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Car shuts off completely when hitting a bump or pothole: Causes & How to Fix It

If your vehicle is showing car shuts off completely when hitting a bump or pothole, here are the most likely causes and the parts you'll need to fix each one.

Most likely causes

Loose or Corroded Battery Connectionsurgent

Hitting a bump jolts the battery, momentarily breaking the electrical connection if the terminals are loose or heavily corroded. This causes an instant, total loss of electrical power to the entire vehicle.

Worn Ignition Switch or Lock Cylinderurgent

Internal wear in the ignition switch or a heavy keychain pulling on the lock cylinder can cause the key to jiggle when hitting a pothole. This accidentally interrupts the ignition circuit, shutting off the engine.

Loose Relays or Fusesurgent

Critical relays that power the engine computer or ignition can vibrate loose in the fuse box over time. A sharp bump can momentarily unseat them or break contact inside a failing relay.

Loose Crankshaft or Camshaft Sensor Wiringurgent

These sensors tell the engine computer when to fire the spark plugs and fuel injectors. If the sensor is failing internally or the wiring connector is loose, a physical shock will interrupt the signal and instantly stall the engine.

Faulty Engine Control Module (ECM) or Harnessurgent

The main engine computer may have a loose wiring harness connector or internal broken solder joints. When jarred by a bump, the connection breaks and the computer shuts down the engine.

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