Engine power cuts out randomly when driving/idle-won't restart/does after while?

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Only has 100,000 miles. New plugs,wires, distributor, ignition module and coil, new battery and has working alternator. New fuel pump and filter. New air filter. Fuel pump Testing right on psi too. When it dies the engine suddenly cuts out and have to coast to a stop. Won't restart. Have to wait. Sometimes will restart after a few minutes sometimes hours. No check engine light comes on when it does this. The engine/car runs really smooth and quiet and has great power. Have checked fuses. They are good. At a lost. No codes coming up. Help.

waytoomanycarrepairs in West Jordan UT

Dec 3, 2014

3 Replies

Popular Answer

maverickgrabberon Jan 31, 2015

Had an old taurus did the same thing. Took it to dealer they could never find problem. It never did cause a code.I heard something about bad ballast resister.Went to check it and found a corroded bolt where it was mounted to block.I guess that was the ground.Cleaned that up put ballast back and never had a problem with it stalling again. Don't know why Ford couldn't find the problem? The ballast resister is hid underneath the battery box. Try this if not have resister checked. Another problem I heard was that the distributor would lose ground. was corrected by adding another ground wire to distributor. Try to check the ballast resister first. Maybe I just got lucky finding problem but it worked. Good luck

stevieray1on Dec 25, 2015

did my answer come through on the 2002 ford escape?

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ziptie12on Dec 4, 2014

When it stalls on you , is it just like the key was turned off?Check engine light comes on with all other warning lamps AFTER it stalls? When you try to restart it is the check engine light coming on like it's supposed to?

waytoomanycarrepairson Dec 5, 2014

Yes. The check engine light comes on with the other warning lights. When you try to restart the check engine light does come on like it should. There is battery power still running to radio and heater. If you are headed down a hill when it stalls it has jumped started back up once or twice but not always.

DogZillAon Dec 12, 2014

I had a long standing problem just like this in an older Volvo. Eluded mechanic forever. Turned out to be a soft failure in the fuel pump relay. Good Luck

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Debbie Steeleon Jun 17, 2016

My Sable started doing this EXACT same thing right down to the lights coming on. It has happened 3 times. Twice in the same day going about the same distance, then again today along a busy hi-way. I was accelerating to get on and it stalled and I had to coast off to the median. It started after a few minutes, but stalled right away. I tried several more times before I called for help. The policeman came up and I told him what was happening. I turned the ignition, and (of course) it started right up. He followed me the two miles to my home. Last week it sputtered like it was running out of gas. This happened twice. Both times I had 1/8 of a tank. Both times I was able to get to a gas station. Both times putting gas in fixed the problem. I was told it was probably the float. Now I wonder if it might be related. Also, I have had some strange electrical things going on. I can now put my windows up without the ignition on. It doesn't alarm when I leave my keys in or my lights on, and my interior light doesn't come on when I open the drivers door. It's either haunted or possessed.

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