here are 5 reasons why your car does not start

We have all probably been in this situation. You wake up in the morning, sit behind the wheel, and turn the key, but nothing happens. The car won’t start and you are already late for work. Is it too late to call a taxi or ask somebody to give you a lift or should you try to fix things by yourself and get the car running? Let‘s see what are 5 common reasons why your car doesn’t start and is it possible to fix it on the spot. Sometimes, you can get your car running in no time, but sometimes you will need help.

Starter Engine Failure

If you turn the key and you hear some strange noise, but the engine fails to turn or you don’t hear noise at, it is possible that your car suffered from starter engine failure. Starter engine is an electric motor which turns the flywheel and crankshaft and starts the engine when you turn the key. It is quite a simple device and in most cases it is liable component, but sometimes it can burn out or have its rotor stuck. If it is dead, you can try pushing the car to start if you know how to do it and have some help from your neighbors. If the rotor is stuck inside the starter you can try to release it by tapping it with some heavy object like stick or hammer. Hitting the starter engine will release the rotor inside and you can start your car without any problems. If hitting doesn’t help, it means that the starter engine is dead and you will need to replace it.

Dead Battery

The most common reason is simply dead battery. If you get in your car in the morning and turn the key and absolutely nothing is happening, it is a clear sign that your battery is gone. If there is no any noise from the starter and the dashboard isn’t blinking, than your battery is in desperate need of replacing. There are two solutions to this problem. One is good old pushing the car to start and that is only if you own a manual. Automatics, especially new models are not recommended for push start which can cause many problems with the drive train. The second solution is to jumpstart your car by using jump starter charger or car battery from your neighbor‘s car. Jumpstarting a car is a simple process but do it only if you know how and if you have done it before. If you make a mistake and cross the wires, you could burn both vehicles and this is something that nobody wants and then you would be definitely late for work. If you know how to properly jump start a car, than this will not be a issue and you can get going in matter of minutes.

Clogged Fuel Filter

The key of trouble-free car ownership is regular maintenance. Fresh fuel filter should be a part of every regular service and if you skip it, you might experience trouble starting the car. Clogged or dirty fuel filters simply cannot provide enough fuel for the engine to run properly and you might turn on the car but it will shut itself down after a few seconds and you wouldn’t be able to start it. The solution for this problem is somewhat more complicated and requires finding and replacing fuel filter which is something that you can do in your driveway but not when you are in a hurry to get to work. Even if you know exactly how to do it, it will take some time and you don’t want to risk getting covered in petrol or diesel fuel.

Empty Tank

Sometimes, the reason is quite obvious and your car won’t start because it has an empty tank. The starter is turning the engine, the battery is good but the car won’t start. The needle on the dashboard is on ‘E’ meaning you have a dry tank and this is the reason why your car is stationary. The solution is simple. If you own petrol powered car – just sip some fuel and off you go. However, if you ran out of fuel in a diesel powered vehicle, things would not be as easy. Even after you put diesel in your tank, the car will fail to start since diesel fuel needs some time and a lot of fuel pump pressure to get to the engine. Simply, diesel is much denser than the petrol which makes all the difference. That is why you should never run out of diesel, as we explained in our previous article dedicated to this topic. Of course, you should always check to see if your gas tank is leaking and you are losing fuel even if the car is stationary. The strong smell of fuel in the interior is definitive clue of that.

Moisture in Distributor Cap

Modern cars have sophisticated ignition systems that are pretty much weather proof, but if you own an older car, you might have experienced trouble starting due to moisture in the distributor cap. The problem is quite simple, due to extensive moisture in the air, heavy rain or fog, moisture has penetrated the inside of the distributor cap, often located near the engine block. If the inside of the distributor cap is wet, the electric impulses will not be sent to spark plugs and the engine will turn, but it won’t start. The solution is simple, just take off the distributor cap and try to wipe it and thoroughly dry it before attempting to start the car again. In most cases you will be able to start the car shortly, but if moisture penetrated deeper in the ignition system, you would be better off calling a taxi. If this happens again, check the distributor cap for cracks which cause moisture to penetrate inside. You can fix it quite simply with duck tape or some glue.