Car suddenly stopped while driving but will start back up, also makes rattling noise Options

[circuscatch85]

Hey guys, I had a problem with my 1996 Celica st (Automatic) today and was hoping for some help. I'll try and describe things as best I can:

I was driving out of the grocery store tonight and I came to a stop sign leaving the parking lot. When I went to accelerate my car just stopped running. It was sort of like when a manual stalls but without the jerking motion. I had to put it in park, turn it off, then start it up again and it worked. (Note: the oil, battery, and check engine lights all came on when this happened. they went off, with the exception of the check engine light, when I got it running again)

I came up to another stop light and accelerated without a problem. I was driving on the road after that and was slowing gradually for an upcoming light but I hadnt lost that much speed (i was going maybe 20-25 mph) when it happened again (oil, battery, and engine lights were on again as well). I was still able to use my brakes to come to a full stop but couldn't accelerate so I had to put it in park and repeat the same procedure as earlier. My headlights were on for the first two instances, so i left them off for the rest of my trip home. It didn't do it again on the trip back which included multiple starts and stops. Total time driving was probably 5-6 minutes from first instance to getting home.

When I got home I took a look at the engine and tried turning it on and off to see if i could catch a problem. The first few times i started it up it was a little klunky (it had started up fine when I was driving) but then the next few times after that it started up fine. It also revs fine.

I think its also worth noting that starting this winter I would get an occasional tapping noise coming from my engine/belt area. It didn't get worse or better for a while but I had my mechanic check it out 3 weeks ago or so and he said it was nothing but I should put some of that engine renew stuff in with the oil because he said it was probably a lifter(?), which I did. Well since then I've made multiple 200+ mile drives and the noise has gotten worse - its a loud rattling noise now. During one of those drives my check engine light came on suddenly (and has been on ever since, about a week) but nothing happened with the car performance wise or gas mileage wise so I figured it was just one of those things.

Anyway, could the rattling noise could be connected to the "stalling issue"? Or are they separate problems? I would really appreciate any help you guys could give me on either issue, thanks in advance!

[Cuts_the_Pilot]

My guess is they are seperate.
the first being electrical. I had a similar problem years ago, it turned out to be the plug under the fuse box had broken one of the clips on the side and was ever so slightly comming appart, im not saying this is exacrtly your issue but im thinking electrical.

Is this noise comming from the engine or the belt area? If its the belt area it could be something like the tentioner is broken/loose.

If its the engine it could be something as bad as a bearing on its way out.

[circuscatch85]

I'll check out the plugs under the fuse box, hopefully thats all it is.

As for the noise, I'd say its coming from the engine. I'm not great with cars, I know a little, but How bad would a bearing in the engine be? Are we talking like new engine/car is done?

[travisxcore]

My guess is they are seperate.
the first being electrical. I had a similar problem years ago, it turned out to be the plug under the fuse box had broken one of the clips on the side and was ever so slightly comming appart, im not saying this is exacrtly your issue but im thinking electrical.

Exact same pblm for me a month ago. Turned out to be my am2 fuse blew and it prevented my car from starting. It blew and my engine stopped causeing all but the check engine light to come on. Took me a while to find out that was the only pblm. That fuse had been bad for years too cause the guy who I bought it from said the engine stopped and he just pulled a few fuses put them back in and it cranked right up.

So hopefully thats your issue too.