Here are the basics: I just bought this car. It is a 1994 TA. A4, with 88000K miles on it.

I just drove the car for 1200 miles from Georgia back to Texas. She did great no problems and got great gas mileage, about 320 miles to the tank. Then once I got back here in Texas the problems started.

I noticed that the car would take a little longer to crank over. I would have to keep the key turned for about 4 seconds and then it would finally turn over. Sometimes, I would have to stop trying to crank it, and then as soon as I would crank again, it would start right up.

THen two days ago, my little brother and I were cruising and the car just died at about 50mph. I noticed that the battery guage was really swaying back and forth around 8. But the car just died and came right back by about the time the car had coasted to about 45mph. I didn't turn the key, put the car in neutral, It just started like it never missed a beat.

So the last day and a half the car has done wonderful.

Then tonight on my way into work, I was slowing down for a stop and the damn thing just COMPLETELY died. I was going about 10mph and the car did not give any indication of a problem, it just stopped. I couldn't even put the flashers on. The complete car was just DEAD. I sat there for about 4 minutes and got out to look under the hood. I wiggled the positive and negative connections to the battery and checked the red wire going into the alternator. I walked back to my car and it fired right up. The flashers came on, all my radio stations were the same presets, but my clock was reset and off. I then proceeded to drive the car another 3 miles to work without any problems

What coudl this possibly be? I just had the battery checked and they said it was fine. Could this be the fuel pump? I really have no clue guys. Also, it is really weird how the car shows no signs of problems (no hesitation, no jerking, no SES light) and just shuts down. Sorry for the length, I just wanted to explain the situation just like it is.

 

I don't know if this helps but i had the same problem in my explorer. Check the connections from the battery to the fuse box, mine was loose and if i hit a bump or something shifted just right it would just kill the car no power no nothing a few min. tightening the connection fixed it

 

Thanks, I will be sure and check all the connections tommorow. Could a bad connection explain the hard starting?

 

I am just going to TTT this for the morning crew. I am very interested to get a good amount of theory on this situation.

 

same thing happened to me. Here is a TTT