Questions and Answers

Oldsmobile Alero Sputters, Shuts Down Q. Dear Vincent, My daughter drives a 2000 Oldsmobile Alero, 3400 series V-6 with approximately 82,000 miles. It has PS, A/C, ABS brakes and cruise control. The problem is the car sometime sputters and shuts down on her when going about 40 or 50 mph. You usually have to let it sit for a while then it starts up again.

No one else has experienced this, even though me and a mechanic test drove it. One mechanic replaced the thermostat, another the water pump because they claim the car was overheating. I had a mechanic I know, non-dealer, put it on his diagnostics machine but nothing came up to indicate a problem.

He was thinking it might be fuel related so he replaced the fuel filter, it was pretty clogged up, but the car shut off on her again. My mechanic was thinking maybe the fuel pump of fuel injectors. Any thoughts? Do you think I need to take to a dealership?

Thank you for your help,
Ron in Detroit

A. You need to be able to duplicate the problem first!! Can your mechanic install a fuel pressure gauge on it so whoever is driving it can watch and see if pressure is being lost? This would at least rule out the fuel pump and connections as the problem. Then I would look at ignition.