Toyota Corolla stalls while driving: what is the reason and how to fix it

The car stalls while driving and then starts again - what should I do? This can happen for various reasons, and most often they are on the surface. When such problems arise, drivers usually check spark plugs, fuel filters and other components that can affect the correct operation of the car, and rightly so. It is also worth taking into account the careless operation of the car - for example, the car engine stops functioning due to the fact that it is started in the winter in severe frosts to a cold one. Why the car stalls while driving and how to fix it - the basic details are presented in this material.

Important! Proper operation of the car helps to avoid most of the malfunctions that cause the engine to stall.

How to check the distributor for performance (video)

Unstable operation of the power plant at idle, jerking when driving, vibrations and many similar problems can occur if the distributor is faulty. We will learn from the article how to check the distributor for operability, diagnose the coil and other elements of the ignition system. Let's watch a video review that shows everything in detail.

General check of the distributor

• 1 General check of the distributor
• 2 Ignition coil
• 3 Slider (check)

Always checking the distributor comes down to the following: in the dark, on a functioning power plant, its operation is analyzed.

• If spark leaks are noticeable, then there is an insulation failure.
• The distributor cap must be dry and clean. Cover burnouts also occur.
• Further check concerns the wiring. It is necessary to diagnose connections for integrity.
• Be sure to check the terminals - they should not be easily removed.
• A runner is diagnosed.
• The contact group is checked for gaps.
• The wear of the contacts and their condition are checked.

Note. The gap size, as a rule, should be within 1-2 mm.

Distributor and its diagnostics

A more detailed check of the distributor involves the following steps:

• A light bulb is connected to the side distribution terminal.
• The ignition is turned on, the power plant is started manually with a special handle or by pushing in a high gear.

Attention. When the distributor is working, the light must turn on/off at certain intervals. For four-cylinder internal combustion engines, for example, the light should come on every half turn. Otherwise, a short circuit is observed somewhere (i.e., the moving part of the contact touches the body).

The capacitor may also be faulty, if it is installed, of course.

As you know, distributors are installed on ignition systems of old and new models. If we are talking about contact ignition, then the slightest contamination in the contacts or a change in the gaps can lead to improper functioning of the distributor.

The main options for the appearance of a stalled engine

The car stalls while driving and then starts for a number of reasons that need to be identified and eliminated.

The most common:

• Fuel is supplied incorrectly.
• No spark.
• Possible mechanical faults.

The main reasons why the engine stalls have quite a lot of features, and in each part encountered there are different points that identify the breakdown.

On a note! One of the most common mechanical failures is a broken timing belt and engine seizure. In this case, a strong roar is heard from under the hood, so the reason is immediately clear.

Spark plug

Toyota Corolla stalls while driving in most cases due to the lack of a spark in the spark plugs. This happens due to the following reasons:

• clogging of contacts;
• the resulting plaque covers the entire contour of the candle;
• faulty voltage supply.

A set of spark plugs indicates a malfunction with a specific sound of friction in the engine, while the car jerks and vibrates strongly while driving.

Faulty power supply

There are a number of obvious reasons why the engine stalls while driving in any driving mode due to problems with the power supply:

• Poor contact with terminals for a recently purchased battery;
• The appearance of breakdowns or weak contact on wires with high voltage;
• Failures occur in the ignition coils or generator.

As a rule, the wires are changed and clogged coils are cleaned. Problems that have appeared in the generator require a more detailed consideration - this is either a broken timing belt or a breakdown in the ignition coils.

A broken timing belt is a common internal fault and can be noticed by the sensors on the dashboard not working correctly.

Ignition coils . Here the engine makes a lot of noise while driving and most often stops working. The appearance of such moments contributes to the mandatory check of this particular node.

Other faults

Regardless of how to start the car - cold or driving with a warm engine, problems can arise for any modification of the Toyota Corolla, and they lie not only in the electrical supply. It is imperative to concentrate on the air and fuel supply systems. In addition, quite often the incorrect operation of the car is affected by faulty components that are responsible for removing gas after exhaust.

Fuel supply

If the sensor responsible for the fuel level in the engine is constantly on, this is a signal that the engine is “choking” on the fuel mixture. The main reasons for this are low-quality fuel and a discrepancy between the octane gasoline number and the appropriate characteristics for the car.

Advice! If the car stops moving and stalls while driving immediately after filling up with fuel, or the engine power drops significantly, the problem is in the fuel mixture. Here it is necessary to drain the poor-quality mixture, rinse the pipes and motor.

Interruptions in the supply of fuel mixture

The engine may stop working and not move forward if the fuel mixture is supplied incorrectly. This usually occurs due to contamination of some system components:

• fuel filter;
• injector nozzles;
• throttle valves;
• gasoline pump.

The main sign of problems in this case is a clearly noticeable decrease in engine power, after which the car will stall and stop responding to sharp pressure on the gas. Another distinctive sign of the presence of contamination in the above-described components: if you abruptly release the clutch at the moment of gear shifting, the engine will “go silent”.

There is another point that is worth considering - gasoline may boil in the gas pump. This most often occurs in very hot weather. Here you just need to let the car cool down.

On a note! You can help the fuel pump cool down using a piece of thick cloth. It must be well moistened with well-chilled or ice water and thrown over the body from above.

Air mixture supply system

The main reasons in this case are:

• air filter clogged;
• breakdown of the regulator, which is responsible for idle speed.

The main symptom of such a malfunction is that the engine stalls when the gas is released when the accelerator is released. As a rule, the problem can be solved by replacing the air filter. Here, qualified assistance is needed at a service station, because competent diagnostics and dismantling of the entire assembly is required.

Exhaust system

In this case, the problem lies in the incorrect functioning of the tubes that remove gas. The main sign for detecting such a malfunction is the appearance of a characteristic “gurgling” sound when driving at full speed, and after pressing the gas pedal the car stops. Usually the pipes do not work due to a muffler clogged with dirt, but the cause may also be a failure of the catalyst.

The solution to the problem is cleaning the tubes, which you can do yourself, or replacing the catalyst, which requires diagnostics before starting.

Brake system

This implies a faulty vacuum booster. The main symptoms of this type of problem include rapid engine failure during sudden braking at full speed. The problem can be solved relatively easily - the amplifier is either adjusted or replaced with a new one.

Tips and tricks

Regardless of whether the car stalls when idling or stalls when hot, the breakdown must be found and repaired. But, you can try to avoid their occurrence and prolong the operation of the car without malfunctions.

• For any uncharacteristic sound in the engine, it is necessary to look for the cause and eliminate it. It is advisable to do this as quickly as possible - this way you can avoid a global breakdown of all car systems.

• Passing a scheduled technical inspection is important and necessary, but if the car is operated at the maximum level or in poor conditions, it is worth visiting a service station more often, or inspecting the main components yourself.

The main reasons why the motor stalls or behaves atypically for a working unit are always removable. The main thing is to notice all malfunctions in time and take measures to eliminate them. Careful operation of the engine in a Toyota Corolla contributes to long-term operation of the machine without breakdowns.

The process of checking the ignition coil on a Corolla

If the housing or coil windings are damaged, misfires occur, which are detected by the engine control unit and cause the Check Engine indicator to turn on in the instrument cluster. The owner of the car can independently check the condition of the part and decide whether replacement is necessary. For testing, you will need a household multimeter with a set of probes. It is strictly forbidden to check or determine the faulty part by disconnecting the electrical wiring plug or removing the coil from the tip of the spark plug.

Steps to check a part:

1. Remove the coil from the spark plug well and inspect the plastic housing in bright light. Cracks, deformations, areas with a burnt or discolored surface indicate the need to replace the element. It is impossible to repair the coil in a homemade or factory setting (for example, by applying a layer of insulating tape or filling cracks with epoxy resin).
2. Check the resistance between the central tip and the terminals of the harness connector. The results obtained must be compared with the performance of a known good product.

Selection of original auto parts and analogues

On cars with a 1.6 liter engine, original coils with numbers 90919-02252 or 90919-02258 are used (depending on the year of manufacture). 1.4 liter engines are equipped with parts with part numbers 90080-19015 or 90919-02262. Original components are supplied to the plant conveyor by Denso, which ships units to the spare parts market under its own numbers and without packaging with Toyota markings.

The table shows the part numbers suitable for use in the engines of Corolla 150 vehicles.

To purchase originals or analogues, it is recommended to contact large retail outlets, which reduces the risk of purchasing counterfeit products. The packaging of genuine spare parts is made of thick cardboard and contains explanatory notes without grammatical or punctuation errors, allowing you to clarify the part number and applicability. If you have any doubts, you should refuse to purchase from this store or choose a reel from another manufacturer.