Car Won't Start? A Quick Checklist to Try and Get You on Your Way
Years ago, before the advent of the Internet, if you jumped into your car and it wouldn't start in the morning, you might not know where to turn. Thankfully, today you can log on to your smart phone and see if you can come up with some solutions right away. In order for you to try and make that important meeting, what are some of the things you can look at now to try and get you on the road?
Imagine that you are a mechanic for a moment. They don't start looking at stuff randomly, but rather logically from the beginning. As nothing happens without a spark from the battery, this is where you should look first.
Cleaning First
Prise open the bonnet and have a look at the external condition of the battery. If you haven't been in for a service for quite a while, you may find that a good amount of corrosion has built up all around the terminals. Also, due to the grease that's often placed here, the terminals can become very dirty naturally. Get a wire brush and carefully clean all of this way, before checking that all the leads are tight.
Battery Power?
Get the battery tester from your garage and see if the battery is omitting any power. If there isn't, get your neighbour to jumpstart you, but make sure that you replace the battery as soon as possible.
What About Ignition Switching?
If there is power, then the next thing to look at is the ignition switch. When you turn the ignition key all the way to the "on" point, do you see a red warning light on the dashboard? If you don't, the ignition switch may well be faulty and needs to be changed. If you see the red light, turn the key further to the point where it should be starting the car. If the lights on the dashboard go down, the ignition switch is probably good.
Is the Starter Motor Spinning?
If you cannot hear the starter motor spinning when you're trying to crank the car, then this could be the culprit. It could have failed or not be receiving any current.
Are You Getting Fuel?
If all looks good there, move to the top of the engine and specifically to where the fuel injectors are fitted. There will be a number of electrical connections attached to these injectors and each one of these should be checked now to see if they are tight.
That's about the extent of what you can do quickly. If none of these checks happen to get you on your way, it may be time to bring in a mechanic for auto repairs.
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