I go about correcting this dilemma? If I choose the option to waste another perfectly good weekend on taking apart my only means of transportation (except for my bicycle), how should I go about doing this to avoid creating anymore havic on what seems to be a perfectly good car?
View 3 RepliesYesterday my 2002 Ford Focus SE Zetec wagon (140k) died at a stoplight. Before that, the radio would turn off and on like it was possessed. The last five miles before it conked out, the fuel gauge and speedometer dropped to zero (ie same as with key-out). Waited two hours and was able to drive it two blocks home but the same symptoms w/instruments occurred. Battery measured 12.0v @ home. The alternator is the first suspect but what else should get replaced? Any guesses as for cost? DIY or take it to a shop?
View 17 RepliesHaving issues with moisture, or water, in the high brake light, in the spoiler? It appears to be an LED type light. It is still working but, I'm afraid it may short out eventually. It also appears to be fragile! Its an '08 Accent.
View 7 RepliesMy 1998 malibu starts most of the time, there is a continual light on the dash and according to the maintenance book from chevy, they are saying check your emissions system. Also on the times when the car does not start right away, the oil, battery light also goes on; the sound is rrrrr, weaker and weaker, wait 5 minutes and can start the car. This has been the pattern. Diagnostics say it is the crank shaft sensor..... I have already read your stream about crank shafts sensors.
View 3 RepliesI started having problems with my '99 Cirrus last month, it would randomly stall while driving or while in idle. With no check engine light or any other tell tale signs of a problem. I'm not entirely knowledgeable about how the entirety of the car's systems function, though I new I should check my fuel system. I wasn't getting any fuel to the engine whatsoever, so I replaced the fuel filter because when I got it off and looked at it it was clear it was bad. Then I put it all back together to try and run it and it continued to stall.
Thinking it must be the fuel pump at this point I dropped the fuel tank and replaced it. It ran for about 35 miles before the same problem started happening again. So I checked all the fuses, and relays and just to be safe replaced all the relays related to the fuel pump, and fuel system and i even replaced the auto shutdown relay. The car continued to have the same problem, so I did some research and found out it could be a dirty throttle body so I cleaned it even though it wasn't that dirty, and checked my air filter for how clean it was and it was clean. The car still continues to stall in idle and while driving.
I have a '99 Mercury Sable with the 3.0 24 Valve DOHC V6. The car occasionally will not start. It only happens after the car has been driven and warmed up, shut off, and then an attempted restart. This problem has occurred in all sorts of temps. Sometimes it will start within 30 minutes, sometimes it takes overnight. But it will start. I have already replaced the fuel pump relay. Is the fuel pump needing to be replaced (b/c it is failing slowly), or is this problem located somewhere else?
View 12 RepliesMy daughter's 2010 v6 Fusion has stalled twice (without warning) in the last month at 65+ mph. The dealer reported that since no fault codes were set, there were no repairs they could make to correct this very dangerous situation from recurring. What repairs were made to correct the problem. The car has only 23k miles and has been well maintained at the dealer.
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