Pontiac Tempest Car starts and then dies Inspection at your home or office.

Our certified mobile mechanics come to you 7 days a week between 7 AM and 9 PM.

Estimate price near me

Service Location

Customer Ratings

(6)

How A Diagnostic Works

Instantly book a certified mobile mechanic to come to you

Mechanic diagnoses the problem and quotes necessary repairs

Your vehicle is ready to go

Fair, upfront & transparent pricing for all services

Our certified mobile mechanics can come to you now.

Customer Ratings

(6)

Car starts and then dies Inspection Service

How much does a Car starts and then dies Inspection cost?

On average, the cost for a Pontiac Tempest Car starts and then dies Inspection is $95 with $0 for parts and $95 for labor. Prices may vary depending on your location.

CarServiceEstimateShop/Dealer Price
1988 Pontiac TempestL4-2.0LService typeCar starts and then dies InspectionEstimate$114.99Shop/Dealer Price$124.99 - $132.49
1964 Pontiac TempestV8-5.3LService typeCar starts and then dies InspectionEstimate$94.99Shop/Dealer Price$105.01 - $112.52
1970 Pontiac TempestV8-6.6LService typeCar starts and then dies InspectionEstimate$94.99Shop/Dealer Price$105.01 - $112.52
1967 Pontiac TempestL6-3.8LService typeCar starts and then dies InspectionEstimate$94.99Shop/Dealer Price$104.99 - $112.48
1964 Pontiac TempestL6-3.5LService typeCar starts and then dies InspectionEstimate$94.99Shop/Dealer Price$105.02 - $112.55
1969 Pontiac TempestV8-5.7LService typeCar starts and then dies InspectionEstimate$94.99Shop/Dealer Price$105.01 - $112.52
1969 Pontiac TempestL6-4.1LService typeCar starts and then dies InspectionEstimate$99.99Shop/Dealer Price$109.87 - $117.28
1989 Pontiac TempestL4-2.0LService typeCar starts and then dies InspectionEstimate$99.99Shop/Dealer Price$110.24 - $117.94
Show example Pontiac Tempest Car starts and then dies Inspection prices

Starting a vehicle only to have it quit immediately after can be confusing and annoying for many drivers especially if their vehicle has not experienced this type of issue before. Typically, a vehicle will start and then quit because of an issue with the fuel or electrical system. It is important to monitor fuel levels as well as warning lights which can signal to the driver that a vehicle may quit unexpectedly.

How this system works:

To start a vehicle, the electrical system, composed of the battery and starter, turns the engine over. Once running, the engine requires a constant flow of gasoline and good spark to keep that fuel igniting. If gasoline is not readily available, or if there is not enough spark, the engine will quit. More modern vehicles with sophisticated computers may affect the way the vehicle runs. These computers help the car run efficiently but can also shut a car down if the fuel/air mixture is not correct. While an older vehicle may be less sophisticated and easier to diagnose, the computers on modern cars can provide more specific information when connected to a code scanner/reader.

Common reasons for this to happen:

  • Mass Airflow Sensor: The mass airflow sensor measures how much air is entering the engine and relays this information to the vehicle’s computer so that the right amount of fuel can be delivered from the fuel injectors. When a sensor begins to fail, the vehicle’s computer may generate an error code to indicate that something has gone wrong. An issue with the mass airflow sensor may manifest itself when a car starts and then stalls soon after starting.

  • Fuel Pump Relay: The fuel pump relay functions much like a fuse for an electric fuel pump. The fuel pump relay engages as the vehicle is started and starts the fuel pump. While the vehicle is running, the fuel pump relay turns off and the fuel pump is powered by the oil pressure sending unit. If the vehicle’s computer is unable to keep the fuel pump relay running throughout the starting process, the vehicle may start and quit immediately after starting.

  • Ignition Coil: Your vehicle’s ignition coil takes the low voltage of the battery and provides the thousands of volts needed to create a spark in the spark plugs. When an ignition coil begins to fail, it may struggle to provide consistent spark to the plugs, causing the engine to stall after starting.

What to expect:

A top-rated mobile mechanic will come to your home or office to determine the reason why the vehicle starts and then dies. The mechanic will then provide a detailed inspection report outlining why the vehicle quit and the cost of any repairs that need to be made.

How it's done:

A mechanic will begin diagnosing your vehicle’s issue by plugging a code reader/scanner into the vehicle’s computer. The mechanic should be able to get more information from your vehicle’s computer on what component has failed. Using this information, the mechanic can begin necessary repairs.

If your vehicle has a bad or failing mass airflow sensor, the mechanic will begin by finding the sensor in the engine bay and checking for any signs of failure. The mechanic should check the wire harness connected to the sensor to ensure that all of wires are properly connected. After removing the sensor, the mechanic should be able to discover the nature of the failure and replace the sensor.

If the mechanic suspects an issue with the fuel pump relay, he or she should check the vehicle’s computer for a problem. If the vehicle’s computer is having difficulty providing consistent power to the fuel pump relay, the computer may need to be reprogrammed or replaced. If the vehicle’s computer is functioning normally, the mechanic may need to replace the fuel pump relay.

If the mechanic suspects that the ignition coil may be faulty, he or she should first disconnect the battery before beginning work. The mechanic should then begin the process of disconnecting wires from the ignition coil and removing it from the engine bay. The mechanic will then install the new ignition coil and ensure that it is connected properly. The mechanic should then reconnect the battery and test the new coil.

With all repairs, the mechanic will ensure the newly installed parts work properly. The mechanic can then turn off and warning lights that may have come on while the vehicle was not running properly.

How important is this service?

If your vehicle is starting but dying soon after starting, you should have it checked out by a mechanic. Issues involving the fuel management and electrical systems will become worse if not dealt with. Diligence and paying attention to warning lights may help prevent further damage to critical engine component and may save money in repairs. A vehicle that quits after starting can be inconvenient and having a mobile mechanic inspect and repair you vehicle will ensure that you and your vehicle are back on the road soon.

Fast and easy service at your home or office

Backed by 12-month, 12.000-mile guarantee


Meet some of our expert Pontiac mechanics

Real customer reviews from Pontiac owners like you.

Excellent Rating

(6)

Rating Summary
6
0
0
0
0
6
0
0
0
0

Chris

22 years of experience
2266 reviews
Chris
22 years of experience
Pontiac Tempest V8-5.3L - Pre-purchase Car Inspection - Laguna Niguel, California
Chris did a great job inspecting the vehicle, I live in GA and wanted to purchase a car in CA so I needed an unbiased third party to look at it for me. My primary concern was that the car was represented accurately in the online ad (there are a lot of scams online now), which he did, we had a great conversation after the inspection which did a lot to comfort my concerns. This was a "project" car and needed to be evaluated accordingly, it was something that I had planned on doing a restoration on so I knew it needed some work. My only critique is that when the car was delivered there was a little more rust than I had expected, I wish that he had pointed that out, I accept some of the responsibility for not asking enough questions during our conversation. Overall I am extremely happy with the inspection service and would highly recommend Chris .

H

26 years of experience
828 reviews
H
26 years of experience
Pontiac Tempest L6-3.8L - Brakes, Steering and Suspension Inspection - Los Altos, California
On time. A true gentleman. Skilled with cars that date over many years. He knows older cars including many classics. Younger mechanics probably would know know a thing about a 4BBL Carburetor. One can see that he has a true love of cars & the work he does. This is only one experience so I would hope to see him back when needed.

Zachary

17 years of experience
31 reviews
Zachary
17 years of experience
Pontiac Sunfire L4-2.2L - Car starts and then dies Inspection - Fort Myers, Florida
There's times when you expect and there's times you're surprised. Zack displayed exceptional customer service, superb execution, and great patience. The key turned and success. In addition, he completed a 3 hr task in advance with precision. Finally, I had lost something important in some grass vines/dirt and he offered to help me find the missing item. Now what mechanic does that? I'll tell you, zack, your best mechanic!

Paul

25 years of experience
273 reviews
Paul
25 years of experience
Pontiac Grand Am V6-3.1L - Car starts and then dies - North Las Vegas, Nevada
Did a great job. Really knows his business and is fair on his pricing. HIghly recommend him and will use him again. He quickly assessed the problem and corrected the situation so that we could use our vehicle the same evening.

Excellent Rating

(6)

Rating Summary
6
0
0
0
0
6
0
0
0
0
Number of Pontiac Car starts and then dies Inspection services completed
66+
services done by our mechanics
TOTAL NUMBER OF EXPERT Pontiac MECHANICS
800+
experts on our platform

Recent articles & questions

How to Buy a Good Quality Cooling System Flush
Your Your radiator does the important job of helping to keep the engine cool. Overheating can cause serious, expensive damage like a blown head gasket (which typically requires complete engine replacement) or warped cylinders. The radiator circulates and cools the...
How to Drive a Toyota Prius
For For someone who has never driven a Prius, it may feel a bit like stepping into the cockpit of an alien spaceship when sliding into the driver’s seat. That’s because the Toyota Prius is a hybrid electric car and...
How to Replace a Radiator Fan Motor on Most Cars
The fan motor on the radiator fails when the engine overheats and the fan does not activate. This means that the coolant cannot cool the engine well.

Lights on dash suddenly started flashing while driving, accompanied by car surging & stalling

The vehicle may have a problem with the power relay (https://www.yourmechanic.com/services/ecm-power-relay-replacement) in the central junction box that powers the ignition and computer on the car. The relays and connections to the junction box will need to be checked if the...

Constant humming when above 35 mph

With less than 50,000 miles on your 2013 Jeep Patriot, a constant humming above 35 miles per hour is a concern. My first guess would be wheel bearings (like you checked), or perhaps a disc brake pad that was stuck....

SUV ran rough and has engine problems

You may want to have faults surveyed to see if there are any underlying issues on your 2003 Ford Excursion. Battery voltage (https://www.yourmechanic.com/article/how-to-check-the-voltage-of-a-car-battery) is extremely vital to vehicles with heavy electrical systems such as the Excursion. If the battery voltage...

How can we help?

Our service team is available 7 days a week, Monday - Friday from 6 AM to 5 PM PST, Saturday - Sunday 7 AM - 4 PM PST.

1 (855) 347-2779 · hi@yourmechanic.com