Why Your Car Doesn’t Start and How To Fix It

There can be several reasons why your car won’t start. This article lists down some of the most common so in case it happens, you know what to do. Though the techniques and tips here are proven effective, it is important to know that we are living in the technological era where the updates regarding cars are now being controlled by a computer and there should be fewer human interventions.

No Fuel

This is one of the most obvious reasons why your car won’t start. It’s best to keep reserve than walking in a dangerous area looking for the nearest gasoline station.

Low Energy Battery

One of the most common reasons that your car doesn't start is that your battery has no charge or is defective. You can find out if you left the car lights and the radio on, or left one of the doors open that makes the interior lights on. When you leave something working for a long time without the engine turned on it will drain the battery. Thus, the motor won’t start.

How to Check?

To check if the battery has been fully discharged, you can honk the horn. If you hear no sound, then the battery might have been fully drained. When you also turned the key and the dash indicators do not turn on, there’s a big possibility that your battery is already empty.

Parasitic Drain

Parasitic drain is caused by your vehicle's components continuing to operate after you turn off the engine. Your battery supplies enough power to keep things like the clock, radio presets, and security alarm running at all time. However, if there is an electrical problem such as faulty wiring, poor installation, and faulty fuses, the parasitic drain may exceed what is normal and the battery will drain.

Read: Tips for Summer Car Maintenance

Human Error

You've probably done this at least once in your life: You came home from work, tired and not thinking. Then, you left the headlights on, or you didn't completely close the trunk, or you even forgot about some internal lights. At night, the battery runs out, and in the morning, your car won't start. Many new cars notify you if you have left the lights on, but they may not have alerts for other components.

Dirty Battery Or Loose Terminal

When you open the box you see that the battery has a loose terminal or there is a white powder (sulfate). This happens when you have not performed proper maintenance. In this case, you can fix it yourself ensuring that it is properly placed. Remember to turn off the engine to do it.

What Do I have To Do With This Case?

The sulfate is formed when humidity combines with the energy leak. The good news are, you can easily clean it with water and baking soda. If the mixture is not easily available, you can use carbonated water. Don’t forget to dry it well before adjusting the battery.

Car Dashboard

There Is Water In The Electrical System

Water in the electrical system happens when you forget to dry your engine with the compressor. Then, you turned on the engine and this might have been the reason why your car won't start.

How to Prevent it?

Avoid washing the engine with water. There are techniques to clean it without requiring moisture. You should also be careful when steaming it and you should take extra precautions to protect the electronic parts because moisture might cause a short circuit.

Read: How To Install A Remote Start?

The Key is not Recognized

Currently, most cars incorporate security systems where we use keys that are recognized by the vehicle. On many occasions when the original key is lost, people turn to the copy and the engine does not recognize it.

How to Prevent it?

To avoid this, complete an ordinary upkeep. In time, check the owner's manual to set up the replacement key. In any case, you can also go to the distributor to configure both keys and it does not happen at the least expected time.

Take a Good Care Of Your Car

Nowadays, owning a car is paramount. It’s important to take care of your travel buddy by not forgetting to turn off all the electrical equipment when the car is not in use and by performing constant maintenance. When you do this, sudden and costly problems will be prevented.

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John Miller
 

John Miller is a cars enthusiast who loves writing anything related to automobiles. He is a passionate blogger writing for innovatecar.com and other auto blogs