Car shut off while driving

Hi and thanks for using 2CarPros.com.

If there is no check engine light staying on and this is the only time it happened, it could be many different things, vacuum leak, idle air control valve stuck, bad gas. If you would like to check a few things, I will attach links that describe the component and how to check them.

Checking for a vacuum leak:

https://www.2carpros.com/articles/how-to-use-an-engine-vacuum-gauge

Here is a link that discusses possible issues that cause a car to stall while driving and how to check and repair:

https://www.2carpros.com/articles/engine-stalls

Let me know if this helps or if you have other questions.

Take care,
Joe

Hi thanks.
My car has been revving up when I start goes up not to much, but it has never done that before.

It has been doing it for like three weeks.

Welcome back.

There is a chance that it is related to an engine vacuum leak or the idle air control valve (IAC). The IAC is responsible for maintaining the engine's idle speed. You mentioned that the idle has been higher than normal. I attached a picture of possible causes. However, there is a list. If the check engine light is on, you should scan the computer to determine if there is a trouble code stored which should indicate where the problem is coming from.

Here is a quick video showing it being done. Most parts stores will do it for you for free.

https://youtu.be/YV3TRZwer8k

If the check engine light is not on, most likely, there will not be codes. Were you able to test any of the items I mentioned in the first post? There are so many different things which can cause it. Things as simple as a plugged air filter can cause the engine to run rich or even not at all. A weak battery can cause the idle issue.

Let me know.

Joe

Sir,
Recently i overhauled my car engine , now i am facing the bad throttle issues and when i put my car on reverse it shut off. while driving RPM goes down randomly throttle body is cleaned MAF sensor is cleaned. I am stuck with it.Please help with your suggestion.

Hi,

Have you checked to see if there are diagnostic trouble codes? Also, have you checked for engine vacuum leaks as well as fuel pressure?

https://www.2carpros.com/articles/how-to-use-an-engine-vacuum-gauge

https://www.2carpros.com/articles/how-to-check-fuel-system-pressure-and-regulator

Let me know.

Joe

Hi Joe,

Thanks for your reply. i forgot to tell that there was no check sign appeared. Last night i checked my car for vacuum leaks and found loose piping, i fixed it and now it is running smoothly. i would like to thank 2CarPros team and your self to give me prompt support.
Thanks again.

I'm glad to hear you got it fixed and you are very welcome. We are always here if you need help, so please visit us again.

Have a nice holiday season.

Joe

My car is a 2009 Toyota Corolla. Lately it is as though the car is about to stall...it seems as though the engine is working harder when going up hill..it is powering out. One time the car steering got really hard to turn the wheel. The car is a push start baby, the starter has been out for years, I'm too broke to fix it.

The car has also gotten noisy. This has all happened in the past 2 months

Thanks for this site :-)

Is the engine missing? Has the check engine light come on? Have you checked the catalytic converter for plugging, the fuel pump pressure...?

The engine light has not come on..and no the engine is not missing...it is as though it is about to stall but doesn't. I have not checked the catalytic converter for plugging or the fuel pump pressure. I do not know how to do that. I did for get to mention that one of the posts on the battery had a light blue chalky sunstance on it. I did clean that the best that I could. Also we just moved from a very dry climate to an area with lots of moisture

The reason I mentioned the converter is because you said it seems louder. See if the exhaust has pressure coming out. Based on the climate changes, you may want to check for ignition wires that are worn and consider a tune up. A damp climate can cause spark plug wires to arc and cause a rough idle. Also, since it feels like it wants to stall, check to make sure there are no vacuum leaks and the Idle air control valve is working properly.

Ok I will do all of that. Thank you for your responses..it is much appreciated!

Glad to help. Let me know what you find.

Rpm lower than 500 rpm , dtc p1603 engine stall history

Are you sure that code is correct? I checked 3 references and it isn't listed in any of them for a Toyota. As far as the low idle and stalling history, has anyone checked for vacuum leaks? This guide can help.

https://www.2carpros.com/articles/how-to-use-an-engine-vacuum-gauge

When gas is revved up especially when going on an inclined area, car engine would stop. And then the car would not start. After a while, the car would start again. What could be the problem?

it sounds like a fuel pump is going out. check fuel pressure with a gauge auto parts rent it although you may need an adapter.

https://www.2carpros.com/articles/how-to-check-fuel-system-pressure-and-regulator

My car keeps stalling on me. Slowing down for speed bumps, or stop signs, and just recently entering the freeway from a off ramp. And sometimes the car jerks but doesn't stall. I am from Minnesota and someone said it was the cold weather, at the time it was below zero. But on the freeway today it was 30 degrees and I had been driving for 45 min. I took it in a while back and they hooked up a computer to find out why my check engine light was on. I got no answer. The check engine light hasn't come on since. Please tell me why my car keeps stalling so I can fix it before I stall on the freeway with my family in the car. Thanks.

Is the check engine light on? If so I would start with a scan of the computer to see what failures it has logged. This will save a lot of guess work. Also look for obvious issues like the intake hose from the air box to engine having cracks or holes in it


Read these guides, they will help you figure it out

https://www.2carpros.com/articles/checking-a-service-engine-soon-or-check-engine-light-on-or-flashing

https://www.2carpros.com/articles/stall-at-idle

https://www.2carpros.com/articles/engine-stalls

My 2006 Toyota Corolla began stalling while driving. It began with the car having a brief stalling occassinally for several weeks but recovering again. With time it completely shut-off while driving. I checked the internet and found out that there was a recall for the ECM (Engine Control Module) however it had already been replaced on my vehicle. Took the car to a Toyota dealership mechanic who stated that all the diagnostics tests he performed came normal. He noticed that one of the battery terminals was loose causing the problem. I told him that the car was supposed to continue running when you remove one of the battery cables, since the alternator keeps it running. However he said that since the problem was intermitent the car computer interprets it as a malfunction and turns off the engine. He tighten the battery terminal and on I went. Few days later the problem began again. On my way to a local mechanic I noticed that the car completely stalled when I turned on the A/C while the car was running. Made to the shop and explained what happened. He ask to start the car, put it on drive and then turn on the A/C. Right there he noticed that the car was revving to low. He proceeded to remove a part from my car that contained the choke plate and it was very dirty with soot or carbon deposit. He proceeded to clean it with gasoline and a rag and reinstalled it. Voila... The car started running smoothly again and did not stall when I turned on the A/C. He explained to me that with time this carbon deposits form in the choke and it is unable to open completely. The ECM attempts to increase the air intake but with time it gets to a point that it cannot get enough fuel mixture in the engine and it stalls. The good thing he charged me only $45 for the repair.

I was driving and all of a sudden my car started sputtering like I was out of gas. I put my foot to the floor on the gas pedal and went nowhere. It finaly let me move a few feet, sputtered again and died. I tried starting it again, but it would not turn over.

Do you know what it might be? I haven't a clue.

Thanks for any help or suggestions you may have.

You need three things for an engine to run, spark, fuel and compression.

I would check spark first, if none, then ignition module or camshaft/crankshaft sensor.

If spark, then check fuel pressure with a mechanical gauge.

If the car will not turn over (will not rotate) then check battery and charging system.

If the engine rotates but will not start then check items above.

Have an '05 Corolla w/ ~76k miles, changed oil regularly entire life. Driving today & it started hesitating/stalling during exceleration. Check engine light came on, finally hesitated to the point of stalling. Couldn't start it up again - engine turns & the entire car jerks every time the motor turns over, but it doesn't catch. Sound like fuel, emissions, other? Zero problems before now, new battery, no other symptoms.

Take it to autozone and have them pull the OBD2 code/s from the computer and comeback with it this is where we start

Thanks, but it had to be towed last night & is unfortunately at the dealer. Was hoping the symptoms might indicate something so I know what to expect/not expect from the dealer. Thank you for the response

They said the fuel pump went bad (makes sense to me from the symptoms). The part ranges around $150 from what I can tell, but the cost to replace it & associated filters/etc was $1,100 !!! Nearly passed out. Called 2 or 3 other places & the price was pretty consistent - I guess there's a lot of labor involved? I remember changing the fuel pump on an '87 Nova (the corolla version) in 30 mins when it was attached to the engine.