Car Electrical System Shuts Off While Driving – 6 Causes & 5 Solutions
One of the most troublesome problems with vehicles happens when a car loses electrical power intermittently while driving. Being a delicate part, the electrical system is prone to errors and troubles, causing the entire vehicle to come to a halt.
While you can call an emergency service, it is still helpful to know what to do here and there, why it happens, and how you can deal with it without the help of a professional.
In some easier cases, it can help you save a lot of money by avoiding paying your mechanic.
Now, let’s scroll down to get the root of the car electrical system shuts off while driving and its solutions.
What Causes A Car Electrical System Shuts Off While Driving?
What Causes A Car To Lose All Electrical Power?
First, you need to know whether the electrical system is causing the riddle. Fortunately, a common issue with electricity are often easy to tell.
The most tellable signs are if your battery is not turning over and your car loses all electrical power when trying to start.
Other symptoms include an abnormal dimming of the lights.
The first two things you need to look at when your car lost all electrical power while driving are the bad battery and the alternator.
These are the essential things you can check yourself. If the problems lie deeper, the diagnostic work is much more complicated and requires a professional.
Battery Problems
The car battery plays a crucial part in starting your engine. It provides the power necessary to start your vehicle and powers the accessories when the engine shutoffs.
So, if the car has a dead battery, it will refuse to kickstart.
Look for this problem from the battery light on the dashboard.
The problems leading to a dead battery often happen due to wear and tear or because of the faulty alternator. A car battery usually has a lifespan of about four to five years.
If you don’t regularly check on your battery, especially when it gets older, there’s a high chance your vehicle will refuse to start one day because of it.
But why is the alternator involved here? Unlike the battery, the alternator provides power when the engine is running. When the alternator is not working, the vehicle will use the energy from the battery.
However, that process will not last long, and your battery will eventually die out, which leaves no electrical power in the car.
Issues With The Alternator
Besides the battery, the alternator is another power source for your vehicle. It keeps the battery running and helps operate the entire system smoothly while the vehicle is running.
If you notice a dimming of the lights or the car loses power while driving alternator failure is the cause.
When your alternator is bad, your best bet should be to bring your vehicle to the nearest auto repair shop to take a look at its output and the entire system to replace it if necessary.
Check For A Bad Starter/Ignition
The ignition coil and ignition system powers the spark plug and help maintain a stable voltage for the spark plug.
If the ignition components go bad or don’t work, the vehicle will refuse to start, or affect the engine performance, i.e., the car losing electrical power while driving.
Check for this sign with the check engine light, error codes, or if you notice a voltage drop.
However, in this case the battery and alternator will work as regular, and other electrical components like the radio, air conditioner, or lights still function. That is how you can tell whether the ignition is at fault.
However, if you have a bad ignition switch, both the engine and your accessories will stop working altogether. Then you will have to replace the faulty ignition switch.
The ignition switch will often lie behind the steering column and your ignition key lock cylinder or somewhere under the dash. To replace it, you will have to disassemble some pieces.
When you are driving for a while and your car loses electrical power then comes back, and the accessories still work while the engine dies, you should suspect the ignition module.
A bad ignition module will make the engine cease to work until it’s cooled down.
A quick note, don’t turn off your ignition until you stop because you will lose power steering or control of your vehicle.
On the other hand, the starters are electric motors that crank an internal combustion engine to start it. If the starter motor doesn’t work, your car’s engine’s combustion process won’t start despite the accessories working.
Bad Electrical Cable
The cables wire the electrical system to generate power. Due to corrosion, the copper components may suffer from oxidation or failure to transfer energy properly.
The spark plugs or alternator errors can also lead to cable failure. If the cables are defective or lost, your vehicle will lose power or experience a sudden shut-off.
The signs include a weak acceleration of the vehicle or compromised engine control unit performance.
Connection
Other faulty wiring or bad connection/loose cable/loose connection between the battery cables or alternator with other components can lead to a power loss for the vehicle.
However, this is an easy problem to fix as long as you can diagnose it.
Fuel Problems
Some of the most common reasons for the car not getting power issues are fuel-related rather than electrical issues.
If your vehicle runs out of fuel supply or uses bad gasoline, of course, it will stop running despite the best condition.
Another reason is the bad fuel pump. If it doesn’t work correctly, your fuel won’t have enough fuel to power. It is best to check if the issue stems from a problematic fuel pump and fuel filter with a professional.
What Are Solutions To Car Shuts Off While Driving?
While it is possible to diagnose and repair your vehicle on your own, it is not advisable when you don’t have some knowledge about the vehicle.
The first thing you want to do if the circumstance allows is to take your car to the side of the road and seek help.
Then, try to restart the vehicle on your own first. If it succeeds, great. However, you will still need to take it to the repair shop later to check for lingering issues.
Otherwise, you need to call the emergency service or have someone help you bring the vehicle to the repair shop.
However, in case the circumstance doesn’t allow for such solutions, you can have some easy fixes as discussed below.
Tighten Electric Cables
As we explained, loose wires and a loose connector are the most common yet easiest to fix problems.
Usually, you should check the connections from the fuse box, and the battery, then tighten them if they are loose. When you find damaged cables, replace them.
Replace The Faulty Fuel Pump Or Fuel System
For problems that lie in the faulty fuel pump or fuel filter, you can easily replace it without the help of a professional as long as you are experienced with vehicles.
Of course, this only applies if you have the tools and components at hand.
Clean Or Replace Your Alternator
A bad alternator will also affect your battery, so it’s best to keep it clean and well-functioning.
If the electric devices are flickering, or you experience fast battery drainage and dashboard warning light, those are good signs you need to look at your alternator.
The alternator is easy to navigate and doesn’t come with a hefty price, so you can quickly clean and replace it when it’s faulty.
Keep An Eye On The Fuel Gauge
And don’t forget to fuel your vehicle, please. A faulty fuel gauge or bad fuel level sensor will give you a false indicator of your vehicle’s real fuel level, so you can be careless.
Nevertheless, it would help if you always wanted to have a full fuel tank for a ride before starting your vehicle in the first place.
How To Make Sure Your Car Doesn’t Shut Down While Driving?
Here are some tips you can rely on to prevent your car from shutting down while driving.
Always make sure you fill your vehicle’s fuel tank before any trip and before the warning goes off.
Pay attention to the check engine light whether it illuminates or flickers. You should bring your vehicle to a professional mechanic as soon as it happens or scan it for yourself if you are experienced enough.
You should keep your car clean and regularly examine the cables, battery, alternator, and other components.
Finally, don’t forget your regular maintenance. A poorly maintained vehicle will be more likely to face problems on the road.
Is It Safe To Drive A Car With Electrical Problems?
Even if it’s safe to drive a vehicle with a electrical fault, you are just buying yourself more issues along the way.
A malfunctioning electrical system will eventually give out and lead to other systemic issues for the entire system.
Not to mention if your car suddenly dies on the road, you will face the chance of accidents, which you want to avoid at all costs.
Conclusion
We hope that our article on car electrical system shuts off while driving is helpful for you to diagnose the problems with your car and vaguely know how to deal with them.
Nevertheless, whenever you are unsure what to do, you should bring your vehicle to a professional to avoid further damage.
https://bryansgarage.com/car-electrical-system-shuts-off-while-driving/