What to Check for if Your Car Won't Start
We’ve all been there before. You’re heading out the door, coffee in hand, running slightly late and you have to get to where you need to go NOW. You sit down in your vehicle, put your coffee down, turn the keys, and… the car won’t start.
What should you do if your car won’t start?
There's a myriad of reasons as to why a car won’t start, however, below are signs of common issues and steps you should take so you can better explain what issues your vehicle is experiencing, in the event you need to bring your car into the shop. The three main components in a standard automatic transmission that cause starter failures are the Battery, Alternator, and/or the Starter itself.
1. BATTERY → Clicking when the key is being turned
The battery is one of the easiest indicators that you can self-diagnose. If your car makes a clicking noise and won’t start, there could be an issue with the battery not having enough power to activate the starter solenoid, thus meaning you may be looking at a battery issue.
…If you have a pair of jumper cables, and a second car to help you out, you can jumpstart your battery to give it a temporary recharge. This can help you out in a crunch (or to get your vehicle to a repair shop), however, even if you can get the car started once or twice this way, we’d recommend you get your battery tested to verify if this is a one-time issue, or if your battery needs to be replaced.
…If you don’t have access to either a second car or the cables needed to jumpstart your vehicle, then you’ll need to get your car towed to your trusted auto repair shop so they can take a look at the battery and diagnose whether the battery can be recharged or needs to be replaced.
CAR BATTERY FAQs
2. ALTERNATOR → Battery light turns on when turning key
Now this can be deceptive. Even though the dashboard light comes on with a battery symbol, the warning light is an indicator that there’s an issue with your car’s charging system. Several things can be at play here and the most common candidate for this light to be triggered is your alternator.
This light is an indicator of the charging system as a whole, and even if you just had a new battery installed, there can be an issue with the alternator, the alternator belt, or the electrical components throughout the system.
If you see this light on while you’re driving, we recommend pulling over to the safest place you can and having the vehicle towed as soon as possible for the safety of yourself, your passengers, and other drivers on the road. Although your car may be running, a functioning charging system is critical to ensure that your vehicle doesn’t overheat and cause the engine to breakdown, whether that’s commuting home on the highway, over the bridge, or in that sketchy part of town without service that you don’t want to be stuck in for hours.
ALTERNATOR FAQs
3. STARTER → The dashboard lights up, but there’s no crank or click
You go to turn the key, the radio plays music and your lights turn on, however there’s no crank or clicking sound at all. While there are several potential reasons why this could be happening, the most common issue is that the starter itself has gone faulty, and your car needs a functioning starter in order to activate the ignition.
The issues described above are the most common reasons why a vehicle fails to start. Every car (including your car) is unique - the vehicle’s year, make, model, maintenance history, driving patterns, and external factors (climate, weather, etc.) - all factor as to why the car may experience issues starting.
At Stress-Free Auto Care, our ASE Certified Technicians combine decades of experience with industry-leading tools & equipment to get your service completed on-time and within budget. Our 24-month / 24,000 mile warranty gives you peace of mind, ensuring your repairs are covered in the event of the unexpected. If your car won’t start start, your friendly team at Stress-Free Auto Care is just a call, text, or email away from giving you the better auto care experience that you deserve.
