VX turns off by self

[vxspack]

I have a VX II "S" Pack with a supercharger. I am having the very annoying problem of the car switching it self off whilst driving. Its been back to Holden several times and the best they can do is say its loose cables. But the problem is still there. Its got to the point of dangerous (i was nearly wiped out by a truck id just overtaken last night). No error codes show up on the computer and its fairly intermittant. Ive tried using the other key as my dad's had the same symptoms and it turned out that was the cause - however that has not fixed mine. If anyone has any idea it would be greatly appreicated. I can't see im the only person in Aus with this problem.

[marcu5]

Dam, I had this about two weeks ago, I came out of my daughters prep school, I got just out of the 40zone and noticed no oomph behind the pedal, my battery dash light came on and no power steering, well cant be when there is no engine running!!
Anyways I rolled to the side of the road and switched the car off, I turned it back on and away it went, Im not sure what I will put it down to but possible a bad connection on the battery as that light was stuck on when I pulled over. Other possible thing that I have put it to is that the alternator sent a bit too much power through the system causing the computer to shutdown (Is this possible when voltages get to about 18v?).
I am yet to get a mate of mine to put it on the tech2 and see what it said and if it said anything but I will post it up once I know.
Weird..

[muzza]

A suggestion: check your battery cables - undo, clean and replace tightly, apply some waterproof grease etc on the outside of the terminals to help stop corrosion.

I had a similar, but not complete engine cut out with a VN a few years back - engine missed and half stalled when i went over bumps!

Hope that helps......

[vxspack]

Thanks guys thats helpful. I will say that when holden had it no error codes were posted. Which i suppose makes it hard to figure out. Also I have just relised that this only started happening a few weeks after I had the battery replaced, so I might start with that. If anyone else has suggestions - please keep em coming!

[CV8-RO]

I don't think a bad battery connection will make the car turn off while driving.
I had the turn off while driving problem in an older car, it was the ignition coil lead coming off.

[SLEEPERVX]

Try the ignition key. Could be a bad connection between the circular metal strip around the ignition and the key itself. Had this happen to me before. I'd start the car up and it'd just turn off a second later. I swapped to my spare key and hey presto! didn't happen again.

[Snapper]

This may not be useful, but years ago I had a Mazda MX6. The 4WS one with the 2.5ltr V6 engine. It demonstrated exactly the same problem as your commodore. I had it at Mazda for days and had it returned with no fault found. After numerous incidents of it just dying on me I took it to a friendly mechanic who very quickly worked out it was the ignitor (Mazda's fancy name for the distributer and engine management all in one unit).

We put in a reconditioned one and all was good. Hope this helps.

Good luck with it

[vyssls1]

I have a VX II "S" Pack with a supercharger. I am having the very annoying problem of the car switching it self off whilst driving. Its been back to Holden several times and the best they can do is say its loose cables. But the problem is still there. Its got to the point of dangerous (i was nearly wiped out by a truck id just overtaken last night). No error codes show up on the computer and its fairly intermittant. Ive tried using the other key as my dad's had the same symptoms and it turned out that was the cause - however that has not fixed mine. If anyone has any idea it would be greatly appreicated. I can't see im the only person in Aus with this problem.


does the car seem to run out of steam, or does it just cut out instantly, this is an easy suggestion to try, under the bonnet you have a efi power relay, just remove it and swap it for the horn relay, and give it a go, normally relay contacts get dirty, over age.

If it was a crankangle sensor fault, it should have set at least a fault code, so give it a go, and see what happens.

Cheers

[Bitza]

We've had a couple VS & VT's do similar, no codes logged and it ended up being the Crank Angle Sensor.

[Leilani7]

I have a VX II "S" Pack with a supercharger. I am having the very annoying problem of the car switching it self off whilst driving. Its been back to Holden several times and the best they can do is say its loose cables. But the problem is still there. Its got to the point of dangerous (i was nearly wiped out by a truck id just overtaken last night). No error codes show up on the computer and its fairly intermittant. Ive tried using the other key as my dad's had the same symptoms and it turned out that was the cause - however that has not fixed mine. If anyone has any idea it would be greatly appreicated. I can't see im the only person in Aus with this problem.
I had a patrol with this problem before I got the monaro, the patrol had a turbo timer and an aftermarket alarm fitted and the turbo timer was the problem in the end, (had to remove it,)very scary at times too, good luck and keep safe

[bermudablue]

Usually when a crank angle sensor goes it wont start up for a while and
if you poured cold water on the bottom pulley it would start again.I dont know why but it works.This was in a VR tho and engine light didnt come on.
Loose cables in Holden language means "we dont know" whats wrong .

[vyssls1]

We've had a couple VS & VT's do similar, no codes logged and it ended up being the Crank Angle Sensor.


Also can be the pins on the module, if the pins arnt tight lose contact as well, mainly vn and vp and vr, cause they have been pulled apart several times by now.

there is a certain pin from the module that actually supplies power to the crank angle sensor, if this pin contact fails no crank angle sensor operation.

DTC are only a guide anyway.

[vyssls1]

Also had a few cars that loose power from the ignition switch to the main power relay, there could be thousands of reason causing this problem, this is when the art of diagnosis comes into it.

[vxspack]

Thanks everyone for your comments. I've given the car to holden today and told them all these things. Guess we'll just have to see how it goes - ill let you know.

[seedyrom]

Wasnt it Plan B or Justice who worked out what this problem is ?

A heavy keyring combined with a right hand turn turns the car off, due to the weight.

Do you have lots of things hanging from your keyfob?

[Toddler78]

I would be pretty confident that it would not be the battery, as the car draws its power from the altenator once running the battery is really only there to start the car. You can actually remove the battery whilst the car is running and the thing will continue to run. A great party trick if youve got a mate with a flat battery and no jumper leads, pull your good battery out connect to theirs, get car running and put their battery back in to charge. my suggestion would be crank angle sensor or the coil packs, but from my experience it doesnt take long for a CASensor to play up before the car will not start full stop.

[DaveHAT]

Wasnt it Plan B or Justice who worked out what this problem is ?

A heavy keyring combined with a right hand turn turns the car off, due to the weight.

Do you have lots of things hanging from your keyfob?

From memory Keen found out what it was.

I agree, thats where I'd start looking. Drive it with just the ignition key it it & see if the problem continues.

[Harvs82]

You wouldn't read about it, but this exact problem happened to me yesterday, in my VS V6. Exactly the same symptoms, car just stalled, and no fault codes have been logged. Car has been fine since too, I too have no idea what the story is, but I had suspected it was the Crank Angle Sensor, but I thought if that failed, it would have left a code.

Will be very interested to hear the outcome here...


Cheers

Harvs82

[vxspack]

Nah - only ever have the key and a keyring in the ignition - never anything else. Holden tried to give the car back friday saying it was the Crank Angle Sensor. I told them to keep it over the weekend to test - its now tuesday and haven't heard from them. I suspect that it played up :) . I keep asking them to check the fuel pump but them seem reluctant. Will keep you posted!

[brettarmst]

Had a VL doing this and it was the crank angle sensor (got wet at the car wash and the rubber boot had fallen off).

[YLD346]

I had a patrol with this problem before I got the monaro, the patrol had a turbo timer and an aftermarket alarm fitted and the turbo timer was the problem in the end, (had to remove it,)very scary at times too, good luck and keep safe


I had the same sort of thing in my VK, ended up being the alarm / immobiliser connections would drop out, bit of a different car but might help.

[hsv1413]

there is another thread on this in technical as well.
A bloke with VT.

Crank angle sensor is the key here!
I had mine replaced after doing the same thing.
Also, the bloke checked the plugs into the coils and tightened them with a screwdriver to ensure contact. It never happened again after both done.

Good luck

[vxspack]

Well ive nearly had it back a week - and it hasen't done it yet. Crank Angle Sensor may be the problem!!

[LS1-5.7]

Sounds like crank angle sensor to me, should also be more prominent problem when engine gets hot. Has happened to me in a VS V6 & VX V6. No codes logged for some reason (Tech1/2) and generic scantool. Add to this that it is a common problem and you could put money on the cause. BTW, make sure your alternator posts are tight (internally). Loose posts eat wiring looms and alternators for lunch due to massive resistance the system simply can not handle. Not your problem in this case as it goes into limp home mode first B4 it dies and can't be restarted. Not likely to be fuel if it's a dead stop either. :)

Sounds like crank angle sensor to me, should also be more prominent problem when engine gets hot. Has happened to me in a VS V6 & VX V6. No codes logged for some reason (Tech1/2) and generic scantool. New sensor, no more problems. Add to this that it is a common problem and you could put money on the cause. BTW, make sure your alternator posts are tight (internally). Loose posts eat wiring looms and alternators for lunch due to massive resistance the system simply can not handle. Not your problem in this case as it goes into limp home mode first B4 it dies and can't be restarted. Not likely to be fuel if it's a dead stop either. :)

[woffty12]

I have a VX II "S" Pack with a supercharger. I am having the very annoying problem of the car switching it self off whilst driving. Its been back to Holden several times and the best they can do is say its loose cables. But the problem is still there. Its got to the point of dangerous (i was nearly wiped out by a truck id just overtaken last night). No error codes show up on the computer and its fairly intermittant. Ive tried using the other key as my dad's had the same symptoms and it turned out that was the cause - however that has not fixed mine. If anyone has any idea it would be greatly appreicated. I can't see im the only person in Aus with this problem.

Hi there, i have just started having a similar prob just last sat car shut down at lights all the family in the car ,tryed to restart wouldnt start . then after a minute it started ,following day it done it again whilst driving ,came to stop and tryed to restart no go ,so i i got under the car and hit the fuel tank hard then it started . so i just had the fuel pump replaced ,and it has just turned off again after fitting new pump ,20 minutes after picking the car up , what do you think guys do i try the crank angle sensor next ?thanks Woffty12

[jeepers]

With the car idling, grasp the main plug to the DFI module and give it a wiggle. If the car stutters or stalls, that's your problem. Its usually secured into position with a small bolt. Mate had a vs3 statesman v6 s/c that was continuously cutting out/not firing, and after much money and time, we found that plug was the cause. A good clean and scrub and a dose of contact cleaner and then some electrical grease and it hasn't done it again. Didnt look corroded either.

Otherwise I'd be looking at the CAS next, followed by the DFI module itself.

[Mick1]

This may not be useful, but years ago I had a Mazda MX6. The 4WS one with the 2.5ltr V6 engine. It demonstrated exactly the same problem as your commodore. I had it at Mazda for days and had it returned with no fault found. After numerous incidents of it just dying on me I took it to a friendly mechanic who very quickly worked out it was the ignitor (Mazda's fancy name for the distributer and engine management all in one unit).

We put in a reconditioned one and all was good. Hope this helps.

Good luck with it

Had exact same prob with an Accord, had to change the hole dizzi.

Also had the same prob with a VR which could be more relevant to what your goin thru. It was the electronics under the coil-pack, forget what its called,
but might be worth swapin it over or checkin the plug[can get dirty].

[woffty12]

Hi there , can you tell me what the dfi module is and where it is located ? sorry forgot to mention car is a vy v6 2003 ,thanks again

[redvxr8clubby]

Worth checking the plug to the coil pack, even if not corroded, unpluging it and reseating again might help, but have a look for corrosion or dirt in the connectors while it is off.