Quick Fixes for Car Start Problems
Nov 24th, 2008 by shop-universal-best-buy
Quick Fixes for Car Start Problems
You wake up early in the morning, brushed your teeth, took a bath and prepared for your first big day at the office. You board your car and are ready to go to work. But hey, your car won’t start. What a perfect timing. Now you can never impress your new boss.
Car start problems are one of the biggest headaches of all. You parked your car looking good last night. Why the heck did it fail to start today? Well, there are a lot of reasons for that. If you know how to repair cars, it would take you but a few minutes to troubleshoot the problem. But for those who knew nothing about car repair, here are good suggestions where to start checking:
1. Loose battery terminals
Try to start you car again. Do you hear any sound or noise when you turn on the ignition? Well, there should be. If you don’t hear anything, there are high chances that the terminals leading to the car battery is loose. Take a look at it and tighten them as necessary. Don’t just unplug the wires though. Remember that there’s a positive and negative terminal there. Know the right placement. If tightening doesn’t work, try to clean the terminals and battery poles. Then connect the negative terminal followed by the positive. Try to start the car again.
2. Dead battery
Car start problems almost always lead to issues with the battery. If there were clicking sounds as you turn on the ignition, the battery could be dead. Clicking sounds can also be caused by a loose connection, though the chance for this is slim. Either way, it pays off to check the wiring to the starter. If that’s good, you might need to recharge the battery. Batteries that drain fast could suggest an alternator issue.
3. Fuel pump problem
If the engine just cranks continually but never really starts up, check your fuel. If you know for a fact that you have adequate petrol and your battery is good, then it could be a fuel pump problem. Try to jumpstart the vehicle. If the problem were just weak battery, this should solve it. Else, it’s really the fuel pump and you are going to need a mechanic to check on it.
4. Choke issues
If the engine starts right up but dies eventually, the choke is most likely the culprit. This is especially true with cars having carb engines. Start the engine again and step on the accelerator lightly. Let the vehicle rev up to heat it up a little. It should start fine after a few minutes. This isn’t applicable for fuel injected cars though. For these types of cars, there are many reasons why a problem like this occurs. It could be issues with the idle air valve or the fuel pressure regulator. There can also be a leak at the vacuum hose.
For major car problems and to be sure about your car’s condition, take it to an authorized service center. As for you, you might as well take the cab instead so that you’ll get to the office on time.
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Quick Fixes for Car Start Problems / Author: Cristian Stan
