Your car will not start, so what do you do? This car situation usually happens unexpectedly! There could be many factors that come into play when troubleshooting this problem. It could be your car ignition, car battery, or even an engine issue you didn’t know about! To make it easier for you to be prepared for something like this, we have created a list of troubleshooting tips to help you as you try to locate the problem.
The key won’t turn in your car ignition
If this is the first case for you, it could be because of a few different reasons. Your steering could be locked because your wheel is turned a certain way, so try changing your wheel direction. Also, there could be an issue of ignition lock with your actual key. Call your local car dealer to get help and resolve the issue if you can’t figure it out alone.
Is your battery okay?
Make sure to check to see if your car battery is dead! This is probably the most common reason for your car not to start—because of a light possibly being left on. In the case that your car battery is low or dead, you may hear a clicking noise when trying to start your car. You will need to jump-start your vehicle! If your car battery is more than four or five years old, you may need to replace it.
No lights on the instrument panel
Another troubleshooting tip is to turn on your car ignition to see if your lights come on in your instrument panel. If they don’t, your battery could be dead or you could have a bad car ignition switch. There could also be a lack of connection between the battery and the vehicle electrical system if the lights are not coming on.
The engine turns on slowly and doesn’t start
This is most likely because of a discharged car battery. If it’s not the battery, there may be a bad connection at the terminals or in the starter motor. The last reason that may be causing your engine not to start is that your engine could have an internal problem. Check your engine oil to make sure!
Come see us at Harris Automotive today!
We hope you pinpointed the issue of why your car may not be starting! If these troubleshooting tips didn’t help resolve the issue for your vehicle not starting, talk to your local dealer or automotive repair shop. We at Harris Automotive are here for you if you live in the Central Ohio area!
We have two locations: one in Westerville, Ohio, and one in Blacklick, Ohio. Our full service automotive repair shop is here to make sure you’re safe on the road. Contact us today to set up an appointment or to get an oil change or repair here!
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