I'm driving a 1995 Mazda Protege with about 200,000 miles. It has been generally pretty reliable, and I have fixed things as necessary, but a DNR has been in place for awhile. The water pump is leaking coolant and replacing it is a $700+ job according to three different shops because of the labor involved, so I'm driving it (and keeping the coolant topped off) while I arrange to get ...Start by checking your ground wires, they run from the battery to the frame, and the engine. look for corrosion in the wires, and at terminal points. Make sure terminal points are not loose. Then also check the positive line to the starter and to the fuse/relay box. again looking for corrosion and loose connections. Feb 25, 2015 · It's a known issue in forums for the TCS, or Traction Control System, to cause loss of power. This is not because of the actual TCS, but because the electric reaction it creates leads to power loss. If the above steps haven't fixed the problem, it's time to plug in. 2013 Chevy Malibu; loses power while driving, no power steering, radio turns off then when idle car cuts off starts back up. Sometimes car is completely dead, key is stuck in ignition and then it comes back to life after a few minutes.