Thread: Know your car: What happens when the car stalls

When the car stalls for whatever reason it is normal for the below items to occur:

No power brakes or power steering. It's called "power assisted" for a reason

Brake pedal becomes harder to push. Without the engine running there is no vacuum assist to help you with the brakes. It is not impossible to stop the car, often the adrenaline of the car stalling gives you all the leg power assist that you need. Before the mid 60's cars didn't have power brakes, everyone had to stop them with muscle.

Steering same thing as the brakes except the power steering is run off a pulley on the motor. If the engine stalls and doesn't turn, there's no power assistance. Grab the wheel, you can still turn it.

Both of these can be tested/seen if you turn the key to on, but don't start the car and try to stop it or turn the wheels.

All the dash warning lights come on. This is all very normal. Turn your key on w/o starting the car. You'll see almost all the warning lights on the dash illuminate. This is to test the bulbs for you to notice when you are starting the car. Oddly enough this is all detailed in the owners manual that lives in the glove box.

Hopefully this has helped you realize and learn about your vehicle.

this should be in the common sense section, none the less good job bill!

Can't tell you how many times I've grabbed an owners manual and helped people read it.

Its one of those things that you should do when you buy a car. It's learning about the product. There may be features and functions you'd otherwise never know about and possibly miss out.

i keep all my manuals to everything in case i get bored or wanna learn more about my item.

one of the first things i did was to find the my cars manual on line and read it. i did have a few questions that i knew the manual would have the answer to. like the back doors were locked from the inside only when i got it, need to find the child locks.

Imo, if you dont know these things, you shouldnt be driving in the first place! Lol

Originally Posted by twol8uluz

Imo, if you dont know these things, you shouldnt be driving in the first place! Lol

There are some things about a car that might elude someone. On a 92-99 Bonneville.. where's the fog light switch located? Bingo.. that was a common issue.

Headlight washers on 92 and 93 Bonnevilles as well.

all the handy key fob reprogram info is in the manual too.

its just nice to know all the features of the car you now own. some maybe beyond obvious but there are always a fews things you did not know about this new car.

like how do you reset the oil life thing in a 03 gmc truck? turn the key to on and push the gas pedal to the floor 5 times. like you would ever figure that out on your own..... that's no wheres near common sense lol

I had to dig out the Honda manual each time I reset it on her Civic.

Originally Posted by scottydoggs

all the handy key fob reprogram info is in the manual too.

its just nice to know all the features of the car you now own. some maybe beyond obvious but there are always a fews things you did not know about this new car.

like how do you reset the oil life thing in a 03 gmc truck? turn the key to on and push the gas pedal to the floor 5 times. like you would ever figure that out on your own..... that's no wheres near common sense lol

I know there's a lot in the manual, it'll show you how to disable/enable headlights/honking when locking, or doors locking when you turn car off/put in park/not at all, etc.


But.. Unless I'm wrong I didn't think there was instruction in there on programming a keyfob.

or the procedure for reseting the TPMS, bet some people pay a tire shop twice a year to do that if they have a second set of tires for winter/summer