Without seeing it happen or driving it ourselfs it will be difficult to diagnose.
A shop, even a dealer will guess just the same too.
It sounds like two issues in a way, engine is dying and tranny is slipping.
This can be caused my the MAF sensor going bad and the trans is on its way out (its call Neutraling- revving in gear and not moving).
I had this issue on my 2001 Chevy Malibu, diagnosed by me and second opinion by AAMCO.
I would get the paperwork online to see if the state you live in will let you turn it in and get $1500. Thats how it works for cars here is Cali.
Good Luck :)
Ask whoever looks at it to make sure they check the air intake boot. This is the hose between the throttle body and the the air filter housing. They tend to crack and leak. If this happens, the airflow sensor does not detect all the air entering the engine and causes the symptoms that you're having.
I Had something similar happen and my throttle body had carbon build up just needed to be cleaned that's where I would start no parts had to be replaced just clean with throttle body cleaner. I learned that after replacing a throttle body position sensor and a mass air flow sensor.
First thing unless you see the ignition switch move on its own the car does not turn off the turn back on. The term is the car died and I was able to restart it. Do not assume anything like a battery or any other part. Go to a auto parts store see if they can check out the vehicle to see what needs to be done.
There are a lot of possibilities. TPS, IAC, vacuum leak, MAS or a couple of other things.
I don't want this to happen to me
Okay so some parts of the issue is hard to explain so I will do MY BEST! First of all its a Mazda Protege 2001, it's an automatic. I always keep up on oil changes, and tire rotations. Here is the issue let's start with the easy one to explain. When I am at a stop not always but sometimes it will just turn off, it isn't the battery because it always turns back on. That's the first thing, the second thing is harder to explain. Whenever I'm at a stop, it's almost like my car is stopped but it keeps "revving" up, it's hard to explain but it makes a voom kinda sound and my car slightly moves forward and back but the wheels don't move, it's like it's wanting to move more but doesnt. It's ALWAYS done this but lately for the past 3 weeks it's been getting worse. Forgive me that I can't exactly explain what I'm talking about, but this is the best way I can explain it. I'm in high hopes that it is fixable, but part of me is worried it isn't. I took it in they are looking at it first thing tomorrow. Should I be worried? I'm worried....
