Very scary! My car suddenly lost all power while driving at about 50mph

[booklover]

Hello everyone

Well i was driving home on my 77 mile from uni yesterday at 3pm and about 25 minutes into my journey, having driven about 10 miles something pretty strange and scary happened. I am hoping someone can shed some light on this... :question:

I was on a main A road (speed limit 60 mph) and suddenly for no apparent reason I lost power and my car basically wouldn't accelerate, I tried in vain and luckily managed to make it over to the side of the road. I turned the engine off and then on again and tried to get my car to start but it just made a "churning over" sound. :eek:

It was awful, I phoned the Rac and they eventually came out about an hour later but couldn't identify the cause of the problem - they said something about the timing belt maybe being the cause.

About another hour and a half later a recovery truck came and took my car and myself home.

It was cold and miserable siting in the car all that time but at least it wasn't dark. It worst part was that my mobile ran out after I phoned the RAC.....

I don't know what to do now as my husband has phoned and nobody can take it to look at for about a week and I'm really scared in case it needs a new engine and we really can't afford that :cry:

I really need a car to make this 160 mile journey each day and the public transport isn't very good. :(

I tried again when I got home and there is NO POWER IN THE CAR AT ALL.

I spent over £300 just 3 weeks in preparation for the MOT and it had been fine since!


Many thanks in advance for reading this and looking forward to your replies.

Fiona

PS. Sorry this is so long.

[Wig]

Missing information:

Make
Model (inc fuel type)
Year

Don't see that there is much anyone here can say, you'll have to wait for a garage to look at it.

[cajef]

If it is the timing belt then it depends on the make of car whether any damage has been done, some engines the belt breaking does not do any damage and it can just be replaced while others can have damaged valves and heads which is an expensive job.

[booklover]

Missing information:

Make
Model (inc fuel type)
Year

Don't see that there is much anyone here can say, you'll have to wait for a garage to look at it.

I know that Wig but there is no harm in me talking about this incident is there?? :( :rolleyes:

Fiona


BTW<
Missing information:

Make: Renault Laguna
Model: (inc fuel type) Authenique Petrol I.6
Year: 2001

[Conor]

At worst, timing belt.

There's also:
Fuel pump failure
Ignition module failure.
Sensor failure such as crankshaft sensor.

It could be something as simple as the fuse for the fuel pump blowing.

[goldspanners]

that sounds like the worst RAC man ever.surely he could tell you if the timing belt had snapped?
a quick visual inspection,even at the roadside would identify this.

[PasturesNew]

Does it drive now?
Does it start now?

[PasturesNew]

Also: 160 miles/day = £16+ in fuel alone. Then all the running costs. Probably £30/day. If it were me I'd look at getting a local bedsit and staying there 4 nights a week.

[anewman]

Does it drive now?
Does it start now?

Not at all according to above post.

Someone told me they managed to have their cam belt changed at the side of the road on a Ford Sierra. I couldn't believe that, but the person who told me is trustworthy so I can only assume the Sierra cam belt is easy to swap out.

[PasturesNew]

As others have said, could be a multitude of things... might be the alternator even.

[cajef]

Someone told me they managed to have their cam belt changed at the side of the road on a Ford Sierra.

Not that difficult if it is accessible and you know what you are doing, several years ago I changed one for someone on an Astra in a car parked in a layby in France once, only took about half an hour.

[stumpjumper]

Possibly could be the ignition coils, it's very common on french cars of this age. Good news if it is that, is that it's prettey cheap to fix and no long term damage.

[booklover]

Also: 160 miles/day = £16+ in fuel alone. Then all the running costs. Probably £30/day. If it were me I'd look at getting a local bedsit and staying there 4 nights a week.

I wish i could stay up at the uni but I'm a mature student and have to be home for my 16 year old son and husband as they would be very annoyed if I stayed up.

yes I think its very dear and tiring to drive to the uni and back each evening; it takes about 4 hours altogether. :eek:

I don't know much about cars, oh well I might have to be in debt now.......... and buy another one..

No it doesn't drive at all now, there has been no power at all since this happened and my husband told me I cant get anyone from the garage to look at it until next week. :cry:

I know it makes me seem really lazy and spoilt but I really need the car as getting the bus isn't good, it will add at least another 2 hours on to my day and its £15 per day on the bus.. :(

Many thanks to everyone who has read this.. :grouphug:

Fiona

[anewman]

I wish i could stay up at the uni but I'm a mature student and have to be home for my 16 year old son and husband as they would be very annoyed if I stayed up.

Respectfully, they're all old enough to care for themselves :) It would seem to make sense if the total cost of renting and maintaining a property is much cheaper than the total trip cost minus the cost of one return trip for the weekend.

I would remain hopeful for a cheap repair rather than rushing to buy a new car.

[Conor]

Not at all according to above post.

Someone told me they managed to have their cam belt changed at the side of the road on a Ford Sierra. I couldn't believe that, but the person who told me is trustworthy so I can only assume the Sierra cam belt is easy to swap out.

It is. I own a Ford Capri with the same engine. Then beauty of them is that it's a big engine bay and rear wheel drive so it's not a case of trying to change it with an inch of room to work in. Can be done in 20 minutes taking your time or 10 minutes in a rush.

[goldspanners]

It is. I own a Ford Capri with the same engine. Then beauty of them is that it's a big engine bay and rear wheel drive so it's not a case of trying to change it with an inch of room to work in. Can be done in 20 minutes taking your time or 10 minutes in a rush.

i'll second this,i sold my capri 3 years ago,it was only a 1.6 so you could swing a cat or 2 under the bonnet whilst changing the belts.
BRING BACK THIS SIMPLICITY!!!!

[dominicadatia]

I had a similar problem with my old car (P-reg citroen AX 1L) .. was driving along, and suddenly radio went off, indicators stopped working and other gauges went flat...

RAC guy comes and tells us we have a duff alternator (but I remain skeptical and just ask him to tow us home) ... cleaned the contacts on the battery and hey presto car is fine after a jump start (still going 2 years later)

[darich]

i had a similar experience in a Vauxhall Nova GTE.
When changing from 1st to 2nd gear, my clutch hit the floor and loads of smoke came from the dashboard.
Radio switched off too.
I phoned the AA and when i explained to him what had happened he said my earth strap had snapped before he even lifted the bonnet.
He was right - the car earthed itself through the clutch cable and it melted - that's why my foot hit the floor and i got lots of smoke.
He took me to a nearby vauxhall garage, and they had the parts in stock.

He fitted the new clutch cable and earth strap in about 15mins and i was driving again around an hour after i broke down.

Very simple but it's a nightmare to do anything these days.

[Wig]

Update?.........

[anewman]

Was in the other thread http://forums.moneysavingexpert.com/showthread.html?t=604427 It seems the cam belt snapped and OP paid £1k for rework of cylinder head, new valves and a cam belt.