What should you do if your engine stalls while driving?

If your engine stalls while driving, the appropriate action is to avoid braking and instead shift to neutral, restart the engine, and then shift back to drive. This method allows you to maintain control of the vehicle and potentially regain power to the engine without coming to a complete stop, which could create a dangerous situation, especially in heavy traffic.

Shifting to neutral helps to prevent the vehicle from stalling completely and can give you a moment to restart the engine without losing momentum. Once the engine is restarted, shifting back into drive allows you to continue your journey safely. Maintaining forward motion can also help you navigate to a safer location off the roadway if necessary.

In contrast, applying the brakes immediately could lead to a loss of control, particularly if other vehicles are close behind. Turning off the ignition is unnecessary and could complicate the situation by removing all electrical power. Pulling over and waiting for assistance may not be the best course of action unless you cannot safely restart the engine or make it to a more secure area. This option may leave you vulnerable to other traffic while not addressing the immediate problem of a stalled engine.