I was getting on the highway, I gunned the throttle coming on the on-ramp. Then no power. engine still turned but pressing the throttle wouldn't change a thing.

I pulled on the shoulder safely. Turned it off. Then tried to start it. Engine will turn but won't start. The electric stuff works and I have fuel. So it's not the battery or alt or lack of fuel.

Looked under the car. No leaks of any kind.

So far, thinking about it I came to a few probable causes:
1- Fuel pump
2- Fuse
3- Security system went haywire

Any ideas? Car has 45,000km.

 

It's a 2003 Turbo. Correct?? Any maintenance / repair done lately where parts were replaced ?? Best is to get the ECU codes pulled first. You will be chasing your tail if problem is not obvious. Keep us posted and good luck

 

I vote for #1 but going to say something with the line from the pump

 

Is it stock or modified at all? Starting comes down to fuel, air, and spark. Air is rarely the problem (though a bad MAF can do this), so that leaves spark and fuel. Do you hear the fuel pump cycle briefly when you turn the car off and then put the key back in and turn it on? If not, then I'd start there. Something with the ECU can certainly cause a problem, but that's usually only on a modified car.

 

Car is a 996tt X50 with UMW. Everything else is stock. I doubt the ECU is the problem.

I don't have any code. That's kinda weird. And the reason why I thought of fuse first. I couldn't hear the pump but I was stuck on the side of the highway so I couldn't hear myself think.

Will have a look at it tomorrow and will let you all know.

 

my fuel pump did that to me. it's a complex beast pulling fuel from 3 lobes simultaneously. lose suction somewhere in one of the lines and it's all over.

 

Sounds like fuel pump to me.

 

I concur on the fuel pump! Good luck.

 

Fuel pump relay is cheap. I'd try that before the fuel pump.

 

What happened to me (twice) is the fuel line ruptured in the fuel tank. The pump just pumed the fuel back into the tank. It was fixed under warranty twice.

 

+1...

 

I am with LiNks and wross996tt on this one..

 

+2 That happened to my car as well when the previous owner had it!

 

Ruptured fuel line......very very common
However a small split will usually give enough fuel pressure for the car to cough and splutter even if it doesn't run.
fuel pump failure or pump relay failure and then you wont even get a splutter.
As already said listen for the pump you can bypass the relay and make the pump run continuously if you want to disprove relay defect.
If you had a durametric you could run the pump form the laptop.

If you know anyone with a fuel pressure gauge you could check the pressure at the filter and with a Jar and check the flow.

The fuel pump may be complex ed with pick up's but it isn't hard to remove it and bench test. The U pipe that splits is easily identifiable as just that a U pipe about 2to3 inches long with a very tight radius....which is where the problems lies after many years.

 

What about intercooler pipe blowing off? Any factory turbo charged car I had that popped a ic pipe off did the same thing.