Q: Car stutters, feels like wants to die when accelerating.

asked by on January 05, 2017

so recently, after my car sits for a whole day and has not been driven, the next time i start it, it seems to stutter when i accelerate almost feeling like it wants to die. in this case i thought i just needed to drive more so the battery will charge, because after i drove it for a while it stopped stuttering. but after today while driving, the battery symbol on the dash came on and my car was about to die. i can tell because it started using the radio for power. a day after i go to start it, it does not start. once i jumped the car it started but then dies later on when idling. what is the problem?

My car has 186000 miles.
My car has an automatic transmission.

Alternator Replacement $166.62 - $1297.14 Get a Quote

Hi There, What you are describing sounds like you may have a failing alternator. As you may know, the alternator is responsible for charging the battery while the engine runs by generating amperage and recharging the battery while the engine turns the alternator. The voltage regulator is a unit that regulates the charging of the battery by the alternator and maintaining a certain amperage while the engine runs. When the alternator is not working properly, this may result in the battery quickly losing charge and the car losing all power as you have described. You may also notice a whining sound as a result of the bearings inside the alternator begin to fail. I would recommend having an expert from YourMechanic come to your location to diagnose and inspect your charging system.

The statements expressed above are only for informational purposes and should be independently verified. Please see our terms of service for more details

Get an instant quote for your car

Our certified mechanics come to you ・Backed by 12-month, 12,000-mile guarantee・Fair and transparent pricing


Experienced Mechanic?

Earn up to $70/hr

What others are asking

Car won't start
Hi there. A loose connection at the battery can cause starting problems. The power and ground sides of any circuit need to have good connections for their components to work properly. A fully charged battery and a no start situation...
Sunroof stuck open
Hi there. A jammed sunroof is caused usually because of gathered dirt along the track obstructing the sliding of the sunroof. Another possible issue can be that your sunroof motor has weakened over usage. You can have a certified mechanic,...
My car is idling at 500 rpms is that normal? It's sounds like it's about to shut off but it doesn't
Hello. A low idle can be caused by a few different things. Before doing anything, I'd start by checking the computer for codes. This would tell me if the computer is seeing anything that is not correct. If there are...
We are replacing rhe water pump and the special tool is not working it just keeps slipping the water pump is very rusty need help
The replacement of the water pump on your vehicle is more complex than the average vehicle and does require a special GM tool (J 38816-A Water Pump Remover & Installer), therefore if you desire you can request that a certified...
Why doesn't car start after running out of gas girlfriend ran gas out of car now won't start plenty of gas in tank doesn't sound l
Fuel pumps rely on liquid gasoline for cooling. Consequently, it is recommended to keep the fuel tank at least 1/4 full to prevent the fuel pump from overheating. If the pump is run to the point of being dry, the...
check enginelight is on and the gas range fluctuates often even after i changed the gas cap and had a smoke test done
Codes can't be the "basis" for replacing ANY part on a car. Codes ONLY provide clues to mechanics as to the origin of a fault and the ONLY use of these clues is they permit identification of the parts and...
coolant low in my van
The coolant level is checked by looking at the plastic reservoir (overflow) tank. You should see a min. (minimum) and max. (maximum) levels marked on the reservoir. When the vehicle is stone cold, the level of coolant in the tank...

Related articles

The Best Used Cars to Buy for Dog Owners
Dog Dog owners are a special breed of drivers. When they shop for a used car they have a list of requirements that can be quite different from other drivers, which tends to make the process a bit of a...
The Best Used Cars to Buy for Teenagers
If If you’ve decided that you’re ready to purchase a used car for your teenager, then you’re probably pretty picky about what you’re looking for. Likely affordability, safety, and fuel economy are high on the list. With that said we’ve...
The Best Used Cars to Buy If You're in a Wheelchair
Being Being in a wheelchair means you have a very specific list of demands, and requests for your vehicle. The main focus is of course how you will get in and out of the vehicle. There are some other aspects...