my guess it is computer related and electrical in nature.

I had a Lincoln Mark that did something similar along with other very quirky things, the dealership put every kind of diagnostic on it and even had me keep a special recorder connected to is to catch it doing these strange things. End result the computer was very screwed up. I ended up with that one going back to the factory as a lemon and got a new one.

There are a bunch of threads about Tauruses on CarTalk.com Maybe something there? As Tom and Ray always say, "Did the Check Engine light come on?"

Here is a link that might be useful: Cartalk.com

A suggestion. When the car dies, throw it into neutral and
start it again. That'll save you having to coast to the
side of the road, which is really, really dangerous. My car dies suddenly after it's been sitting in the sun. It's been doing it for a year and my mechanic can't find the reason why.

We had a similar problem with a sensor (or something) overheating causing the car to shut off. This generally only happened during the summertime and when the car was idling. During that period, we had not driven any great distances. Only around town.

My car did that driving to the beach for vacation one year. When we got there we took it to a dealer. They could not find the problem but, suggested a tune-up. $300.00....the car ran fine until we got about half way home and it did it three times. My mechanic diagnosed it right away as a bad fuel pump. Replaced it and never happened again.

I had the same thing with my taurus. AND it wouldn't do it when the shop took it out. I also happened only twice with my car. One of the guys at the shop had it happen to his ford truck. He had changed a sensor in his truck, so he suggested changing the same sensor... I'll go look in the file,, hopefully I still have the receipt. He said he never had another problem. And I haven't since.

I just checked, and it seems that I don't have THAT receipt! sheesh! BUT, I am going up there later today, to pay for DH's truck and I will have Quentin print out a history.
This problem never showed up on the computer. The mechanic never had another problem like this with his truck and I haven't had that problem since!

Regarding the original problem - I have no suggestion(s).
___________________________

Hi Linda Kathy,

Do you figure that you need an umbrella big enough to cover the whole car ...

... or just the engine compartment?

Trouble is ... unless it were pretty large, you'd need to move it, several times a day.

And a really heavy base ... to keep the wind from moving it to the next county/city.

ole joyful

LOL OJ. At least you came up with a solution. Been driving me crazy. Only stalls out on hot days after sitting in the sun. Shop couldn't replicate it. Googled it to no avail. Maybe it is this sensor thing being discussed here. I'll check that out.

I don't know if my car starts in neutral, but I thought I'd try that when I get it back to see if it is even possible. If so, I have to *try* to remember it if needed in the future. It sort of "panic city" @ the time.

The service center called a while ago. Said "no codes have been id'd, yet" but he thinks it's probably a "throttle body" & they need some code to get approval from Ford to replace it. So they are waiting to hear back from Ford.

I do have a new windshield! They went to wash the car & somehow the brush put a big crack in it, so they had to replace it!

So... tonight... I'm again without my car! Waiting...

The "CarTalk" link is interesting, Sushipup. I often listen to Click & Clack!

Kat, what year is your Taurus? Thanks for your efforts & ideas everyone.

I had a 92 buick that did the same thing. My friend was driving it one time and she said the car just shut off. I said no problem put it in neutral and start it again. SHe laughed that I wasn't worried about it. It had happened before.
A shadetree mechanic who had never gone to school for it, knew right away what it was.
It was the injector that injected the fuel into the throttle body.
He put it a new one on and we never had a problem after that.
My DH said they dont have them on cars anymore though.

Bee, please, before the warranty runs out, tell the dealer that if they can't fix it, they must buy it back. If they can't fix it before the warranty runs out, tell them if it continues to happen after the warranty, same thing. Also, look in the back of your owner's manual. There is a 800 number for Dearborn. If the dealer can't figure it out, USE it!

The dealer can't get a error code if the dash idiot lights don't stay on. They "might" be able to get one if it isn't re-started before they put the machine on it, but, as the engine usually needs to be running to get the code, I doubt that will work. Ask them if they have checked with Ford directly for any service bullitens on that type of thing. They should be doing that without you asking about it. And if you call Dearborn customer service, make sure you tell them you are afraid to drive the car, as it shuts off with absolutely no warning. Also, think very carefully about each cercumstance that it has happened and see what, if any similarities each time. Write it all down. Date it. Each little thing could be helpful in getting it fixed. Sometimes, all it takes is one tiny detail, to make the light bulb come on for a mechanic!

Hope it gets fixed soon, forever.

Tami

Try a different key - I know that sounds crazy, but I had a car that would do that. It would just stop. They changed ($$$) everything they could think of and it would still randomly stop.

Someone said sometimes the anti-theft chip in the key goes wonky and that was what was causing the car to just stop.

Started using the spare key - never had it quit again.

Dealer mechanic was amazed!

Well, mine is a little older... a 2000, but they hadn't
changed the Taurus in 2009, had they? They weren't done
with DH's truck, I will get the history tomorrow!

In the car thread linked below I found this about another Ford car stalling at highway speeds.

So I a new to this forum and just reading some of these post, I know this is an old one but mine did this exact thing multiple times and it took three trips to the dealership and it stalling going down interstate in Richmond Va with two dogs and a new born for the car to finally store codes...it was the throttle body and all is good now!

I have no idea what a 'throttle body' is, but I'd have them check it!

Here is a link that might be useful: Ford Flex forums

Your problem is real and will not go away until fixed. The problem is finding the failing part or bad circuit.

By the information you have given, your problem seems temperature related, more specifically, the underhood temperature and possibly motor temperature. One thing to look for: hall effect sensors. Some of these are known to stop working when hot only to work again after cooling a bit. Two places that may use a hall-effect sensor: Cam position sensor and ignition timing sensor (reads holes in the flex plate on the flywheel).

The cam position sensor may be in one of two places: Inside the distributor housing, or on the cam shaft. You have a late model Ford (newer model than the stuff I have in my garage) and likely it does not have a distributor. If that is the case, your cam sensor will be on the cam shaft. Consult a good repair manual.

Electronic gremlins, when intermittent, are very hard to find. It takes someone with more electronic savvy than the average garageman. In your case, they may have to install a monitor to catch and identify your gremlin.

Other suggestion made by posters above are worth following up. I suggest that you google the internet to find a Ford Tarus Forum and search for complaints similar to yours. If you do not get satisfaction from your local Ford dealer, contact the zone manager and log a complaint with him with a copy to your "comsumer protection agency". You said your car is under warranty. You need to get the problem logged before that expires. I think the safety board would agree that your problem is a hazard. If Ford can not find and fix it, you should get a replacement under whatever lemon laws exist at your location. Do not let them drag their heels until the warranty expires.