Car dies, doesnt start an then starts, help?

LJamesP

Hello All,

Thanks in advance for any help given, im in a bit of a pickle really.

As i was driving about 2-3 miles my car cut out, it did not stutter it just died suddenly, its now done this twice. During the time that i was still rolling i turned the key and the car turned over but did not start. I pulled over to the side of the road and managed to get my jump leads out and waved down a passing car to give me a jump start. No luck. i waited about 5 to 10 minutes during the time i attempted to start the car multiple times to just the car trying to start but no actual start (the engine was turing over). After about 10 minutes the car started and i was able to drive back home which is about 10 miles.

When i got home, i pulled the battery out and charged it up indoors over night. I then put it back in the morning and set off. Again, about 2 miles and the car cut off, no stuttering just died. tried turning the key to the car turning over, did this about 4 times. 10 minutes later was able to drive back home as the car decided to start up.

Im in need of some help here, if anyone has an idea id appreciate it?

Thanks,

agrinnall

Fuel pipe blockage might be one cause.

Alter_ego

More details please Diesel? Petrol? Model?
Blocked fuel tank vent?

LJamesP

Its a Hyundai Getz 1.3 Petrol.

foxy-stoat

What to they have, spark plug leads or coils? Sounds electrical.

Engine light on? Can you get it to the garage for a diagnostic check?

AdrianC

If the starter turned the engine over OK, jump leads or re-charging the battery would make no difference - they help if your battery isn't providing enough electricity to spin the starter. That wasn't your problem.

I think the only way to diagnose your problem - I suspect it's electronic, with something intermittently failing as it warms up - is going to be to start checking through all the likely causes whilst the car isn't working. You'll have to leave it with a garage overnight, and they'll warm it up and wait for it to die, then start on the diagnosis. It might be hit-and-miss, you might have to rule out components by replacing them then finding that hasn't fixed the problem.

LJamesP

they have spark plugs, just hate it when things go wrong on the car its always so expensive.

[Deleted User]

I had a similar fault which plagued my old Corsa B. It died every now and then, refused to start then started days later.Garages nowadays are not staffed by old timers who had knowledge but rather than people who like to plug it into their diagnostic equipment and do it the easy way. "Computer says no " was the usual answer..no fault found, so in their eyes thats as far as they could be bothered to go. Tried a garage who had someone with brains who realised it was one of the many sensors populating modern car engines and was a case of trial and error replacement .Second sensor changed cured it for good. Modern engines need a garage who has a virtual expert in all these different sensors and their effects when they either fail or have an intermittent fault, not just plug it in and see what computer says.

reeac

Many, many years ago I had an Austin Montego VandenPlas which was my first car with electronic fuel injection. It developed a habit of completely cutting out but being restart able (?) after a short interval. After a dodgy episode on the M25 one wet night I had a good look and found that the wiring to the air flow sensor was stretched rather tight. I pulled a bit of slack from the harness elsewhere and that cured the problem. Just a thought. Check by pulling the engine wiring around a bit whilst the engine is running to see if there is any sensitive bit which stops the engine.

EdGasket

Most likely the crankshaft position sensor. When they go bad, they start cutting out when hot. When they have cooled off they work again for a while.

Muscle750

I would echo that crank sensor