What To Check When Your Car Won't Start
The moment has arrived, you insert the key, turn the ignition to start your can, and nothing happens, maybe a faint click-click-click. What are you going to do now?
When Your Car Will Not Start, Try These Ideas:
1. Check the Battery and Connections
Most often, a dying or dead battery is the culprit. It could be because the battery is at the end of its life or corroded cables. A quick test to check if the battery is charged, turn on the lights, are they bright or dimly lit? Make sure and check the dash for any warning lights with a low battery charge. Even if the engine turns over, if it is slow and seems to drag may indicate a bad or weak battery.
2. Ignition Switch Issues
If the lights are bright, but the engine will not turn over or clicks, the ignition switch may be the problem. This issue a little more difficult to solve, so we strongly suggest bringing your car to Joe Meyers Ford and let one of our experts check it out.
3. Faulty Starter Motor
The battery often seems to check okay with bright lights, but when starting, and nothing happens or maybe faint clicks. Starter motors typically last a long time, but they do fail, and if all else checks out, time to get the motor replaced.
4. Dirty Fuel Filter
The fuel filter is designed to function for 20,000 miles or more with ideal conditions. If your car is driven on dusty roads or heavy pollution, the fuel filter may have to be changed more often. The Owners User guide will have recommended servicing of the filter, but to be safe, schedule it to be checked at our dealership by one of our expert technicians.
5. Empty on Fuel
When all the above ideas are checked, and the car still will not start, one last item to check is the gas gauge. There is a reason for the Low Fuel light, and when the tank is drained, the car's engine will crank all day but never start. It happens more often than you may think.
We hope you are never in the position where your car will not start, but our ideas provide some help if you are. A great way to avoid unexpected problems is to bring it by our dealership in Houston, TX, and have a professional check it out.
