It's A Mystery....engine Cuts Out...

[royalcan]

Hi, wondering if anyone can shed any light on this one for me. I bought my 03 altezza a few weeks ago. The second day I drove it down south and after about 350 miles it just cut out on the motorway and wouldn't start again. There was no warning lights initially but when I tried restarting the engine the engine light came on. After waiting hours for the f ing AA I tried turning it over again and it started ok so I drove home with no problem. At the time the car was really low on oil and water but I filled all that up after I got home and don't think this triggered anything off with the engine management....I hope. A day later when travelling back up north after doing about the same amount of mileage it did it again and when the petrol gauge was at the same point...(getting towards empty). When the AA turned up he checked everything and said he can't find the problem, and as a last resort put a tenners worth of petrol in it and bingo it started ok. At first I thought The petrol gauge was out but then remembered the first time it happened, after waiting a couple of hours, I drove another 20 or so miles when it started up again. A day or so later after thrashing my car a little on the motorway and the petrol gauge was getting low I filled it up. When I was taking off the petrol cap there was a ***** load of suction as if some sort of airflow blockage was causing a big vaccum in the fueltank/system....could this be the problem that there is some sort of fuel line airintake blockage, this causing the car to konk out after hours of driving? It just seems wierd that it happens at the same point on the petrol gauge. I also have the problem of having nowhere to take the car for a diagnostics test as it's an import and no one seems to have the capabilities....even toyota/lexus dealers. I live in newcastle...any suggestions....Cheers.....

[Noel]

only guessing but if your running it very low on fuel regularly then alot of impurities may be blocking the fuel filter and in turn putting the fuel pump under pressure.... happened to my wife's A-Class, ended up having to replace the fuel pump, very expensive it was

suction noise when you open a near empty tank is normal AFAIK

running it to the last few quid of petrol ain't saving you anything but may cost you alot ;)

[royalcan]

Well it always seems to be on the second little notch from the last big one on the dial.....I never usually let a car get to the point where the light comes on but it only ever does it after a long drive. It will never do it when I use the car for driving around town day to day even if it goes past that notch.....Well I'll get the fuel system flushed when it get's serviced....cheers mate.