Hi all,
I have a 98 SE and lately it will shut off especially when slowing down and lifting pressure off the accelerator. It also happens when making a slow turn. It never happens when on the highway, so far anyway. When it shuts off it is as if someone turned off the key, no engine sputtering just loss of power steering and the bells and lights come on. It will usually start right back up again. I have also noticed that sometimes the car will not start right up and the engine will turn over many times before starting. This is not always the case, sometimes the engine will start right up as soon as it turns over.

Jimbo

Hmm..Welcome to the club first off..
Guys.what do you figure..Crank sensor issues?
Id look at my FSM, but thats not at home now..

I had the crank sensor checked out by a mechanic and he has ruled this out as the problem. That is one reason that I decided to post here as the people on this site seem to know this car inside out.

Jim, I'd start with the basics. Get your mechanic to start isolating systems out so they can be ruled out as potential problems. You may want to start looking at fuel delivery (fuel pump operation, pressure on the fuel rail, etc) Then maybe look at the ignition (on the basis that the crank sensor is not at fault, if that is true). There could be a myriad of potential problems here.

Crank sensor won't kill a running car, even if the wires are cut. I have seen this about 5 or 6 times. Most of those were caused by a bad connection at the battery if you can believe it.

Let me guess, the car dies and EVERYTHING electrical with it? Notice it happens in certain conditions, while the car is changing speed in one direction? I strongly suspect an intermittent electrical problem with the main supply/feed.

First, check the battery, the bolts that connect the postive and negative cables for good, non-corroded, tight connections with the battery, then the connections at the other ends of the cables. Make sure everything is clean and making good contact.

Yeah what he said, side post terminals are notorious for corrosion. When I got my car (from my dad) it was experiencing these problems, and I think it is why he bought a new car. Go ahead and disconnect the battery terminals, then take off the red and black covers over the connectors, then use a wire brush on them and get them clean. Re-install, and you might just have fixed the problem.

Also my car melted the positive battery terminal in half, and what you described happend, but I doubt that is your problem. On my car it was caused by modifications I made to the stereo.

sounds to me like your alternator is about to go.
The alternator seems to be doing its job when your pushing it, but when its dorment
it does not seem to recharge your battery, so your battery dies, this would slow your car down, and turn on the abs lights and powersteering and i think mostly all lights and finally shut off. You are still able to start your car, that means that it has not gone completly. I suggest to get it inspected and replaced ASAP.

94 This would mean his battery was dead at the same time. In that case the motor would not crank over. I doubt this is the cause of the problem.

Jimbo... Is the carpet wet on either side of the front floor? Randman had a similar issue back with his 93. Found the water leaks and never had a problem after. This is a quick easy test... feel the carpet.

you are completly right, it doesnt have to be the alternator, but its worth checking out.
and from what he describes it sounds like it is.

The battery doesnt have to be fully depleaded for the car to come to a shutdown. It just has to be very close to nothing (8 volts or less). When the car shutsdown there is still a bit of power in the battery once it is cranked the battery goes and takes power from the alternator, just enough to crank the engine.. as his rpms shootup his alternator starts to kick in and feed the battery. thus is the case why no failures during the highway.

as it was happening to my bonnie a while back, my alternator bearings had come loose, and the alternator was bouncing back and forth on itself, making the bolts rub-off metal. this caused it to sllllllowwwlly die out.. not die instanly, therefore being able to still crank the engine after it dies.
it kept on dying on me and i kept starting it back up without a prob. I took it to a mechanic and he inspected the battery and alternator and told me the car was good and had no probs.. about a week later the alternator died and with it went my battery.
This could not be the same case as you Jimbo but it does sound to be the samethings i was suffering from before my alt went. hav it checked out.