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View Full Version : Car experts...help

PurdueBrad
09-03-2010, 08:37 PM
Driving my wife's 2007 Chevy Trailblazer today, doing about 40 mph. The car suddenly died out, kept all electrical power, but the engine stopped suddenly, steering got very stiff, and the brakes got very tight. I was able to coast into a parking lot and park it. I got the car to turn over once but it immediately died out and then I couldn't get it going again. Any thoughts on what I'm looking at repair-wise? Thanks in advance.

And yeah, it has gas. I actually thought it must be out so I walked to a gas station, bought a container, filled it, and then filled the car. So it has minimum of 3 gallons now.
terpkristin
09-03-2010, 08:58 PM
Weird.
I would call Car Talk.

Because I am not an expert. Except for the "kept all electrical power" thing, it sounds like what happened when my alternator died. I don't remember exactly what happened when my cam shaft froze, but now that I'm thinking back on it, it may have done more or less that (it happened at a horrible place, as I was at the 95/495 split to get onto 495 to go into College Park). Had the oil changed recently?

/tk
MacroGuru
09-03-2010, 09:00 PM
What TK said...I do think it's the alternator...the battery can juice it until it's dead.
cougarfreak
09-03-2010, 09:16 PM
Could be a fuel filter as well.
Mustang
09-03-2010, 09:27 PM
Check that your serpentine belt didn't break.
DanGarion
09-03-2010, 10:11 PM
Yeah I was thinking fuel filter or a belt, since you still have electrical. If you lose the engine you will always lose your power brakes and steering so that doesn't point to anything specific. If it was the alternator I would think you wouldn't have electrical now.
dwardzala
09-03-2010, 10:39 PM
I'm thinking fuel system, maybe fuel pump. Probably looking at $350-$500 for the repair. Out of curiosity, how many miles?
PurdueBrad
09-03-2010, 10:42 PM
It's got 40,000 miles dwardzala.

Thank you all for your advice, this is kind of what we were thinking so I'm glad to get that reassurance. Of course it had to happen at 5:30 on Friday evening of Labor Day weekend so they'll get to it Tuesday hopefully.
Greyroofoo
09-03-2010, 11:36 PM
I'm guessing the problem is that you own a chevy.