93 Camry stalls while driving

[dhaining]

Was driving into work today in my '93 Camry. Was on the highway and had to slow down. When I pushed on the break, I heard a couple pops a couple seconds apart and realized it was the radio shutting off and coming back on. I thought it was the radio station having an issue. Went on down the road putting the brakes on a few more times without an issue. Then, it happened again - again when I first started pushing the brakes - this time it felt like the whole car stalled. I pushed the brakes multiple times without an issue, but about 5 minutes later, it happened again. This time I noticed that the speedometer, tach both went to 0, the clock went off, radio, etc. It appears I am totally losing electrical power for a few seconds. I wasn't able to completely tell if the engine went off as well, but everything returned within a couple seconds and didn't have further issues coming into work. A guy at work checked the voltage of the battery and also the alternator and they seemed fine. He is thinking maybe a relay is starting to go....any ideas?

[tacosteelersman]

Classic alternator and battery issues, have it professionally tested..Start there.

[Mike Gerber]

^ What tacosteelersman said above. Did anyone check to see if the battery posts/terminal connection were clean and tight? If that checks out then take the car to a place like Autozone where they will check the battery and charging system for free right on the car. Checking the charging with just a volt/ohmeter is kind of a cursory check. What were the readings the guy at work got when he checked the system?

Mike

[dhaining]

Thanks for the replies. The voltage I believe was 12.5 for the battery only and 14 with the car on...I may have the numbers off by a .5 volt - they were what he expected them to be. The battery posts/connections were clean and tight. Driving home yesterday, I had no issues at all - it was warmer out than when I was driving in, so don't know if there might have been some condensation or something where it shouldn't be???

[Stillrunning]

Originally Posted by dhaining

I wasn't able to completely tell if the engine went off as well,

If the engine went off I'd think you'd have to key start the car. Trying to determine if the engine cuts out as well may help.

Originally Posted by csaxon

A "pop" is usually an electrical short sparking sound.

I think he said the "pop" was the radio??

[dhaining]

Thanks to all for trying to help. This has been a bit frustrating. Have driven the car for a couple hundred miles with no issues. Was driving home today after an hour drive and as soon as I put on the brake, heard a pop from the radio again (pop is from the radio - sound a radio makes with a quick power drop or surge). It happened a second time as well. So far, all I can figure out is the power drops off between a split second and maybe up to 2 seconds when the brake pedal is pushed and apprears to only occur when traveling at a higher rate of speed (40mph or greater). I will keep driving and see if I can find more symptoms.

[Headless]

Sounds to me like you have something shorting out when you break. That happened to me one time I forget to remove a tool from my engine bay (i was a noob...) and the tool was shorting the pos + post on the battery against the frame of the car when I went over a large bump...
Check for anything that might be shifting around when you brake. it sounds even moreso like something shifting because it only happens when you brake at a high rate of speed. Try driving slowly and slamming the brakes on; i suspect the same thing will happen under heavy braking any time.

Originally Posted by dhaining

Thanks to all for trying to help. This has been a bit frustrating. Have driven the car for a couple hundred miles with no issues. Was driving home today after an hour drive and as soon as I put on the brake, heard a pop from the radio again (pop is from the radio - sound a radio makes with a quick power drop or surge). It happened a second time as well. So far, all I can figure out is the power drops off between a split second and maybe up to 2 seconds when the brake pedal is pushed and apprears to only occur when traveling at a higher rate of speed (40mph or greater). I will keep driving and see if I can find more symptoms.

[Stillrunning]

Looking at the circuit diagram for the 93 the radio and brakes have different circuits. The only common wiring appears to be from the battery through a fuse-able link to the fuse box. The radio is powered via the ignition switch while the brakes work independent of the ignition switch. The headlights are powered directly from the battery by-passing the fuse box but downstream of the fuse-able link. Next time see if your headlights work when the radio and stop lights don't. A failure of a battery connection or fuse-able link would affect the entire electrical system. You'll need to try and narrow this down. In the meantime, as Mike Gerber suggested, check/clean your battery terminals, wiring, connections.

[fenixus]

also make sure the whole battery unit is securely mounted in place. it may be inertial shift towards front of car when braking hard (or from higher speeds) and stretching the terminal wires. if posts are secure then perhaps there is a crack in wiring?

I have no idea how alternator could affect all those circuits while braking down if all it does is charging battery and all power the car gets from the battery (through fusible blocks or fuses).

[dhaining]

Thanks....this hopefully will help me narrow it down

[mouayingvang24]

The same thing is happening to my 93 camry as well. I drop off my wife at work 5 minutes away and on the way back it jerked like it was losing power, but didnt die. Later on my way to pick her up it was fine then i parked and notice it quickly shut itself off faster then me turning the key ignition. Usually i have the radio playing and heater on and when i turn the car engine off to the on switch so i can listen to the radio it dies there, completly dead. I started the car back up like nothing and drove it around the parking lot and everything was fine like it never happen. Then i went back to park and decided to completly turn the car off. As i waited for my wife after 10 minutes. My wife hops in the car and as i turn the key the car just tick.tick.tick. so i stop. Turn the key again and there it goes, started right up again like nothing happen. Now i thought maybe its just the battery so i got home, check it with the battery charger, and everything was fine bright green like a new battery shoukd be. Then checked the alternator with the volt meter and had 12.5 like i should. Next day my older brother drove my car and blasted up everything like the radio and heater and headlight the car jerked at the red lights like it was losing power again.

also checked the fuses and come across the alternator fuse showing a burning blue at the end of the center but still connected?

[dhaining]

Thanks to fenixus who reminded me to do a very basic thing and make sure the battery was secure. I found that one of the rods had come loose and must have been what was wrong...since making sure the battery was secure, I haven't had the issue again. I don't drive that car a whole lot anymore, so it may come back, but am hopeful that won't happen! Thanks to everyone who tried to help me!

[fenixus]