Here Are The Top Reasons Why Your Car's Engine Stalls While Driving

When did you last experience panic? Definitely, it would be a close encounter on the road with an unsteady vehicle, or it could be the presence of an animal on the road. But, have you ever had an engine stall?

What do you understand by "car stalling"?

Actually, "stalling" refers to a condition in which your car's running engine abruptly stops. However, there are always a number of warning lights when an engine stalls. It happens in two ways: either gradually, just like a driver would normally stop the engine, or with a sudden jerk.

Stalling can occur at any time, whether the engine is running or not. When an engine stalls, however, there is no power from the engine, and the power steering does not function. Sometimes, you cannot even use brakes.

Though, a car usually gets stalled in normal conditions when you usually use brakes without changing gears to lower slots or neutral. When a car stalls this way, it usually produces a jerk. Though the chances of seeing warning lights are less if a car stalls due to the driver’s mistake.

On the other hand, if a car stalls due to an internal issue, you can see the emergence of warning lights on your dashboard.  However, there might be a number of reasons behind the engine's sudden stalling.

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A faulty fuel system may stall a car

A fuel system failure may turn into a problem and cause a vehicle to stall. Fuel system issues, including the defective fuel pump and failure of fuel delivery due to obstruction in the fuel line, usually cause the engine to stop abruptly.

If there were any problems with the fuel delivery to the engine, the combustion would not happen properly.

Malfunctioning electrical components may cause a car to stop abruptly

Though batteries produce required current to start a vehicle, later the alternator provides adequate voltage for a number of operations of the engine and other necessary components.

But a malfunctioning alternator might lack the capacity to provide the required voltage. This also fails to recharge the battery. This might be causing a vehicle to have an issue with its engine, and it would be no surprise if a car stalls unexpectedly.

Sensor failure may halt the engine's operations

No doubt! A modern car’s engine only works based on the inputs of various sensors, such as the engine temperature sensor, the mass airflow sensor, etc. And, of course, any failure of the sensor's inputs causes problems in the various activities of the combustion process.

However, the ECU generally knows about a sensor fault, which it definitely indicates through warning lights.

If you notice any problem with your vehicle, take it to the nearest Service My Car workshop for a quick car scanning and diagnostics.

A car’s engine timing is not synchronised

Being a complex mechanism, there is always a need for various belts or chains to synchronise a number of components. However, there is always a probability of wear and tear on the timing belt or chain.

A car cannot manage the failure of the timing chain. Typically, a chain will lose one or more teeth, making engine operation difficult. Though it does not only cause the engine to stall, there is high probability of engine damage.

However, it would be better to be alert for any signs of a timing belt issue. An expert at Service My car can inspect it for a remedy or possible timing belt replacement.

Cooling issues may wreak havoc under the hood

Though most cars come with a robust cooling system, it usually does not get out of order very easily. But if it happens, the overheating may create a lot of problems under the hood.

There could be a lot of reasons for cooling system failure, such as coolant shortage due to leakage, lack of pressure due to a faulty pump, radiator or thermostat problems. Overheating can result in the engine stalling because the ECU monitors the temperature under the hood so closely.

However, a major concern is damage to the head gasket. Though maintaining the cooling system components is the best way to avoid overheating, if you have experienced any overheating incidents recently, visit Service My Car for an inspection and head gasket replacement.

A critical component failure may stall your car

A clutch, in a manual transmission, has the responsibility of managing the synchronisation of an engine and transmission. For automatic transmissions, a torque converter is used.

However, these components may be problematic when they sustain a lot of wear and tear. A slipping clutch, for example, does not help you with transmission or gear changes.

Besides, it could get stuck or seize, and you cannot even change the gear by pressing the pedal entirely. A car will stall if it has to run in a higher gear at low RPMs or when you apply rigorous brakes in a gear.

On the other hand, a problematic transmission system also causes a car’s engine to stall eventually. However, you can avoid critical component failure if there is a preventive mechanism. In a nutshell, never underestimate car maintenance.

When a car’s engine stalls, it would not be wise to waste time but rather take it to the nearest workshop of Service My Car as soon as possible. If you want to fix an appointment, just book a car service online or order a car repair order on our website or app.