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!