Common reasons why the car won’t start

It is very unfortunate when you’re about to leave for a destination and your car won’t start. There are many reasons for this and they’re all related to the car’s electrical system problems. The electrical components of the car are subdivided into three categories;

• Electric current producers. These ones are the car electrical system components that give electric current to sustain the vehicle’s operations. For example the battery and alternator
• Electric current suppliers. These are the parts of car electric system whose main concern is to deliver electric current from producers to the users.
• Electric current users. They’re barely the cause of an electric problem. In fact they are more on the receiving end of electrical failure. They are the parts that use electric current to offer convenience. For example, the car’s radio.

There are occasions when the car won’t start after parking it overnight. Contrary to that, the car may not start as soon as you stop for a short time after a drive. Both of these times are trying to show you that something is wrong within the car’s electric system.

In both cases, a jump start could resolve the issue. But this is with the exception that the battery isn’t old or it hasn’t got to the expiry time. Hence the reason why you need to consider some important aspects before buying a new car battery. If the battery is old and expired, a jump start will not work. Otherwise you will have to rent a car to help you run your errands.

Why will the car not start.

This is not a common occurrence. If it happens once in a while, there is no cause for alarm. But if it happens a few more times within a short mileage, you need to be concerned. It means something is wrong in with the car’s electrical system.

1. Dead car battery.

Apart from a faulty spark plug and ignition cylinder, this is one of the most common reasons why the car won’t start. There are a couple of tests you can conduct to determine if the battery is dead. Try to turn on the windshield wipers while the car engine is off. If they’re moving slower than usual, the battery is to blame.

2. Bad battery connections.

The battery terminals should be the next point of investigation is the battery terminals. Sometimes the connection becomes lose over time due to vigorous engine movement. If this happens, there is the possibility that power won’t be transferred to the battery from the alternator and from the battery to the spark plug. Fasten the connections in order for the power transfer to be restored.

3. Faulty alternator belt.

The battery supplies the power that is essential for starting the engine. But once the engine is running, the alternator takes over the role of power supply. The alternator recharges the battery and restores all the charge that was involved  in starting the engine.

If the alternator is faulty the battery’s charging will not take place. This leads to all the battery’s juice going into powering the car and eventually it will finish. This may leave you stranded on the road.

4. Faulty timing belt.

It’s responsible for turning the crankshaft and camshaft at the appropriate timing. A faulty timing belt will cause the starter motor to engage without turning over. This will lead to a clicking sound coming from the engine when you try to start the car. This occurrence is rare because most timing belts brake when the car engine is running.

5. Low fuel.

There are cars that won’t start unless the fuel tank has a certain level of fuel. Don’t forget to refill your tank before parking the car because it may not start afterwards.