My thread title pretty much describes the issues I'm having. It took a good 20+ seconds to start up this afternoon, and then shuddered and stalled. I was able to restart the car, started driving, got about 50-75 feet before it happened again. Started it once more, parked, and it did it again, so I gave up.

It's shown what I believe to be other signs of an alternator on its way out lately, such as the headlights occasionally dimming a little bit, or the map light changing in intensity while the engine was running.

UPDATE 03.28.09: I tested the battery, and it reads at just over 12V. I just went outside and checked the ECU for any codes...nothing. It also wouldn't start yesterday, and just now it would sound like it was cranking once, then just click. MAF is and was plugged in.

UPDATE 03.31.09: I went outside and tested the battery, it was down to 4.86V. My housemate tried to give me a jump start. We were reading about 13.8V from his alternator, and also found that my battery apparently won't hold a charge. When we'd try to start my car, the engine would turn over a few times, but just refuse to start.

The most annoying thing is that I just had the alternator replaced with a remanufactured one a little over a year ago, and I think it's out of warranty now.

 

Well did you look for a broken belt? It's not extremely likely.

Did you check the charge on the battery? Connections at the battery and alternator?

Have you checked codes yet?

 

I haven't checked anything yet, actually...didn't have a chance, because as soon as it happened I started trying to figure out how to get to all the places I need to in the next few days, and then went out for a few hours and got home late.

My CEL hasn't come on at all, though...and it shouldn't be the battery, since the car was able to start (although, like I said, it did take much longer than normal, the first time), but the battery was just replaced last February, and is well within its warranty period. Also, I'd driven about 100 miles in the last couple days, so I don't see how its charge would be that depleted.

 

If your alternator wasn't functioning properly, your vehicle would be running purely off of the battery. If it dies immediately after starting, that would mean (assuming a specific charging system problem) that the battery didn't have enough of a charge to keep the engine running. However, at this low of a charge, being able to start the engine is unlikely.

Anyway, you need to do some, any basic testing before we can begin to help.

 

This sounds like some kind of a fuel sending problem. The security system if I am not mistaken is supposed to cut off fuel if not disarmed. Have you had any issues with the security system or have you disabled it?

 

Is your MAF plugged in?

This happened to me when I left the MAF unplugged after some work lol.

It would idle okay kinda but once I put it into R or D, it stalls.

 

How low is your fuel?
I had this problem recently starting my parts car - too much crap sitting at the bottom of the tank and close to no fuel, the problem persisted after putting another 5L of fuel in it, the fuel tank needs a good flush to get the crap out, and it needs to be repeatedly jump started to clear the fuel lines of non-combustable crap.

Once your engine is running, your alternator should start giving back charge, if you didnt have enough charge to begin with, starting the engine wouldnt happen.
You can run your car with the MAF Sensor unplugged, but only on idle, as soon as you open the throttle body, it'll shake and studder and have a fit (but it usually doesnt stall out).

 

Mine does. lol. It did it 5 times to me in NYC before I figured it out. It took me like 5 minutes to move 10 ft. lol.

 

I don't think it's the MAF. I've never touched that, and this happened the first time when the car was still in park.

Also, I'm wondering if a couple of you might have missed the part where I had lights dimming before this happened.

I am low on gas, though, but I've driven with less, with no problems.

 

Have you done any diagnostics yet?

 

Battery tests at just over 12V, so obviously that's at least part of the issue.

 

most likely not the problem but mine did the same thing after I finishing working on it - turns out I left one of the resonators off the snorket intake and the revs would go up & down then stall because the MAF reading and the air getting sucked in didn't match

 

both me and my friend had this prob and mine was the battery terminal, and for my friend it was the mass air flow sensor.... if it is the mas then try cleaning it with degreaser ...make sure u take it off first...lol. if that doesnt fix it i can ship one to u for next to nothing i am parting my car out

 

How can I check if the MAF sensor is bad? Is there a way to tell visually?

 

DOT

 

I tested the battery yesterday, it reads at just over 12V. I just went outside and checked the ECU for any codes...nothing. It also wouldn't start yesterday, and just now it would sound like it was cranking once, then just click. MAF is and was plugged in.

 

Do a test on the starter solenoid. Or check the connections on the alt that lead to the starter. Doubt the starter is dead. If it is dead, Give it a good wack with a crowbar. See if that gets it to turn. Then replace it.

 

had the same problem with mine. MAF

 

I don't understand the constant MAF suggestions. How would that make my lights dim?

 

How do I test the starter solenoid...and where is it? FWIW, the starter was replaced in the summer of 2007.

 

A bad maf will only make your car studder and die out or just cause a lot of issues and die out at random times.

Also, Testing the noid can be done with a DMM, the best to test it tho is taking it out. It is easy but it is connected to a bell housing bolt for the trans and it is a *****hh to come off.

 

What about the lights dimming/pulsing 2 nights before this happened? The car had started fine and was running, but the lights were going in and out. I still don't understand how anything but the alternator could affect that.

Detailed explanations are helpful.

 

Could be bad connections, a bad alternator, or just a fluke.

 

Can you suggest ways to test this?

 

Someone suggested to me on another forum that the IACV could be the issue. Any thoughts on that here?

 

bump

 

I went outside and tested the battery, it was down to 4.86V. My housemate tried to give me a jump start. We were reading about 13.8V from his alternator, and also found that my battery apparently won't hold a charge. When we'd try to start my car, the engine would turn over a few times, but just refuse to start.

 

The dimming could be a coincidence. If it's not, you need to make sure your battery connections are clean and tight (that means take them off and clean them with a brush tool), and do the same with the ground connections (under the battery tray and on the block). Search the forum for testing alternators.

If it's coincidence, it could be a lot of things. Dirty throttle body, maybe IACV, maybe a vaccum leak... There are a ton of threads about not starting, and idling and running rough.

Based on your post of a minute ago, you may have a bad battery or a parasitic drain (or both). Don't rule out the possibility of more than one problem.

 

hmm....well, a drain would probably suggest that whatever the problem was last year when i had the alternator and battery replaced, was probably never actually fixed. i disconnected the battery and removed it from the car entirely, i'll go check it soon and see if it's still losing charge...because if it's not, then that means the battery is fine and there's a drain, right? if it is, i'll get that replaced under warranty and see what the new battery does.