Has your engine recently died out on you while you were on the road? This can be a nerve-racking experience and even scary depending where you may be out on the road. When a vehicle dies or stalls, you may need help getting the vehicle off the road to get out of the way of traffic. There can be a number of reasons why a vehicle will suddenly stall out. Citywide Towing Service will explain and share what to do to prevent future stalls.
What Causes a Car to Stall?
There are many reasons why a vehicle may stall. It can vary from automatic transmissions to manuals. However, in most cases, it often can be avoided with proper maintenance. Some of the common reasons why a vehicle may stall can be due to lack of fuel, or the fuel mixture wasn’t rich enough. The fuel pump could be faulty and in some cases, low fuel may not get pumped properly when driving on an incline. Other common reasons may also be due to a dirty air filter, overheating, ignition problems or a dead battery. However, there is more to the cause then just those things. Again it can change from automatic to manual transmissions. Many times there is no problem when it comes to manuals. Sometimes the driver just forgot to switch to neutral while at a stop, or they forgot to engage the clutch when switching gears. Automatics use a torque converter which controls the transmission fluid that helps keep the vehicle running when at a stop. The torque converter can fail for a few different reasons which includes dirty fluid, or there might be an overheating problem with the stall speed (or RMP). If the vehicle seems to stall out at a certain RPM and/or speed, it is often due to a bad torque converter.
If Your Car Engine Stalls, What is the First Thing You Should Do?
When you stall out you may not know what to do. What you do may depend on the situation. If you stall out while moving, you will lose both your power steering and power braking. This may sound scary but you still have control. First, reduce your speed and begin making your way off the road. The vehicle may seem heavy so make sure to use both hands to maintain control. Once you get to a safe place turn on your emergency lights and be sure to put your vehicle in park. With the vehicle in park and turned off, attempt to restart the vehicle. You may need a jump start. You can contact roadside service to help jump start your vehicle. If jump starting fails then have your vehicle towed to you preferred location.
Car Runs Fine But Stalls at Idle?
Another more common situation is when your vehicle stalls out when you stop and are idling at a standstill. Should this happen, put your hazard lights on and put your vehicle in park. Afterward, attempt to restart the vehicle. If the vehicle fails to start, stay in your vehicle. If you’re lucky enough to have help, push the vehicle off the road. If not you can contact police or roadside assistance to help get your vehicle off the road. Again, try to jumpstart the vehicle, or have it towed. If you are able to restart the vehicle don’t stay on the road long. Get to a mechanic for a diagnostic test to discover the cause of the stall out.
Towing & Roadside Assistance in Addison, Balch Springs, Carrollton, Cedar Hill, Coppell, DeSoto, Farmers Branch, Ferris, Garland, Grapevine, Lancaster, Lewisville, Ovilla, Richardson, Rowlett, Sachse, Seagoville, Sunnyvale, Wylie, Duncanville, Grand Prairie, Arlington, Irving, Mesquite & Greater Dallas, Texas
If you find yourself stalled out and require help, contact Citywide Towing Service for roadside assistance or towing services, 24/7. Call us for all your roadside service needs.
