Got behind the wheel, put the key in the ignition, but the car wouldn’t start. The reasons may be a wagon and a small cart. If you are at least a little versed in the device of the car, then you yourself will be able to make a “diagnosis” and solve the problem. In our materials, we will consider the main causes of the malfunction and tell you what to do about it.
Why won’t the car start
The most common reasons why the car stalls or refuses to start at all:
- Generator or battery
- Starter
- Gasoline and diesel
- Spark plug
- Alarm and immobilizer
- Electrician
- Crankshaft sensor
- Gasoline pump
- Exhaust pipe
- Egnition lock
Let’s talk in more detail about each of them and consider possible ways to solve the problem.
1. Alternator or battery
The engine of the machine may not start due to a malfunction of these components.
The generator converts the crankshaft energy into electricity and supplies the car to the network. And if it is faulty (for example, the belt is broken), then the battery stops charging. If the unit is out of order, the torpedo of new cars will signal this.
It is not possible to repair the generator on the spot. Cars with a manual transmission can be started from the “pusher”. In other cases, you need a qualified auto electrician.
The problem may be in the battery itself. How long have you changed it? As you know, it is desirable to update it every 3 to 5 years, depending on the model. So a possible cause of the ignition fiasco lies in a dead battery.
For example, the day before you stood in traffic jams a lot. When the engine is idling, the battery is not being recharged. And it takes about an hour of continuous driving to charge it. If the part is old, it could simply sit down overnight.
But it is possible that everything is in order with the battery itself. The reason that the car stalls must be sought on the periphery of the battery.
What to do
Check the terminals. They shouldn’t be dirty. If they are oxidized, you need to clean them with a rag, sandpaper or brush with the addition of a soda solution.
If the terminals are clean, they may just be loose and need to be tightened. Make it a rule to carry out this procedure for prevention once every couple of months.
It would also be nice to know if the car has a battery serviced or not. If serviced, then you need to unscrew the plugs and evaluate the supply of electrolyte. It may help to add distilled water.
When you start the starter and see that all the electrical equipment of the car goes out, then the battery is dead. The only way out is to change. And to start the car, you need to ask another car owner to “light it up”. Moreover, it is better for the driver of a serviceable car to step on the gas at this moment up to 3000 rpm in order to give out enough voltage to start.
2. Starter
The starter is the main device of the starting system. Without it, the car will not start. You turn the ignition key and the current from the battery is supplied to the starter, which starts the engine.
What to do
Let’s consider two situations. First, if the starter rotates, a characteristic sound is heard, but the engine does not start. Do not torment the system for a long time – just land the battery.
First you need to check the most obvious problem – whether there is gasoline in the tank. If there is fuel, the starter turns, but still the plant does not occur, check if the spark has disappeared. This electrical problem is typical for gasoline engines and requires repair by specialists. Also, with a rotating starter, the car may not start if there is a breakdown in the ignition system or compression problems. As a rule, these issues cannot be resolved on their own and it is necessary to go to the service.
In the second case, the starter does not rotate at all. Only characteristic clicks of the traction relay can be heard. The starter may have rusted or broken. Corrosion can be cleaned in a car service. In other cases, only a replacement.
Also, the cause may be a malfunction of the bendix. It is located on the starter shaft. Here you can offer a small life hack: try to gently tap on it and try to start the engine again. From external influence, the bendix will engage and the engine may start.
3. Gasoline and diesel
The fuel may simply run out. For example, the day before you had a hard day, and you did not notice a burning light bulb on the dashboard. Or the arrow froze / broke / stuck, and there was simply no notification.
The characteristics of gasoline or diesel can also be the reason that the car does not start in the cold. Gasoline with a lower octane rating (92 versus 95) will perform worse. The diesel also indicates the temperature range in which it should be used.
The worst thing is if there is a leak in the system. Look under the car, inspect the ground nearby – if there is a fuel spill.
By the way, the oil can also thicken at low temperatures if you did not fill in the all-weather version. Or if the engine oil has been changed for a long time, it turns into a kind of tar and ceases to perform its tasks.
What to do
If the cold is to blame, then there is only one option – to warm the car in a warm garage. If the fuel is over, then call a taxi and go to the gas station. Remember that neither gasoline nor diesel is released into ordinary cans and bottles. Only in special safe containers, for example, metal canisters.
Another option is to ask cars passing by to share gasoline. If you come across an old domestic passenger car like a Zhiguli, then the method is familiar to everyone: a hose, sucking air out of it and pouring it through a funnel into another gas tank. Unfortunately, with modern cars, such a trick will not work – they have a different gas tank device.
4. Spark plugs
The spark plugs create a spark that ignites the fuel, the pistons fire and the engine starts. The part is small and can easily fail. As a result, the car won’t start.
What to do
Carefully unscrew the spark plugs using a torque wrench or other tool that is indicated in the instructions. Examine the detail. If it is dry, then there is no fuel in the cylinders. There may be several reasons for this – from faulty injectors, to the lack of the required gasoline pressure in the rail due to blockages in the gas line, pump failure, etc. It remains to go to the diagnosis. Candles can be dry due to the fact that they simply ran out of gasoline.
Another situation is when the candles, on the contrary, are flooded. Over time, carbon deposits form on them, which does not allow a spark to strike normally. Try wiping and drying the candles and then putting them back in place. The part should be replaced in the near future.
You can unscrew the candle and insert it into the high-voltage wire. Put on the engine and turn the starter. Your job is to see the spark. If she is, everything is fine. If not, the problem is in the ignition system.
5. Alarm and immobilizer
Modern anti-theft systems are not only responsible for sound alerting the entire neighborhood that they are trying to take possession of the car. They also block the mechanisms of the engine. For example, a fuel pump. The alarm may turn off and not unlock the mechanism. Sometimes the service makes the wrong installation. For example, they put a blocking relay where it shouldn’t be – auto manufacturers usually prescribe valid options in the instructions.
The immobilizer can block the engine. Often, in new cars they put it regularly. This anti-theft system, which prevents the engine from starting, and the car will not start.
What to do
Try again to put the car on the alarm and then remove the lock. If the problem is in the wrong installation, then only the service will help. Examine the key fob from the alarm. Is there a new light on there? Perhaps, quite by accident, you turned on the immobilizer. See the instructions for how to turn it off. The problem may lie in the fact that the immobilizer does not recognize the key. In this case, it must be reprogrammed in the service.
6. Electrical
The wiring can be damaged after some serious road shock. And she can profit from rats. When they understand the causes of the malfunction, they find clearly gnawed wires. The contacts can oxidize and not tell the internal combustion engine to start. The driver turns the key, but nothing happens. The starter doesn’t even turn.
The electrical system of a car is complex and extensive. The machine may not start due to a break in the generator winding, a failure of the voltage relay, an open circuit in the spark plug. Finally, electrics are inextricably linked with the on-board computer of modern cars. He may mistakenly block the nozzles or “throw out” some other trick.
What to do
If you have a multimeter, you probably know how the device works and what it is for. Look for a short circuit, check the voltage and quality of the ground, as well as the integrity of the circuit. If you hear about such a device for the first time, then we will briefly explain: this device is the main tool for diagnosing wiring. If you are not strong in electronics, then call an auto electrician or send the car to a service.
7. Crankshaft sensor
It is abbreviated as DPKV. It rarely fails, but if it breaks, the car will definitely not start. This sensor synchronizes the electronics and valve timing in the engine to control fuel injection and the ignition system. Most often, the crankshaft sensor fails due to worn wiring. By the way, if the car stalls while driving, one of the possible reasons is just the same DPKV.
What to do
The sensor cannot be repaired if it is broken, it remains only to change it. Sometimes the mechanism has not broken, but is simply seriously dirty and needs to be thoroughly wiped and blown out. If it’s the wiring, it can be resoldered and reshielded if you have the skills to do so.
8. Benzonasos
In modern cars, this installation is hidden under the rear seats. It pumps gasoline through the system and starts at the same time as the car. If the fuel pump is out of order, then the car may stall on the go or immediately after starting. A couple more signs of a faulty unit: the speed is floating, the engine vibrates, you need to rotate the starter for a long time to start the car. If the car is parked in a quiet place, then during the start you should hear the characteristic buzz of the pump. If it’s not there, then things are bad.
What to do
The reason may be a clogged fuel pump mesh or filter. The part fuse or relay may have failed. As we wrote above, an alarm glitch can also block the unit from starting. On old carbureted VAZs, craftsmen invented temporary “crutches” and even reassembled a faulty fuel pump based on a tire pump. With modern cars, the only thing that can be done with improvised means is to clean the fuel pump screen. Disassemble it carefully so as not to damage anything.
9. Exhaust pipe
If it is heavily clogged, then the car will not start. Condensation may freeze in the muffler. In winter, car owners can inadvertently park in a snowdrift. We cannot exclude the fact that ill-wishers could deliberately clog the muffler with rags.
What to do
Snow and condensate will melt in a warm box. You can try to pull out the rags with improvised tools.
10. Ignition switch
For modern cars, this problem is less relevant. But the owners of old budget cars can be taken by surprise by the disease. If the ignition lock is broken, you will immediately understand it. The key will scroll back and forth but have no effect.
What to do
If you understand auto electrics, you can remove the cover that covers the ignition mechanism and start the car directly. And at the same time and see a possible reason why the car does not start. For example, contacts melted.
Popular questions and answers
Answers to frequently asked questions regarding the problem of starting a car, shared Maxim Ryazanov, technical director of the Fresh Auto dealership network.
If the car does not start in cold weather, try this algorithm: turn on the headlights or the radio for a few minutes. Then turn on the ignition and starter, but not longer than 7-10 seconds. Otherwise, the battery may be completely discharged. If it doesn’t work the first time, then wait a minute and try again.