Okay! So my car (03 msp) died last night on 25n. Don't know why. It wasn't acting any different than normally and then all of a sudden the mph and rpm gauge dropped to zero the temp gauge went off the roof and the oil light came on. Then my car just died and power steering cut off. I called my boyfriend and he came back with oil and coolant but we checked both of them and both were fine. My oil was in the middle of low and full and same with the coolant. My car won't start so we had to get it towed to my house. I checked the temp gauge earlier and it still goes straight up. When you try to start it it makes like a grinding noise.
I do know my o2 sensor was going bad so my check engine light was on and i was ordering the part this week to have it replaced but now since my car just died the check engine light doesnt come on anymore. I don't know if it would have something to do with what happened.

So with that said. Does anyone have any ideas on what could be wrong with it and if you know of a good shop to take it into in or around Denver? Any help is greatly appreciated! Thanks!

Sorry, I don't know of any.

KABOOM! Sorry don't know what's wrong and you probably don't hear what my answer is. *cough*Womandriver*Cough* J/K. I hope it's nothing major.

When you try to start, does the motor crank at all?

Sorry don't know of any shops.

Alternator died all together, or the brushes are worn down too much in the regulator me thinks.

Hopefully not timing belt/chain related. Bent valves and dented heads could add up with the labor. A compression test would tell for valves but spinning the motor could make it worse. I'm still in Phoenix so I def. do not know of any shope up there. Good luck.

No the motor doesnt crank at all. I was told to check all the fuses and wires before i have it towed to a shop.

oh I don't know if this would have anything to do with it but for the last 2 days before it died when you would stop at a light or stop sign and it idles it would bounce between 0 and 1 for about 10 seconds then stop but wouldn't do it any other times like when you would start the car.

so does it not act like it even wants to crank (the starter makes no noise)?

Or does the starter engage but the motor doesn't turn over?

Sounds electrical to me. Try:

Street Concepts
1511 Alton St
Aurora, CO 80010-1712
(303) 341-2160

My friend had this almost exact same problem with his Grand Am and it ended up being one of the pulleys that holds the serpentine belt broke off so the belt fell off and thus stopped turning the alternator. Have you checked to see that the serpentine belt is still in place?

I'm in the Springs so don't know of any shops in Denver.

what do you guys think of this in regards to the bouncing idle:

Certain engine control components are cooled by the cooling
system. Air in it will result in adequate cooling. In
particular, the EAC valve (or idle air control valve) on
your car is susceptible to this. Mine was; it had the same
symptoms as yours a year ago. Air purge fixed it right up."

erod550 wrote:My friend had this almost exact same problem with his Grand Am and it ended up being one of the pulleys that holds the serpentine belt broke off so the belt fell off and thus stopped turning the alternator. Have you checked to see that the serpentine belt is still in place?

I'm in the Springs so don't know of any shops in Denver.

I just checked the serpentine belt and it's there and looks perfect and I checked all the fuses and they are all good. So looks like it's something bigger and I will have to get it towed tomorrow to a shop and see what's wrong with it. I'm gonna try the shop rich said cause it's like 8 blocks away.

I'll second that it's likely electrical. Sounds like you may have a dead alternator, and the car ran out of enough battery power to fire the ignition. Can you charge the battery for awhile and start it? If so, its def something in the charging system. As for a shop, no personal experiences with anyone I'd trust to take care of your car. My brother in law has been using Eurosport for a long time for his Jeep and Honda and is happy with them. This is cheesy, but you could check out Car Talk's web site. There are supposed to be local shop reviews there.

the bouncing idle sounds like the O2 sensor, happened with my civic, but it never just up and died like that. If all your gauges are acting weird and it doesn't even crank it sounds electrical, but to what extent I'm not sure. I hope its a simple, inexpensice fix for ya! Keep us updated.

tbot wrote:the bouncing idle sounds like the O2 sensor

I agree, but an alternator on its way out will do this too. I'm still convinced it's that. It's a cheap fix if it is (as long as you DIY).