Q: My Lumina 2001 turns off while driving 2001 Chevrolet Lumina

asked by on March 13, 2017

My Lumina 2001, turns off while i am driving. Sometimes it won't start, other times it starts like there is nothing. Because of this issue, that wasn't that frequent i had changed the self starter and the battery. But clearly the problems aren't from there. This was happening like once a month or so, now it's very frequent. When it turns off while i am driving, i am unable to restart it again immediately. But if i leave it for 15 minutes or more, it would start normally and sometimes it won't at all. It is not related to car engine being hot or cold. This issue did actually exhaust the battery, and i was seeing the dashboard light playing, but not anymore when the new battery is installed. When trying to start the car, after turning off, i can hear the starter turning but the car won't start, so i stop trying to avoid re-damaging the self starter. I think my engine are Gulf (Dubai) specs, hence it is 3.4 or 3.6 liter liter i believe.

My car has 150000 miles.
My car has an automatic transmission.

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When the engine is not starting you will need to check and see if you hear the fuel pump run when you turn on the key on and off? If you do not hear the pump then you most likely are losing fuel pump pressure and need to replace the pump in the fuel tank. If you hear the pump run then you may have a crankshaft or camshaft sensor failing. You should have the computer and fuel pressure tested to see if you have good pressure and if there is codes set to the sensors and replace sensors if you have codes to them. An intermittent problem such as yours you will need to test for spark or fuel loss to isolate the cause of the stalling.

Hi there- your first task is to determine if there are any problem codes set, whether the Check Engine light is on or not. If no codes are set, a failing rankshaft position sensor one possible failure mode, but a failing fuel pump would also act this way - stuttering before shutting off. If you don’t have spark at the plugs when it shuts off, crankshaft position sensor of ignition failure is the cause. If you have spark, but no fuel - the fuel pump relay or pump itself is suspect. For additional assistance, I recommend a car stalling inspection performed by a mobile, professional mechanic, such as one from YourMechanic, who will come to your location, diagnose this problem, and give you an accurate assessment of damage and cost estimate for repairs.

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