Car shuts down while driving

Tiny
JJKRIEG
  • MEMBER
  • 2007 MAZDA 3
In the last 2 weeks my car has shut off 2 times while driving. The power goes out and the check engine light, battery light, and wheel pressure light all come on. The steering wheel locked up and I had to push on the breaks really hard to stop the car. I turned it off, and it started right back up with no problems. No lights have come on and the car is driving fine. I brought it in to the dealer, (the car is still under warranty) and they told me there were no "codes" they could find and they drove the car and there was no problem with it. What could be the cause, and should the dealer be able to find this through the "codes"?
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Monday, February 16th, 2009 AT 4:45 PM

25 Replies

Tiny
MASTERTECHTIM
  • MECHANIC
  • 4,749 POSTS
This sounds like you have a battery that is shorting out internally but to be sure here is a guide to help us test the battery.

https://www.2carpros.com/articles/car-battery-load-test

Please run down this guide and report back.
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Monday, February 16th, 2009 AT 5:48 PM
Tiny
MINGE
  • MEMBER
  • 1 POST
Thanks for this post I had this problem and had to replace the battery all fixed! I love this site.
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Thursday, May 23rd, 2019 AT 2:11 PM
Tiny
OOKLEY
  • MEMBER
  • 2 POSTS
  • 2007 MAZDA 3
  • 4 CYL
  • FWD
  • MANUAL
  • 87,000 MILES
A couple weeks ago, my husband wrecked my car. The front right of the car was damaged, around the front of the tire. The car was in the shop for a couple weeks. When I picked it up, I was at the first stoplight after leaving the mechanic when I noticed the RPMs were pretty low. After a few seconds, the car stalled. It started up again fine, but the same thing happened at the next stoplight, so I took the car back. They kept it for another day or two, but couldn't find anything wrong with it. The mechanic thought maybe it was because it had been pretty cold the two weeks it was in the shop and it hadn't been driven. I have had the car for about a week since then, and the RPMs still seem low, but it hasn't stalled as often as the first day I picked it up. Occasionally it will still stall when I'm at a stoplight or stop sign. Do you know what may be causing the car to stall? The check engine light is not on, nor are any of the other dash lights. Should I take it back to the mechanic?
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Thursday, May 23rd, 2019 AT 2:12 PM (Merged)
Tiny
KNOWLEDGE IS POWER
  • MECHANIC
  • 1,136 POSTS
Indeed I would most definitely take it back to him. Get him to ride along with you to make your point. Don't be put off, you have a legitimate problem
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Thursday, May 23rd, 2019 AT 2:12 PM (Merged)
Tiny
OOKLEY
  • MEMBER
  • 2 POSTS
Thanks. Do you have any idea what it could be, though? They didn't seem to know why repairs to the front passenger side of the car would cause the car to stall. I was hoping to have some idea going in
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Thursday, May 23rd, 2019 AT 2:12 PM (Merged)
Tiny
KNOWLEDGE IS POWER
  • MECHANIC
  • 1,136 POSTS
It sounds like it could be just a vacuum leak. Id look for that first
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Thursday, May 23rd, 2019 AT 2:12 PM (Merged)
Tiny
MACACCIABAUDO
  • MEMBER
  • 4 POSTS
  • 2007 MAZDA 3
  • 105,000 MILES
The battery is new, starter and alternator was checked and were claimed to be good. The car won't start after it sits for a while. When it gets jumped, I need to hit the gas to get it to turn over. I don't know much about cars nor what I should do. Please help.
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Thursday, May 23rd, 2019 AT 2:12 PM (Merged)
Tiny
SATURNTECH9
  • MECHANIC
  • 30,870 POSTS
So the battery only goes dead when the engine s off?Do you have a multi meter to do some testing?
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Thursday, May 23rd, 2019 AT 2:12 PM (Merged)
Tiny
MACACCIABAUDO
  • MEMBER
  • 4 POSTS
I don't but they checked the battery at oreillys and they said it was all good.
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Thursday, May 23rd, 2019 AT 2:12 PM (Merged)
Tiny
MACACCIABAUDO
  • MEMBER
  • 4 POSTS
And yes only when it's off.
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Thursday, May 23rd, 2019 AT 2:12 PM (Merged)
Tiny
SATURNTECH9
  • MECHANIC
  • 30,870 POSTS
I was talking about checking the battery for a draw from the car. Then you would pull fuses till the draw went away to find the circuit the draw was on.
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Thursday, May 23rd, 2019 AT 2:12 PM (Merged)
Tiny
MACACCIABAUDO
  • MEMBER
  • 4 POSTS
If the battery can still open and close windows and keeps all the lights bright would that still be a necessary step?
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Thursday, May 23rd, 2019 AT 2:12 PM (Merged)
Tiny
SATURNTECH9
  • MECHANIC
  • 30,870 POSTS
If the battery is getting drained to the point of the starter not being able to turn the engine over to start itthen yes to find the problem
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Thursday, May 23rd, 2019 AT 2:12 PM (Merged)
Tiny
SIERRABUG
  • MEMBER
  • 1 POST
  • 2007 MAZDA 3
  • 2.3L
  • 2WD
  • AUTOMATIC
  • 117,000 MILES
I have a 2007 Mazda 3, 2.3. I recently went on a road trip and my check engine light came on. After the light came on, I noticed it started stalling when going slow speeds - ie: parking lots or neighborhoods. Sometimes instead of stalling it just looses power steering, and the radio and lights. I got a new battery a couple months ago so I don't think it could be that. I don't know where to even start. I got the code read for the engine light and they said my thermostat could ether be stuck open or it could be bad. He said my engine is running too cool. Could that have anything to do with the stalling? I think the power problem could be something else but much help would be appreciated.
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Thursday, May 23rd, 2019 AT 2:12 PM (Merged)
Tiny
MLDANIELS2000
  • MECHANIC
  • 227 POSTS
A cool engine will skew the fuel trim ratios set by the engine computer. I would suggest replacing your thermostat and flushing you coolant system and adding new coolant. Your engine computer will burn more fuel if it can't reach closed loop monitoring (which only happens when it reaches correct operating temps) causing more unspent fuel to saturate your catalytic converter and ultimately burning out your catalytic converter which can be expensive ($500-$1000) to replace.
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Thursday, May 23rd, 2019 AT 2:12 PM (Merged)
Tiny
CLAPTON_MNT
  • MEMBER
  • 1 POST
  • 2004 MAZDA 3
  • 1.6L
  • 4 CYL
  • MANUAL
  • 90,000 MILES
Hello and Merry Christmas to all! About two months ago I bought a new (used) car with a manual transmission - Mazda 3 2004 with petrol engine (chain). I have a problem - I often stall the car. The reason is that the clutch catches very high and it’s uncomfortable to drive. In fact, in my previous car clutch catches very low and the car is not stalling even once. Furthermore, my old car has a diesel engine and she drove off without gas. When I drive my Mazda3 I sometimes forget about the gas pedal and the car stalls.
What kind of damage exactly does stalling do to my car? Is there reason to worry about the health of my transmission, engine or clutch?
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Thursday, May 23rd, 2019 AT 2:12 PM (Merged)
Tiny
HMAC300
  • MECHANIC
  • 48,606 POSTS
See if clutch can be adjusted when the car stalls it doesn't hurt it. Try cleaning the throttle plate on both sides an diac hole with choke cleaner it may not stall so much.
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Thursday, May 23rd, 2019 AT 2:12 PM (Merged)
Tiny
MAAS
  • MEMBER
  • 1 POST
  • 2004 MAZDA 3
Electrical problem
2004 Mazda 3 4 cyl Automatic

Recently my car has been shutting off the whole car meaning radio and all lights shut off than after it shuts off it is very hard to move my steering wheel but turns back on. The part that sucks it does it when ever. I did go to the dealership hooked up to test my engine and it came back all good. They test drove my car and nothing happened but right after I left it shut off and did the same thing again. I paid over 500 dollars for what I do not know.
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Thursday, May 23rd, 2019 AT 2:12 PM (Merged)
Tiny
LEGITIMATE007
  • MECHANIC
  • 5,121 POSTS
I suspect the crank sensor. I think its on its way out completely and this will only happen more often, try to get your vehicle to a repair shop. Not a dealer, as you can see you paid five hundred dollars for nothing. So take it to a shop, and they can atleast diagnose it for no more than 75 dollars, if they charge you at all, just tell them you are having a problem with the vehicle shutting off and you suspect the crank position sensor, and they will probably test it for free
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Thursday, May 23rd, 2019 AT 2:12 PM (Merged)
Tiny
JAYCLYN
  • MEMBER
  • 1 POST
  • 2005 MAZDA 3
  • 4 CYL
  • FWD
  • AUTOMATIC
  • 97,000 MILES
When I am driving and come to a stop, my car wants to die and sometimes does. How can I fix this? No check engine light is on
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Thursday, May 23rd, 2019 AT 2:12 PM (Merged)

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