What causes a car to start and then stall after one or two seconds?
3 Answers
The reasons why a car starts and then stalls after one or two seconds include: 1. The installed anti-theft system is not deactivated, which can be resolved by deactivating it; 2. A dirty throttle or excessive carbon buildup in the intake tract, which can be fixed by cleaning the throttle or intake tract carbon deposits; 3. Check the ignition system, especially the ignition coil, to see if there are any issues; 4. Insufficient fuel in the tank, leading to low fuel pump pressure; 5. One or more clogged fuel injectors, which can be cleaned; 6. Leaking spark plug wires; 7. Engine malfunction; 8. Poor fuel quality—always refuel at reputable gas stations. It is recommended to pay attention to regular maintenance and have periodic checks at a 4S shop.
I've been running an auto repair shop for over a decade and have encountered numerous cases of engines stalling immediately after ignition. The most common issue is fuel system problems, such as insufficient fuel supply from the pump or clogged injectors preventing fuel from reaching the engine, causing the car to shut down. Electrical faults are another possibility, like severely carbon-fouled spark plugs or aged ignition coils failing to generate sparks. Modern vehicles also have sensitive sensors - a faulty crankshaft position sensor can make the ECU cut fuel supply entirely. Last month, a regular customer had this exact issue. My diagnostic tool confirmed low fuel pressure. I recommend checking fuel pressure first and scanning for trouble codes before randomly disassembling components.
My old Tiguan had the same issue last year, it would start with a couple of jerks and then stall. When we took it to the repair shop, they found the fuel pump filter screen was clogged. The gasoline filter hadn't been changed in eight years, and all the impurities had caked onto the pump. The technician said older cars are most prone to these kinds of problems—fuel pump degradation, spark plugs reaching the end of their lifespan, or carbon buildup clogging the injectors. He advised always choosing reputable gas stations and regularly replacing the three filters to prevent this. If the problem only occurs when the engine is cold, it's likely the intake air temperature sensor is coated with carbon deposits, which is especially noticeable in winter. Now, I make sure to clean the throttle body during every maintenance check, and the issue hasn't recurred since.
