Car shut off while driving, already changed alternator

DEWEYDEWEY

MEMBER
2002 FORD TAURUS
2WD
AUTOMATIC
120,000 MILES

I was driving and randomly I lost all power steering and all the dash lights came on and the engine was off. I thought it was the alternator so I checked and it was not outputting and electricity so I changed it. Now it puts out electricity, but I drove it the next day and the same thing happened while I was driving shut off and all dash lights came on no power steering.

Wednesday, May 2nd, 2018 AT 3:22 PM

6 Replies

HARRY P

MECHANIC
2,292 POSTS

Two questions: (1) Does the engine start back up when you turn the key? (2) Is the service engine light on?

If the service engine light is not on, you can start with checking something simple, the battery cables. Loose or corroded connections can cause all sorts of weird behavior, like the stalling out that you are getting. Check this guide out and follow the steps within: https://www.2carpros.com/articles/everything-goes-dead-when-engine-is-cranked

Let us know and we will go from there.

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Wednesday, May 2nd, 2018 AT 7:14 PM

DEWEYDEWEY

MEMBER
4 POSTS

When it first happened I turned it back on right away and drove for about two more minutes then it shut off again. I turned it on again managed to move about three feet and it shut off. Then again turned on but did not get a chance to move before it turned off again. The next day I turned it on and was able to drive it home. So I figured it was the alternator but put a new one in and next day it did the same thing shutting off while driving turns back on for only a little and shuts off again. The reason I did not think it was wire connection problems is because the lights and everything are still on and it still turns back on just fine.

The service engine light is not coming on by itself it is just turning on along with all the other dash lights when the car turns off by itself.

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Wednesday, May 2nd, 2018 AT 7:22 PM

HARRY P

MECHANIC
2,292 POSTS

If it was related to the alternator, it would not start back up at all, until the battery was charged again. A failing alternator does not charge like it is supposed to, so the electrical components all run off of the battery until the battery runs out of juice. Then the car shuts off and will not do anything until recharged.

I think that a bad wire connection is actually the most likely problem here. The connection is going and coming, off and on and off and on. This causes the car to shut off and be restarted. I think. So definitely go ahead and check those cables all the way around and make sure that they are tight and clean. Good luck and let us know.

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Wednesday, May 2nd, 2018 AT 8:02 PM

DEWEYDEWEY

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4 POSTS

Thank you. I will check the cables!

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Wednesday, May 2nd, 2018 AT 8:59 PM

DEWEYDEWEY

MEMBER
4 POSTS

I do not know if I am allowed to ask another question but here goes. Along with the shutting off problem, today when I went to start it there was a horrible grinding sound. So I stopped pulled out the key and then retried and it worked just fine. Then later it happened again same thing except this time it took two tries before it would turn on without giving me the grinding sound. I figured it was the starter or the flywheel but got them checked and both are fine.

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Wednesday, May 2nd, 2018 AT 9:02 PM

HARRY P

MECHANIC
2,292 POSTS

To me it sounds like the starter was sticking. I am not sure how it was checked without being removed and bench tested, but I would bet that the solenoid switch is shorting out, causing the issue. That could also explain the car shutting off like it did, because it would use a lot of power and may divert too much energy for the car to run, causing it to stall.

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Thursday, May 3rd, 2018 AT 3:33 AM