Car stalled for the first time

[88LTDCV351]

Hi,
My Marauder died for the first time since I've had it (3 years, bought used). The battery amp light flickered on for a few seconds a few times. Then I stopped at a stop light and the amp light came on again and then the check engine light. The car had died. Had to restart the car. Running fine again so far. Battery amp light flickered on one more time as I got going after it died. The voltmeter looked fine during all of this. Car seems fine now.

What was the issue? The battery? The alternator?

Also, my miles is at about 87,000.

[a_d_a_m]

Sounds like what happened when my battery started putzing out.

VatoZone and Advance should be able to test it.

[CBT]

Sounds like what happened when my battery started putzing out.

VatoZone and Advance should be able to test it.

+ 1. I got lucky, mine happened in the driveway. I popped the hood and looked at the little indicator on the battery, toast.

[a_d_a_m]

I limped my car home from work (10+ miles), by the end of the journey the car was starting to idle weird, shift strange, etc. (This was on the Grand Marquis)

[gdsqdcr]

Time for a new battery.

[MrBluGruv]

Not long after I got mine it would stall out occassionally, like it'd run fine for a bit after I started it up but shortly after I'd come up to a stop and once I'd tried to get going again it would die. Since then though, I got a new tune and also had a tune-up done and haven't experienced the problem at all. No clue what was the real culprit.

[Big Black Beast]

If the battery was bad, it shouldn't die while it's running. It just won't start.
Check the battery with a voltmeter (Harbor Freight $10).
It should read about 12 volts w/o engine running and around 14-15 volts running.
Or, just about any auto parts store will do this test for you for free.

[dohc324ci]

Dustin, looks like its the battery bud. Mine had the same symptoms when it finally kicked. I just picked up a motorcraft battery 850ca for $99.

Brian

[chader]

mine does it every spring on the first run, I suspect the battery is not charged up fully at that point?

[Mr. Man]

If the battery was bad, it shouldn't die while it's running. It just won't start.
Check the battery with a voltmeter (Harbor Freight $10).
It should read about 12 volts w/o engine running and around 14-15 volts running.
Or, just about any auto parts store will do this test for you for free.

I was thinking along the same lines. I had a car years ago that did what yours is doing and it turned out to be a bad alternator. Since the alt. wasn't charging the battery the lites, radio etc would drain the battery giving the illusion of a bad battery. I'd have both the battery and alt checked to be safe. You know if it fails it will be cold, dark and raining. Better safe than sorry.:twocents:

[JVJ]

Change the battery cables and get a new battery. That should solve the problem...

[88LTDCV351]

The little light on the battery is green. I'm assuming green means go, er good? I'll go to Autozone tonight and get the battery and alternator checked.

Thanks everyone!
Dustin

[JRed04]

Not long after I got mine it would stall out occassionally, like it'd run fine for a bit after I started it up but shortly after I'd come up to a stop and once I'd tried to get going again it would die. Since then though, I got a new tune and also had a tune-up done and haven't experienced the problem at all. No clue what was the real culprit.

In response to the post quoted above, who did the first aftermarket tune on your car? I have The Lidio Tune from Alternative auto and mine just killed on me twice yesterday. This was the first problem since I bought the car in 2004.

In response to the original post, I don't think your problem is the battery. As was mentioned earlier, any car with an alternator and no battery will run as long as the alternator field windings, diode bridge, and voltage reg are good.

The battery is mainly there to provide starting energy and to smooth the DC current ripple output from the alternator which takes AC & makes a sort of "syntetic" DC current. Your alternator sounds like it is ok from the fact that the car started again and ran. That was the case with mine as well. I still haven't resolved the problem BTW so anybody with more info please feel free to post.

In terms of hunting this down, I would consider checking the starter wiring posts & the main distribution hub/splice for loose wires/corrosion.

If the problem isn't there it may be with the ECU, Ignition coil, neutral safety switch, or ignition module. In the coil case it would most likely be the connectors. Otherwise you would probably experience a missfire/stumble condition.

It's also probably not fuel related because a fuel problem would cause a missfire and or detonation/pre-ignition.

[melfunkshun]

Some of our members in the past had symptoms like you mentioned and it ended up being the IAC (Idle air controller) valve. Just type "IAC valve" in the search box. Hopefully thats helps :)

[JRed04]

Thanks for the info. I'll give it a shot.

[Zack]

Def not the battery if it started back up.

IAC as stated above.

[dakslim]

I don't have this problem but when I typed IAC valve in search it just pulled up this thread.:confused:

[88LTDCV351]

So a few days ago, I pulled into my driveway and the battery light comes on and the car dies. Started right up and seems fine. Well, since then I pull in the parking space at work or pull into my driveway when I get home and the volts drop and the battery light might come on for a second. Doesn't always stall but then runs fine. What should I check first?

[88LTDCV351]

Tired of buying batteries when they are fine. Replaced the battery a bunch of times before when it ended up being something else so I'd rather not start with thinking its the battery. The battery in the car is not very old.

[decipha]

it hadn't been mentioned (9 years ago when the thread was made) but make sure you don't have a vac leak. The crossover hose in the front of the engine is known to crack and will cause this same issue.

[SilverPhoenix]

I had a similar issue 5-6 years ago, fixed it, but now it has started up again. It typically occurs when steering is involved. The original fix was to bump up my idle RPMs; with the car in drive while holding the brakes, if I turned the wheel my RPMs would dip, sometimes low enough for the car to actually stall out if I did a quick 'yank' on the wheel. This would NOT happen if I had the A/C on because running the A/C would bump up the RPMs at idle. At that time, I was idling at around 600 and had it re-programmed/tuned to where it would idle at 750/800 instead. Fixed that problem, but now I'm wondering if I need to have it done again since it has re-surfaced. What RPM does your MM idle at when in park and when in drive w/brakes on?

In between then and now (last June), I also had a vacuum leak on one of the tubes coming from the intake manifold. One day, I noticed the car had a little 'hiccup' when I started it, which progressed to it cut out on me while I was driving to then not cranking at all within a week. I was able to use electrical tape to hold the vacuum line/tube together for a couple days until I had it replaced. (See picture) I think the new part was $50ish. Instead of having it replaced at the stealership, I brought it to the shop I've been bringing my car to for the last 7 years and the replaced it for free since it only took 10 minutes.

In this case however, the battery light never came on, so I'm inclined to think you're idling a bit low for one reason or another. Might need to have a good clean out of the IAC valve/throttle body or have the RPMs adjusted up a smidge.

[decipha]

if you have the means to reprogram the ecu the problem can be easily resolved by not turning up the idle rpm but by allowing a faster and greater correction when the rpms drop below idle.

I have mine idling at 544 rpm in gear and 640 rpm in neutral same as stock. No need in turning it up higher.

I had a similar issue once where if i was doing donuts with the wheel cut hard it would stall after coming off the throttle. I kicked up dashpot again and never had an issue with it. But our cars do have power steering pressure sensors so you can turn up the idle air when you turn the wheel if it loads the engine enough to do so.

[Invective]

Replace with OEM Ford IAC. Don't use aftermarket IAC as the motor will over rev upon startup (2500 rpm). Some say 'just clean it', but after 14-15 years...

[MyBlackBeasts]

Replace with OEM Ford IAC. Don't use aftermarket IAC as the motor will over rev upon startup (2500 rpm). Some say 'just clean it', but after 14-15 years...


^^^^^^^^^^This!^^^^^^^^^^^^^^

[88LTDCV351]

Thanks. I ordered a new OEM IAC. I did clean the current original one many years ago when it was idleing a little high. But might be time for a new minty fresh and clean one.