I don't think they shut down automatically unless programmed but they do have a habit of losing selector data (the cartop processor board). The eeprom on the cartop board has a lifespan and can become unstable after about 10 years. From my recent experience access electronics only offered a 50% success rate on repairing a board that is less than 10 years old.
Using the NP programmer plugged into the cartop and the appropriate floor data for your speed you can reprogram it and get it back running again.
The 1600 and the 3216u cannot be repaired for stock. They can only do a "Repair and Return" on them back to the same job site. The 3216u board has a job specific black module. The old version was a 1600 and now it is now replaced by 3216u. "The 1600 board has a battery backed ram, if it's dead the board is not repairable. Keep in mind that the batteries in the RAM only last for 10 years." Access will repair, but only 50/50 chance can be repaired.
Isn't this music to your ears? Mine happen to be in an extremely high profile building and no other building in my portfolio rattles me quite like this one does when i look at the phone and see the name on there!