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Car Suddenly Shuts Off While Driving

Chi_GTI

Passed Driver's Ed
Location
Chicago, IL
Car(s)
MKV GTI Tornado Red
Occasionally as I am driving, my car will suddenly shut off following with the battery light coming on. I restart it with no problems and continue driving.

Had a brand new battery put in not long ago so I'm hoping its not that but I am going to try getting it tested in the next few days to be sure

It happens at random with no other noticeable problems with the car.

The car turns over and starts fine, the car does not make any strange noises.

I'm just hoping it isn't something more serious than me simply having a bad battery.

Has this happened to anyone else or does anyone know if it may be something more serious? Thank you.
 

michail77

Go Kart Champion
I'd hope it was the battery myself but that probably wouldn't cause the issue anyway. The alternator should keep it going. You could check all the contacts just to be sure. Make sure they are clean and tight.

Can you scan with vcds?
 

Chi_GTI

Passed Driver's Ed
Location
Chicago, IL
Car(s)
MKV GTI Tornado Red
I'm not able to scan with vcds. Don't have the equipment. Hopefully the dealer is able to find a solution.

Then maybe with that being said the alternator could be beginning to go bad?
 

midlife

Wrabbit Worker
Location
VA
A bad alternator typically leads to very dim lights as the battery is drained. So the car wouldn't just restart.

Of course a dead battery would not turnover enough to restart the car.

If the battery was recently replaced, I guess you could check the battery terminals to make sure that the contacts are clean and solid contact. I would also check the other end of those thick cables to make sure there's no issue on the other end.

Actually I wouldn't have started at the battery with this troubleshooting, regardless of the battery light.

Have you done any troubleshooting at the key at the ignition? I have seen ignition cylinders that became flaky after too many years of what I assumed was a key chain that was way to heavy. Actually, I recall the ignition going out on my dad's Nissan 300zx back in the late 80's (they still blame me for killing the transmission in that car, hehehehe). The parts guy at the dealership claimed that the constant bouncing of a heavy key chain wears on the cylinder over time. It makes sense, but who knows if it is real.

Not saying it is the ignition, but it would make sense that the car just randomly dies. Try jiggling the key at random times (when it is safe to do it) to see what happens. You'll figure out what's happening, just keep digging and it will show itself.
 
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midlife

Wrabbit Worker
Location
VA
Awesome thank you. I will check those terminals.

Hopefully its not the ignition haha

Was thinking about this some more... The only other time I had a vehicle just die out of no where (while doing 60mph on the interstate) was when the in-tank fuel pump went out on the Mercedes ML320 that I used to own. The primary difference is that it did not simply restart. I ended up loading it on a trailer and dragging it back home.
 

freshslate

Constant
Location
Bridgewater
this happened to me last year. it was a single incident where i was driving through town. car started fine, drove fine then out of the blue while i was cruising, the car just shuts off. lost all power, no light on dash, and lost power steering as well. Turned it over after i pulled over and it hasn't happened since.

in for answers, because that shit still worries me after 1 year of non-issue *knocks on wood*
 

Chi_GTI

Passed Driver's Ed
Location
Chicago, IL
Car(s)
MKV GTI Tornado Red
Won't be able to get it check today. Tomorrow is looking good.
I'm going to knock on wood too that its nothing more serious.
 

Chi_GTI

Passed Driver's Ed
Location
Chicago, IL
Car(s)
MKV GTI Tornado Red
Took it to the dealership.

No codes. Everything seems perfect.

Not the Ignition switch.

They claimed to have checked it all.

They come back saying the turbo might be leaking a little oil.

They claim that the turbo leaking a little oil may be the cause of it shutting off because nothing else seems wring with the car.

Has anyone heard of that being a cause to the car shutting off?
 

Audiopulse

Gotta Jibboo
Location
Milwaukee, WI
Car(s)
GTI
I'm no expert, but how would a little oil leaking from the turbo cause the car to completely shut off? So far every time I've gone to a VW dealer they say something crazy, so I wouldn't be surprised. They are playing you probably.
 

zer0hz

The New Guy
Location
Elwood, IL
Car(s)
'09 5MT Rabbit
Occasionally as I am driving, my car will suddenly shut off following with the battery light coming on. I restart it with no problems and continue driving.

Had a brand new battery put in not long ago so I'm hoping its not that but I am going to try getting it tested in the next few days to be sure

It happens at random with no other noticeable problems with the car.

The car turns over and starts fine, the car does not make any strange noises.

I'm just hoping it isn't something more serious than me simply having a bad battery.

Has this happened to anyone else or does anyone know if it may be something more serious? Thank you.

My brother has an 09 Passat (2.0T TSI) that did this. Couldn't figure out what was wrong with it, as it wasn't throwing any codes. They ended up getting a VCDS cable and figured out that it was the in-tank fuel pump that was dying. The only difference in symptoms is that the Passat sometimes wouldn't start back up.

Also, note that if the engine dies for any reason, the battery light typically comes on (just check by turning on the ignition without starting the motor) :wink:
 

Spectre

Ready to race!
Location
Atlanta
They come back saying the turbo might be leaking a little oil.

They claim that the turbo leaking a little oil may be the cause of it shutting off because nothing else seems wring with the car.

Has anyone heard of that being a cause to the car shutting off?

This is why I can't go to anyone and always have to figure my shit out. Really? They told you this with a straight face?
 

RRacerguy717

Go Kart Champion
Location
ny tristate
Took it to the dealership.

No codes. Everything seems perfect.

Not the Ignition switch.

They claimed to have checked it all.

They come back saying the turbo might be leaking a little oil.

They claim that the turbo leaking a little oil may be the cause of it shutting off because nothing else seems wring with the car.

Has anyone heard of that being a cause to the car shutting off?

Its prob the intank fuel pump going bad, I would start there with a fresh fuel fliter if that dosnt fix it a new intank fuel controller which is the black box mounted on top of the intank fuel pump door they tend to go bad and overheat and shut down .

BTW dose it shut off mostly when your lower on fuel below 1/4 tank?

That also points at overheating /bad intank fuel pump. Bob G
 
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