Car Won’t Start? 4 Potential Reasons Why

You’ve probably had it happen several times in the past. You put the key in the ignition, give it a turn, and nothing happens. Sometimes it gives you the horrid screeching sound, and other times, it’s total silence. Before you freak out, remember that it’s possibly an easy fix, but you won’t know until you do some troubleshooting on your own. The next time your car won’t start, look for these possible reasons for the problem.

Dead Battery

This is probably the biggest offender when your car won’t start, and many things cause a dead battery. Corroded terminals, sulfation, and lack of water are all causes of a dead battery, yet they are often a simple fix. There’s also a chance that you left your headlights or dome light on resulting in a lack of charge. A telltale sign that your battery is the source of the problem is that your accessories, or the first click when you turn your key, don’t come on at all (radio, dashboard lights, etc.). From there, it’s a good bet to have a good Samaritan or friend jump your car. If it still doesn’t start, think about calling a tow truck.

Easy Fixes

It sounds crazy, but many people stress out even before they take a look at some of the simple things that might affect the car starting. One such thing is making sure the car is in park. If you were busy the night before and live on a flat street, you may just have forgotten to put the vehicle in park. Once the vehicle is in park, try it again, and hopefully it will work. For manual transmissions, remember you also need to push in the clutch when you turn the key.

Clogged Air Filter

Without getting into all the mechanics of how an engine works, just know that you need clean, outside air to enter your engine to make it run. The only way to check this is to locate your car’s air filter compartment. Use the owner’s manual if you’re not sure where to find it. Once you’ve opened it, check for any clogs or a dirty air filter. If the filter is filthy, it’s an easy replacement you can do on your own for under $20. Just take the dirty filter to an auto parts store and ask for a replacement. It’s as simple as that.

Old Spark Plugs

Spark plugs are the mechanism that help fire the engine and get it started. These tend to go bad after about 50,000 miles, but can last up to 100,000 miles. Replacing them is relatively simple, but a better option is to get a tune-up for you car after about 50,000 miles. During this process, mechanics replace the spark plugs, belts, and other components to make your car run like new. For about $500, you can have total peace of mind.

Just because your car won’t start doesn’t mean that you have to lose your cool. Instead, simply run through this list of potential problems. With any luck, you’ll find the problem temporary, and your car will fire right up.