Engine Stalling: Causes, Handling a Stall, Prevention & Roadside Assistance

When your car engine dies, this is known as “stalling”. A wide variety of different issues can lead to an engine stall, including airflow problems, insufficient fuel, overheating, and mechanical failures. Engine stalls themselves are not usually dangerous, though they can put drivers in sticky situations. If you’re unlucky, it could happen while you are driving on a busy road. The information in this module will help you handle such situations.

Causes of engine stalls

Car engines die for many reasons. If your car is otherwise in good condition, any engine stall you experience should be minor and easily fixed. When more serious or frequent stalls occur, you must seek the advice of a mechanic. A car may stall because:

• The gas tank is empty.
• The wrong type of fuel has been put in the tank. Or the fuel is too thin.
• The car battery is dead.
• The engine has overheated.
• The clutch is malfunctioning (on manual transmission vehicles).

How to handle an engine stall

This guidance will make sure you can deal with an engine stall without further damaging your vehicle or risking injury to yourself, your passengers or other road users.

1. 1

   If possible, move your vehicle to a safe location at the side of the road away from moving traffic.

2. 2

   If it is not possible to move your vehicle out of a dangerous position, the driver and passengers must leave the vehicle and move to a safe location.

3. 3

   Occupants may remain in the vehicle if it is not in a hazardous position.

4. 4

   If your engine stalls on a freeway do not walk along the road to seek assistance.
   Wait by the side of the road or in your vehicle for help to come to you.

5. 5

   Activate your hazard lights or use flares to make your stalled vehicle visible to other drivers.

6. 6

   Walk in the same direction as traffic, if you must walk on the highway to seek help.

Exercise caution when accepting help from strangers. If possible, remain in your locked vehicle until you are certain that the person offering help does not pose a threat. You can notify the police of the breakdown and that you have accepted assistance. Make sure that the person helping you knows that you have done this; they will not mind if their intentions are innocent.

Roadside assistance

Sometimes, sitting and waiting for help to arrive is the only action you can take. You can signal to passersby that you need assistance by securing a white or colored cloth to your antenna or leaving the hood of your car raised.

Check online or in your driver’s handbook to find out if free motorist assistance is offered in the area. Services such as New Jersey’s Safety Service Patrol (SSP) and Louisiana’s Motorist Assistance Patrol (MAP) cover areas where motorists frequently need help, offering free tire changes, jumps-starts, radiator servicing, fuel and cellphone use. Many other states offer similar support, though remote areas may not be covered.