# What causes an engine to stall during a car crash? **URL:** \ **Category:** Factual Questions\ **Created:** [October 11, 2001, 12:57pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-causes-an-engine-to-stall-during-a-car-crash/86777 "2001-10-11T12:57:34Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Mickazee](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/e36b37/32.png) [@Mickazee](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mickazee)\ **Post date:** [October 11, 2001, 12:57pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-causes-an-engine-to-stall-during-a-car-crash/86777/1 "2001-10-11T12:57:34Z")
What causes an engine to stall during a crash in which no damage is inflicted upon the engine or drive chain? Mainly I noticed that this happens during a spin out. ---
**Author:** ![Reeder](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/c6cbf5/32.png) [@Reeder](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Reeder)\ **Post date:** [October 11, 2001, 1:12pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-causes-an-engine-to-stall-during-a-car-crash/86777/2 "2001-10-11T13:12:16Z")
The car probably has an inertial fuel cut off switch. Which kills the fuel flow to the motor in the event of an accident. ---
**Author:** ![Mangetout](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/mangetout/32/19_2.png) [@Mangetout](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mangetout)\ **Post date:** [October 11, 2001, 1:13pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-causes-an-engine-to-stall-during-a-car-crash/86777/3 "2001-10-11T13:13:53Z")
My WAGs: [li]The engine is subjected to shock which causes excessive friction in one or more of the moving parts[/li][li]The fuel flow is interrupted[/li][li]The driver omits to depress the clutch (this probably quite common\*)[/li] \*I remember reading somewhere that the leading cause of drowning in cases where a vehicle plunges into deep water was that the occupants forgot to unfasten their safety belts (I’ll find a cite for this if necessary); in an emergency, your priorities change. ---
**Author:** ![Una\_Persson](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/una_persson/32/346_2.png) [@Una\_Persson](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Una_Persson)\ **Post date:** [October 11, 2001, 2:14pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-causes-an-engine-to-stall-during-a-car-crash/86777/4 "2001-10-11T14:14:06Z")
That’s an interesting idea, **Reeder** , for a future safety improvement. But I know of no passenger cars that currently have such a thing. I don’t know if the OP is really correct. I’ve seen my share of accidents where the engine remains running. And ones where the driver immediately shut the engine off afterwards, so unless you were a witness to many car accidents at the time they actually occurred, I don’t know if it is really correct to say that the engine always, or even mostly cuts out. ---
**Author:** ![Diver](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/858c86/32.png) [@Diver](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Diver)\ **Post date:** [October 11, 2001, 2:33pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-causes-an-engine-to-stall-during-a-car-crash/86777/5 "2001-10-11T14:33:45Z")
Unless my memory is failing me badly, I think my 86 Taurus has a fuel pump shut off that responds to an impact. There is a reset in the trunk that has to be activated to restart the fuel pump. My 99 Honda Accord doesn’t seem to have the feature. Maybe it’s not being done anymore. ---
**Author:** ![SCSimmons](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/e495f1/32.png) [@SCSimmons](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/SCSimmons)\ **Post date:** [October 11, 2001, 2:44pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-causes-an-engine-to-stall-during-a-car-crash/86777/6 "2001-10-11T14:44:19Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by Anthracite \* > **That’s an interesting idea, Reeder, for a future safety improvement. But I know of no passenger cars that currently have such a thing.** Um … really? > **[Car News, Blogs & Analysis | Cars.com](https://www.cars.com/news/)** > > Browse up-to-the-minute automotive news and analysis, including expert reviews of the latest cars on the market, at Cars.com. Evidently the Ford Taurus has had one of these for at least fifteen years … ---
**Author:** ![SCSimmons](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/e495f1/32.png) [@SCSimmons](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/SCSimmons)\ **Post date:** [October 11, 2001, 3:01pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-causes-an-engine-to-stall-during-a-car-crash/86777/7 "2001-10-11T15:01:41Z")
Oh, sure, Diver-just type faster than me, why don’t you. 🙂 Make that 25 years, then. But you may be right that they’re no longer in use-I’ll check the owner’s manual on my 2000 Taurus & see, but I don’t recall seeing anything on that when I first read it, now that you mention it. ---
**Author:** ![danvanf](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/13edae/32.png) [@danvanf](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/danvanf)\ **Post date:** [October 11, 2001, 3:04pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-causes-an-engine-to-stall-during-a-car-crash/86777/8 "2001-10-11T15:04:18Z")
Wow, I just read the Tom and Ray thing on the inertial fuel cutoff switch. That’s a good idea gone wrong, IMHO. From what they say, you could be driving down the road, slam on your brakes to avoid an accident, and have the fuel cut off to your engine, thus loosing power steering, and power brakes. Or if you hit a big bump in the road, the engine might shut down. This is a good reason NOT to purchase a Ford Taurus, or any vehicle with this device installed. ---
**Author:** ![muffinman](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/e8c25b/32.png) [@muffinman](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/muffinman)\ **Post date:** [October 11, 2001, 3:34pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-causes-an-engine-to-stall-during-a-car-crash/86777/9 "2001-10-11T15:34:46Z")
Well, In my experience, it’s always been because I didn’t push the clutch as I panic braked. Never had an automatic though, and I’ve only driven one a couple of times, so I don’t know what the reason would be that an automatic would stall. ---
**Author:** ![Una\_Persson](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/una_persson/32/346_2.png) [@Una\_Persson](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Una_Persson)\ **Post date:** [October 11, 2001, 3:38pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-causes-an-engine-to-stall-during-a-car-crash/86777/10 "2001-10-11T15:38:04Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by SCSimmons \* > \*\* > > > [@](#): > > > > \*Originally posted by Anthracite \* > > **That’s an interesting idea, Reeder, for a future safety improvement. But I know of no passenger cars that currently have such a thing.** > > Um … really?\*\* Um…_yes_, really, I did know of no passenger cars that had such a thing when I posted that. Thanks for the link. ---
**Author:** ![Mickazee](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/e36b37/32.png) [@Mickazee](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mickazee)\ **Post date:** [October 11, 2001, 4:22pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-causes-an-engine-to-stall-during-a-car-crash/86777/11 "2001-10-11T16:22:38Z")
To clarify, it’s mainly older cars I’m talking about. A mate of mine was in an accident which wasn’t too serious, but the car spun out and the engine died. I was thinking that the clutch being out was the reason behind the stall but the car was an automatic so go figure. I’ve asked a few other mates about spinouts, and a few of them have said their car has died… About cars that cut off during a crash, I know the Holden VT Commodores (australian car) have the onboard computer activate the dome lamp, unlock the doors and cut off the fuel pump when it detects an accident. The computer also knows apparently if it’s been in a rollover, T-bone or what not…smart car…Plus it has a pretensioner on the seatbelt that explodes some sort of pyrotechnic under the seat and does an extreme tighten up on the seatbelt. but back to the OP 🙂 ---
**Author:** ![squeegee](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/squeegee/32/14537_2.png) [@squeegee](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/squeegee)\ **Post date:** [October 11, 2001, 4:36pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-causes-an-engine-to-stall-during-a-car-crash/86777/12 "2001-10-11T16:36:49Z")
> [@](#): > > Evidently the Ford Taurus has had one of these for at least fifteen years … My old '88 Mustang (R.I.P) was also similarly equipped, so I’m guessing most Fords had/have this. ---
**Author:** ![gigi](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/a587f6/32.png) [@gigi](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/gigi)\ **Post date:** [October 11, 2001, 4:50pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-causes-an-engine-to-stall-during-a-car-crash/86777/13 "2001-10-11T16:50:42Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by SCSimmons \*“Laziness in doing stupid things can be a great virtue.” (James Hilton, _Paradise Lost_) Is this from John Milton’s _Paradise Lost_ or James Hilton’s _Lost Horizon_? Just curious. ---
**Author:** ![DougC](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/7feea3/32.png) [@DougC](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DougC)\ **Post date:** [October 11, 2001, 8:32pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-causes-an-engine-to-stall-during-a-car-crash/86777/14 "2001-10-11T20:32:07Z")
- - - I had a (um…) '92? Ford Probe that had a cut-off switch. I got rear-ended once just enough to dent the rear bumper, and that triggered it. I didn’t know about it until the police officer told me; I tried to re-start the car to get it out of the way and all the electrical stuff worked normal and the engine turned over just fine but wouldn’t start. There was a reset button you had to press located in the back edge of the trunk (near the rear of the car). - MC ---
**Author:** ![kanicbird](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/5f8ce5/32.png) [@kanicbird](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/kanicbird)\ **Post date:** [October 11, 2001, 10:20pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-causes-an-engine-to-stall-during-a-car-crash/86777/15 "2001-10-11T22:20:37Z")
cars have a fuel auto cut off switch usually activated by the force of colision. Electrical systems could have shorted (even instantly) cutting power. Also manuals might have the clutch up and automatic have a stall converter that stalls out the engine when the speed differnce inthe torque converter is too high. ---
**Author:** ![Hirka\_T\_Bawa](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/db5fbb/32.png) [@Hirka\_T\_Bawa](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Hirka_T_Bawa)\ **Post date:** [October 11, 2001, 10:33pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-causes-an-engine-to-stall-during-a-car-crash/86777/16 "2001-10-11T22:33:35Z")
I was in an accident in Aug. in my '95 Ford Crown Victoria. Was driving from New York down to Florida, when I was on I-285 in Atlanta I spun out going 75mph. I don’t remember much from spinning out. I remember starting to spin out, and the next thing I knew, I was up the hill on the right side of the road. But getting back to the point, after I regained my senses, I noticed that all the electronics on the car were fine, but the engine was cut off. Didn’t think anything of it at the time, and I was the only car in the accident that was able to drive away. ---
**Author:** ![kanicbird](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/5f8ce5/32.png) [@kanicbird](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/kanicbird)\ **Post date:** [October 11, 2001, 11:44pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-causes-an-engine-to-stall-during-a-car-crash/86777/17 "2001-10-11T23:44:50Z")
the 2 highspeed spinouts i had were on snowcovered roads. in one as I spun i put the car into neutral and actually was driving backwards on hte parkway - kind of cool - and no stalling. (180) the 2nd was a 360 with a pause at the 180 (I though I would do the same thing but couldn’t hold it) I don’t know if i put the car in neutral but most likely did. ended up down a snow covered embankment in VT on Christmas eve. Did I get my Christmas pressent? - you bet a AAA truck pulled up about 10 min after the spin out looking for another car that spun out but freed itself - pulled us out n/c (tool AAA info) and we were on our way. Oh the car didn’t stall. ---
**Author:** ![RM\_Mentock](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/e274bd/32.png) [@RM\_Mentock](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/RM_Mentock)\ **Post date:** [October 12, 2001, 4:00am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-causes-an-engine-to-stall-during-a-car-crash/86777/18 "2001-10-12T04:00:16Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by SCSimmons \* > **Make that 25 years, then.** Normally, I don’t etc etc, but 1986 was fifteen years ago. Or did you mean something different? ---
**Author:** ![SCSimmons](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/e495f1/32.png) [@SCSimmons](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/SCSimmons)\ **Post date:** [October 12, 2001, 4:42am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-causes-an-engine-to-stall-during-a-car-crash/86777/19 "2001-10-12T04:42:07Z")
Geez, I’m on a roll today. Um, yes, fifteen years. And I fixed the cite in my sig quote. (How the heck did I do that? Yes, it’s _Lost Horizon_. Great book.) ---
**Author:** ![cornflakes](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/9d8465/32.png) [@cornflakes](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/cornflakes)\ **Post date:** [October 12, 2001, 9:41am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-causes-an-engine-to-stall-during-a-car-crash/86777/20 "2001-10-12T09:41:54Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by Mickazee \* > **…I was thinking that the clutch being out was the reason behind the stall but the car was an automatic so go figure.** I wonder… Maybe the torque convertor was locked when the transmission suddenly stopped turning. Torque convertors are made to “slip” when the engine is turning slowly, but a sudden deceleration would probably still stop the engine. At least that’s my guess… [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-causes-an-engine-to-stall-during-a-car-crash/86777.md?page=2)