Nothing is more annoying and frustrating than having your vehicle shut off unexpectedly in the middle of the road. If this happens, the best thing to do is to understand where the issue is coming from and take action as soon as you can to address the problem.
Several factors could make a vehicle shut off while trying to turn left or right. The most common cause is running out of gas. Another factor that could make an engine shut off while turning is if the Manifold Absolute Pressure (MAP) sensor, which often detects engine load, is faulty.
Why does my car turn off when I turn the steering wheel? What exactly causes my car to shut off while turning? What is the best way to fix the steering wheel problem? In the rest of this article, I’ll further share everything you need to know regarding the questions above. So, without wasting any time, let’s get straight down to business.
Why Does My Car Turn Off When I Turn The Steering Wheel?
As you already know, the steering wheel is one of the most important components of your car. This component performs several different functions, including making it easier for you to steer your vehicle in the right direction. However, the steering wheel can sometimes misbehave, depending on a couple of factors.
According to several reports across social media platforms and forums, one of the issues with the steering wheel is that turning it could sometimes make the car shut off. That’s abnormal, right? This brings us to the question of what exactly makes a car shut off when the steering wheel is engaged?
I’m sure you know what the manifold absolute pressure sensor does in a car. For those who don’t know, the MAP sensor is primarily designed to be used in your vehicle’s internal combustion engine’s electronic control system. The function of the sensor is to provide instant manifold pressure information.
In simpler terms, the MAP sensor is the one responsible for sensing and providing information regarding the proper air and fuel quantities, which are necessary to the ignition cylinders.
That said, a faulty MAP sensor is one of the main reasons why your vehicle is misbehaving, shutting off while you turn the steering wheel.
Here’s how the manifold absolute pressure sensor works:
- Firstly, it’ll sense the load on the engine.
- After that, the sensor proceeds and generating information, which is proportional to the amount of vacuum that’s available in the intake manifold.
- The information generated is then utilized by the engine system to modify the fuel enrichment, as well as the ignition timing.
It’s safe to say that the MAP sensor is the one responsible for providing the engine computer with information regarding its load. For instance, when there’s a lot of load on the engine, the throttle opens wide, allowing the engine to take in more air. Yes, the air/fuel mixture is richly adjusted a little bit, enabling the engine to deliver more power.
But what exactly will happen if the MAP sensor of your vehicle is faulty? It’s pretty simple; the engine computer won’t know exactly how to adjust the load information. In this case, the engine could misbehave or even shut off, as you turn the steering wheel.
What Causes A Car To Shut Off When Turning?
As already mentioned, a faulty Manifold Absolute Pressure (MAP) sensor is one of the most common factors that could make your vehicle shut off the turning.
In case you don’t know, the operation of the MAP sensor involves both electrical and physical components of your car. Since that:?’s the case, it means several different factors could make the sensor fail.
One thing you need to know about the MAP sensor is that when it’s faulty, it’ll only deliver the wrong signal to the engine computer. This could make the system adjust the amount of fuel being sent, reducing the performance of the engine. Sadly, when you drive with an engine that’s not performing up to expectations, the car could shut off when you try engaging the steering wheel.
Another reason why your car may be misbehaving, shutting down as you engage the steering wheel is if the alternator is not functioning properly.
Normally, the alternator is responsible for providing other components of the car with the direct current power. Furthermore, the alternator is also responsible for charging the battery as you drive. So, with a faulty alternator, your vehicle’s battery, over a certain period, will drain off. During the time of engaging and turning the steering wheel of your car, if the battery becomes flat, it’s normal for the vehicle to switch off. This explains why a faulty alternator could make your car shut off when turning.
A malfunctioning ignition switch is another reason why your vehicle could shut off when turning the steering wheel. Normally, the ignition switch is designed to activate the main electrical systems for your vehicle.
That said, if the switch is malfunctioning or misbehaving, it’ll become pretty difficult to activate the car’s electrical system. If this happens, it will most likely lead to the loss of power to your car engine. A loss of power to the engine could make your vehicle shut off as you try to engage and turn the steering wheel.
How To Fix Your Vehicle’s Steering Wheel Problem?
There are several different steering wheel problems that you could encounter when using your vehicle. For you to be able to fix the issue, you need to first understand why the problem is there first.
For instance, one of the most common steering wheel problems is the lack of enough hydraulic fluid in the steering wheel tank. In this case, the beat you can do to address the issue is by refilling the tank with reliable and good power steering fluid.
Another common problem with the steering wheel is when its pump is malfunctioning. In this case, the best thing you can do is to replace the old, faulty pump with a new one.
