We have a 2011 Fit (automatic) with ~72k miles on it. Two nights ago, after the car had been sitting for ~2 hours, I drove it ~1 mile for a few minute errand. After I was done there, the car started normally, drove to the parking lot exit normally, and idled normally when stopped on the relatively steep parking lot exit...But as I pulled out into the lane of traffic and started accelerating, the engine promptly quit and sent the car unexpectedly lurching towards a stop! Thank God no cars were coming. The momentum refired the engine, and my foot in the gas caused it to lurch forward. Then the engine would promptly attempt to die again, restarting the cycle. So I rode the bronco into the next parking lot.

Once parked, it would restart normally, idle normally for ~5 seconds, then die. No shaking. No coughing. No sputtering. No magic smoke being released. Virtually no drama at all as it died. Not even a single warning light turned on! The shut down was almost as if the key had been turned off, but the dash was as if the computer thought the engine was still running because none of the lighting in the dash turned off either. This was repeated a few more times. Finally as I started it I gave it some gas, and revved it up 2k-3k rpm and held it for a little bit, then eased it back down. At the slightest sign of the rpm dipping, I'd rev it back up and try again. After a couple tries, I got it back down to idle totally normally again. Waiting for my wife to come tail me home, I drove around the parking lot a bit without issue. And then after than, the rest of the way home without issue. I was 'unable to replicate the problem' last night when I took it down have it checked for codes. Of course, unfortunately but not unexpectedly, no codes were thrown.

I drive this car 50 miles per day, and have no interest in being the jackwad that didn't take care of his car well enough and breaks down in the middle of the highway during rush hour. I also have no interest in having this happen at an inopportune time as I pull into traffic with my daughter in the back seat, only to get rear ended. So unless somebody can help me determine more precisely what would cause this, the 'parts bingo' approach might be too slow and subtle here. As much as I don't like it, I'm thinking about just going with the 'parts shotgun' approach instead...And no, not taking the parts out behind the barn and putting them out of their misery.

It has gone through more than half this tank of gas without issue, but I'm going to toss in some Iso-Heet and fill it up from another gas station, just in case. Known stalling issues with Fits in this mileage range apparently tend to be valve adjustments and coil pack related. Of course, these typically appear to happen totally cold while triggering check engine lights and misfire codes too...But without pinpointing a more direct cause, it's probably still worth a try. I figure I might as well do the spark plugs while I'm in there too. Beyond that, I don't know. Maybe do an 'idle relearn'? Clean the MAF? Replace the ignition switch? Crank/cam senseor(s)? I know I'm grasping at straws here, but that's all I have so far.

I've got a rental car for a week, and a relatively free weekend approaching. I'd like to have any additional diagnostics done and parts in hand before then. Obviously, local shops have said they can't do much if the problem can't be replicated, and they haven't come across this before to know where to start. My searches here have not yielded much beyond the valve adjustments and coil packs.

Beyond needing a safe and reliable means of transportation, there are no words for how much I hate the idea of never actually identifying the cause of a problem. Therefore be never knowing how/if it was ever resolved...Or if/when it will happen again!

 

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My guess is that you have a sporadically bad electrical connection that is removing power to the car periodically. This may be in the vicinity of the positive battery clamp or a power lead to the main fuse panel or possibly even the ignition switch wiring. I would probably start by inspecting the battery terminal connections thoroughly. It would also be good to inspect the connections to the computer module carefully, though I'm not sure offhand where that is located.