John Rodgers wrote: > Subject: Sorta Scary Event > > Driving along the highway tonight, the engine just suddenly quit as > cold as if I had turned off the ignition. All the annunciator lights > came on as I coasted to a stop on the side of the road. I turned the > ignition off, then back on, then to start, and it fired right up, and > didn't fault again. For the engine to do that - even once - says I have > a problem. But where to even start looking I don't have a clue. It > didn't even sputter. It was like someone threw the "Off" switch - but > the ignition switch was on of course. What might cause a blatant engine > stoppage that way? It didn't even sputter. > > If it happened once - it WILL happen again. I can "out-scary" this, as the same thing happened to me on a couple of occasions (so yes, it WILL). Interestingly, both times in Alabama. My experience the first time was similar to yours- I coasted to stop, then turned the ignition off and back on and drove away. The second time, it happened while I was driving through the I-10 tunnel in Mobile, where coasting to a stop on the side of the road didn't seem like a viable option. I turned the ignition key to the off position while going about 50 m.p.h.(!) then back on and everything was good. After about a year of seemingly random and intermittent problems with the van, I ultimately discovered that one of the FI wires had been damaged due to compression by the AC motor and was creating a short. Since that wire was repaired, the "sorta scary event" never recurred, so I assume that the short circuit was the culprit. You might want to check for the possibility of similar electrical issues in your place. Good luck, Gary Anderson |
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