Mitsubishi Repair: Mits Eclipse shuts down while driving, auto shut down, fuel pump

Question
i have a 1995 mits eclipse and recently it will shut down while driving and sometimes starts right back up but sometimes i have to wait 10 to 15 minutes to restart to get 500 feet!! i have had the engine wiring replaced, fuel relay, and auto shut down relay both replaced as well. the dealer checked the computer and said it was fine as well. i have spent almost $500 dollars and the problems persist. will you please help? thanks

Answer
Heather: You had the fuel relay replaced did the dealer check to make sure your fuel pump is putting out enough fuel. If you run your car down to empty before filling it up, with time you will cook the pump because the fuel is what keeps it cool. Should only go down to a 1/4 empty before you fill it up again. I had this pick-up that the dealer replaced a lot of things, said it was fine and it turned out to be a fuel pump was bad. If not the fuel pump then it sounds like a weak sensor to me. The computer controls everything, it gets its ideas from all the sensors through out the engine. In a matter of but a second or two sets up how the engine should run. If you have a weak sensor, the computer will still try to run the engine as it thinks it should be running. Either something is not hooked up right, there is a short someplace or it is a sensor. Now the dealer said the computer was ok, did he coded the car to get this idea. Or did he just tell you that? You should have the car coded to rule out any problem with the computer or sensors. I worked on a car just on this same order and in the end we just replaced the computer. Which fixed the car but I am not saying that will work with your car. But gee, you have replaced the relays, which is what I would have said next. When the car does this shut down thing, have you ever tried to remove the neg cable off the battery, waited 5 minutes and then put it back on? That would reset the computer. I have to say this sounds like the computer to me. A lot of dealerships will say they can not code your age of car. But if you check around to other shops you might find one that will do this for you. Then you would know for sure about all the sensors and the computer. I don't know how you feel about this dealership where you took your car for that work. But I would be hauling it back into them, I mean you did pay out all kinds of money to get your car fixed and it is not running right. Go in put your foot down and get them to fix it right! I have to say I do not like how dealerships treat woman.. now maybe I am out of line with that. But I know I have never been treated very good at a dealership unless I am buying a car. You have spent a lot of money and you have a right to get your car fixed for that kind of money. Surely the dealership stands behind their work? So tell them you want that computer checked again. Keep them honest, ask to see the print out when they are done. Hey keep me posted on this too. Take care now and good luck! Linda