Why would my car die and take a long time before starting again?
What is your question?
The car started and sounded fine drove fine we drove it about 50 miles as we are coming up the hill it died and it would not start again. We sat there for about a half hour before it started again. We disconnect the battery for like 15 mins it has new sparks but when we connected the battery it turned over like it started and it immediately died then he tried turning it over again and it started we went about 1/4 to 1/2 mile and it died again it wouldn't start again for about an hour he just replaced the fuel filter and it has brand new spark plugs and air filter
What makes this problem better or worse?
The problem seems to be getting worse it takes longer and longer before it will start back up
How long has your 2003 Subaru Outback had this problem?
RepairPal Certified shops can diagnose and repair your 2003 Subaru Outback. They provide transparent pricing with a minimum 12-month or 12,000-mile warranty on repairs and services.
Hi, this is Bo, an auto expert on RepairPal's Car Genius team!
The issue you're describing with your 2003 Subaru Outback sounds like a **fuel delivery problem** or a potential **ignition system issue**. Since the car starts and runs fine initially but then dies, it could be related to the fuel pump, fuel pressure regulator, or even an electrical component like the **crankshaft position sensor**. When the vehicle dies and won’t start for a while, the fuel system or sensor may be overheating or failing intermittently, leading to loss of spark or fuel pressure.
The fact that disconnecting the battery temporarily "resets" things points to a possible **electrical issue** or sensor malfunction. If you’ve replaced the fuel filter and spark plugs, checking the **fuel pump** and **relay** as well as running diagnostics on any engine codes would be a good next step.
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