7 Reasons Why Your Car Shuts Off While Driving, See Quick Solution

One of the most painful things that can happen to any driver is for their car to stop completely while driving. This is a dangerous situation and can even lead to panic. In this article, we have outlined the & major reasons why your car can shut off while driving and the things you need to do whenever this happens.

Empty Fuel Tank But Faulty Fuel Gauge

Before you start getting worked up thinking it’s a mechanical or electrical fault that got your car stopped while driving, the culprit might actually be an empty fuel tank. I know this might sound a little surprising, but you will be shocked how many people have fallen victim to this. In most instances, people overestimate the amount of fuel left in their tank, and they assume it will take them to their destination, whereas, their assumptions proved wrong. In other cases, the issue is that the fuel gauge is incorrect; so it gives the driver the illusion that there is enough fuel left in the car, whereas, there is next to nothing left. So, when your car stops dead while driving, the first thing to suspect is the fuel level.

Faulty Alternator

Alternator is an essential component of a car, which when faulty can make your car stop while driving. An alternator’s function in the car is to keep the battery charged and supply electricity to the vehicle’s internal computer for normal operations. The alternator is attached to the engine and is driven by the serpentine belt. When this belt is faulty, you are likely to receive a notification on your dashboard. When the alternator is faulty, it’s not able to keep the battery fully charged and consequently, your car engine loses power, thereby shutting off suddenly.

Faulty Fuel Pump

The role of the fuel pump is to transfer fuel from the fuel tank to the engine, with the right amount of pressure to accommodate the vehicle’s speed and performance. The fuel pump kicks in once the car engine is started. This means, once the fuel pump is damaged or faulty, it affects the supply of fuel to the engine.

Faulty Spark Plugs

The faulty spark plug is another major reason why most cars stop while driving. Spark plugs are an essential component in the ignition system of a car. They ignite the air and fuel mixture in the engine combustion chamber to generate combustions. If the spark plugs become faulty, they will reduce the performance of the engine until your car stops on the way. Usually, most car problems that involve spark plugs give signs before your vehicle eventually stops on the road.

Clogged Fuel Filter

The fuel filter is highly important in the effective functioning of your car. If it gets clogged, it can stop your car’s movement on the road. The fuel filter traps contaminants including dirt and other fine particles from entering and possibly damaging the engine. When the filter is clogged with dirt/ particles, it hinders the free flow of fuel to the engine. If this happens consistently when you are in the middle of the road, your vehicle has a high likelihood to stop.

Faulty Ecu

Most modern cars come with an Engine Control Unit (ECU) that controls and monitors the various mechanisms in the engine for optimum performance. Any defects in the ECU can result in sudden drops in power, fuel efficiency, and spark loss. It will lead to power loss in the engine which will eventually shut off the car while driving. A common symptom associated with faulty ECU is your car stalling and jerking while driving. If this happens consistently, your car might eventually Skiddle to a halt.

Damaged Crankshaft Position Sensor

The crankshaft position sensor is an important part of the car’s system. Its function is to monitor the crankshaft’s velocity and location to help facilitate the timing of fuel injection and ignition system. If the crankshaft position sensor is faulty, it can cause the engine to misfire because it won’t provide the correct information about piston positioning in the engine to the Engine Control Unit. In most cases, when the crankshaft position sensor isn’t working properly, it can cause the check engine light to come on. Other telltale signs of a damaged crankshaft position sensor are that your tachometer will start malfunctioning, fuel efficiency is poor, the engine sound is rough. If this goes on; your vehicle will eventually stall and stop totally while driving.

What To Do When Your Vehicle Stops While Driving

1. Pullover To A Safe Corner Of The Road

While you might want to panic, the best thing is to put yourself under control and pull over to one side of the road. As much as you can, safely move your car away from traffic and avoid collisions with other cars. If braking and steering seize, you can beckon on others to help you push your car to a safe corner of the road.

2. Try Restarting The Car

The next thing to do is to try restarting your car. If your car eventually restarts, it’s not a pass to keep driving. Rather, what you should do is to properly get parked and inspect the car carefully to find out other likely faults.

3. Turn On Emergency Lights

If perhaps your car doesn’t restart, then do well to turn on all emergency flashers so that other drivers will know that you are in distress and your car is immobile. This will help to prevent road accidents and might also alert other drivers to help you.

4. Call For Road Assistance/Mechanic

If your mechanic is nearby, you easily put a call through to him/her. Otherwise, call for the services of any other mechanic you can find. It’s possible your vehicle is so far from any nearby communities, in this case, you call for road assistance. Your vehicle might need to be towed to the nearest mechanic for repair.