Cylinder head gasket failure.

- Pasadena, CA, USA

The car hesitated starting up, but drove ok to post office ( 5 miles from my house). When leaving the post office, the car stalls. It then started up, and then stalled again as it entered the highway. Had to physically get out of the car, unscrew the gas cap and start car in traffic. It died 500 feet later. I was able to steer the car to the edge of the road, where I unscrewed the gas cap and waited for 5 minutes. I got the car to start long enough to pull into the nearest store parking lot. It stalled again. Car wouldn't start at all. Went into store and shopped. Came out and unscrewed gas cap. Car started, then stalled. Repeated this three times until the car finally ran. Was able to drive 7 miles and park the car at my office. It never started up again.

- Winthrop, WA, USA

The car suddenly stalled. Suddenly I had nothing, no power to do anything. Then the transmission froze and I was in the middle of a freeway off ramp. I got out and motioned people around me. I took a deep breath. The car eventually unfroze and after several tries started up long enough for me to pull over. I took another deep breath, pulled towards the parking area but the car died before I pulled in. After a few minutes parked, it started up weakly and I was able to get it going. So I decided to take a chance (thinking it was something odd and wouldn't happen again) and pulled back into traffic. It stalled just before I merged into 70 mile an hour traffic. I felt absolutely terrified. By the grace of god, I was able to coast to the shoulder. I waited a few minutes, got it to start again and backed up to a safer place, trembling so hard I could hardly drive.

- Winthrop, WA, USA