Emergency, sort of

D

doro89

New member
Hi all!
Worst time to post, but I have kind of an emergency. Im traveling, currently in Walnut Creek CA, for a couple of months, no friends or family here. A few days ago on my 5th gen limited (push button) maint. reqrd. lit up after starting the engine, blinked a few times and disappeared. Now my GF was driving to the gym 2am (don't ask) the car just completely shuts off. No alarms, no warning lights the engine temp is norm. She starts the car normally drive a few minutes and then again completely shuts off. First the GPS screen goes on and off then the engine shuts down. I'm not a car guru but seems to me fuel stops flowing to the engine, fuel pump/filter?

Does anyone have any ideas? I tried searching Google and the forum but nothing for 5th gen.

Thank you.

P.S. can any recommend a repair shop/mechanic in Walnut Creek/Concord area?

So far I got suggestions to check on wiring in the engine bay (mice).
 
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There is a local Toyota Dealership in Walnut Creek that you could bring it to and have it diagnosed.

Their address is 2100 N Broadway, Walnut Creek, CA 94596
 
doro89 said:
Thanks for reply. I got it in January 2018, 800 CCA. I doubt it's that, because I am able to start the car and it's ok in idle.
Click to expand...

Youre more than likely right but I would definitely look into it. I drove a 5th gen camero for a while and it died on me while I was driving, wasnt a fun time. Ended up being the battery.
 
Did you get a CEL along with that Maint Req light? If so, you could have a code or two that could be read. Failing that, one of the computers could be at fault. Fuel problems (starvation) would not just cause the engine to quit - there would be some sputtering etc. If you have any kind of warranty left, I'd go to a dealer for sure. You might be better off with a dealer anyway in this case. So, researching dealers near you would be a good idea.

Other things to check would be: oil level (some cars will shut off if oil level gets low to avoid engine damage). In fact check all fluids and things in the engine bay. Start the vehicle and wiggle any accessible wiring to see if you can make it fail. While there, look for any kind of damage and loose connections. Keep your pink parts out of the fan!

Also document everything - times, dates, places, symptoms, what you were doing at the time, etc. The more info you can gather and record about the problem will help and perhaps save time and money! Good luck.
 
Check that the battery cables are secured tight to the battery, and the grounding wires are secured to the their grounding points properly also
 
doro89 said:
Thanks for reply. I got it in January 2018, 800 CCA. I doubt it's that, because I am able to start the car and it's ok in idle.
Click to expand...



Similar situation happened to me with our MDX. A month after installing a new battery, car would randomly shut off. Turned out the battery post needed to be cleaned. No more issues after that.


Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk
 
flyrv9 said:
Did you get a CEL along with that Maint Req light? If so, you could have a code or two that could be read. Failing that, one of the computers could be at fault. Fuel problems (starvation) would not just cause the engine to quit - there would be some sputtering etc. If you have any kind of warranty left, I'd go to a dealer for sure. You might be better off with a dealer anyway in this case. So, researching dealers near you would be a good idea.

Other things to check would be: oil level (some cars will shut off if oil level gets low to avoid engine damage). In fact check all fluids and things in the engine bay. Start the vehicle and wiggle any accessible wiring to see if you can make it fail. While there, look for any kind of damage and loose connections. Keep your pink parts out of the fan!

Also document everything - times, dates, places, symptoms, what you were doing at the time, etc. The more info you can gather and record about the problem will help and perhaps save time and money! Good luck.
Click to expand...

Thank you. If CEL stands for Check Engine Light, no I did not get that, just the maint. I will check on fluids wiring and engine filter I guess.
It's a 2010 with over 130k miles, so no warranty :(
 
Jeffy said:
Check that the battery cables are secured tight to the battery, and the grounding wires are secured to the their grounding points properly also
Click to expand...

brah808 said:
Similar situation happened to me with our MDX. A month after installing a new battery, car would randomly shut off. Turned out the battery post needed to be cleaned. No more issues after that.


Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk
Click to expand...

Thank you guys. I see more people mention battery. I installed a winch and changed the battery right after (January). Used the winch only once, about 3 months ago, tried pulling a sedan from a ditch. All worked well and never had issues after. But I will take a look to make sure.

Actually, a week ago went camping, the car did not start from first try in the morning. Second try was no issue though. You think correlated?
 
brah808 said:
Similar situation happened to me with our MDX. A month after installing a new battery, car would randomly shut off. Turned out the battery post needed to be cleaned. No more issues after that.


Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk
Click to expand...

Good to know. I need to rewire a relay harness this weekend. I may be slathering some dielectric grease all over the battery terminals just in case.
 
The maintenance required light is only a set reminder light to change your oil and the such. My feeling is that it’s unrelated. My light will blink for a few drives, then stay lit until I reset it.

My guess is along the lines of what others have suggested. Start in the most simple and logical place, then work your way out.

This certainly sounds like a battery contact issue or ground. No CEL to accompany this meaning no codes to pull.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
 
It would be worthwhile to remove your battery cables and clean the ends and the posts of the battery. Another thing to do would be to have the battery tested.
 
flyrv9 said:
It would be worthwhile to remove your battery cables and clean the ends and the posts of the battery. Another thing to do would be to have the battery tested.
Click to expand...

I had the same thing happen in an old truck of mine. Car just shut off while driving down the grapevine on a 100+ degree day with my girlfriend and 2 dogs. Stuck on the side of the highway I was able to get the car started by jiggling the battery leads but it would immediately shut off as soon as I let go and tightening wouldn't do anything. Got it towed to a mechanic and replaced the leads and it was good to go. AAA did leave us stranded on the side of the highway for so long I had to hire my own tow truck. Never trust AAA for anything, but that is another issue altogether.
 
flyrv9 said:
It would be worthwhile to remove your battery cables and clean the ends and the posts of the battery. Another thing to do would be to have the battery tested.
Click to expand...

Decipher said:
The maintenance required light is only a set reminder light to change your oil and the such. My feeling is that it’s unrelated. My light will blink for a few drives, then stay lit until I reset it.

My guess is along the lines of what others have suggested. Start in the most simple and logical place, then work your way out.

This certainly sounds like a battery contact issue or ground. No CEL to accompany this meaning no codes to pull.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
Click to expand...

Thank you all! I will get to the car in a few hours and will get back with a report.

Heavy_GD said:
The only thing that stands out other than a battery connection are these 2am gym trips. :spy:
Click to expand...

HAHA, it does :D
We both have 9-5 remote jobs that are based on the east coast, so we start work at 6am here in CA. To avoid 4-5am traffic, she goes at 2-3am.
 
Pathfinder! said:
I had the same thing happen in an old truck of mine. Car just shut off while driving down the grapevine on a 100+ degree day with my girlfriend and 2 dogs. Stuck on the side of the highway I was able to get the car started by jiggling the battery leads but it would immediately shut off as soon as I let go and tightening wouldn't do anything. Got it towed to a mechanic and replaced the leads and it was good to go. AAA did leave us stranded on the side of the highway for so long I had to hire my own tow truck. Never trust AAA for anything, but that is another issue altogether.
Click to expand...

That sucks when you pay for service just for this once in a year trouble, and not getting any help. A did have AAA for like 3 years and never used it so I canceled it altogether. Feeling better by not giving someone $100/year for nothing.
 
doro89 said:
That sucks when you pay for service just for this once in a year trouble, and not getting any help. A did have AAA for like 3 years and never used it so I canceled it altogether. Feeling better by not giving someone $100/year for nothing.
Click to expand...

Only called them once while having the service. Called the cops on us. Everyone had to pass a field sobriety test (completely sober so no big deal). Apparently the truck driver called the cops because we tipped him $10 for the jump and he thought that was suspicious...
 
FamousAv8er said:
Only called them once while having the service. Called the cops on us. Everyone had to pass a field sobriety test (completely sober so no big deal). Apparently the truck driver called the cops because we tipped him $10 for the jump and he thought that was suspicious...
Click to expand...

OMG this is sad and hilarious at the same time.
 
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