Why won't My Car Start | 11 Basic Reason Along With Solutions

Many times car lovers face a situation where their car refuses to start. However, there are multiple reasons “why won’t my car start”. But in this post, we try to find some of the common reasons behind it.

So, in this article on “why won’t my car start” we will give you several reasons for the occurrence of this problem along with the solution to how you can solve this frustrated or hopeless situation by yourself.

Reasons Why Won’t My Car Start

If you’re googling “why won’t my car start” then these might be the following reasons behind it. These are:

Dead Battery

One of the possible reasons for your car won’t start is due to the dead or discharged battery. Typically, battery related issues could be due to many reasons. But at all, they are the most common reasons why you aren’t able to start your car.

So, what’s the reason behind the dead battery of your car? Let’s discuss them one by one.

1. Forget to turn off the light (dome light) that causes the battery to drain—a most common cause.

2. The second reason is due to the loose connection to the battery.

3. Due to the poor conductivity of connecting wires. They are common in the region where your car has to face rain and humid climate conditions.

4. Old or prolonged used battery

5. Low charging cycle of the battery. If you won’t use your car then your battery gets drained too fast as compared to the rate of charging.

6. Carbon deposits at the terminal end of the battery.

Solution:

The first thing you can do is to grab a new battery. And if your car is the only means of traveling for you then try to jump-start your car with the use of other car batteries and jumper cables.

If you are in touch with some mechanics then report the problem with them. They generally check your battery condition and report the necessary step that is required to fix the problem of “why won’t my car start”.

And if the problem is due to carbon deposition, you can clean it with some tissue paper after opening the terminal ends of connections. This is also useful for restoring the corrosive connection at the battery.

Try all these measures and if you have a battery-related problem then it gets solved from it.

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Empty Gas Tank

After doing all the stuff, if your car won’t start or your question “why won’t my car start” still not solved, it might be due to an empty gas tank.

They are also common, as some people ignore the warning sign of low fuel. However, this situation mainly occurs when you run your car without much fuel or forget to refill the fuel tank. So, there is not enough gas left to start the car.

And, when you just hook up the keys to the car and it won’t start and also show low fuel indicator, then you should definitely consider the fact of low fuel system behind the car.

Solution

Carefully look at fuel indicators that show the fuel level. And if you don’t have enough fuel then grab your wallet, its time to fill up your tank. But, in case your car has enough fuel then there might be other reasons behind “why won’t my car start”.

Clogged in Fueling System

There are certain parts of the car that require regular maintenance. One such part is the fueling system (fueling pump and fueling filter). So, if you skip your car maintenance date and your car won’t start then it might be due to clogged fuel filters or dysfunction of the fuel pump.

As we talk about the fueling system, a fuel pump transfers the fuel from the tank to the engine. While the fuel filter makes sure no debris can pass through it. So, without a reliable filter system, it is nearly impossible to have a healthy car’s engine life.

In spite of this, the main reason behind the dysfunction or clogged car fuel filter— is the poor quality of fuel. So, even you knocking your key to the car’s dashboard — due to the inability to receive the fuel—the car won’t start.

Solution:

The general solution for it is changing the fuel filters after every 10,000 to 15,000 miles, to prevent any problem related to clogged filters.

As stated earlier, a clogged fuel filter is one of the common reasons “why won’t my car starts”. But, if you already run through regular maintenance, then it might be a problem of the faulty ignition switch. And this is our next topic in our list of “11 reasons why won’t my car start”.

Faulty Ignition Switch

When you are sure that the above-listed reason doesn’t fit in your case then it might be due to a bad ignition switch. For instance, an ignition switch uses the battery’s power to transform into an electric spark which is used to ignite a car engine.

But the very first question is, how do you know there is an issue with ignition? For this, you need a multimeter (a tool designed to measure electrical current, voltage, and resistance) to test the strength of the current running through the coil.

So, in the case of a damaged ignition switch, multimeter show very fewer voltage values. Therefore, a bad or damaged ignition switch has no enough voltage to start a car. You can also use a hotwiring technique to start your car.

The next pointer in our list of 11 reasons why won’t my car start, is a broken starter.

Broken Starter

It is quite similar to a bad ignition switch and another common reason why your car won’t start. Although, the starter is the rotatory force that turns on the engine. But in case, if it is broken or a faulty starter then you always hear a clicking noise.

However, in rare cases, it is due to the dysfunction of the starter motor. For instance, a starter motor is responsible for physically turning the engine over and getting the engine to fire. So, it is the first mechanical movement in the car before the engine starts.

Hence, if they encounter a problem with an alternator or the starter motor then your car won’t start. In other words, if you already check the above-listed tips on “why won’t my car start” then you should call a mechanic because it is not the thing that you can resolve by yourself. However, there is a quick and simple solution for it.

Solution:

You can call for help— to push your car. However, this will temporarily start your car and you don’t need to call the mechanic, as now, you can drive directly to their shop. Therefore, this is a temporary solution. For the permanent one, you should have to check it out through a trained car mechanic.

Bad Timing Belt

If you are still suffering from the question of why won’t my car start, then a possible explanation is the malfunctioning of the bad timing belt.

A timing belt is one of the regular maintenance items of a car which could be called the arteries to supply motory force to other parts of the car such as the alternator, cooling system, etc. In addition, it ensures that the engine’s valves open and closes at the proper interval. Therefore, the valves and the pistons never touch.

So, with a faulty timing belt can cause catastrophic engine damage that could load you with a ton of money, as in most cases, an engine replacement is required.

Note: Auto manufacturers specify in their guidelines when a timing belt should be changed. This is usually based on the governing factor i.e. the mileage and the total traveling distance. In general, you should change the car’s timing belt every 60,000 miles or five years.

Security System Compromise

Today, most cars have a security system that usually allows a car to start with a simple right-click. And dysfunction of these keys is one of the reasons for our topic “why won’t my car start”. Actually, this security system’s working mechanisms are based on certain patterns that should be matched.

In most cases, when the ignition key code is matched to the car key chip, the security light will turn on and off automatically for some time. And then they command the car to start. This additional security system helps to prevent any possible malfunctioning in the car’s system.

Therefore, sometimes your car won’t start because of the wrong key you mistakenly inserted. To resolve this problem, you can reprogram the car key. In general, the information should be available in the owner’s manual itself. So, have a look at them.

Failed Mass Airflow Sensor (MAF)

The main function of the Mass Airflow Sensor (MAF) is to determine the amount of air flowing into the engine’s air intake system. However, it is the last common reason for our topic of “why won’t my car start”. In addition, it is also responsible for the cranked engine.

So, when the MAF system fails (generally the sensor) then it causes irregular airflow or completely damaged mass airflow.

Additionally, the over-soaking of a washable or an improper installed/collapsed air filter can also cause problems with the airflow sensor.

With this, our list of common reason on the topic of why won’t my car start ends here. But now discuss the uncommon cause of why your car won’t start.

Other Uncommon Reasons Why Won’t My Car Start

We already had listed down the common reason on the topic “why won’t my car start”. But there are the more uncommon reasons why your car won’t start. These includes:

Blown Fuse

One of the reasons that rarely occurs and the reason why won’t my car start is a bad fuse.

In general, a bad fuse is known to be a blown fuse that is responsible for the broken circuit of the car. There are various reasons why you have a blown fuse. Two common reasons are the burnt wire and short-circuiting.

However, when the uncertain load such as a new AC system is added, it might also cause a problem of the blown fuse.

In addition, it can easily be replaced with a new one and your car is good to go.

Bad High-pressure Fuel Pump (HPFP)

Another uncommon reason on the topic of why won’t my car start is the high-pressure fuel pump (HPFP). It is used to supply fuel to the engine by the means of high pressure to facilitate the mixture of fuel and air for optimal engine performance.

So, with a bad HPFP (or its total malfunction), your car isn’t able to generate ample power which with time goes down and down (power). This altogether generates numerous other problems such as an uncharged battery, blown fuse, etc.

Altogether, this could be the reason why your car won’t start.

Crankshaft Position Sensor

The very last topic is “why won’t my car start” is the dysfunction of the crankshaft position sensor. It is an important device for your car because it measures the rotation speed (RPMs) and tracing the crankshaft position.

And without it, the car engine won’t start. Generally, sensors get damaged or fail with time. But other means such as burned wiring, connector issues damaged reluctor ring, etc. are some other common reasons for this.

Apart from this, it causes irregular stalling of the car movement due to a bad air bypass motor or speed control motor. If these devices fail to provide the correct idle speed, the sensor interprets wrongly which may cause the engine to die.

With this, our topic on “why won’t my car start” ends here. But, there is more in this post. Here is a quick summary of why your car won’t start.

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Quick Summary on Why Won’t My Car Start

This is how you can make sure and rectify which problem your car is facing and some easiest way you know why your car won’t start.

1. Checking the Starter and Battery

Try to listen sound (clicking sound) from the engine
Check the battery terminals for carbon deposit
Use another vehicle to jump-start the engine
If possible, test the battery with a voltmeter
Also, check the starter.

2. Ensuring the Engine is Getting Fuel

Add fuels
Check vehicle’s fuel system for jerking or inconsistent power
Check the blockage passage of fuel in the fuel filter
Replace the fuel filter
Test your fuel pump

3. Testing the Ignition System

Check and replace the spark plugs for damage
Check the wires
Test the ignition coils is it properly work or not

So, at last, these are the following frequently asked questions on the topic of “11 reasons why won’t my car start” that users generally search on Google.

General FAQ

Why won’t my car start even the battery is good?

Ans. If the battery is good, there are several reasons why your car won’t start. Some common causes are broken starter, blown fuse, bad ignition switch, the poor performance of timing belt, or lack of fuel pressure, etc.

What should I do if my car won’t start?

Ans. To answer this question in a simple way, you either self checks the reason behind it (check the summary of this post) or simply you can call the repair technician or mechanic near you.

What are the signs and causes of a bad ignition coil?

Ans. There are several signs of a poor ignition coil. Typically, faulty ignition coils are caused by poor fuel, engine jerking, backfiring, or sparking inside the cylinder without cranking.

How can I check the battery terminals?

Ans. You can easily check the battery terminal by looking at the connections from the battery to the engine. However, check both terminals/ cables are tight or connected to transmit electricity sufficiently. Although, you should clean any carbon deposit or corroded battery terminals.

What sensors can cause a car not to start?

Ans. Crankshaft position sensors and HPFP sensors can cause a car not to start. A damaged crankshaft position sensor dysfunction due to shortcircuiting of wiring or connector issues, timing belt or chain is broken, etc. On the other hand, a damaged HPFP sensor can cause serve damage to the engine, and sometimes the engine is needed replacement.

Finally, you get all the stuff on “Why won’t my car start”. If you find this article helpful and knowledgeable then show you your love in the comment.