Car goes dead while driving but starts back up

[jeffgrice]

Originally Posted by bobcowan

Usually when it just dies like that it's electrical. Probably ignition. Based on time interval, I would guess that something is getting hot, and getting ready to fail.
Probably not the coil, though. They usually don't fail like that.

Bob - I think you nailed it when you said...looks like something is getting ready to die...

So this morning I pull the car out, check all connections and decided to start and then move wires, connections looking for an issue.

It started and before I could crawl out of the car it died. This time permanently. Would not restart. The ECU light on the dash that illuminates when the key is on indicating the ECU is working is not illuminating.

So I think it is the ECU that failed.

Thanks for the input.

Jeff

[bobcowan]

Originally Posted by jeffgrice

So I think it is the ECU that failed.

Thanks for the input.

Jeff

Do you have a relay for the ECU? I would check that first. Make sure the ECU is getting power. ECU's almost never fail - sometimes, but it's rare. Relays, fuses, fusable links, etc, often fail.

[Gaz64]

Originally Posted by jeffgrice

Bob - I think you nailed it when you said...looks like something is getting ready to die...

So this morning I pull the car out, check all connections and decided to start and then move wires, connections looking for an issue.

It started and before I could crawl out of the car it died. This time permanently. Would not restart.
The ECU light on the dash that illuminates when the key is on indicating the ECU is working is not illuminating.

So I think it is the ECU that failed.

Thanks for the input.

Jeff

This is the path to follow, the "giveaway" to the fault.

No power to the ECM, ignition relay etc, or possible ECM.