What to do when your car won't start?

January 23 2023 , 3 min reading time

What to do when your car won't start

It's a beautiful day out, your favourite Spotify playlist is on, and you are in the final stages of getting ready for a weekend with the family. Just as you take a deep breath and start to drive down your street, the engine turns off. The car wont start. You're left baffled and wondering what went wrong. It's not uncommon for people to wonder why their car won't start and questions about that may be answered below;

Dead battery

This should be the first thing to check. Maybe it got drained at night or perhaps it is just old. For the latter, sometimes you will get a warning. Other times it will come as a surprise.

If you are lucky enough to have a car battery charger, try using it to charge up your battery.

Additionally, try a jump start. You’ll need cables, a car and a battery jumper to get your battery started. If that doesn't work, then you might want to consider getting a new battery.

But if none of these do the trick and you still can't start your car, then call up an auto mechanic who can tell you more about what's going on with your car's battery.

Corroded Battery or loose ends

Another reason why your car won't start is loose ends or corroded batteries. The clamps should be tight and secure. Any corrosion will affect connectivity. Thankfully, it’s simple to clean the terminals with a solution of baking soda and water.

Faulty Alternator

When your car won't start, most of the time it's not because you don't have enough gas or oil. It's because you need a new alternator!

The alternator is the vital component that charges your battery while the vehicle is on. If this component fails, the battery can no longer receive the charge it needs. And without a working battery, your vehicle will be less than useless.

Luckily, it is possible to repair a faulty alternator or replace it altogether. 

No sound but Dashboard light goes on

If you're driving a car and all of the lights come on, but no sound comes out of the speakers, it might be that your car isn't in park or neutral. If that's the case, check to see if there's a piece of plastic on the side of your transmission that could have shifted when you turned it off.

If that doesn't work, try pushing down on the brake pedal (or clutch, in a car with a manual transmission).

Alternatively, it could be a faulty starter motor, or your ignition switch or cables from the ignition to the starter aren't working properly.

In this case, you would have to call for a tow and get to a repair shop right away.

Common issues that could prevent your car from starting can be anything from a simple dead battery to an electrical problem, a malfunctioning starter, or even an engine issue. Identifying the issue and making sure it is resolved immediately is key in assuring your ability to get back on the road quickly. We hope that this little guide has informed you of some potential reasons as to why your car might not have started, and what you should look into doing next time this happens.

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