Car stalled randomly, what is to blame?

trailhugger

trailhugger

Human Resources
Administrator
Joined
Mar 19, 2005
Location
Raleigh
I'm posting this here because it feels like a newb question...

Yesterday I was on my way home from work, coming up an a hilly section of road where traffic usually gets faster than the posted limit. One of Raleigh's finest was up ahead, so I set the cruise control, mostly to pace him and see what happened.

So I set the cruise, I got a 'check charging system' message, and then a 'check gas cap' message, the Explorer ('98, auto, 71K miles) suddenly stalled. Honestly not sure if they happened in that order or basically all at the same time. I coasted downhill and into a left turn lane, where I stopped and restarted it. No problems, since, on the rest of the ride home and on the way in this morning, including several stops. I have set the cruise to see if I could duplicate it, nothing happened.

TIA for any ideas.
 
Check Engine light on at all? I'd start by checking for codes. Also check the connections at the battery and battery ground cable. Weird stuff can happen when the battery doesn't have a good connection.
 
What year?
 
RenegadeT said:
Check Engine light on at all? I'd start by checking for codes. Also check the connections at the battery and battery ground cable. Weird stuff can happen when the battery doesn't have a good connection.
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Actually, yeah. We're pretty sure it is the fuel sending unit... the check engine light and the fuel gauge have been acting up, intermittently, for probably 6 months. It comes and goes and I just use the mileage to keep track... we even have the part, but because the light is intermittent, I was able to get it inspected without issues. :lol:

snappy said:
What year?
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trailhugger said:
Explorer ('98, auto, 71K miles)
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We'll take a look at it tonight or tomorrow, or maybe I'll stop by AutoZone later and see about getting them to run codes...
 
Yeah i saw that after i posted.... I have a call into one of my techs at the stealership. How does the battery terms look
 
i seen a issue almost like this at the dealership once before when i was still a apprentice tech working under the master tech. he traced it down to 2 actual problems. (not saying this is your problem but good source to check). he first found the battery terminals were corroded in between the post and terminal where u couldnt see. and then he found a short in the cruise control switch. he said the shirt in the switch sent a surge to the computer in return shutting down the vehicle and making all ur little warning lights go off. check your battery terminals and try to wiggle your cruise control switch around while running to see if u can replicate the problem at all. also the fuel gauge acting up on top of sending unit i have heard the gauges going wacky in the 97 to 2000's pretty regular. again not saying thats ur problem but as a tech, i know elimination is the key to finding the problem when it comes to almost anything electrical or fuel or w.e it may be.
 
Der. Yes, blond/pregnancy moment... my last explorer was a '98. This one is a 2005. :lol:
 
yea scratch what i said about the gauges also lol. iv still heard some problems with 05'[s but not as many. and never experienced one myself.
 
Thanks Lee.

Sorry for the confusion and thanks for the comments... to my defense, the Jeep is also a '98. :lol:
 
I had this happen when i had an 05 exploder only happened with cruise set at about 35-45mph and going down a hill. Cruise would cut fuel completely off causing it to stall. Not sure if thats what made yours stall but had mine do it a few time in the same spot but only in that spot. Tech at dealership said it was cruise module. Just a thought.
 
Joe, that is exactly what happened... speed limit was 35, I set the cruise about there and was going downhill. I'll see if I can duplicate it in that same spot, since I go that way to pick up my daughter every day. If I stay in the right lane, there's an Auto Zone near where it stalled and I pulled off (to the left) to restart. :lol:

Thanks!
 
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