A1) The engine temp was normal and we had started out from Goa at 6 am. The time our car stalled out on us was 10 am, but before that, say at around 9 am, we took a small break of about 10 minutes.

Q2) What was the passenger/baggage load like at that time ?

A2) Passenger load - just two of us. Baggage load - hardly any - only one suitcase with two carry bags or some such thing.

Q3) In what gear were you attempting to overtake and was the Car pulling well or just struggling ?

A3) We were in the 1st or 2nd gear (if my memory serves me right – 2nd more likely) and no, the car was not struggling. On the contrary, it was pulling well ! And then suddenly... it just died out on us !!

Some basic reasons behind stalling of a running engine

Armed with all the above details, let’s first keep the following in mind – for a Carb as well as an Mpfi Car :

1) Loss of ‘effective’ Fuel Supply ‘into’ the Cylinders – for whatever reason.

2) Likewise, loss of correctly timed Ignition pulses to the Spark Plugs.

3) Overheating/Head Gasket failure due to any cause.

4) Engine Seizure – either due to Lube System or Material Failures.

5) Water ingress into the Cylinders via Air Intake – such as while crossing rivers etc.

In Suzzanne’s case, going by her narration that the ‘car just died out’ – thus assuming without any ‘splutter’ + the fact that it subsequently could start in the normal way – to me the possibility of a ‘transient’ Ignition System failure appears strongest. For if it had spluttered too before dieing out, it’d have meant that it was gasping for fuel but the Ignition was there.