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Going 70MPH on the freeway, then, out of nowhere.... BOOM...

M

mynewmystique

New CEG'er
Joined
Jan 21, 2006
Messages
10
Location
city by the lake
[99 mercury mystique]

Nothing!

Car dies unexplainably. Engine just shuts off and won't start again. Oil light came on and check engine light came on.

Tried cranking it and it doesn't seem to be the starter or anything... and there's definitely enough juice to at least "try" to crank over... but it just wouldn't start. After about 3-4 seconds of trying to crank it over, it would make a noise similar to the screeching sound you hear when you try to start a car that's already turned on. I don't know if that's "new" or not, because the car would typically start in 1-2 seconds...

My battery charge light has been going on and off for over a year without provocation. When I noticed this a year ago, I had checked connections, charge, etc. All fine. Just thought it was "one of those things" that I lived with. Not sure it had anything to do with what happened tonight.

I don't even know where to begin to trouble shoot this... but since I got a CEL, I wanted to pull the codes. I know that there is a manual way to check the check engine light code without using a computer. You use some kind of key to press something, somewhere, and then like "morse code" the light flickers and you can get the code that way.

Can anyone offer (or point me to a post) that has a detailed description on how to do this?

And also, is there a site that lists all the CEL codes and what they mean?

Also, given what I've posted... does anyone have any guesses as to what this could be?

Thank you!
 
In an OBD-II equipped Contour/Mystique/Cougar (96+) there is no way to check codes except for an OBD-II scanner. the method you are referring to is for OBD-I (95 and earlier).

I would scan the codes, MOST CERTAINLY. Autozone, Advanced Auto, etc, will check it for free, IF you can get it there. Otherwise, you can purchase an OBD-II scanner that does NOTHING more than read the codes and clear them for around $40. One that does "freeze frame" (ie, all the things your car was doing at the exact moment the code was set.. RPM, temperature, speed, etc) is more, but MUCH more useful.

There is an OBD-II code list on the "main" site of Contour.org, on the left panel, under "common problems/Faq" (or something relative to that)

Under that, go to the "engine" section for the "my check engine light is on" link.

Test your alternator:
fully charge your battery with a battery charger (as a dead/undercharged battery can cause faulty voltage readings when testing the alternator.)
Engine running, the battery should read 14.0 volts +- 0.3 or so.

Test your battery:
Now turn the car off, headlights on for 60 seconds, it should be at 12.5 volts or higher across the terminals.

Post your Engine OBD-II codes (not the description that the parts store guy trys to tell you.. the actual code.), and battery/alternator test results as soon as you can.
 
Hi Ray, thanks for the speedy reply.

Regarding the codes... I once went to Autozone to have them check a code I was getting about a year ago (turned out to be an O2 sensor)...

However, at Autozone, the guy didn't use any sort of computer or anything. He just stuck something into my car and counted how many times the CEL blinked. Then he'd write down a number... and so on... until I he finished the code.

I am not sure what he stuck into my car, but it looked like it was just a piece of metal he had at the end of his keychain. Looked like there was no circuitry... just a piece of metal shaped in a way that would trigger something once inserted... like a key or something... Looked like something you could buy for about 99 cents :)

Is that the code checker you're referring to?

OH! and PS, I noticed a few days ago that my odometer "trip counter" stopped for a few minutes when I set it back to zero. I pressed it and it worked normally again... and I have no clue what this would have to do with my car dying, but ya never know... just trying to get all the info I can out there incase anyone can make a deduction as to what's going on! :)
 
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Rogerm60 said:
Your timing belt probably broke.
Click to expand...

Thanks, I will check it out. Since it was 30 degrees outside, raining, and I had to work, I simply had the car towed to my parents drive way and didn't have a chance to take a good look under the hood yet.

Furthermore, another thing I thought of that may or may not be related... once in a while when I would turn the heat or AC to full, starting from the OFF position, the car would "bog" down a little bit, feel like it wanted to start to die down, but it would never actually shut off. This would last for a split second and the car would then idle back up to a normal range.

Thanks again everyone for all of your replies.
 
Ray said:
Test your alternator:
fully charge your battery with a battery charger (as a dead/undercharged battery can cause faulty voltage readings when testing the alternator.)
Engine running, the battery should read 14.0 volts +- 0.3 or so.

Test your battery:
Now turn the car off, headlights on for 60 seconds, it should be at 12.5 volts or higher across the terminals.

Post your Engine OBD-II codes (not the description that the parts store guy trys to tell you.. the actual code.), and battery/alternator test results as soon as you can.
Click to expand...

I just realized I can't do this test. I can't start the car. :(

However, when I first noticed the battery light (actually came to this forum for advice for that too) and I did this test and both the battery and altrenator were fine.
 
Turn ignition to on. Does the CEL light come on for a few seconds? (to determine if PCM is getting power). If it is not the timing belt, and battery or alternator, it could be a wiring issue, check wiring from battery to starter, battery to alternator, and the clincher, battery to ground (especially the one which goes under the tray).
 
I can't specifically remember if the CEL comes on right when you just turn the key to put the ignition on, but I do remember it comes on after I've tried to crank it over (along with the oil light). I do have power to crank, lights can be turned on, power windows, etc work fine...
 
mynewmystique said:
..but I do remember it comes on after I've tried to crank it over (along with the oil light). .....
Click to expand...
It has power.

The odometer thing, it probably was stuck and got loose again. Nothing related to this problem.

Since you have nothing to do anyway, :laugh: , might as well just unplug the Camshaft Position sensor and clean the connectors, and do the same for the Crankshaft Position sensor.

Edit. CKP from autozone link
http://www.autozone.com/servlet/UiB..._us/0900823d/80/1b/c4/47/0900823d801bc447.jsp

CMP
http://www.autozone.com/servlet/UiB..._us/0900823d/80/1b/cb/7c/0900823d801bcb7c.jsp
 
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Rogerm60 said:
Your timing belt probably broke.
Click to expand...

+1 thats exactly what the symptom sound like....

The stock one usually only lasts about 100K but in many cases we have seen it push on to 130-150K pending upon how hard the engine has been pushed.

Remove the timing belt cover and take a look down inside, if the belt hast any slack/is cut up. thats your problem.
 
My SVT did the same thing and it ended up being a short in the wiring harness that blew one of the main fuses/fusable link (not sure exactly which one, towed to dealer for fix). The car would crank, but not start.
 
The same exact thing happened to me with my tracer years ago. Driving 70 mph on the highway then absolutly nothing. I am putting $1.54 on the timing belt. And that trick you refered to with the guy counting the blinking cel light, i can do the same thing with my car (sort of) but it is a OBD I.
 
If the cam doesn't turn when the engine is cranked it is probably the timing belt. You may be able to peek at the cam through the oil cap hole. The upper timing belt cover isn't hard to remove if needed. On some engines you can deflect the cam cover enough to get a peek at the cam or cam sprocket without taking anything apart.
 
update

Someone looked at it today and said it was the tensioner and there was a bearing there too.

He nor I will really be able to do this on our own as it seems as a bigger job then we're prepared to deal with because of work/schedule...

What can I expect to pay for replacement of tensioner and timing belt at a shop?

Thanks!
 
Ok so...

Update II

Called a shop. They said it would be $150 to just asses the exact problem. Said if valves were bent then it'd be $1,500 to replace that and heads but if not it'd be about $400 for just the tensioner/timing belt.

Arrgh.

Thoughts?
 
"They said it would be $150 to just asses the exact problem."
Don't have them assess the situation. Just open the valve cover yourself and look. If the belt broke, you should be able to tell right away.

" Said if valves were bent then it'd be $1,500 to replace that and heads"
Reebs said:
Aren't the 2.0s free spinning engines!?!?
Click to expand...
No bent valves there.

"about $400 for just the tensioner/timing belt."
If you determine it is the belt, this is a reasonable price.

Edit. Autozone link. 8 steps and you will know if it is a timing belt issue.
http://www.autozone.com/servlet/UiB..._us/0900823d/80/1b/c8/36/0900823d801bc836.jsp
 
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It's gotta be the timing belt. I had the exact same problems. Was driving on a busy road, stopped at a red light, and it wouldn't go anywhere when the light became green. Well, it went for a little more...just enough to get me off the road.
 
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