Car kept cutting off after it cut off on me while I was driving

BRYANT BRANDEN

MEMBER
2003 CHRYSLER PT CRUISER
4 CYL
AUTOMATIC
190,000 MILES

My car kept cutting off after it cut off on me while I was driving. I replaced the fuel pump and air filter already I thought my car needed a crankshaft sensor but not installed it yet. This morning I cranked it up and gave it some gas it was sputtering like it was about to cut off until I kept giving it gas to get it on level ground under my carport. It kept running for a long time until I cut it off. I am afraid to drive it somewhere because I do not want it to cut off. Can bad gas make it sputter and cut off? Because I went to a gas station that I think had bad gas. Do I need to put gas treatment in it and run it out? I already put one treatment in a few days ago.

1 Reply

SQM

MECHANIC
6,383 POSTS

Hello,

This could be a number of things that trigger the drivability issue.
It could be due to a vacuum leak, worn out spark plugs, faulty mas air flow sensor etc.
And yes, this can happen due to bad fuel. Has this started after a fill-up?
If so, then that could be a good possibility. Adding fuel treatment to the fuel tank can improve the condition.

https://www.2carpros.com/articles/engine-hesitates

Is the check engine light illuminated? Many times, with engine running rough the light gets triggered. If so, it will be a good idea to scan and retrieve the trouble codes as that will help with the diagnostics.

https://www.2carpros.com/articles/checking-a-service-engine-soon-or-check-engine-light-on-or-flashing

I have attached diagrams for your reference.

Please let me know if you have any questions.
Thank you.