Why Did My Car Die While I Was Driving? [ Reasons & Fix ]

A car dying while driving on the road might be a scary experience unless you know its possible cause. There are multiple reasons why a car might stop working on the road and leave you stranded. A car might die on the road while riding, but it often restarts if there is an issue in the alternator, a lack of fuel, the engine overheats, or damage to the fuel delivery system.

Sometimes, it might be a severe issue when a car blows out in the middle of the road, and it can happen due to a dead gasket or a poor timing belt. In such a case, whether you need to perform some known and easy checks or you will have to find a nearby automobile service center to get your car fixed.

Why Did My Car Die While I Was Driving?

Having your car dead in the middle of the road is an irritating experience, and the worst experience is having your vehicle dead on the highway or any crowded street. It is an overall experience for most car drivers, and it happens when you can least expect it. This might happen due to numerous factors, ranging from easy to complicated.

In this article, we will talk about the possible reasons for which your car might die out on the roads and the solutions for it. You will also get some essential answers to perform yourself before taking your vehicle to any professional mechanic.

Possible Reasons For Your Car Dying Out

Several reasons your car stopped working in the middle of the road are listed below.

1. The fuel is not reaching the engine

Your car’s fuel system must satisfy the demands of the car engine, especially when your car is under acceleration. The fuel injectors require a running supply of flowing fuel to work properly. There are several reasons why the fuel might not be reaching your car’s engine system. The possible cause is that you have run out of fuel. It is the most significant reason and can be fixed very easily without contacting any mechanic.

If your car has enough fuel and yet the fuel is not reaching the engines, the fuel filter must have some blockage. The possible symptoms of a faulty fuel pump are engine misfires, lack of engine power, and engine stalling. Engine stalling can be caused by a poor fuel pressure regulator or pollutants in the fuel like dirty water, and it can decrease your car’s overall performance.

2. The timing belt has slipped or broken

Another significant possibility for your car dying out in the middle of the road can be due to a broken timing belt. If your car’s timing belt fails, you can expect your car engine not to start very quickly. Even if your car starts, it will run poorly. If the car’s timing belt stretches out slightly, it will also create a problem in the engine’s timing and cause the belt to slip out easily.

A stretched-out timing belt can generate low power output, especially when your vehicle is under heavy loads. It can also reduce the car’s fuel economy and create constant engine misfiring that can lead to the death of the car engine while driving on the road.

Lastly, if the timing belt breaks out completely, the car engine will not start and stop working. If this happens on the highways, you will have to tow your car to the nearby service center because this problem cannot be solved by yourself.

3. The battery of the car has failed

Modern cars are equipped with advanced technologies and gadgets that keep on sucking power from the car’s battery. During the lifetime of your car, the battery will discharge and charge multiple times before it begins to fail. The battery light will pop up in the meter box whenever any problem occurs with the car’s battery, and this light is visible on the dashboard for a few weeks before it starts creating issues.

A good working battery has a charge of 12.6 volts and around 14 volts when the car is running. If the voltage is below 10 volts, it might damage the car’s engine system. It can lessen the performance of your vehicle’s engine and might die out when driving at low speeds.

4. The car has a failed alternator

The alternator is responsible for offering electrical power to your car while driving and also charges the battery. It will also lessen the light on your car dashboard to illuminate. Whenever you see less energy coming from the alternator, you can understand that there is some problem with your car’s alternator.

It is essential to keep the alternator charged while starting your car. A faulty alternator might prevent the engine from starting and prevent the charging system from providing light warnings, headlight dimming, and a dying engine. Isle, the car battery will also lose the residual charge causing the engine to cut out very easily.

What to do when your car dies while you are driving?

When you find yourself in this situation, the first thing you must maintain is your safety. Your safety and the familiar people using the road around you is very important. Once you are safe and on the side of the road, look for the issues causing your car to die out in the middle of the road. Some simple steps might help you to come out of the problem.

Bring yourself out of the car and take your car to the side of the road. The first thing is to turn on the parking lights to warn the other cars and inform them that your car has some problem.

In such a case, the brake pedal might not work, and use the hand brakes to park your car. If you see the light popping in the dashboard, you must know that your car has engine management system issues. Check the terminals, electrical systems, and wire connections. If there isn’t an issue, check the drive belt.

If the car dies out suddenly and restarts again, you must have a clogged fuel filter. Clean the fuel filter and allow the fuel to flow freely to the engine system. Sometimes, you might also be required to examine the position of the crank filter to get a solution for the dying engine.

Final Words

There are multiple reasons for your car stopping and not restarting, and some problems also depend on the model of the vehicle you are driving. However, the solutions given in the article apply to every car.

To lessen the chance of getting your vehicle into such situations, you must take action before taking your car on the road. As per the manufacturer’s recommendation, you must check the fuel filter regularly.

Your vehicle’s fuel level should not dip below the half tank, and it will prevent the clogging of the fuel filter and enhance the pump’s longevity. Keep in mind that the safety of people always comes first. Therefore, if you face any problem on the road, warn other cars. Take your car to the low-speed lane before you receive any assistance.