Engine (stalled)? in the middle of the street...

Ok so our cars were probably designed to do this, and I know it probably wasnt safe or smart or whatever, but yesterday my engine stalled in the middle of the street. Somebody tried to cut in front of me and so (being the competitive son of a bitch that I am) I punched it to make him get behind me. Well when I punched it (my Prerunner hauled ass btw ) I felt it jump a gear or something, because it all of a sudden just took off. Then after I slowed down, the engine and battery lights came on, and my gas pedal wasnt working, I was cruising at a lovely 5 mph - and slowing down. Hazards on, turned the car off in the middle of the street, turned it back on, no more problems. Ideas on why it did this?

 

It probably downshifted for you if you had the gas to the floor. Normal.
However, going into limp mode isn't normal. The one time I've heard of a Taco doing this, the 1st oxygen sensor was bad and the engine went into open loop mode and never went back to closed loop. No check engine light?

 

Yeah, both the check engine light and the battery light came on. But when I killed the engine and then turned the car back on, neither were on

 

How many miles and 4 cylinder or v6?

 

I'm thinking that your computer probably couldn't make up for the sudden drop in RPM's and it died. Not uncommon in vehicles when they get up in age and miles.

 

Mine has done this several times. It's due to my exhaust set up and lack of back pressure are why. When it comes off high rpms

It's probably fine.

 

V6, 108k miles. Year 2000. Yeah, I'm thinking the computers just wasn't able to keep up with it

 

Everything on mine is stock though... Stock engine and exhaust, only thing is an amp running from the battery but that shouldnt affect the engine

 

bumped. It did it again... gassed it and stalled right in the middle of the street. any more ideas as to what it could be?

 

You might want to run through it for any codes. If you have a recording reader, you might want to hook it up and see if you can make it happen again and capture any code that comes up.

 

Have it checked for codes. Most codes will stay in the computer for 40 drive cycles, even if the light is not on currently. Get it checked.

 

Your a/t oil temp light didn't come on too did it? Mine came on one day and shut off on me when I put it to the floor

 

To be honest I'm not sure, only light I saw come on was the "check engine" light. Gas pedal and power steering were both out

 

damn that blows. luckily the only time any car has stalled on me was when i had my 66 chevelle and it overheated unknowingly and i was making a left and it died in the middle of the intersection but rolled to the other side

 

Im having a problem with mine shutting off on me. Does it mostly when I have the lights on. When i turn the key off and then back on it cranks right up.

 

Does it happen when you first start it up, or after you've been running it awhile, turn it off and then shortly after turn it back on? Mine will sometimes do that, I turn the ignition and the engine turns over but doesnt start.