Few things are more alarming than driving and suddenly feeling your car lose power and the steering wheel becomes hard to turn.
Few things are more alarming than driving and suddenly feeling your car lose power and the steering wheel becomes hard to turn. When a car shuts off while you are driving, the engine stops running, and both hydraulic belt driven power steering systems and electric power steering systems lose the assistance you normally rely on.
In hydraulic systems, the power steering pump stops turning, and in electric systems the power supply drops, leaving the steering much stiffer than normal. It is a scary experience, and it can be dangerous if it happens in traffic. At Tim’s Quality Car Care, we hear from New Orleans drivers who have dealt with this situation, and the good news is that there are clear reasons why it happens and reliable ways to fix it.
One of the most common causes is a failing alternator.
The alternator keeps your battery charged and powers the electrical system while the engine is running. When it fails, your battery begins to drain, lights dim, electrical components stop working, and eventually the engine shuts off completely. Once the engine dies, power steering is lost and the car becomes difficult to control. This issue tends to develop gradually, but when the alternator finally gives out, the shutdown can feel sudden.
Another frequent culprit is a fuel delivery problem.
If your fuel pump or fuel filter is failing, the engine may suddenly stop receiving enough fuel to keep running. When this happens, the vehicle stalls, and with the engine no longer turning, your power steering assistance disappears. Sometimes the car will restart after a few minutes, which can make the problem seem random, but it will continue until the fuel system issue is repaired.
Modern engines rely on precise air and fuel control, so a failing sensor, ignition component, or engine control module can also cause unexpected stalling. Even a small fault can interrupt communication between systems and cause the engine to shut off while driving. When this happens, the loss of power steering is simply a result of the engine no longer running the systems that support it.
It is also possible for engine stalling to occur because of vacuum leaks, overheating, or low oil pressure.
It is also possible for engine stalling to occur because of vacuum leaks, overheating, or low oil pressure. In many cases, the vehicle will display a warning light before shutting down, but not always. That is why it is important to take any brief stumble or sudden loss of power seriously.
No matter what causes it, a car that dies while driving is never something to ignore.
If your steering suddenly gets difficult or your vehicle shuts off unexpectedly, it is important to have the issue inspected quickly. At Tim’s Quality Car Care in New Orleans, we perform thorough diagnostics to determine exactly why the engine stalled. We examine the charging system, inspect the fuel system, test ignition components, check for computer faults, and confirm that your power steering system is functioning properly once the engine is running.
If your car has died while driving or you have noticed warning signs like flickering lights, rough running, or slow cranking, let us check it out!
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