Car won't start? Common causes and what to do
The short answer
The first thing to work out is whether the engine turns over. If it cranks (that whirring sound) but won't fire up, you're usually looking at a fuel, spark or immobiliser problem. If it won't crank at all, just a click or nothing when you turn the key, it's most often a flat battery or a starter fault. Either way we can come to you, find the cause and in most cases get you started the same visit.
Before anything else, check the basics: are the dashboard lights coming on, and what happens when you turn the key? A car that's completely dead points one way, a car that cranks and cranks but never catches points another. Telling us which one it is when you call helps us turn up with the right parts.
Common causes and what they mean
A few things could be behind it. Here's what each usually points to, and how serious it is.
Flat or dead battery
By far the most common reason. Dim or no dashboard lights, a single click or a slow, laboured crank all point at the battery. Cold mornings and short trips are the usual killers, and an older battery can go from fine to flat overnight.
Failing starter motor
If the battery is good but you get a single click or nothing when you turn the key, the starter motor may have failed. Sometimes it's the motor itself, sometimes the solenoid or a worn connection feeding it.
Immobiliser or key fault
The engine cranks normally but won't fire, and you may see a key or immobiliser symbol on the dash. A flat key battery, a damaged key or a fault in the immobiliser can stop the car recognising the key and block it from starting.
No fuel or a fuel-pump fault
It cranks but won't catch. Could be as simple as an empty tank (gauges do lie), or a failed fuel pump, blocked filter or relay not delivering fuel to the engine.
A seized engine (rare)
Uncommon, but if the engine won't turn at all and the battery is definitely good, the engine itself may have seized, usually from running low on oil or overheating. This one we'd want to check carefully before doing anything else.
Want it looked at properly?
We come to you across Soham, Ely, Newmarket and Cambridgeshire, plug in and find the real fault, and tell you in plain English what it is and what it'll cost. A £20 call-out, no obligation.
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