You’re driving down the highway and listening to country music when you suddenly hear a squealing sound. Is it the sound of your car dying? Does the thought of being stranded leave you in a panic? In cases like this, it’s important to know why your car may have stalled.
There are a number of reasons why a car might come to a sudden halt in the middle of the road with no prior warning. From engine failures to mechanical or electrical problems, here’s a list of a few things to know with regard to why a car dies.
Empty Tank
If you run out of fuel while driving, your car will stop. Maybe you had a crazy day and forgot to check the gauge reading—whatever the reason, it’s okay to make mistakes. Call a tow truck since there’s nothing you can do about it—unless there’s a gas station nearby.
Defective Fuel Pump
The fuel pump is responsible for providing your car’s engine with the required fuel to run the car. If it stops working, the car won’t be able to continue running. Fuel pumps often die when a car is continuously run on low fuel and the pump has to use extra pressure to drive fuel from the fuel tank to the engine.
Defective Alternator
In case of a defective alternator, the car will take all its energy from the battery and drain it faster than normal. Without the alternator, your battery will be unable to charge so it will eventually die, resulting in a dead car.
Defective Battery
If your car’s battery is faulty, it’s likely that your car will stall, as the battery is unable to hold a charge. The extra stress on the alternator—in turn—will make things even worse. It is recommended to change your car battery immediately once it starts leaking or hasn’t been changed for a few years. The leaks can cause corrosion and damage to other parts of the car.
Heated Engine
Coolant leaks or low coolant levels will make your engine overheat, causing the car to die. If your car engine is overheating but you keep driving, you’ll not only be dealing with a stalled car, but will also have to deal with added damage.
There are a number of factors that can cause a car engine to overheat, like a plugged radiator, water pump damage, and cooling thermostat damage.
Apart from these reasons, cars can also die because of faulty ignition, extreme weather conditions, loose cables, and out of order sensors.
When a car dies, it loses throttle and using the brakes or steering can become difficult. If you feel like your car is about to die, find a place on the side of the road and turn it off. If it has died without warning, use emergency brakes and guide it to the side of the road instantly.
You can also use emergency flashers to get help from those driving by or call a repair service to tow and fix the car. If your car keeps dying on you, it’s probably outlived its usefulness and getting full repairs can be costly.
A better alternative is to receive cash for junk cars. If you’re living in Memphis and looking to get rid of a faulty old car, give us a call at Chip 4 Whips and we’ll handle the pick-up, free of cost. We deal in junk vehicle removal Memphis services, and offer immediate cash to those selling or donating a car to us.
You can also get in touch with us on call at (901)-949-3656.
