Q: Car shakes on starting, loses power & stalls uphill

asked by on July 25, 2016

My car mileage is around 49,000. When I started my car and was on level ground, the car started to shake viciously. There was loss of power repeatedly and the l-drive had a report showing ‘chassis malfunctioning.’ I am able to drive the car only slowly. The engine light stayed on and it didn't matter how far I pressed the gas pedal, there was no increase in power. Recently my car stalled several times when going uphill. During those times the gears wouldn't shift into neutral or park. Plus the steering wheel immediately locked. I had a close call of nearly having an accident which would have resulted in serious injuries. I allowed the car to sit for three hours and then it normally started. I have seen on chat lines where others have had this problem. They say that it is the fuel system (e.g., fuel pump, fuel injectors, fuel sensors, etc.) Do you agree with them that the fuel system is the main problem?

Hello there, a few different faults can cause this sort of problem. In most cases, with the steering wheel locking not shifting into park and the limp mode you have experienced. It would be more likely there is an electrical issue present. The most common causes would be a battery, alternator, battery cables or an intermittent open or short. I recommend having a professional inspect the car in person in order to diagnose your vehicle’s loss of power and stalling issue. From there, they will be able to make any repairs as appropriate.

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