GT

Last night, I started my car no probs, and as I was waiting to turn out of the parking lot, the engine died. I tried starting it, but it would just crank and crank and not start. Finally, after a minute or so, it finally started, and drove perfeclty normal. I didn't have probs with it this morning driving in, but then during lunch, I started the car, and the same thing happened again... started fine, then the engine died, tried to start, it'd crank for a while but not start, then finally start up and drive normally. Then, as I was just cruising around 45 mph, the check engine light flashed on for less than a second, and the car stuttered for a bit, but then continued on normally. Does anyone know what might be wrong? I know it's not much info to go on, but has anyone had a similar experience?

Hobie_Ron

In the end I always wound up replacing some piece on the computer system(Pontiac used one behind the dash and another one on the engine). However, I am convinced that the real problem was the voltage regulator which was spiking the voltage and that is what was killing the computers(I replaced one every year for three years). When the voltage regulator was replaced, the computer lasted forever. To talk about your problem directly, since the Check engine light came on, the system diagnostics must have detected a problem. With some luck, the trouble code will be latched and can be read it out with a VAG tool or some other diagnostic rig. This will at least get you started in finding the problem.