An overheated engine will cause the engine to die if you are driving Over heating can happen for many reasons, but can usually be traced back to a lack of engine coolant or a problem with the coolant being pumped around the engine. The engine has overheatedĮngine overheating is another common reason why a car will suddenly die when running. The damage to the engine caused by a broken timing belt can be really bad if the engine is an ‘interference engine’, especially if the timing belt snaps while you are driving. If the timing belt breaks completely, then the engine will stop running and won’t restart. It can also lead to bad fuel economy and regular engine misfires that can cause the engine to die while driving. This will affect the timing of the engine and can even cause the timing belt to slip.Ī stretched timing belt will result in low power output, especially under heavy loads. Sometimes a timing belt can become badly worn and can stretch slightly.

If the timing belt is failing or has failed, you can expect the engine to not start, or if it does start it will run really badly. Even before it breaks, you car can exhibit symptoms of a bad timing belt. The timing belt has broken or slippedĪnother very common reason for a car to cut out while driving is a broken timing belt. These include a decrease in overall performance, jerky engine performance and engine stalling. The symptoms of water in your gas tank are the same as fuel injector problems. The symptoms of a blocked fuel filter or fuel line include lack of engine power, engine misfires and engine stalling.Įngine stalling can also be caused by a faulty fuel injector, a bad fuel pressure regulator or contaminants in the fuel such as water. If your fuel tank has fuel in it but it’s not reaching the engine, then this could be caused by a blocked fuel filter, blocked fuel line or a faulty fuel pump. It’s one of the biggest reasons why cars break down and is the easiest to fix. The most obvious reason is that you have run out of fuel. There are lots of reasons why the fuel can’t reach the engine. The fuel delivery system must be able to keep up with the demands of the engine, especially when under acceleration.įuel injectors need a constant supply of fuel to operate properly Here are a few of the most common reasons for your vehicle to break down while you are out driving. Most of the time it’s not going to be possible to fix your car on the side of the road, but it’s worth having an idea of what has caused the problem if you need to call a recovery truck or mechanic. Some are more difficult to diagnose or repair than others. There are lots of reasons why your car can die or lose power while you are driving. 7 Reasons why a car can die while driving It’s still worth opening the hood and doing a few simple checks before calling a mechanic. Sometimes when a car cuts out it can be caused by a more serious fault such as a blown head gasket or bad timing belt. There are many reasons why a car may cut out or loose power while running.Ī car can die while driving but then will often restart if there are problems with the battery or alternator, a lack of fuel, a broken timing belt, problems with the fuel delivery system or if the engine over heats. If your car dies when you are driving, it can be a scary experience, especially if you don’t know why it has happened.

Car dies then starts right backup