Engine shut off, no warning

[Dozer]

Hello All,
This isn't exactly a towing question but didn't know where else to go. The engine in my truck (2003 F150, 4.6) just shut off driving down the street.
No warning, no chug chug cough, it just shut off like throwing a switch. It felt like it might be electrical but all the dash icons came on and the radio was still playing.
But needless to say the power steering and brakes were gone so it was a little disconcerting. I got pulled over to the side of the road and it restarted with no problem.
Any ideas?
Thanks in advance,
Dozer

[jus2shy]

wannavolunteerFT wrote:
I had that happen to me back in November in my 2010 F150.. Mine shut off once, restarted and I assumed it might be trash in fuel line (I was stopping and starting and turning around on mountain roads). It stopped again about 5 minutes later so I called for help. I was miles from campground in NGA mountains and several hundred miles from home. I got a tow to local Dealer as I didn't want that happening with TT attached.

Turned out there was a service bulletin for some type wiring short between fuel pump and computer controls. Only took them a couple of hours to diagnose and repair (thank goodness). I was kinda bummed that my local dealer had not mentioned the service bulletin when I had the oil changed/basic service done just a week before.

Yeah, there's a little module that controls fuel flow for the F-150's, it's on a ladder bar in the rear of the truck. If you live in an area that sprays salt, those little control modules are known to corrode and just die. Cheap part to replace. As others suggested, do the cheap stuff first:

1. make sure you have good power off the battery
2. make sure your fuses are good
3. crawl under the truck and make sure your fuel control module is in good shape
4. Make sure you still have fuel in your tank (you could have a bad gas level sensor).
5. Now the harder diagnosing steps (make sure you have spark, fuel injection, etc...

[mich800]

wannavolunteerFT wrote:
I had that happen to me back in November in my 2010 F150.. Mine shut off once, restarted and I assumed it might be trash in fuel line (I was stopping and starting and turning around on mountain roads). It stopped again about 5 minutes later so I called for help. I was miles from campground in NGA mountains and several hundred miles from home. I got a tow to local Dealer as I didn't want that happening with TT attached.

Turned out there was a service bulletin for some type wiring short between fuel pump and computer controls. Only took them a couple of hours to diagnose and repair (thank goodness). I was kinda bummed that my local dealer had not mentioned the service bulletin when I had the oil changed/basic service done just a week before.

Dealers generally will not inform you of a TSB. It is there for them as a reference to aid in repairing vehicles that have exhibited consistent or similar symptoms. So unless you go in and state you are having an issue they are not going to go searching for all the TSB's on your vehicle.

[wannavolunteerF]

I had that happen to me back in November in my 2010 F150.. Mine shut off once, restarted and I assumed it might be trash in fuel line (I was stopping and starting and turning around on mountain roads). It stopped again about 5 minutes later so I called for help. I was miles from campground in NGA mountains and several hundred miles from home. I got a tow to local Dealer as I didn't want that happening with TT attached.

Turned out there was a service bulletin for some type wiring short between fuel pump and computer controls. Only took them a couple of hours to diagnose and repair (thank goodness). I was kinda bummed that my local dealer had not mentioned the service bulletin when I had the oil changed/basic service done just a week before.

[kw_00]

Same thing happened on my 02 chevy 6.0. Truck just shut off, I checked the battery and was fine. Had an previous issue with an aftermarket alarm system installed prior my ownership but that had been fixed. Those aftermarket alarm systems can give multiple problems.... anyway mine never threw a code. I started the truck and drove on. The truck shut off several times after that at various days and times. I narrowed it down the the CPK, which fixed the issue. The tip off for me was as the truck was shutting off more and more, it began to become more difficult to start. Engine would try but no success. Prior replacing the CPK my mechanic changed out the fuel pump thinking it was the issue, well it was not.... so that's my experience...

[Dave_H_M]

Me, I would bet on it happening again. I would not want to drive with that hanging over my head.

i would take it to Ford dealer that had a good reputation and pay the bucks to have it hooked to their computer for codes.

The stealer's diagnostic is much more refined than having ORilley plug his into the OBD port.

Don't ask me how I know.

Good luck on your advice here. however I would be very interested in the final outcome.

[mich800]

Dozer wrote:
Thanks for all the replies,
It just happened again. To narrow things down I was driving with all the electronics turned off.
I was just coasting up to a red light when it shut off, and it felt like I had downshifted. While it was still rolling I just shifted into neutral turned the key and it took right off.
I'm going to look for something loose under the hood. I'll let you know.
Thanks guys,
Dozer

I would check the battery connection first. But if this is very intermittent or one time event it is going to be very difficult to find. Maybe you will get lucky and there is a pending code or something to point you in a direction. The fact it started up right away with no problem and no drivability issues before or after indicates you may need to just chalk this up to a fluke. You may spend more time and money on something that is not a issue unless it does it again.

[Dozer]

Thanks for all the replies,
It just happened again. To narrow things down I was driving with all the electronics turned off.
I was just coasting up to a red light when it shut off, and it felt like I had downshifted. While it was still rolling I just shifted into neutral turned the key and it took right off.
I'm going to look for something loose under the hood. I'll let you know.
Thanks guys,
Dozer

[ugeesta]

justaboutretired wrote:
Cam shaft position sensor. Had this same issue on my 02 Excursion. There was actually a recall on it. Once it was replaced have had no issues.

This may be the culprit but I recall it being the crank positions sensor. Even though my truck is a GM, I had the same problem 2 years ago with my 2002 GMC. My truck had around 70,000 on it when it happened. Doing some research, the issue happens around that mileage and the problems were documented on line in 2006-7. The low mile trucks have the issue later in life.

The service department at our local GM dealer didn’t know what was happening as the truck did not throw any codes. I ended up telling them the problem and told them to order it. They were reluctant as it cost $500 but I knew that was the issue. It’s worked fine ever since.

[justaboutretire]

Cam shaft position sensor. Had this same issue on my 02 Excursion. There was actually a recall on it. Once it was replaced have had no issues.

[carringb]

SweetLou wrote:
Easy check is the obvious. The battery cables

THIS. Start here. Momentary connection here can easily cause this, because the intermittent connection also causes the alternator to run hot and cycle out.

[SweetLou]

Easy check is the obvious. The battery cables

[Bobbo]

Happened to me once in my Winnebago Class C on an '06 E-450 chassis driving 60 mph down the interstate. Just that one time. Never happened again. Never found an explanation. I checked everything I could think of and found nothing. I got back in and turned the key, it started right up and ran like a top thereafter. (I traded that RV several years later, but not because of that.)

[mkirsch]

Nobody said it was necessarily the radio. It could be anywhere, as there are a lot of wires in a modern pickup truck.

Lots of time since 2003 for insulation to get brittle and crack. Lots of time since 2003 for a mouse to set up housekeeping and nibble on a wire a bit before realizing that their new house makes lots of noise and vibration. Lots of time since 2003 for said vibration to rub a hole through a misplaced wire somewhere.

[Dozer]

Hi OP here, thanks for the replies.
I guess the consensus here is, it's something electrical.
Well I have had odd issues with my radio. I had XM adapters installed for years and years but discontinued the service and just left the adapters installed until my radio started to have problems. ( going over bumps it would cut out).
I took out all the adapters (you wouldn't believe how much was crammed into the dash cavity).
Now it seems to be working fine with no cutting out.
It's hard for me to believe that something in the radio harness could make the engine cut out but...??
I'm all ears...thanks!
Dozer