Car issues (rep for the help)

**pchalk** · April 03, 2010, 10:25 AM

I know this is probably an odd topic in the middle of these computer discussions but I need the help and Im not sure where to put this otherwise.

Yesterday I decided to take a 5hr drive to visit some old friends at another college. About half way through i began to experience a problem with my vehicle that I had never experienced before. For split seconds at random intervals no smaller than several minutes I would lose all power to the car. The engine and all electronic devices in the car would completely lose power for a single second. After this second it would all return to normal.

I managed to make it to my destination but im worried about the way back. I figure best case scenario my car is having trouble dealing with steep inclines. I live on flat land but my destination is quite mountainous. the problem more times than not seems to occur when Im driving uphill. on instance uphill my car starting making a clicking/gurgling noise and was losing power. I let off the gas and everything was ok. my hypothesis: a possible problem could be a flaky alternator or fuel filter maybe.

I know little about cars so my hypothesis could easily be wrong from where im standing. I would appreciate the advice. since its weekend im bound not to find a mechanic especially one i can trust 5 hrs from home.

rep for the advice

edit: almost forgot its a 2002 Mercury Sable

**Lupus** · April 03, 2010, 05:27 PM

For what its worth. it sounds like two problems: fire and fuel. I lost power like that in an old Ford, turn out the battery cables were loose. Check the basics, battery, sparkplug wires, distributor, etc.

The other could be carburettor but the fuel filter is a good place to start. Airfilter next.On my old Toyota a single point injector's rubber washer perished. She did not like that...

You'll be surprised what a good look can turn up. Good luck. Keep posting.

**Freddie** · April 04, 2010, 05:49 AM

When was the last time you had your car serviced?

**Godfrey I of Leuven** · April 04, 2010, 05:55 AM

This sounds somewhat like a problem my dad experienced with his Audi.. I don't recall what it was but he just drove his car to the garage where he was told that it'd be fixed within a week. I think it's the electronics in your car that are messed up, though I'm no expert when it comes to cars

**Musthavename** · April 04, 2010, 08:44 AM

Fuel filter maybe? I know someone in my family recently had problems with a car that would hit 40, then suddenly have a massive loss of power. Changed the fuel-filter and everything worked fine.

Though if the electronics are going... something else sounds afoot.

**Sphere** · April 04, 2010, 03:15 PM

on instance uphill my car starting making a clicking/gurgling noise and was losing power.

Sounds an awful lot like a bad fuel pump starving the engine of fuel. If your fuel pump is faulty it won't be able to pump the fuel in the back of your car up to the engine in front when going up hill. If it is just a fuel pump it would be a quick fix.

However, if your car is fuel injected the fuel pump is electrically powered and so this might just be a symptom of something wrong with your electrical system.

What year and model are we talking about here?

**irish437** · April 05, 2010, 09:09 AM

If you are losing all power, its the alternator. You are lucky the car didn't die completely. There must be a short somewhere, but if the electronics were dying it has to be associated with the alternator.

**pchalk** · April 19, 2010, 09:12 PM

i rep u all thanks. it seems from what ive heard it could have been many things including much of what u guys said. it turned out to be the alternator. the uphill thing was probably a coincidence or maybe not idk

**Ahlerich** · April 20, 2010, 05:53 AM

did you try a reboot?

**pchalk** · April 20, 2010, 05:25 PM

haha rep to u too

**Justinian** · April 20, 2010, 08:10 PM

Will it just come back, or do you have to restart the car?

I had similar issues with a

Oldsmobile, it was the ... I forget exactly what it's called, but essentially the fuel pressure gauge which shuts off everything if it thinks your fuel pressure is too low.

But I had to restart the car to get power back, so I dunno.

**pchalk** · April 21, 2010, 04:15 PM

it would comeback. the power loss would only last a sec or so. im not sure about the "mountain symptoms" I described. if they were coincidence or if that problem is related but i havnt experienced any other problems. so i guess it was just the alternator