Car died while driving and won't restart.

[tmpnsnty]

I've brought a 2000 Camry LE-I4 with 124K for $4500 about a month ago.
Everything seems fine, the previous owner did all the regular maintenance/oil change at the dealership and have recipes to prove it. (even the 120K)

However, yesterday night, the car didn't start. A random stranger offers to jump start my car, he thinks it's a battery problem. My lights wasn't on and I didn't hear the dead battery clicking sound. But he insists and say there's no harm in trying. So we tried and the car starts.

Everything seems to run as usual and I start heading home. 10-20 mins later my radio suddenly shuts off and few minutes after that my car died. No jerking, No weird noise, no warning lights on. The engine just shuts off and my car slowly rolls forward. I tried to restart it but nothing happens, again, no clicking, no lights or anything. Though there's a strong sulfur smell when I got out of my car.

Then AAA tolled it to a toyota dealership and told me the battery is completely dead. After the shop replaced the battery this morning, they still don't know what's wrong with my car or what causes the car the stall yesterday.

Right now I just don't know what to do. Between searching old topics here and talking to my fds: it seems like fuel pump, engine or alternator problem. All very expensive fix, but the dealership mechanic just told me it's unlikely and told me to be patient. I don't mind getting my hands dirty, but I know I've very limited mechanical skills. I've changed tires, air filter and spark plugs and that's about it.

What can/should I do? I need my car for work. I'm on the road 25-30hrs/wk.

[Nervous]

Dead alternator? But you should see light on your dashboard, I think.

[tmpnsnty]

Dead Alternator is what everyone been telling me, but when i mention it to the mechanic, he just told me "it's unlike, we just don't know anything yet and just be patient"
the not knowing what's wrong has made me crazy

and I didn't notice any dashboard lights were on

[Nervous]

Well, the only other option I can come up with is even worse - short circuit somewhere in wiring.

[tmpnsnty]

that does not sound good, then should I just start looking for a new car instead?

[Nervous]

That is kinda too radical way of dealing with the issue. Let see what your mechanic comes up with first. Rule out the alternator issue first.

[csaxon]

Did you buy it from a dealer with a warranty?

[tmpnsnty]

Originally Posted by csaxon

Did you buy it from a dealer with a warranty?

I've brought it from a private seller with no warranty.

[zythr]

Originally Posted by tmpnsnty

I've brought it from a private seller with no warranty.

Did you ask the previous owner if he/she had problems with the car and why they were selling it?

[tmpnsnty]

Originally Posted by zythr

Did you ask the previous owner if he/she had problems with the car and why they were selling it?

The previous owner got a new job in UK so he has to sell his car. Like every seller out there, he told me there's no problem with the car.

Though 2hrs ago I got a call from the dealership saying my car runs fine now with the new battery. My alternator is fine, but they still don't know what causes the car to die while driving.

Thanks for all the replies. But is there anything else I should check/do, I just don't want my car to die in the middle of the highway.

[97ToyCar]

I once had a Dodge van that started dying randomly when you would take off from a stop. It would just quit. Dead. Would restart a few minutes later. I tried everything, new crank sensor, battery, even put in a new ECM. Nothing. Finally, I gave up. Had a mechanic look at it. He finally took apart the wiring harnesses under the hood, and found a shorted wire in one harness under the ECM. It was rubbing the firewall when I torqued up the engine taking off from stopping, and it finally wore through, and was grounding out the ECM. Cost me 700 dollars for a 5 inch piece of wire. He had it for over a month.

[tmpnsnty]

Originally Posted by 97ToyCar

I once had a Dodge van that started dying randomly when you would take off from a stop. It would just quit. Dead. Would restart a few minutes later. I tried everything, new crank sensor, battery, even put in a new ECM. Nothing. Finally, I gave up. Had a mechanic look at it. He finally took apart the wiring harnesses under the hood, and found a shorted wire in one harness under the ECM. It was rubbing the firewall when I torqued up the engine taking off from stopping, and it finally wore through, and was grounding out the ECM. Cost me 700 dollars for a 5 inch piece of wire. He had it for over a month.

that's bad, but being dirt poor, i really want/need to learn some learn basic repairs/checkup, should i just buy a haynes auto repair manual?

i know there's plenty of resource here. but i also don't want to kill myself/break my car during the process

[97ToyCar]

No, I would suggest using the FSM, factory manual. You can find it at www.camrystuff.com. Just select your correct generation Camry, and you'll find everything there, including wiring diagrams and troubleshooting.

[97ToyCar]

I recently had an episode with my Cammy, went to the gas station, and she wouldn't crank. Found out that if I jiggled the negative cable, it would start and run fine. I ended up ordering both the positive and negative ends from Toyota. Cranks like a banshee

[Chris Crash]

I've experienced the dying problem before!

It was both my battery being dead and my alternator belt slipping. So the car would essentially run on the battery, until it dies.

Took me forever to discover the alternator belt was the problem.