Sunfire shuts down while driving

[dambert]

Pontiac Sunfire shuts down while driving

Hello

A little over 100 km into a 400 km trip the Pontiac Sunfire 2002 started to shut down. It was like the key was taken out the ignition. The car was slowing down at more of rate than if I took my foot off the gas. I stopped at the side of the road and it started ok, but shut down on its own 1/2 hr later. It did this every once and I while so started to drive slow and the right hand line. I stopped at a rest station and started my drive again it was close to 100 km before this problem happened again.

I made the close to 400 km road trip and it happened twice. First time 300 km into the trip and the last time 45 from home . I drove on less traveled county road which travel close to highway I was using.

When the speed gets less than 40 Kph, the oil pressure light goes on. The light for that goes off when I start the car.


Recent work done
- two weeks, new rad and thermostat.
- last week, new fuel pump.

Could this be a faulty crankshift sensor? Some other sensor.


Dave

[GTP Dad]

Welcome to AF!!

There are two possible issues here. First the oil pressure sending unit may be going bad. The sensor is designed to shut down the fuel pump if the oil light comes on. I would change that first or at least check to see what is causing the oil pressure to drop.

The second issue is the crank position sensor. I say that based on your issues that it is going bad. The key is that it restarts once it shuts off. It won't set a CEL until it fails entirely. I hope this helps and let us know what you find.

[dambert]

Originally Posted by GTP Dad

Welcome to AF!!

I hope this helps and let us know what you find.

Yes that helps. Tomorrow, I will be taking it to the mechanic who replaced the fuel pump.

[dambert]

Getting the run around with the mechanic that replaced my fuel pump so I am going elsewhere and spoke the mechanic there who says the crank position sensor makes sense.

My wife works with someone who had similar (but not identical) problems after the fuel pump has been replaced. In addition to getting the sensor replaced, the Ignition Relay and Fuel Relay were replaced and there have been no problems in the 6 months since then.