ed l via carkb.com

I've been seeing a few postings about the Camry stalling after coming to a
stop and while I'm having a similar problem I don't know if I'm having the
all of the exact same symptoms. Mine sound more electrical in nature.

For a few weeks (I drive 1 - 2 times a week) I noticed that sometimes I would
start the car and the alarm system would go off. Then yesterday after
driving for about 2 hours on the highway (including a couple of stops at rest
areas) I pulled off the highway and as I approached a stop light the car
started to stall so I quickly put it in neutral and reved up the engine. I
drove through the light and when I slowed down to turn a quarter mile away
the car stalled out. I put it into neutral to try to start the car but it
wouldn't turn. I tried to turn on the emergency flasher but it wouldn't come
on. I coasted to a stop and put the car into park and I was able to start
the car immediately. I think it stalled once more while sitting there as I
turned on the lights, wipers, etc. Eventually, I drove a bit more and parked
it while I went into the store. It started up fine afterwards and then I
drove for another 2 hours on the highway with no problems.

The next morning it started up fine. I let it idle while I spent about 15
mins brushing off the snow. I got back in and as soon as I turned on the
headlights it stalled out. I turned everything off and then tried to start
but the car would not even turn over and it seems that there was no
electrical at all. I let it sit for a few mins and then it started up just
fine but seem to want to stall out at idle. I drove it down the block
without the lights on and let it idle with no problems. I even turned the
lights on with no problem. I parked the car and is now trying to decide
where to bring the car.

Any suggestions??

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daniel

Check your connections at the battery cables.

Several of the symptoms you describe are consistent with intermittent
voltage supply from the battery: --

Alarm - sounds when battery power is removed, as if a potential thief
were attempting to cir***vent the system

Headlights go out - classic symptom of battery problems

and so on.

Try there first.

Just checking for corrosion one day, (no problem) I found the positive
terminal which appeared fine, would move with hand pressure - make sure
both ends of your battery cables are tight and clean.

ransley@webtv.net (m

Go see a mechanic

jason james

The key to finding an electrical problem is to ****yse the symptoms. When
you said the car cut-out when you switched on the headlights, that is a
cardinal sign the battery is not in circuit at the time. Alternators can
operate the car's electrical current requirements while the load is
constant,..but if you turn the headlights on, for a split second, the inrush
current to the cold filaments is quite high. This causes the alternator to
max-out in current then drop in voltage output and cause an engine
shut-down.

I'd be checking your battery clamps are clean and tight and the other end of
the cables are tight. Its possible the battery has an intermittant due a
fractured internal cell-connection,..but this is not that usual.

As Dan said, the burgular alarm going off is another sign the battery has
dropped out of the car's circuit for a slpit second.

Best o luck,...Jason

tomcas

I think Daniel and Jason have it pegged. Ransley's suggestion is about
as much use as **** on bull.
To really nail it down try this. Next time it goes dead turn on the
headlights and key (if required for the lights on this car). Open the
hood and while watching the headlights dig the tip of a screwdriver into
one of the battery post and clamp bridging the two. If the headlights
come on or get brighter you found the problem. If not try the other
post. If this in not the problem I would try wiggling the cables that
lead to ground and also the starter.

ed l via carkb.com

I checked the battery cables and found the pos terminal to be a bit loose.
The neg was tight because I tighten it this past summer when I had
intermittent problems starting the car. I couldn't really find the other end
of the cables but as far as I could reach they seemed to be ok. I also
checked the battery fluid and found that it was probably lower than ideal.
So, I wedged a small piece of flat metal between the post and the terminal
and tighten the terminal. I, also, added some pure water into the battery
cells.

The car started up fine (it always started on one crank). I let it idle for
15-20 mins and then turned on the heater, radio, wiper, rear defroster,
headlights (lo and hi) and brake lights. It didn't die. So far so good.

I also noticed that stupid little things seem to be working (e.g. the little
warning bell that sounds immediately after startup, the one that warns you
left the car keys in after shutting down the engine and opening the door).
Maybe they were always working and I just didn't notice but I think they did
stop recently.

I also reset the clock to see if it loses time. Yesterday when the problem
first occurred I noticed that the clock was off. I reset it to the correct
time during my drive but this AM when I encountered the problem again, the
clock was off again.

I'm going to repeat this a couple of more times and then take it for a spin
on Tues. It looks promising.

Thanks to everyone for your helpful advice (well, almost everyone).

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