6 Reasons Why Your Car Won’t Start and What To Do About It

Is there anything in life more frustrating than getting ready to leave work and feeling so thankful that the day is over, but when you turn the key to start the car. . . nothing. Or maybe you hear that cranking sound, and the car won’t start. Other times, the car makes a clicking sound, but that’s it.

Now what? OK, so maybe a lot of you would try again. Maybe you luck out, and the car starts. Maybe not. For the latter, what do you do? Call roadside assistance? Spouse? Parent? Your sister-in-law? What if no one answers, and roadside assistance says it is 3 hours before someone can show up?

Now what do you do?

For some of you, this will depend on how much you know about cars, what type of car you have, where it’s parked. Yes, where you park can make a difference. You may never park your car again without thinking twice.

First, let’s look at the top 6 reasons a car won’t start, and what you can do about it.

Top 6 No Start Problems

1. The Dead Battery

Of course, this is the biggest reason cars don’t start. Batteries do sometimes give us a few warning signs. Other times, they simply roll over and die. If your battery is 3-5 years old and you don’t want to risk being stranded, you should get it tested or replaced.

Regardless of age, there are also cases where the battery has been depleted of its charge, but it isn’t really dead. It can be recharged. These include:

• Leaving the headlights, interior light, or some other light on for hours.
• Not fully closing a door or trunk, which leaves a warning light on the dash or a light is on.
• A short in a wire.
• A faulty part, such as the brake light switch, which leaves the brake lights on continuously.

All of the above wear out the battery. If the charging system is working well, it will recharge the battery in a few hours. If you are lucky, you either have jumper cables and another car. Hopefully one of you know how to hook up the cables. Or if you happen to be a prepper, you have a car jump starter in the trunk. Hook it up to the cigarette lighter or the battery and away you go.

The only problem with this scenario is if the car has a charging problem. Hopefully,you jumpstart the car and away you go, but if you see other lights on the dash, don’t drive too far. Have the car looked at ASAP.

One Last Note On Batteries and Parking: If you have a stick shift and the car is parked on even the slightest downhill incline where you can safely let the car roll downhill, turn the key to the on position and put the car in neutral. Don’t forget to remove the emergency brake. Give it a push if you want, but only if you can do so safely. When the car is going at least 10 MPH, put the car in second gear, and pop the clutch. This means don’t take your foot off slowly, just let go. If the only problem is the battery or the starter, the car should give a hard lurch forward, but the motor should start running. This method is often called push starting.

If your car has the push start option with a key fob, you can still push start the car if it has a manual transmission. The fob has an off, ignition and start position. Put your foot on the brake, and press start. Now roll the car, and push the clutch. The car should start.

We want to stress that you should only do this if it is safe. It might be a good idea to practice this maneuver a few times. This way, if you are in this scenario, you can feel confident about doing this.

2. Dead Ignition Switch

The ignition switch is an important part that allows the electricity to flow through the car. If the switch shorts out, there will be no starting the car because there is no electricity to operate anything. If the headlights work, but there is no sound when you turn the key, this is most likely the problem. Since you will not be able to jump start or push start the car, you will be waiting for a tow truck.

3. Serious Starter Problems

The starter is an electric motor that spins the motor for a moment until the combustion process starts. That clicking sound is often the sign of a starter that is pushing out the gear to turn the motor (click!), but the gear does not turn (click!). Instead, the gear returns to start. Sometimes the starter motor is pulling too much juice from the battery. A weak battery won’t be able to start the car. While you can push start a car with a dead starter, you probably won’t be able to jump start it.

4. No Gas

OK, but the light just came on this morning. So, it should be ok. Right? No. Even if the tank says half or full, this is no guarantee that it is accurate. Fuses blow, and gas gauges fail. So, unless you know for certain the car has gas, it’s worth a try. If you aren’t sure, try adding a gallon or two of gasoline if you can do so safely.

5. Clogged Fuel Filter or Other Maintenance Issue

Regular maintenance on your car is so important. Not starting or stalling and refusing to start becomes a very big possibility if you neglect to change the fuel filter, do a tune up, or replace the spark plugs regularly.  If the car is cranking like crazy but just won’t start, this could be the problem. Once again, you will be waiting for that tow truck.

6. Key Fob Problems

If you try to start the car but the dashboard displays the “no key detected” message, this could mean:

• The battery in the remote is dead.
• The remote is broken or the programming has failed.
• The car battery is dead or very low.

If the problem is with the remote, look near the steering column or the dash for a slot to insert the key. It may be difficult to find. It’s a good idea to know where this is if there is ever an emergency. Try using the key. If the car still won’t start, the battery might be the problem.

Also, try starting the car anyway, even if the fob isn’t recognized. The car might still start.

If it is very cold, try warming the fob by putting it under your arm for a minute. Sometimes a weak battery in the remote is further weakened by the cold. Warming it might help.

After All Is Said and Done

Even if you are able to successfully get your car going via a jumpstart or some other manner, bring the car to the experts at Hong Kong Auto Service. We can inspect the car and tell you if there is another issue at hand or if all you need is a new battery. This way, you can avoid that no-start from occurring again in the near future.

For your own peace of mind and personal safety, give us a few moments to check out your car to ensure that everything is in good working order. You will be glad you did.