Pontiac Repair: grand am, engine computer, thumps

Question
my car started to sputter and acted like it was out of gas it made a couple of thumps and quit it will not start i turn the key and it sounds and acts like it is going to start and then it makes those thumps and dies it is ot battery not out of gas not out of oil?

Answer
Hi Regina:

well form the sounds of it you described it nicley it sounds like it's lacking fuel. No it could just be that the fuel pump has gone bad or for some reason the engine computer is not commanding and fuel to flow into the engine. The first thing I would check on it is if it has fuel pressure. you need a gauge to do this. the other thing to check is have someone turn the key on while you listen under the car to see if you can hear the fuel pump turn on when the key is turned on. it shoukld run for about a second or 2 then tun off. If you don't hear it that is the reason it will not run.