Car Died at idle last night
 

So after getting out of work and starting my car and letting it warm up a ways before even driving, I pulled into a gas station and put it in park and was sitting there listening to the stereo when my car started acting weird.

I felt the engine kind of stutter and than it died and my DSC and traction control lights came on and were blinking. I than restarted the car and everything worked fine.

I have thought I noticed for the past couple months my dash lights somewhat dimming and than becoming bright again.

Anyone know what the heck is going on?

Please give us the history on your car. The service it's had parts replaced. Did you do all four coils , wires and plugs? Type of driving it gets(long commutes, short trip), fuel used(reg or prem), ever flooded. Just any thing that you can add. Have you cleaned your MAF sensor? Done any decarbon cleaning?

Oh god, since i have gotten this car the maintenance folder has been just getting larger and larger. Not that I don't love this car but I am never buying a rotary again.

Parts replaced/Maintenance:

- 3 oil lines (burst from corrosion...)
- 4 new brake pads (oil all over them from burst oil lines)
- Some cooling/heating part
- Spark plugs (were put in the wrong way for awhile...stupid Mazda Dealer)
- headlight auto adjust sensor
- tons of the recalls and unfortunately the emission recall.
- regular oil changes
- other things I can't remember offhand.

Driving Type: Drive 40 miles almost every day with some spirited driving. Some times when I'm late for work on weekends I'll do over 100mph (yes its bad but at least its 4 am and hardly anyone is on the road).

Flooded: Yes, last year around this time...cost me $500 plus that's when my new plugs got put in the wrong way...

Fuel used: Since I bought the car used, I have only used premium, I don't know about previous owner.

I have never cleaned the MAF sensor or Done any decarbon cleaning, unless your talking about redlining it than I have done that every time I drive. I have never changed the coils or wires and don't know if the previous owner has.

Environment Driven in: IL and I do drive during the winter (with snow tires) The car is stored in a garage though, but hasn't been in one for a couple days. I have been letting the engine warm to operating temp before shutting down though and have even reved just to be sure.


Should I take it to a Mazda Dealer?

First check you battey connections, make sure they are clean and tight.

What year, miles, M/T or A/T?

battery light come on? Alternator might be on it's way out.

Sounds like a battery.

Also sounds like you need to go to the local community college and take your basic automotive class.

AT 72000

No battery light came on just the DSC and traction control light were blinking as if i was losing control on snow or something.

Yes Razz1 your right I feel ashamed by how little I know about my car.

The Battery is down to 300 cold crank amps from 700, but this would make my car died when its already started and running for about 10 min? Could it be the coils and wires?

Ive had this same problem, one thing i did was put the stock air filter back on and it was fine but it seemed to be as soon as i put my cold air intake back on it started doing it again.

Check the cable connections, recharge the battery.

"and put it in park"
Might be a hint.............I know you're trying to help, just thought I'd point that out.

Yep, start with the easy stuff.
Check your connections at the battery and see if they are clean and on solid.
If you know how to use a meter, you should read about 13.9-14.2 volts on the battery with the car running........that will not eliminate the alternator 100%, but it will be close to doing so.
If you have access to an autozone or pepboys or something like that, they may test your battery for free........they'll also check the alternator at the same time. Because you noticed the lights dimming before this happened, IMO it's probably your battery on the way out and it dragged down the alternator(so to speak).........or you got dirty terminals. You have an aftermarket sound system?

i do have an aftermarket system but i have a capacitor for it its only very so often that mine does it..

No after market, but its the premium Bose one. I think its the battery, but I'm going to take it in and have everything looked at...I'd really hate to be out driving to school when its -20 out and have the damn battery die.

ISSUE Seems to be resolved.

I took it into my Mazda Dealer and they weren't sure whether it was just the battery causing the problem or maybe the charging system or something else, but they checked the charging system and it was all good, however my battery wasn't.

My 2nd NAPA battery was down to 100 cold crank amps from 700. I have now went though two NAPA batteries is less than 2 years...needless to say I'm not buying there shit again. I got an Interstate battery now and the car seems to start a lot faster, I'll give it a week or so before I report whether the car is still dieing or not.

Anyone think there might be some other issue too or was it just the battery?