QuestionThanks Linda. We have had this car for about 9 years and it has 120k miles, now that you mentioned the loose battery wires that rings a bell to me, for the past 8 months the car has been having a problem where the engine would turn off when the car came to a stop say for example at a traffic light, but a simple turn of the key "off" and "on" again would always get the car going again and we had so many mechanics look at it but none of them ever fixed the problem. By coincidence when the car first went out on me on the highway we had just bought a battery for another car and it was in the trunk, so we hooked it up and still the starter was just clicking. Also I noticed when you turn the key all the way to the "start" position all the lights turn off and when you release the key back into the "On" position the whole dash lights up like its supposed to. I am assuming the loose point on the battery wires is not at the battery terminals, so how would I go about finding that loose point?
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A few days ago I was driving home when my car suddenly went dead, what was really strange was that it turned off while I was on the highway doing about 60MPH, I couldnt even tell it had gone dead for a couple of seconds, no grinding or anything of the sort except for a little roughness in the car kind of like going over a gravel road. I looked at the dash board and all the red lights were on and that was when I realised that the engind had turned off. I tried to restart the car but the starter would not even turn over, it was just making a click every time I turned the key. I then tried to tap the starter with a metal rod hoping that the starter was jammed and that I would undo it but that did not work either. I therefore concluded that the problem might be with the starter so I bought a new one and installed it. when I tried to start it did not work either, same old click in the starter and nothing else. I thought it could be the spark plugs but the engine is not even turning over, then I thought possibly the timing chain but still the startere should rotate. I am now thinking that there is some sort of jamming in the engine. I am tearing my hair out here please help.
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Mike: I got to ask, I had a car do that to me. And it was due to the fact that one of the battery cables was loose. As soon as I tighten that up, the car started and drove down the road. So have your checked your battery and it's cables? I remember all the lights where on in the dash too. It does not take much to power up those lights but to start the car or to move it down the road, your battery and it's cables has to be tight. I remember I battled that car for weeks trying to understand what was wrong with it, but once I got the battery cables to stay tight. The car never bothered again. But then I would check that timing belt too, it could be bad. If the battery and cables check out. Only other thing that could shut the engine down going down a road at 60 would be your car's computer. Just how old is this car and how many miles on it? Hope this helps and good luck!
AnswerMike: You need to get a repair manual for your car, most parts stores have them for around $20.00. And then you need get a voltmeter. Most shops will not take the time to check something like this. It will take you time to do this, but you should be able to find your problem with that voltmeter, you need the repair manual as it will tell you the reading you should be getting as you check around your car's engine. Starting with the battery. I would say that you either have a short someplace or maybe a relay is bad. But the voltmeter would show you the way for what. If you can not find a repair manual for your car, try your library. They carry manuals, some will let you check them out and others won't. You could always make copies of what you need too. Sears sells some good voltmeters but then I don't know how much you want to pay. The thing is a cable runs off the battery cable to your starter. The starter pulls a lot of power but then it has to turn the engine. Are you sure your engine is not stuck, therefore the start can not turn the flywheel? Could be your timing belt broke and has locked the engine up. The fact that you have a new battery, good cables and a new starter. When you turn the key, the light dim or go out. It is like the starter is pulling a lot of power but can not do anything. Because everything is locked up. The fact that the engine went out on you at 60 miles per hour. Makes me wonder if something like the timing belt or something like that broke. You can pull the upper cover off the belt and see how it looks to you. Some of these little cars have belts and some have chains. I think I would try the voltmeter but also look into maybe that your engine is stuck due to a broken belt or timing chain. Trying to force the engine to start with a maybe broken timing belt, well you will mess up your engine. I would be checking that timing belt. As I said with the engine stopping while you were zipping down the road at 60. I wish I had better news for you, I did call one of my other friends that works on cars too. And he said if the battery is new and the starter too; he would be looking someplace else then. But also the fact that the engine died at road speed. Something let go in the engine is what my friend said. Hope this helps you and good luck!
