WTF is wrong now?

[Tsar]

Ok i know the thread title isnt the best, but that's because i have no clue whats going on.

So i'm driving to wally world today. I'm going about 50ish in 4th gear. Then something ive never experienced in a car happens. its like it "froze" you know how your coputer likes to freeze and then it doesnt responde to any command? So that swhat kinda happened. My RPM gauge frooze on the spot for a couple of seconds i tryed to push the gas but it was completely useless, then a couple of seconds later the car just dies and of course the steering wheel locks and i cat turn anymore So i make it to the shoulder (thankfully there werent any cars around) and turn the key and it starts right up as if nothing happened. On the way back from wally world everything was fine and dandy. So can anyone tell wtf is wrong with it now? Just for ****s it has a new opti, plugs, wires and starter that were all replaced very recently (like a week ago).
Quick ran down:
going 50ish still in gear the rpm gauge "freezes" on the spot, if you try to push the gas theres absolutely no response. Then the car died. It started up and ran fine, idles fine too.


P.S. hopefully it doesnt happened on the highway other wise we gonna have one less member...

[bad64chevelle]

your PCM must be running a crap version of windows 98. Did it give you a blue screen? Fatal error?

lol umm chack the battery terminals make sure they are tightened all the way.

[Formulalt1]

I agree it sounds like a short happened somewhere. I would also check the connection to your PCM as well.

[Tsar]

i just checked and tightened everything even more, lets see what happens. Ill report back on monday, hopefully.

[GP99GT]

the wheel shouldnt lock if the key is still in the run position. youll lose power steering if it stops running, but you should still be able to turn the wheel...something in your ignition/in the column somewhere maybe.

[Formulalt1]

I doubt that he would be able to turn the wheel to get the car to the shoulder if the steering wheel was locked. I am guessing he must have meant lack of power assisting from the pump which could feel like it locked up.

[Ian]

Originally Posted by GP99GT

the wheel shouldnt lock if the key is still in the run position. youll lose power steering if it stops running, but you should still be able to turn the wheel...something in your ignition/in the column somewhere maybe.

It wouldnt be the column. the ignition cylinder has to physically turn to the off position for it to lock.

[GP99GT]

Originally Posted by Ian

It wouldnt be the column. the ignition cylinder has to physically turn to the off position for it to lock.

i was searching for the word cylinder, but it just wouldnt come to me...the ignition lock cylinder. but yeah, if his wheel did lock, and he didnt turn the key to off, then wtf mate

[Savage_Messiah]

again his wheel most likely didnt LOCK because then how would he have been able to get on the shoulder... power steering prolly died when the car cut off.

You just replaced a lot of ignition stuff, check to see if anythings loose.

[Batman]

Well you can eliminate the starter and battery right off the top, neither should be under load with the car running. Not too familiar withthe Opti but it doesn't sound like an ignition problem. Check all your chassis grounds and the connections on your PCM. Possibly one fo the major grounds shorted out. A loose battery terminal shouldn't matter once the car is running unless the alternator is bad. Most likely it is a loos e wire.

[GP99GT]

Originally Posted by Savage_Messiah

again his wheel most likely didnt LOCK because then how would he have been able to get on the shoulder... power steering prolly died when the car cut off.

You just replaced a lot of ignition stuff, check to see if anythings loose.

if the road made a left turn in front of him...he could just go straight onto the shoulder and stop?

but yeah, i doubt it locked. unless he turned the key off when it died

[Tsar]

Alright im still alive Â*

The steering wheel WAS LOCKED, thats why im so pissed about it. I could not turn it. Go in your car and whigle your steering wheel to the left and right couple of times, it will lock - and thats the same feeling i had when the car was going 50mph. I just went to my car and did that, you can move the steering wheel like 1/10 of an inch to each side and thats how i got on the shoulder. I clearly reamember that i wasn't able to move the damn thing.

So far it hasnt happened again

[Ian]

well, if your steering wheel locked with the key in the on or run position, you have a major problem right there . the whole cutting out thing is probably a bad ground somewhere. I'd be more concerned about the wheel locking up with the key on. That is NOT supposed to happen.