Thickening Of Engine Oil
Thickening of engine oil is another major problem that usually happens. As a result, it becomes difficult to pump the oil into the other parts. There are also chances of the oil sticking to the engine parts and affecting the cars performance. This sticky oil makes it difficult for the batteries to pull in so much oil. Hence, the low power of batteries can cause a slow start of the engine.
Cause #4 Starter Issues
The same symptom characterizes starting motor failure in all makes and models: When you turn the key, the starting solenoid will click, but the engine wont start. The click wont always occur, but it will almost certainly.
You could also hear a whirring or rapid spinning when the key is turned. In this situation, checking for failures in the starting solenoid and starter is essential.
You will have to see a mechanic and do a starter replacement to fix this.
The typical cost for such replacements is between $426 and $581.
The Ignition Coil Is Too Weak
The ignition coil is responsible for converting battery voltage into an electric spark.
Due to wear and tear or damage, the coil may not be powerful enough to accomplish this task. You can use a multimeter to test the current running through the ignition coil.
If you get a reading of 12,000 volts or more, the ignition coil is still strong enough, but anything lower than that indicates a problem.
Fortunately, you can detect problems with your ignition coil early enough and replace it before it becomes serious.
If you use the car every day or more than three times a week, you must have noticed a few things when the vehicle was running that indicate a problem with the ignition coil. Some of these include:
- Engine misfires
- Car dying when idle or at a stoplight
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What Do I Do When My Car Wont Start Because Of A Starter Motor Problem
“With older cars, putting the vehicle in gear with the ignition off and gently rocking the car could do the trick and dislodge it,” says Eastman.
But, if the problem persists, you might need to go to the garage. A mechanic can check to see whether youve got starter motor problems or whether its linked to the cars wider electrics.
Can You Call The Rac Out Without Breakdown Cover
Yes. If your car breaks down but you dont have breakdown cover, you can still call the RAC for breakdown assistance.
and speak to one of our operators who will be able to set you up on any one of our breakdown cover policies immediately. Please note that for the first 24 hours of your policy you will be put on our Roadside Assistance Only policy.
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Cause #5 Camshaft & Crankshaft Position Sensor Issues
The check engine light will come on when the computer detects the engine is running late. It may not start, or the motor could stall. If the engine is started, it will operate poorly and consume too much gasoline.
All of this is due to the camshaft issues.
The replacement costs are between $185 and $239 for the camshaft and between $175 and $231 for the crankshaft.
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No Crank No Start Problem: Ford 2004 2011 & 2014
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Keep An Eye On The Level Of Electrolyte
The electrolyte in your battery should be at the proper level at all times. So, ensure you keep an eye on the electrolyte level in the battery. If it starts to get low, add distilled water to bring it back up.
Moreover, avoid letting the battery discharge too much. If it gets below 50%, charge it back up as soon as possible. Finally, donât forget to clean the terminals and connections regularly to prevent corrosion from building up.
Invest In A Block Heater
As you know, your car wont start in the cold. So, remember to keep your car warm. In other words, keep the engine hot like a kettle filled with water. With ample fuel and no pollution, your car should be able to maintain its temperature. Ample fuel also offers you warmth and comfort during your travel, and all the more, there is significantly less power consumption in the process.
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What Causes The Anti
The security light on the vehicle dashboard indicates that your vehicle security system is on and monitoring. This is only good when the engine is off. When you first turn off the vehicle, you should notice the anti-theft light flash and go off. This is for the factory-installed system and not the aftermarket systems, which might keep blinking depending on the model.
However, what if the light comes on and the engine is still on? When the anti-theft light comes on, and the engine is running, it shows that there is a fault with the vehicles anti-theft system.
There can be several reasons your anti-theft system light remains on even when the engine is running. The main reasons can include
- There is a battery failure, probably in the key fob. This makes it hard for the cars computer to track where it is to activate or deactivate the anti-theft system.
- There is a smart key malfunction causing the various parts of the system to lose communication, thus activating the system at the wrong time.
- You may be experiencing locking and unlocking issues with your vehicle. Check to see if the central locking mechanism is working correctly.
Depending on the vehicle, the immobilizer might be kicked in because the system does not trust the key you are using to start the vehicle. It is best to check the battery in the key fob to see if that could be the issue. Replace it with a new battery to make the system detect the key better.
Before You Call A Tow Truck It’s Worth Trying A Few Of These Tips To Get Your Car Up And Running
Most people dont keep a set of mechanics tools in their trunk. So when your car wont start and you get stranded with a dead engine, you feel pretty helpless. But dont give up right away if your car will not start. Weve compiled a list of tricks you can try when your car wont start, and none of them require tools. Theyre arranged by symptom, and youve got nothing to lose by trying them if the car cranks but wont start. Of course, they wont fix the root problem, but one of them just might get the engine started so you can head to the nearest mechanic to have the problem fixed. Here are some things to try if your car wont turn over.
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Keep Your Petrol Tank Topped Up
We all know that an empty petrol tank means a stationary car, but did you also know that starting a cold car first thing in the morning uses 40% more fuel than usual? In other words, if youre heading home from work tomorrow evening and you notice your fuel tank is looking a little low, its a good idea to fill up before you park it up for the night, or you might find yourself caught short the next morning.
What Happens If You Overcharge Your Car Battery
Overcharging your car battery can cause several problems, including damage to the battery itself. If you overcharge your battery, the electrolyte inside the cells can break down, causing the cells to leak and potentially damaging the battery.
Additionally, overcharging can lead to the buildup of dangerous gases inside the battery, which can cause explosions. If you have a lead-acid battery, overcharging can also cause the formation of lead sulphate crystals, reducing the batteryâs capacity and lifespan.
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Can You Charge A Flat Battery
A car battery will recharge to some extent while driving, however youll need to drive for at least 30 minutes after a jump start to allow it to recharge sufficiently for the next time you start the engine.
This drive cycle should ideally be in traffic-free conditions without lots of battery-hungry systems on such as headlights and heating. If you’re in a dark, cold layby and using these comforts can’t be avoided: dont worry, it will just take a little longer to recharge the battery.
To charge the battery fully, a dedicated battery charger should be used to bring the battery back to its peak capacity, which usually involves several hours or overnight on the charger.
There are also products known as Battery Conditioners, which provide a small trickle charge to the battery and are especially useful where the vehicle is used infrequently, or parked up for long periods.
Watch RAC patrol Ben Aldous show you how to look after your car battery.
Test For Parasitic Drain
Its hard to place this test using our hierarchy of ease, expense, and the likelihood of a problem. If youve left a light on, that should be easy and free to fix. If youve got a short in a hidden wire because a mouse chewed through it, that could be difficult and expensive to diagnose and fix.
In general, though, less-than-obvious parasitic drains arent as common as some of the other issues on our list. However, if your battery is discharging overnight which youre determining because youve charged the battery, then tested the voltage the next morning as described in step 1 then you might actually have some kind of a constant drain happening.
To perform this test, remove the negative battery cable from the battery. With the multimeter set to the highest amp scale , touch one of your multimeters probes to the cable terminal, and one to the battery post.
The readout on your multimeter shouldnt be higher than 50ma . If its more than 50ma, youve got something thats drawing power from the battery.
To determine whats causing that draw, youll need to follow the instructions in the video below. The process involves removing and replacing every single fuse in the car one by one until that voltage draw goes to fewer than 50ma.
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What Are The Signs Of A Bad Alternator
If your alternator isnt charging, then even if your battery is new, the car wont start. Therefore, an alternator in the right condition is essential to smooth driving. However, alternator failure is a common malfunction, but the lifespan of the alternator is unpredictable. Therefore, one must always look out for these symptoms to keep the alternators health under check.
- Extremely dim or bright headlights
- Lethargic rolling of power windows
- Malfunctioning of radio or other electrical additions
- Growling when AC is switched on and the car is running
One can unplug the positive connection when the car is on to test the alternator. A car with a faulty alternator will stop immediately. The cost of replacing an alternator could range between $450 and $700. Most of this cost is for the parts, which range from $400 to $550, with labor costing an additional $50 to $150.
Batteries Plus Is Your Vehicle Battery Headquarters
Still experiencing problems? Bring in your vehicle for a free battery and systems check. Our experts will test your battery, starter and alternator and help you determine where the problem lies. If its time to replace the battery, we have plenty of top-quality car and truck batteries available. Plus, we offer free installation on makes and models at most Batteries Plus locations.
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Bad Spark Plug Or Broken Distributor Cap/rotor
Your car needs the right air-fuel ratio and the spark to initiate the combustion system.
If you have a good battery and enough fuel in the gas tank and your car still wont start, chances are you have a bad spark plug.
Why?A bad spark plug will prevent fuel ignition, and the vehicle wont move.
Heres how you can spot a bad spark plug:
- Notable reduction in fuel economy
- Acceleration issues
Additionally, your distributor cap or rotor might be broken.
What are they?A distributor is responsible for regulating electricity to spark plugs igniting the fuel. It directs high voltage current from the ignition coil to the spark plugs.
It has a rotor or rotating arm inside a distributor cap, which is the cover protecting the distributors internal parts. The cap also holds the contacts between the internal rotor and the spark plug wires.
Now, if the distributor cap isnt on tightly or the rotor doesnt operate properly, the spark wont travel.
What can you do about it?
Bad spark plug signs arent easy to spot and can often occur alongside issues with other vehicle components. Its best to have your vehicle inspected by a professional mechanic to confirm if you have bad spark plugs, distributor caps, or even a damaged ignition coil.
Reasons Why Your Car Might Not Start On A Cold Morning
To prevent starting issues in cold weather, it can be helpful to know the reasons why cars often struggle when the temperature drops. Driving in cold weather can be hazardous as well as an issue for your car. Consult our winter driving tips guide on how to prepare for winter driving. Below, we list the four main reasons for winter starting problems:
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What Are The Most Common Engine Starting Problem
There are a few different engine starting problems that are relatively common. One is a dead battery, which can be caused by a number of things including leaving lights on or running the stereo for too long. Another common problem is a faulty starter motor, which may need to be replaced. Finally, a clogged fuel filter can also lead to starting problems.
Regardless of whether a car is new or old, it requires some form of basic maintenance on its operating systems. If any of the systems components fail or malfunction, you will have problems starting the system. If you need to repair your engine, speak with an ASE Certified Technician at Clausen Automotive, The Hybrid Shop.
Signs Your Car Is Completely Dead
There are certain signs that your car is dead or in the process of dying. By realizing these signs, you can prevent your car from not being able to run and function as they should. There are certain symptoms, like your engine cranking but the inability to start, your engine doesnt crank, inconsistent starting and stopping, difficulty cold cranking, and repeated car jumping.
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How Much Does It Cost To Solve The Cars Problem Wont Start But The Battery Is Working
When your car wont start, but the battery is good, many different problems could be causing the issues, as you noticed in the previous sections.
Therefore, when looking at the price to resolve this issue, the price varies by the problem source, and below are some rough estimates about how much to expect to resolve each problem:
- If the problem is related to the battery and you need to replace the entire part, expect to pay between $45 to $250, according to Kelly Blue Book.
- However, if the problem has to do with burnt fuses, you might need to pay between $110 and $140.
- To replace your vehicles starter, you need to pay between $344 to $562
- Replacing the ignition switch requires about $125 and $275
Remember, all these price ranges are just rough estimates, and the actual price depends heavily on your vehicles make, model, and year. Furthermore, the labor cost can increase the total bill significantly. Thats why you might see a big difference in some repairs when going to a dealership versus doing it yourself or having a small repair shop take care of the problem.
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Ground Cable Wiring Problem
The ground cable is the heavy black battery cable that connects the negative terminal of the car battery to the cars body. Its also known as the negative battery cable, ground wire, or ground strap.
Almost every electrical component of your car flows through this battery cable, making it the foundation of the entire vehicles electrical system.
If theres an issue with it, itll stop your car from starting because the power flow will be cut off. This implies that the engine power wont be able to crank your cars engine.
How do you tell if theres a ground cable problem?Here are some common symptoms:
- Dim or flickering dome light
- Defective fuel pump
What can you do about it?
Pop the hood to inspect for a damaged ground cable visually. If it looks worn out, then youll need to replace it.
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